In Plain Sight [M] [DragonSong]

[Juno]

He was confused by that, thinking it a little irrational that she was worried about that. For a moment at least he stopped to comfort her, hugging her close and doing his best to keep calm for her. He brought a hand up to rub at her back before giving her a squeeze and trying to urge her onward to shelter.

"Soon. We'll find them soon. They've left a trail it's just...very difficult to track," he reminded her, at least hoping that the marks they'd been finding were mostly intentional.

[DragonSong]

She sniffed and nodded, allowing him to move her forward, though her steps were hesitant and shuffling.

"What if they're hurt?" she whispered, twisting to hide her face against his shoulder.

[Juno]

Chris just shook his head with a grimace. He hoped that wouldn't be so, but he didn't know any more than she did and he felt a little helpless knowing he couldn't confidently soothe her fears. "I hope they aren't. If they are hurt we can care for them. Do whatever we need to fix them up, okay? Try not to worry yourself about it."

In the pitch dark it was hard even for him to see, but he picked his way across the snow with her until he reached the spot he'd eyed from the trail earlier. He shoved aside a few larger stones to make a small opening a bit larger for them to duck inside, a crude cave only partially covered on the other side. It was certainly no proper den but it would do fine for a night to keep them out of the elements.

"If you're hungry I'll go hunt for you," he offered. "But I need you to rest." He desperately wanted her to keep her strength up but even he couldn't even think about eating at the moment to set a good example.

[DragonSong]

Brenna simply stumbled along with him, nodding dejectedly at his attempted assurances, though it was clear her mind was elsewhere. She crawled into the makeshift cave and immediately turned to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"No." Maybe they should eat, but she was too worried to be hungry. "No, don't leave. Please, don't leave me." She buried her face in the crook of his neck with a small whimper.

[Juno]

"No, no. Oh, Brenna. I won't leave," he promised, his chest aching for her to even think she needed to plead with him for that.

He hugged her close, gently rubbing a hand at her back as he backed them further into their little cave. The shifter nuzzled his nose into her hair, sighing heavily as he thought on what to do. His mate still seemed absolutely crushed and nearing panic again with every passing moment that he felt helpless to stop.

"I'll stay here. Right here with you," he assured her, kissing her hair and squeezing her close. "But I'll do anything that you need, I don't want you to worry about anything- Are you warm enough?" He shifted his head against her to stare out into the darkness. It seemed a safe enough spot but he feared for her health with only him to share body heat with.

[DragonSong]

She was shivering, either with cold or exhaustion, but she didn't seem to notice. A small nod and a sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms tighter around him and allowed him to shift her deeper into the little cave.

"Just don't leave," she mumbled. "I'm fine. Just don't leave." She huddled against his chest, little tremors wracking her body every few seconds.

[Juno]

Well that was easy enough. "Of course. I won't leave," he promised, taking liberty at last to snuggle her close like he wanted. It was so easy to just wrap her up as he moved to slide down along the walls and take a seat huddled in the corner.

"You just get some rest," he whispered, nuzzling against her cheek.

[DragonSong]

"Okay." Brenna curled up in his lap, making herself as small as she could in an effort to conserve heat, and for the comfort being surrounded by him provided. "But you...should sleep too..."

She was already drifting off. "Wake me in a bit so you can rest," she mumbled, and a moment later she was out.

[Juno]

"I'll sleep," he promised. It was easy to just hold her, but he was careful not to let himself fall prey to the pull of exhaustion until he was certain she was peacefully asleep. He slumped heavily against the stone, keeping a nearly blind watch over the entrance.

He wasn't even aware of it when he finally transitioned from resting to sleep. Instinctively he tucked her against his chest, shielding her as much as possible with his body to keep her warm through the night.

[DragonSong]

Brenna was restless, tossing and turning as much as she could in her mate's arms as she slept. She continuously curled into his warmth instinctively as the night wore on, but then would thrash away again, whimpering in her sleep.

Eventually she woke completely with a start, sitting up and looking around wildly while her chest heaved with panting breaths.

[Juno]

The shifter slept soundly, the exhaustion over their strange and shocking day too much for him. He loosely held her in his sleep, arms automatically tightening around her whenever she would thrash about. Even when she woke though Christopher remained peacefully asleep, snoring lightly with his head tucked against his shoulder and completely oblivious to his mate waking even as the chill of early morning surrounded them.

[DragonSong]

For a moment she panicked at the feeling of being restrained, then her brain caught up with her and she let out a relieved breath.

"Chris-" She moved to shake him awake, then paused, just looking at his face.

He must have been just as tired as she was, if not more. And she'd been pushing and pushing for them to keep going. Her poor mate deserved some rest, no matter how anxious she was to get moving.

[Juno]

Though she hadn't consciously roused him just the sound of her speaking his name was enough to start waking him up. His arms curled around her a bit more and he frowned at the gentle disturbance.

"Need something?" he mumbled sleepily, not really knowing whether or not he was dreaming about her or if she really had spoken.

[DragonSong]

"We should-"

Her shoulders slumped. "No." She kissed his forehead, stroking his snowy hair back from his face. "Go back to sleep."

She started to disentangle herself from his arms. She could pick up the trail again, maybe scout ahead a bit while he rested.

[Juno]

His features relaxed under her gentle touch, a faint smile playing at his lips. Chris still wasn't quite aware of what she was saying but he relaxed back against the wall at her gentle words, completely unaware that she was managing to free herself from his protective grasp.

Once she was away he frowned, grumbling quietly and shifting around some to turn on his side. He weakly grabbed for her but ended up only hugging himself instead as he settled down again, completely oblivious.

[DragonSong]

Brenna hesitated, biting her lip as she looked back at her mate. A part of her wanted to go back and curl up in his arms again, just let him hold her and make everything okay.

But the world didn't work like that. With a huff and a shake of her head, she padded silently through the snow, searching for tracks she may have missed the previous night with the fading light and her own emotional state.

[Juno]

When Brenna was gone from their shelter was when his instincts seemed to take over. He woke more quickly, restless and suddenly completely uncomfortable in an otherwise peaceful sleep.

When his eyes opened and she wasn't there he looked around groggily, head swiveling slowly to see if she'd simply curled up somewhere else. But she wasn't there.

He sat up immediately, rubbing at his temple with one hand. Was he still asleep? Was it just a dream? "Brenna...?" He called for her cautiously, almost not believing he'd woken up alone. But...there was something. Her scent.

She had to be close, at least that was what he was trying to reason with himself. Poking his head outside became quite anxious when he couldn't immediately see her, but- Footprints. Fresh ones.

Shrugging out of his clothes he folded them all up as neatly as he could into his coat before taking to his snow leopard and carrying the little bundle in his teeth as he loped down the slope back towards the trail they'd been on to follow her scent, relieved that it was becoming stronger. He rumbled grumpily, growling through the clothes in his mouth once he finally caught sight of her.

[DragonSong]

Kneeling to brush aside a bit of the new snow, hoping her pack had left tracks in the lower layers she might be able to find, Brenna snapped her head up when she heard the growl.

She looked around to find Chris and immediately tried for a smile, though it was certainly forced and honestly a little guilty. She knew he wasn't going to be pleased with her, but she'd hoped she could get back before he woke up.

"Morning." She stood and moved toward him before bending and burying her fingers in the ruff of fur around his neck.

[Juno]

Chris barreled through the snow, bumping against her and bristling slightly for her greeting. Did she have nothing else to say? Why had she left without him?

He dropped his mouthful of clothes to the snow, yowling in irritation as he circled her. His tail twitched and puffed up in agitation as he nuzzled against her legs possessively, but gradually he calmed down once he realized she probably hadn't been trying to run from him if she wasn't trying to get away now.

As if demanding an explanation he sat back on his haunches once he was facing her again, eyes narrowed sharply and ears nearly flattened as he stared up at her.

[DragonSong]

With a sigh Brenna knelt so she was more on a level with him and reached out almost hesitantly to stroke his head, scratching behind his ears the way he liked in the hopes it might soften him a bit.

"I was just going to scout a bit," she murmured, wincing internally. Alright, she probably shouldn't have done it, but she just couldn't keep still, not when her pack was out there somewhere, maybe in need of her help. "I wasn't gonna go far. I...thought I'd be back before you woke up."