The rearranging.

He breathed deep, and tasted Spring on the air.

The thaw had begun in recent weeks, and Quicksilver anticipated a long-awaited reunion with @Reiko. He ascended the mountain at sunrise to survey the sky and gain a better view of the intended route, hopeful that he could visit his snowflower sooner rather than later.

The Alphess had made the trip recently, he knew, and arrangements put I'm place to assist with Shiroshika's big cat problem. The finer details of their discussion remained a mystery to him and he dared not pry - Quicksilver remained blissfully unaware of Reiko's desperate proposal what his High Queen had in mind for his future.

It was for @Hieronymous the druid turned away to seek that morning, and picked his way carefully down the frosted slopes toward the Royal chambers. With @Ira gone for a time, Quicksilver supposed the High King would be keeping an eye on their growing brood.


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Hieronymous was indeed watching over their quickly growing youth. They would never need him like they needed Ira at one time, but he would certainly do his best to be there for them when necessary. To protect, watch over them, and teach them how to be proper adults. It was really his only duty as a father after all; and one that not every child had the opportunity to have.

Ira was gone again for a little while to help with their future allies and their Felidae problem, a thing that concerned him greatly. Hieronymous would have preferred to go himself and let Ira rest after her travels, to take the feline problem over his wife but she didn't give him much of an opportunity to fight decision on the matter.

With this new turn of events, even if the skies were relatively welcoming; Hieronymous felt dark clouds hanging over him. As though the brightness was sucked out of him and all was left was toxic anxiety.

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“Hiero,” the druid called out when he caught sight of his comrade, and his tail swished to life at his hindquarters, “hey!”

Quicksilver glanced around briefly in search of the pups, half-grown now, and spotted Rea dozing nearby beneath the morning sunrays. He caught sight of her ear twitch and, not wanting to wake her, the silverwhite eased his trot and spoke more softly as he approached the High King. “Everything okay?”


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The sound of his name caught his attention, stealing the High King away from his thoughts and onto the druid who approached gleefully. A welcomed distraction in which naturally Hieronymous smiled at his approach. “Quicksilver.” His own tail swayed with a greeting.

“Hm I suppose.” He wouldn't lie to someone who had been nothing but good to them thus far, the news of Ira travelling again was surely on everyone's tongue either now or later upon their return. “Ira headed out to help our allies in the North with a couple of our members if you haven't noticed. I worry for her safety this time.” After all, a tiger of Kuhn's size was not something to scoff at.

There would certainly be plenty of wounded as soon as the battle started, and Hiero, feared Ira would be among them. “I know she is strong, but a husband can worry.” Nervously he chuckled at the end.

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Hieronymous turned attention on him, and the sterling medic settled into place alongside him. He turned a tall ear his way to listen, and his expression shifted; Quicksilver clung to the hope that no harm would cometo Ira, Reiko and the others. He was unwilling to let pessimism creep into his heart again. The tiger would be outnumbered, and surely realise that he would need to back down.

“I understand,” he admitted gently, leaning in close enough to offer a gesture of comradery by nudging his shoulder to that of his friend, “but you're right - our women are strong, none more than Ira. We raise them strong, too.” He cast a glance to slumbering Rea, whose strength and determination he'd always been particularly admired.

He breathed a sigh, and took a moment to reflect on how far they'd come in the past year. “They will be fine.”


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“I know.” He’d say softly. Surely Quicksilver was just as concerned over Reiko’s health as Hieronymous was with Ira’s. Briefly he wondered if Ira had told him anything about their arrangement with the Empress - or if he would be far more anxious than this. “I simply wished I went instead.” The paint man shrugged. Ira was simply closer to the Empress than Hieronymous was, and Orlaith had the tendency to listen to Ira better anyway - so obviously she was the better choice…

Even with that sound logic, he still wished to be there in her stead.

“Do you plan on seeing the Empress after this? It has been a while since your last visit.” Clearly if the woman of the North thought of Quicksilver they were still on good terms - perhaps she knew that Quicksilver was simply occupied with the children than to travel too often like he would in earlier days.

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Hiero shared hiow he wished he could've gone in his mate's stead, and Quicksilver exhaled softly through his nose. He felt he should've gone along too, as medic, but did not wish to insult the High Queen with his insistence. His heart remained with Reiko, and he quietly hoped that she would adopt the role of doctor instead of running at the front lines.

His companion made mention of the Empress, and Quicksilver blinked back to reality. The smile returned to his slim muzzle and he sought Hieronymous' mottled features. “Yes, absolutely,” he answered with a flop of his feathered tail, “now that Winter is coming to an end, I hope-” a beat of soft, awkward laughter as he felt heat ruse to his cheeks, “I hope to be seeing more of her.”


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Lingering in the back of the High King's mind he couldn't help but wonder what would Quicksilver's reaction be to the arrangement Reiko and Ira had done without him. How he would feel if he knew the details, that it was either him or the Empress might feel pressured to find someone else for a litter to offer to Ira for her help. The thought alone made Hieronymous' stomach twist uncomfortably, he couldn't imagine how it would make the druid feel when it was his turn to learn.

“I hope to be seeing more of her.” Perhaps more than he could imagine.

“Maybe this time see if you can teach a healer to reside here during your visits. I know that would make it easier for us while you're away.” A gentle nudge in the right direction he hoped. Innocent enough on the surface while Hiero didn't want to outright say that they needed to replace him before he could live with Reiko in the Northern mountains.

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