An arrow, straight to the heart

@Osiris

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Leta snored, sprawled out in the den comfortably. Her legs twitched as she whined within her sleep, though her tail soon beat against the den floor. A throaty growl sounded, and Leta abruptly jolted to all fours as she shook her head with her mouth full of… nothing? Aghast, Leta huffed her displeasure as she blinked the sleep out of her eyes. 

Had Osiris seen that…? 

It looked like he was still asleep, but he could be saving her from shame to pretend as much. Either way, seeing him there warmed her. Leta peered outside, the light of day not yet trickling into the mouth of where they slept, and then moseyed over to him, lowering to her belly. She began to (attempt to) coax him to wakefulness, quietly nosing his shoulder before moving up to nose his chin, grinning some.
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Osiris didn't wake up to the sound of Leta's whining and growling. What he did wake up to was the gentle nuzzles she pushed against him. 

"Mhm?" he mumbled, still half asleep. Once he realized what was going on, that his love was coaxing him awake, he slowly opened his eyes as his tail began to brush against the floor. Osiris knew the difference between Leta waking him up for a specific reason instead of her just wanting him to be up. Right now, he assumed he was waking up for the latter reason. 

Once his vision cleared, he flopped onto his side. He was usually a morning person, but he felt uncharacteristically tired and unmotivated today. Perhaps this was because he had recently taken several of his siblings outside of the pack's territory to explore. (Read: that was the reason, and he didn't yet realize that.) 

"Fiiiive more minutes," he croaked, lazily and playfully reaching towards his girlfriend to brush her away.

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Leta grinned at his croaking, tail swaying behind her. “Come on sleepyhead,” she murmured back, her own voice still sleepy. Leta yawned, nosing him again and said, “come and watch the sun rise with me. Then maybe we can explore together,” she suggested. But it was then she remembered he had been doing a lot of adventuring lately with his younger siblings, and she grinned and said, “or we can have a lazy patrol day, too,” she offered. 

Standing up, Leta sniffed at the air; no rain was due, and it would likely warm up before long. “Or visit one of the creeks or lakes. I have a feeling it’ll be a real warm one today,” she thought aloud. The den was still dark, which meant the sun had yet to peek over the horizon, but as she looked to the open mouth of their den, she knew it would soon. Nosing him once more, Leta meandered toward it with a playfully morose sigh, “guess I’ll go alone then…” peeking over her shoulder to see if that might get him moving.
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Osiris angled an ear towards Leta as she listed off things they could do. It all sounded good to him, but there was one idea in particular that stuck out to him: visiting the lakes. Swimming would let him get some movement in while doing something low impact. It would also keep them cool; he assumed the day would be sweltering based on how warm it was already.

”Guess I’ll go alone … “ Leta said and pulled Osiris from his thoughts. ”Wait up!” he called hastily, scrambling onto all fours and chasing after her. He brushed against her as he pulled alongside her and nosed the silky fur behind her ear.

”Swimming sound good to me,” he said as they exited the den. ”It should be a good day for it—it’s going to be a hot one.”

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Gottem. Leta grinned as she heard him rise and more than that, shuffle in her direction. Leta waited, only because she knew he would be at her side in 3…. 2… 1… and there he was! The mocha coated woman turned to gaze warmly at him when he was there. She pressed against him and sighed happily as he tended to her ear, and left the den with him. “Okay, sunrise, then… show me your favorite Empyrean swimming spot,” Leta said in a sing-song voice. 

The sun moved slowly upward, but the world was still dark. Leta made way toward the edge of their own little domain, moving to sit. Leta had never been a mountain girl until she had met Osiris, but she had acclimated quickly enough. And one thing she had to say… the views were unbeatable. She had adjusted to this place, but had to wonder, “how are you feeling?” the question intended to be all encompassing. Leta was aware of all that Osiris went through. He seemed to remember much more than she about before (given she remembered all of four things), but whether or not that played into anything as to how he felt, Leta did not know.
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Osiris lingered at Leta's side as they watched the sunrise together, pulling her close and resting his chin on her head once they sat. He was so used to rushing about—jumping from task to task—that it felt weird for him to take a moment to slow down. His paws itched to get moving and thoughts of the border distracted him; mentally, he was somewhere else. Osiris was pulled from his thoughts once Leta spoke, and he pulled away so that he could look at her face. 

"Fine," he answered quickly, but quickly realized that she would see through his bullshit. She knew him best, after all. "I'm tired," he amended, "But I think slowing down for the day will help." Osiris leaned forward and kissed Leta on the forehead.

"How are you?"

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With his chin upon her head, Leta did not see that he was not there with her (not fully); and so, beneath him, Leta sat and sighed contentedly. She was happy to be there with him, and the sunrise here was more beautiful than ever. The way the colors bled into one another, pink today making up the majority of the palette above, took her breath away. Though Leta could not say that it was her favorite color (that reserved for the color of her beau’s eyes, truth be told), it had to be one of them.

Osiris took the time to answer her, and Leta said with a sigh, “last night, I felt like your mother had when we first got here. Like I might have forgotten something,” she murmured. Her own mother had disappeared, but if anything that made the woman become more prevalent in her mind, not less. There was something—or someone—else. In her minds eye she could see them; she second-guessed herself as she thought the figure resembled more bear than anything else. Had she a bear companion as Hydra had her eagle…? 

“but I’m okay. I just hope it’ll come to me. How is adventuring with your siblings?” She asked lightly, and casually threw in, “…you’re so good with them,” as something of an afterthought.
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"Oh?" Osiris hummed in reply with an undertone of concern. "Do you want help trying to remember whatever it was?" He wasn't sure how he could help, but he wanted to offer regardless. "Maybe it's something I remember." They seemed to remember different bits and pieces about their previous lives. Maybe this was something that he could recall? 

When Leta asked about his siblings his expression brightened. "They've all been wanting to explore," he answered, "I've taken most of them to Crescent Cove North, and hope to expand to Seeker's Bluff next." His siblings had mostly been on their best behavior, save for an incident every now and then. Being their older brother, he had to be diligent about nipping any bad behavior in the bud. "@Raiden and I went to the cove recently," he recalled, thinking fondly of their outing, "He reminds me of @Altair—they both have our father's desire to adventure." Osiris was more of a homebody, but he admired their drive to discover new places.

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“Well, the trouble is, I just... I don't know what it has to do with,” she admitted with a huff. “It's just like... this feeling. That I'm missing something,” she frowned. His offer caused her to smile, and she nosed his cheek gently. “I don't know that you can. Maybe start naming random things you remember,” she quipped with a laugh, tail waving. But the issue was, she didn't even know where to start with that. What was he naming? People? Places? An event? Ugh.

But talking of his siblings was a pleasant distraction. And as he lit up when speaking of them, Leta could only watch and marvel. The sun illuminated his features, making him the most amazing thing to behold in this golden dawn. It didn't even occur to her that she was missing the sunrise she had roused him for.

“Do you think your mother will lay any claim to those? Like she did the Glen,” and Osiris had been her second then. Leta wondered if he was ready for something like that here, or if he desired it. He seemed pretty happy here, which made her happy. “What if your mother  wanted your help in that...?” she wondered aloud, thinking about it.

Thinking about wanting to be by his side the entire process, too.
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”Do you remember the prairie dogs?” Osiris asked. ”They lived in the base of Moonspear and were quite the rascals,” he remembered frequenting the hillside, ”I don’t think that you and I used to hunt them, but I do remember having a hunting partner that would help me out.” What was his name? ”I think his name was … Mustang? He drew his leg to his ear and scratched for a moment.

”Do you remember any of that?”

“Do you think your mother will lay any claim to those? Like she did the Glen,” Leta asked and Osiris nodded. ”I’ve been wondering when she’ll do so,” he added; it’d often been on his mind. He didn’t miss a beat when she asked her next question. ”Yes, I hope she will let me,” he said, looking at her. ”Is that something that you would be interested in doing?” They were a package deal, after all.

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Why did  she forget these things? Leta shook her head, frowning. Mustang was unfamiliar, too. She sighed. “No, neither of those things ring any bells,” she admitted. “I remember... you were always with someone,” she thought to herself,  “otheer than me, of course... but... a brother, maybe,” she frowned. But that was not the nameless thing on her mind. Whatever it was happened to be nameless. And so, unidentifiable then.

Thinking back to what he mentioned before, Leta said, “You know, I miss @Altair. I wonder if he will visit,” she rather hoped so.

It was good Osiris wanted to, she thought.  Hydra was a good leader in that she ensured that part of her will extended to those that followed her. She forced nothing,  and always granted a choice. But that Osiris still wanted to, well... that was a good thing. “I will be with you every step of the way,” she decided, “but... I would like to be as helpful to you as possible. If not at your side, because, well, I could for sure afford to learn how to lead... then right below you. You're taller anyway,” she teased. “Your mother and you both... you guys are amazing leaders,” she remarked. “How do you do it?” She wondered. Was it all natural, or was some of it learned, for him and his mother both?
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"That's okay," Osiris reassured, "There are many things that I do not remember, too." Leta then elaborated on her own memories and vaguely mentioned there being another brother. He pushed his ears forward and a thoughtful expression emerged; did he have any missing family members? He had never considered this possibility, but there was nothing saying otherwise. "I'll have to see what Mother has to say," he said, tucking the thought away for later. 

He smiled faintly at the mention of his brother. "I hope he does, too," he agreed. "Maybe we should go visit him while the weather is warm," he suggested, leaning over and nudging his beloved's chin. Although he preferred staying at home, he would benefit from familiarizing himself with their allies. "It shouldn't be a long trip." Less than a week, he assumed. 

Amused, Osiris kissed Leta's forehead once she admitted what she wanted. "You will lead at my side," he assured her with a firm nod. He wouldn't have it any other way; he would do everything in his power to prepare her. She was always willing to learn and better herself, so it wouldn't take long for her to get the hang of leading. 

"I think observing my parents for so long rubbed off on me," he replied to her flattering, "But observation alone will not prepare you—this is something that you must learn by doing." Osiris had made plenty of mistakes along the way—and he still did—but those missteps were lessons that would only benefit him in the long run.

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Leta nodded her head, considering. There were times his mother ranged away, and she did not do so often. More now than she did upon Moonspear though, and always as though she were looking for something... or someone. Leta could really only hazard a guess, but was really very aware that the key word there was hazard. Leta was just glad to have her own brother here, safe and sound, honestly.

Osiris made his own suggestion, which caused Leta to wonder about a quick little trip. They could maybe visit Vanderfell, too, another ally... but, was that close? Truth be told, Leta did not know the location of where Altair settled. “Do you know where he is? I mean, I know the pack he had gone to, just not... where,” she said with a laugh. “But a little trip with you sounds nice,” she admitted with a grin.

His words brought a smile to her face. Was she really ready for that? Perhaps not juts this  minute, but then, it wasn't going to happen this minute either. She had spoken her desires into existence... now was the time to work on it. With a little ahem, Leta shifted her weight in her seat and stood just a bit taller. If she was to lead, she likely needed to behave the part. And believe in it, too. And truthfully... she did, if only because she truly believed in Hydra's own cause. To keep their family safe.

And it was becoming her family, too.

“I will have to do  some more observing then,” she lightly remarks, and then adds, “I just want to do as you both do, you know? Keep the family safe. Make sure no one can hurt you, or the children. It feels  much more peaceful here, but even I know not to trust that it will last,”  she said with a frown. Easthollow had been so idyllic... until it wasn't. There was a time that there were those hellbent on harming her family, and it truly came from nowhere.

That, she was grateful to remember.
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"North," Osiris answered, "along the coast." @Hydra had told him about his brother's departure and how he'd gone to live among allies. "It should be nice and cool if we keep to the shore," he added, thinking of the sweltering heat they'd been having, "Though, you might have to help keep my fur tidy—especially since this will be their first impression of us." He laughed, thinking of all of the cowlicks that'd emerge because of the beach's humidity. 

"I will have to do some more observing then," Leta remarked, "I just want to do as you both do, you know? Keep the family safe. Make sure no one can hurt you, or the children. It feels much more peaceful here, but even I know not to trust that it will last," His heart skipped a beat—the children? He cleared his throat and corrected his posture, pushing the thought aside. Now wasn't the time to think about whether or not she had meant their children. "You are correct to not trust it," Osiris said regarding the peacefulness of The Nameless Mountain, "Something always seems to pop up every now and then, and we cannot let our guard down." 

"I will speak to my Mother when we begin to talk about expanding," he decided then, "Perhaps you can shadow her at some point."

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Leta knew it would be in her best interest to be more informed to things like these if she ever wanted to lead. That Osiris knew was no surprise to her at all, and his suggestion was met with a nod. “That sounds like a smart idea,” she rejoined, incidentally on the same wavelength as he was thinking of how hot the days could get. She also wasn't sure if there were any shady routes, so the ocean breeze could be their best bet when traveling by daylight. His remark earned a loud laugh from her, unexpected as it was, and she grinned. “Alright, but same. You might look dashing, all windswept, but me...” she grimaced, and batted a paw at him with another laugh.

Glad for his agreeing with her fear, Leta exhaled. She really needed to step up her own training. She at least wanted to become a decent enough guardian to prevent others hoping to gain unapproved entry. “I feel the same about that,” Leta added, sure he was aware of that for her to bring it up at all. Her worldview had become somewhat jaded, but she wouldn't let it bring her down. If anything, she felt it helped more than harmed her, because to not think that way and then see others hurt from her blissful obliviousness to the way of the world... well, she would never forgive herself.

His idea to shadow his mother caused Leta to nod, thinking that a good idea, too.

“By the time that happens,” she said, speaking to the expansion, “...I want to be a full fledged guardian. I've got good training, but I'm still not there yet,” she admitted. Leta was a slow learner here only because she was not a natural. While hunting and fighting could go hand in hand for some, Leta somehow could not couple them. It hadn't clicked perfectly in place. She wasn't incompetent by any means, but she was far from the level of where she wanted to be.
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"Would you like to join my early-morning patrols?" Osiris asked. "I often find intruders then, lingering from their attempted night-time raids." It wasn't uncommon to find foxes, raccoons, and other small-bodied rodents lurking about near their borders. Leta would benefit from starting small and scaling to larger opposition; she already had begun to train but he wanted to protect her and her process in controllable situations. 

"We can start tomorrow," he offered, unwilling to forego their plans today.

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His invitation was met with a nod. She thought that'd be a good idea, and she was confident that if she were to fall short in any area... well, he would take care of the rest, and guide her proper thereafter. A ray of sunlight caught her eye, and she turned to look at the sky and the various hues that currently made up it. Lavenders and periwinkles, soft rosy pinks, and vibrant orange at the hem of it. Leta let out a soft ooh, at the sight of it, smiling. There was nothing in the way of the sky, here. Nothing between them from the vantage point they settled upon, nothing at all to obscure the beauty of it.

Looking to Osiris then, she nosed his cheek. “Thank you for getting up to watch this with me,” she lilted, chartreuse gaze looking at the way the hues played on his tawny fur. “We should head to the creek, before it starts heating up,” she suggested, canting her head to see if he wanted to stay and watch the sky a little while longer or if he thought that was a good idea.
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Osiris turned towards the sunrise as Leta did and began to marvel at the sight before them. He wasn't entirely how the sky managed to become all the colors that it did, but he appreciated the consistent metamorphosis it went through—especially when the change produced such a lovely view. 

His wandering psyche came back into focus as she turned to him, and he took his eyes off the spectacle to see something even more beautiful. She looked radiant in the soft light that combed through her darker pelt. "Of course," he replied, leaning into her touch, "We can do this every morning when we patrol together." Maybe that'd be more of an incentive for her to join him every morning. "We can take it slow as the sun rises and then go to work." 

Nodding in agreement, he stood. "We should, it'll take us a while to get there." It would continue to get hotter, and Osiris preferred taking advantage of the morning's relief from the heat. He leaned over and kissed her forehead before he began to lead the way down the mountain, carefully picking a trail that wasn't hazardous due to the lingering dew.

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Leta nodded, quiet for a moment as she let him take the lead and feeling warm already from his sweet kiss. And then, once their path was picked by the expert mountaineer, and her head felt clearer, she chirped: “Maybe it'll take you a while,” before she drew to his side and screamed: “RACE YOU!” before lunging ahead. Why wait 'til tomorrow to start the training, right? She was incentivized, and she would show him what she had already learned. @Desdemona had taught her the importance of footing, and landscape, and although this was precarious... well, she knew for certain Osiris could handle it, at his skill level.

And she felt confident she could manage it without falling.

Some of the scree bounced downward, and the way the earth moved underfoot did slow her down and give her pause. Leta did not dare look at Osiris, who might surely excel at this part of their footrace. She regretted starting the race now, versus on open land; Leta was built for the run, but not so much the climb and the descent... both of which were likely a part of her beau's first steps. Leta was not slow here, but neither was she as swift as a surefooted mountaineer. Not yet, anyway.

Whatever he gained here she would get back on the nearest plateau, she assured herself.
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“Maybe it'll take you a while,” she challenged. "RACE YOU!"

They raced the entire way to the creek. Although Osiris had considerable momentum down the mountain, Leta won the race. She was made for long-distance running, whereas he was for short-lived bursts. They wasted no time entering the creek and spent the rest of the day splishing, splashing, and being lovebirds. It was a good day.

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