Little birds have to jump out of the nest if they're going to fly

[humsthemelody]

[She didn't actually get nervous until they'd passed Ohio. The next step marked the furthest from home she'd ever been. She trusted Freya, at least somewhat, but home wasn't a place, a concept really was what it was. Home was her family, and she was leaving it on the other side of the country. It was terrifying, but she was equally excited, since she was seeing things she'd never had a chance to see before.

The country changed as they made their way across it, and as they neared the mountainous and wide-open country of Montana, she was in awe. It was just like every postcard she'd ever seen, and she was having a hard time thinking it was real.]

....it's so beautiful...

Comments

[luckyescape]

[Freya rolls her shoulders back before stretching her arms up over her head. A soft groan shakes her thin frame as she inhales the fresh air.]

Right? I forgot how much I've missed this.

[This is the first time she's been back to Montana since her parents death. It isn't heart breaking or upsetting, just strange. Stormy gray eyes turn to look at Cat with a warm smile.]

We're almost at the boundary. Once we reach the boundary it won't be long before they realize I'm here. [She probably should have called first.]

[humsthemelody]

[Cat can't pull her brown eyes from the horizon, at least not at first, then she looks over to the other wolf, her first real friend outside her family, and looks worried.]

Oh...is it okay if we're here and they don't know?

[luckyescape]

[Freya doesn't look concerned.]

Yeah.

[She steps quickly forward, with a mixture of excitement and nervousness turning in her stomach. She hasn't been home in twenty years and she's been assumed dead. She isn't sure she wants to meet her Aunt but she hopes to see some of her cousins.

Passing into his territory made Freya pause.]

Wait. I didn't know he claimed this area.

[Freya glances back at Cat before shrugging and stepping forward.]

[humsthemelody]

[She looks confused, looking over to Freya.]

Wait...he who?

[were_ranger]

He... He's here.

[Freya interrupts herself with a smile. A jeep rumbles in the distance as Freya pulls Cat towards the side of the road. She stops walking and just watches as the car rolls to a stop in front of them. This is the last thing David expected today.

He jumps from his car and tosses his ranger hat on the passenger seat.]

Freya? [A deep voice rumbles from his chest filled with disbelief and confusion. Freya smiles sheepishly, secretly happy to see him after all this time.]

Hiya.

[David gives her a look that suggests that her greeting isn't enough. He steps forward and wraps his arms around Freya, pulling her off the ground for a moment before placing her lightly on her toes.]

I can't believe you're here... [He glances over at Cat before clearing his throat awkwardly.] With a friend. I'm still working. [He states this as if it isn't obvious.]

You need to head straight to moms. Got it? I'm going to tell her you're coming and send someone to pick you two up.

[humsthemelody]

[When the park ranger steps out of his vehicle, her first thought is how hot he is, and then she finds her feet and listens to the rest while her hands move to her hair and she swallows. This, aside from Freya and Cas, marks the first wolf she's ever met she wasn't related to, she's not even sure this qualifies as meeting him.

Suddenly, she feels swept up in something bigger than she anticipated and she can't find her voice.

His eyes are brilliantly blue, though. That she'll remember. His name badge is on his uniform shirt. Vaughn was all it said, though, meaning he's related to Freya...but that was obvious without the name plate.]

[luckyescape]

[Freya is happy to his David though she does not appreciate his command. At the same time she can't really argue, it isn't as if Rebecca won't find out and if she attempts to keep her presence here a secret then only more trouble will follow. When David finally pulls away she fixes her hair and shirt before looking up at him.]

yeah yeah, what? You aren't giving us a ride?

[David smirks before walking back to his jeep.]

I'm still working. I'll see you tonight Freya.

[He looks over towards Cat and nods though he doubts she see since her eyes are so pointedly directed on the ground. With that he's heading towards his car and driving away. Freya releases a long breath when he's out of sight.]

That... actually went pretty well. [She turns towards Cat and smiles.] See, easy... have you been looking down this whole time?

[humsthemelody]

[Throughout their short conversation, Cat had, indeed kept her eyes down, not looking up until the jeep was moving on down the road. She nodded at Freya's question, her cheeks still warm.

She swallowed.]

So...who was that?

[luckyescape]

Huh? David? He's one of my cousins. He's alright though he's sorta like nature boy to the extreme. I guess it isn't surprising that he claimed territory close to home but damn I think he claimed more than his dad did.

[Freya shrugs and waves to Cat.]

If we're lucky Stephanie or Richard will pick us up.

[Except she doesn't know if either are still around.]

Let's keep walking.

[She leads the way, her eyes studying Cat.]

Are you interested in David? [Freya wouldn't get why, it isn't as if she's spoken to him.]

That next morning...

[humsthemelody]

[The alarm on her phone started going off, she would swear, just after she'd fallen asleep, and her eyes didn't want to open. As she came to, though, the scents of eggs, bacon, and coffee found her nose and she was finally able to look around, momentarily disoriented at the location until she remembered where she was.

She looked over to the other girl with whom she was sharing a bed, wondering of she was faring any better.]

That next morning...

[were_ranger]

[Freya groans softly, pulling the pillow out from beneath her head and then covering her face. She's the kind of werewolf that really likes sleep. She'll stay up late but she isn't a morning person.]

I don't want to! [Her tone is tired and sharp before rolling over and looking at the time.] But that smells good... fine... I'm waking up.

[It takes at least ten minutes for Freya to stand. She doesn't even bother to get dress before walking towards the door and out towards the kitchen.]

Morning.

[David greets them with a smile and plates filled with food. He looks very awake for someone who hasn't slept all night. His gaze pulls from Cat to Freya's mesy bed head.]

Still not a morning person huh?

That next morning...

[humsthemelody]

[Her face lights up to spite her lack of sleep when she sees him.]

Morning! [And she smiles as she takes a seat at their breakfast bar.] Did you sleep okay?

That next morning...

[were_ranger]

[Freya takes a seat silently and reaches over for food. She's took hungry and sleepy to think. David pushes Freya a plate and smiles at Cat.]

Yeah. [If by sleepy you mean stare at the ceiling and think about you all night.]

We have sometime before we have to go so [He holds up the plates.] breakfast.

That next morning...

[humsthemelody]

[Cat looks around at all the food he's made, then back to him.]

So...how long have you been up?

That next morning...

[were_ranger]

[David shrugs before taking a seat opposite Cat and Freya. It's the same seat he had sat in the night before, as if trained to take that seat.]

A while. Eat, then we can head out.

That next morning...

[humsthemelody]

[Cat frowns, not liking that answer, but she isn't going to press the issue. She takes a plate and starts eating.]

You make good bacon. [Because bacon is easy to cook, difficult to master. She comes from a family of cooks. She knows this.]

That next morning...

[were_ranger]

[David smiles at her.]

Thanks. Hopefully the rest of it is acceptable too.

[He digs into his own food, trying not to shovel large amounts of it into his mouth. He's used to eating very fast and then running out of the house. Now he's trying to remember manners.]

A date with destiny...

[thewolfdude]

[Driving from Minnesota to Montana wasn't that hard. He'd left as soon as he'd gotten off the phone with Toby and packed. Normally, he wouldn't have been so motivated, but two things spurred him on. Since she'd left Minnesota, Kevin hadn't gotten Freya's scent out of his head. There were times, of course, where he didn't think about it, but something would crop up and remind him. He should have talked to her more. He shouldn't have let her leave without talking to her. He shouldn't...but it didn't matter now, did it? He was going to see her again, she was with Cat.

Cat. He was worried about her. All their lives, she'd been the most vulnerable, the most in need of protection, and now Toby was worried. It sounded like he was worried about nothing, but it was a chance, and so he drove.

Of course, once he got there, he didn't actually know where to go besides down. He could track them, as a wolf, but that didn't exactly give a great first impression. Maybe a call would get through to Cat's phone, though.

And so he tried.]

[The phone rang in Cat's pocket as they neared town and she licked her lips nervously. She could only think of one person who'd be calling her and she really had no idea how this was going to play out. Sometimes it was as though her family hadn't figured out somewhere along the way, she grew up. She pulled out the phone and slid her finger across the screen to answer the call, seeing who it was, putting on her happiest voice.]

Hey, Kev!

[His voice was relieved at the sound of Cat's voice. She sounded happy and healthy.]

Hey, Kitty Cat. I'm here.

[Cat took another slow, deep breath away from the receiver to Kevin didn't hear it.]

Great! We're on the way! Where are you?

Some little cafe with damned good bagels. [He pauses and she hears him take a bite before he responds with his mouth full. *sigh* Kevin.] Who's we? [Asked around apparently bagel.]

Um...me and David.

[Oh. He takes the opportunity to chew.] Kev?

He probably knows where it is. [After swallowing. Cat looks to David, eyebrows raised.]

A date with destiny...

[were_ranger]

[David can hear the conversation on the phone but out of politeness he says nothing. When Cat looks over at him he nods.]

There really is only one bagel place in town. [It's a small town.

He turns the wheel of the car and takes the next left to head down a smaller street. They are stopped by a light but it's momentary before the light turns green.]

We'll be there in a few minutes.

[David will take Cat's lead when handling her brother. Despite the fact that he and his family have territory nearby, he respects the reason why he's here and is a little curious about Freya's reluctance to come along. He's worried about his cousin and wants to know if Cat or Kevin know why. He isn't sure how to bring it up though.]

Re: A date with destiny...

[thewolfdude]

Did you get that?

[There was no reason to pretend Kevin couldn't hear David, and Kevin confirmed that with an Mmmhmm.]

I'll be here.

[At least he'd swallowed this time.]

Okay! See you in a bit! Love you!

Love you too, Cat. [And he hung up. She took another breath as the jeep rolled.]

So, this'll be fine, I think. Kevin's the nice one...well...all my brothers are nice, but he's nicer? Reasonable. He still thinks when his instincts kick in.

[She was rambling, she realized that.]

A date with destiny...

[were_ranger]

[David flashes her a comforting smile.]

Don't worry about it, Cat. It'll be fine. [He slows down a little before turning into the parking spaces in front of the bagel shop. His Jeep rumbles and stops though he doesn't kick the engine right away.]

Do you know why Freya didn't want to come? She's been glued to you this whole time.

A date with destiny...

[thewolfdude]

[She smiles at him as the jeep slows to a stop.] Yeah, I do, and I know...I mean...it's sort of her story...

[Who was she kidding? It was going to come out really fast anyway.]

It's...about Kevin, actually. They've...met...

(OOC: HIT RANDOM ICON BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!)

A date with destiny...

[were_ranger]

[David raises a confused eyebrow at Cat and then cuts the gas to the Jeep.]

I take it that it wasn't the best first meeting?

[He takes off his seat belt before gathering his keys and his things into the pockets of his pants.]

A date with destiny...

[thewolfdude]

[Cat smiles at his question and shakes her head.]

Actually, I think it's...the opposite. Um...you get why she's been sticking with me, right? She...she...lost a lot, David. She's scared of caring about people.

(OOC: RANDOM AGAIN!!)

A date with destiny...

[were_ranger]

[David takes a moment to absorb that and then glances towards the bagel shop. He suddenly wants to size up the guy that Freya may or may not be scared of caring about.

For the moment he nods thoughts Cat and gets out of the car. Without thinking much about it David walks around his Jeep and opens the door for Cat.]

Let's met your brother. I don't know what he looks like but I'm expecting bagels.

[He flashes her a warm smile before leading her into the store.]