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

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

[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...

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[David blinks, clearly confused.]

Huh, okay. Well if we have more guests they'll probably have to stay with me at my place. [Cat and Freya are sharing the only spare room.] But we'll worry about that later.

[He smiles at Freya, feeling his instincts urging him to protect her.]

Now we get to go fishing. [He takes a bite of his ice cream and ushers them into the car.] And eat ice cream.

[David really likes ice cream and he can't have it at home.]

[Cat beams at him. That was her philosophy. You couldn't control what was coming, so you just had to make the best of the time you had.]

Should we get Peter and James some?

It'll melt before we get back.

[Though they will need to hide the trash.]

I'll suggest it for afterwards. Besides picking up them, everyone should pick up a change of clothes.

[David turns over the engine and begins to back up. With the ice cream cup in one hand and his spoon sticking out of his mouth, he turns onto the road.]

[Cat has trouble keeping her eyes off of him, simply because he might be the most adorable thing she's seen in a long time, aside from his cousins. She nods at his instruction, though, smiling. Kevin being on his way not withstanding, she was actually looking forward to learning to fish.]

Do you...feel better?

[After your nap, I mean.]

Edited 2016-06-03 13:46 (UTC)

[David turns onto the road and as they drive out of town his gaze flicks back to Freya. Freya's eyes are on the setting and her expression is blank. He's worried though he won't press the matter, he doesn't want to scare his cuison. At Cat's question he blinks and glances over towards her.

A sheepish smile falls over his lips as he looks at her.]

Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I did get some work done. [A very little amount.] I don't think Joe will let me live that down though.

[He's just happy that Cat hadn't brought up the sleeping beauty bit.]

[Cat looks over to him at his apology, frowning.]

Why are you sorry? You were exhausted.

[Her eyes also flick to Freya in the backseat and her expression becomes concerned but she doesn't say anything, not wanting to push her friend.]

[Freya really likes the silence and she uses the rest of the car ride to collect her thoughts and sort through them. She's always been the sort of person who thought a lot and it usually helped her keep things categorized. She makes lists and then filters them away, her gaze deep and contemplative.

David doesn't want to interrupt her thoughts and while he's focused on Cat his gaze occasionally flicks back to his cousin. He can't help but worry, he's the alpha and Freya is part of his family.]

Exhausted is one way to put it. [He agrees in an easy tone.] But it's my own fault really. [Sort of his own fault, he can't help but be the fool around Cat. He wonders what sort of impression he's making her on, if she's even interested. He hasn't actually been interested in mating or anything like that and now he can't erase the thought from his mind. She's beautiful and interesting and different and caring.]

I'm good to go for fishing though. Let's face it, we'll all need a lot of energy to keep up with James and Peter. Those two are very much like their father. [Wild is the best way that David can put it. Their father had been Dave's younger brother and he'd been the most secluded of their family.]

Have you ever fished as a wolf? It can be tricky.

[He doesn't remember asking her.]

[Cat smiles, her dimples shining, even as she frowns internally in concern for her friend. She knows Freya well enough by now to know she needs time to think if she's not going to run, though, so she leaves her to her thoughts.]

Yeah, they're a handful, aren't they? [She laughs before shaking her head.] I have not. It'll be a new experience! [One she's very excited about.]

[David continues to smile feeling a little bit like a fool the wider his grin becomes. He’s really looking forward to this.]

They are. Well, don’t worry about getting it on your first try. It’s a lot harder than it looks. [David makes the task look easily while Peter and James make the task look comical.]

Do you have a change of clothes or should I ask Amanda for something? I think you two are about the same size. [He clearly hasn’t caught onto Amanda’s distaste for Freya and Cat.]

Nobody ever gets things on their first try. I'll keep trying.

[Because I know I'm going to suck.]

Um...I have a change of clothes. You don't have to bother Amanda.

That's a good attitude and okay.

[David nods as he pulls in front of the house. It's more lively now with shouts and hollers coming from inside. The window to David's room is closed and Singer is sitting with her nose against it looking very forlorn. When David's jeep rolls up she starts to work on the lock of the window with her nose and then, with Steve's help, the window is shimming open.

A soft chuckle echoes from his lips as he puts the jeep in park and watch as five dogs come bounding outside.]

Want to help me round up the kids? Then we can get Peter and James too.

[Freya leans forward and as the car stops she slips out. She doesn't say anything to the pair but begins pacing, waiting for them to leave. She really wants to shift and run but she's trying not to think about it.]

[Cat smiles.] Sure! [And she looks over to Freya.]

Hey...do you want to grab us some clothes while I help out here?

[Freya turns and then nods her head. She's quick to head towards the door and slip inside. She has all her things in her backpack which is with her out of habit and she knows where Cat's stuff is so it won't take long. She is, however, going to take her sweet time in the room to at least gather her thoughts together.

David tries to get the dogs into the jeep though Singer seems to want to follow him around.]

Peter! James!

[He ends up just calling their names, he isn't bringing the dogs inside for his mom to yell at him.]

[The "kids" as he calls them, seem to react well to her glaring at them to get in the jeep, which she actually finds pretty impressive. Maybe she's got a knack with this, after all.

At the shout of their names, Peter and James come bounding out of the house, grinning like the fools they are.]

Fishing! Fishing! Hi, David!

[And they both tackle him.

Cat does her best not to laugh.]

[A loud oof falls from his lips as the two small kids collide into his chest. He looks down at them with a smile.]

Okay, I need to drive the car guys.

[The two boys just laugh and push David on the ground and then shout.]

DOG PILE!

[That's all that they need to say for the five dogs to jump out of the car and pile on top of David. He really needs help.]

[At first, Cat finds it amusing, but after a moment, she just shakes her head, crossing her arms.]

Okay, guys. [Her voice is surprisingly firm.] He's had enough. Everybody off.

[Steve looks up first, cocking his head to the side curiously before jumping off the dog pile and trotting over to her.]

[The dogs follow Steve and the two kids shortly slipped away. David laughs breathlessly looking over at Cat with a warm smile.]

My hero.

[He pulls himself up off the ground and brushes at his pants.] Now we just wait with Freya. [As if on cue Freya steps from the house with a second backpack slung over her shoulder.]

Great we're all here. It'll be a tight fit but we'll manage.

[He pushes the two small kids in the back with the dogs and then gestures for Freya and Cat to sit close together in the front seat.]

[It makes more sense for Freya at jump in the middle in the front seat, and Cat suggests it, though she wouldn't mind being squeezed in next to David. She's never been a part of an outing like this and she's actually really excited about it.

Once they're in the jeep, she nudges Freya and smiles at her.]

We're gonna have fun, right?

[Freya makes Cat sit in the middle, not because she's trying anything funny but she wants to be the closest to the door. Somehow it makes her feel better. She's only vaguely aware that David had started the jeep and that they were rocking through the woods to their fishing spot. It's a little out of the way just so people don't wander into them and while Cat talks to Freya David is telling the seven kids in the backseat that he'll crash if they don't stay still.

She turns to look at Cat and smiles. She really needs to stop thinking so much and she'd promised Cat that they'd have a good time. Their time in town had been fun but it's only because Freya had stopped thinking.]

Yeah, always.

[She laughs a little and shakes her head.]

I remember when my older brother taught me how to fish. He messed up and ended up in the water instead. [It'd been great.]

[Cat laughed, trying to imagine Toby trying to teach her to fish and falling it. It was a pretty great mental picture, if she was honest.]

I bet you wished you had thumbs, just so you could take a picture, huh?

[Freya smiles at Cat.]

Yeah, though I never did let him live it down.

[It's a happy memory and while her brother isn't around anymore, thinking about his still made her feel better.]

Should we make a bet for how many times you fall in?

Hey! [She looks over to her friend, clearly kidding.] I might be really good at it!

[Freya laughs.] You and what army.

[The jeep rolls to a stop just off the path. This is an area that is closed to forest rangers and it's a safe place for the werewolf family to fish. Once the car stops the five dogs jump out of the back seat and begin wandering around. They know this area and begin heading towards the water as soon as their curiosity is sedated.

David looks back at the two boys with smile.]

You two come with me. [He then glances over at Freya and Cat.] Freya, you mind watching Cat? Toss your clothes where ever in the car and meet by the water.

[Once they shift they'll be able to smell the pond so David isn't to worried about it. He flashes Cat an extra long smile before slipping from the car and corralling the two boys who've already tossed their clothes to the ground and started shifting. David picks up the clothes and tosses them into the car before following out of sight and doing the same. A large white wolf will pad over a moment later with clothes in his jaw which he tosses in the front of the jeep.

Freya waits for a second before slipping from the car and stripping.] I think he's just being mindful about shifting because you're here. [She pauses.] It's kinda cute. You ready?

[Freya beings tossing her clothes in the car making sure that Cat is good before shifting.]

[When they actually arrived at the spot, she was overwhelmed again by the beauty and serenity of the forest. It had an ancient feeling, and welcoming at the same time, as though this was where she belonged. It was a strange feeling, and one she'd never before had away from her family.

After David had gone, she was smiling as she started to get undressed, nodding as she looked off after David and the others.]

...why do you think that is?

[Freya looks over at Cat with her eyebrow raised.]

It's because he likes you Cat and he wants you to like him and he probably realizes that you aren't used to this stuff.

[She'd elaborate more but instead she shifts into the bright white wolf that Cat has seen before. Freya steps over and lightly nudges Cat's legs to get her to shift as well.]

That next day...

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