I'm thrilled to share two – or depending how you look at it, three – special pieces of art that coincide with this chapter as well as a new piece that is connected to a prior chapter! The first and second illustration are by Mads (maddie-w-draws on Tumblr), and the third painting is by Hazelgee (Haze_gee on Twitter). While I'm forever thankful for all of the talented artists that have contributed to this project, I want to shout out an additional "thank you" for the patient heroes who have been willing to sit on completed pieces like this for a while (read: months) until I caught the story up to their lovely, illustrated scenes and tooth-rotting fluff. :) Thanks for working with me to avoid story spoilers!
Please check out this chapter on Archive of Our Own to see the art and link to see the gorgeous art and links to the artists' social media pages!
Simply search for: "KLeCrone Ao3 Winter of the White Wolf"
Winter of the White Wolf
Chapter 74 - Luminosity of Time
Summary:
After an extended stay on their mountaintop retreat, Barnes, Sam, T'Challa, Shuri, Okoye, Ayo, Yama, and Nomble pack up their things and separate to attend to matters in different parts of Wakanda…
While the clock components of Barnes's phone and Kimoyo Beads both insisted he'd been engaged in physical trials for the better part of three hours, he found it odd how the duration of their exercises as well as their time spent on the mountain felt remarkably longer and shorter at the same time.
Maybe it was simply how his mind was functioning these days. The peculiar way it dilated and contracted time, pressing pockets from earlier years against his periphery and intermingling them with some resemblance of a 'present.' Forcing him to continually struggle to reassess the order of events and the broad chronology that made up his fractured life, which was composed more of years he didn't remember than those he did.
The digital displays on his beads and phone agreed it was approaching late morning on Tuesday, August 13rd, 2024, which meant that it had only been two days since he'd woken up in Shuri's Lab after, to him, falling asleep in Washington D.C. on January 23rd, 2014.
It had been merely two days since he'd fled what he believed to be a HYDRA facility with Sam as a makeshift hostage, only to eventually be captured and brought out to this mountain for surveillance. For safety.
It had only been two days, but it felt like more in ways that were difficult to quantify. He could reason it was because he remembered more of Washington D.C. now, flickers of Symkaria, Wakanda, and a broad spattering of years spent with HYDRA and elsewhere, but it went far deeper than that. What began as a disquiet feeling that he was seeing into someone else's life, now, in a strange way, felt shared. This place, these people, he might've only had solid lived experiences with them from the last two days and hazy puzzle pieces of a life he barely remembered, but there was substance there. A foundation that no longer edged on the verge of crumbling.
But as Barnes helped tidy up the camp, slowly removing traces of the days and hours they'd spent gathered there, he found himself struggling to sort through the complex emotions stirring within , in the wake of being told he would be permitted to see more chosen parts of Wakanda, was some part of him oddly unsettled watching the camp be deconstructed piece-by-piece? The feeling only grew as the colorful signs of their occupation were slowly stripped away and shuttled back into one of the three waiting ships nestled silently in the grass nearby, their stairs lowered and cool interior lights illuminated, as if signaling their coming departure.
Barnes didn't think the quiet discontent brewing in him was because he feared he was being deceived. It wasn't dread lingering in the shadows of his mind at the possibility of being marched away against his will so someone could tamper with his mind and unmake him, or worse: make him a slave to their will. But all the same, there was a kernel of unease he readily identified, though he wasn't sure what to do with it when he finally did.
It was that he wondered if he'd see this place, these people again.
Moreover: If he'd remember it.
And that somehow, the act of picking apart the camp, setting it back to its natural state from before they'd arrived… as well-intentioned as those cleansing actions were, it made him ever-more aware of the frightening possibilities that lay ahead of him if Shuri and her team of scientists weren't able to unwrap the mysteries of his damaged mind in time.
Less than a week, she'd said. They had less than a week, and the clock was ticking.
He chose not to air his worries aloud as he ferried another armful of blankets across the mountain meadow, but Nomble saw fit to take up position beside him, carefully stowing away their kitchenette supplies for transport. Barnes didn't miss that she faced tactically away from Okoye while she softly inquired, "Are you doing alright?" Before he could answer, she added quieter yet, "This is not a test with a correct answer. Your focus seems split."
Barnes glanced up, noting the concern on her tattooed face while he debated how he wanted to respond. Even though he knew Nomble favored candor, he didn't want to appear ungrateful for their willingness to allow him to leave the mountain and see more of Wakanda. He found himself looking past her to where pockets of people set about their tasks. Nearby, Shuri stood talking with her brother as she ran the portable regeneration stabilizer over his once split lip, while Okoye kept watch from a step beside them. Barnes got the impression the Princess's chosen actions allowed her to not only air her thoughts uninterrupted while her brother was forced to remain silent during the repairs she made to his lip, but also so she could keep an eye on the nearest ship, which Sam had disappeared into in order to change out of his suit and freshen up.
A respectful distance away, Yama tidied up the far corner of the camp while Ayo remained in guard stance, maintaining a silent vigil that was an ever present reminder that while his companions were willing to extend some amount of trust to Barnes, it was not limitless given the circumstances.
Still, he could tell Ayo tried her best to not make her guard unnecessarily oppressive.
He caught Ayo's eye briefly and she lifted an inquisitive eyebrow in his direction but said nothing. Barnes suspected she was well aware of Nomble's desire to converse, but saw no need to shutter her compulsion so long as Okoye didn't speak openly against it.
Or notice it.
As if Ayo found herself inclined to ensure Nomble could converse with Barnes unperturbed, Ayo crossed the grass towards the royal siblings, cleverly drawing Okoye's attention.
Barnes kept his head focused on stacking blankets so as to not risk spoiling Ayo's misdirect as he answered Nomble, "I was just thinking about how putting things back how they were… I understand why we're doing it, but it makes me wonder if we'll gather together like this again. Not necessarily here, in this location, but… I know a chunk of the last few days was turbulent, but the other parts, between all that. They were…" his voice faded off as he searched for the proper words to convey what he was feeling.
"Peaceful?" Nomble inquired.
"Peaceful," he agreed. "Like the calm after a storm has passed. But bittersweet."
Nomble cast her gaze out over the encampment before she returned her attention to him, and Barnes thought she'd grasped what he'd been trying to say, "It unusual for so many of notable rank to gather together like this, and more unusual yet to be permitted frank conversations and some amount of respite from greater worries." She considered his remark thoughtfully, "While I do not know what the future holds, I would like to believe this might be the first of many such gatherings."
Barnes cocked his head, confused, "The first? But I remember being out here before, with all of you."
"Ah, but not with Sam Wilson," Nomble was quick to observe. Unprompted, she switched her tongue to Sindarian, grey-elvish, the language she'd said only the two of them had once taken time to learn together, "I'm confident that you could return again, if that is what you wish. But you have no doubt overheard there are plans in place first for some of us to split off and tackle various responsibilities elsewhere."
He knew that much. T'Challa had business to attend to at the palace in preparation for an upcoming trip he would be embarking on with Okoye. Shuri's own duties called for her attention back at the Design Center, and while she hadn't made a production of it, her firm request for Ayo and Nomble to accompany her wasn't up for debate. Ayo herself made it out sound like the decree was of her own directive, and that she had work to address there too, but Barnes suspected their obtuse conversation was Shuri's way of saving Ayo face in the wake of learning the degree that her leg still ailed her. No doubt, Shuri planned to use the lab's enhanced tech to offer it further treatment, and confirm Nomble wasn't hiding her own injuries from the day before.
"I am charged with returning the Sun Falcon back to the Design Center, but I hope to rejoin you later, if I am permitted to take shifts away from that location." Barnes could feel the standing offer in Nomble's gaze, the promise that there was treatment there that could help him too, for his foot, bruises, and maybe even his mind, but she did not feel the need to remind him of these possibilities.
Like so much else: They could wait.
"I'd like if you could join us later," Barnes acknowledged in Sindarian, coaxing a small smile from Nomble, who nodded once and picked up the wooden serving tray, inside of which she'd delicately arranged their colorful clay cups, communal water pitcher, and kettle. She waited patiently for him while he finished stacking another tower of blankets and pillows neatly atop their folded four-player mancala board.
He appreciated their silent camaraderie as they resumed moving about and stowing various accouterments that had come to occupy the camp. The bulk of the objects were unremarkable, yet the memories he'd come to associate with them pulled at him anew.
It didn't take much to be transported back to when they'd sat around the mancala board, often changing up positions over time so one or more of them could sit inside the dome with him, trusting him to share in the simplicity of the game's rules and colorful stones while conversation floated around them. The pillows and bedrolls reminded him of when they'd lay out under the stars while Nomble, Yama, and Ayo recounted folktales of their constellations and shared bonds. One pillow in particular prompted him to recall how Ayo had offered her own pillow to him so he would have something soft to rest his ailing foot on.
Barnes could easily pick out the exact clay cup resting atop Nomble's tray that she'd poured hot tea into before carefully placing the cup into his palm. She'd used the steady pressure of her fingers to guide his own closed during a time when his prosthetic arm's servos had still been on the fritz after being electrified by the shield he'd briefly sought to break through in a feeble attempt to stop Ayo from speaking the code words by any means necessary.
The quiet spaces between him and Nomble were unhurried, allowing him to listen into bits and pieces of the many conversations taking place a short distance away, but all the while, he couldn't help but wonder how much time he had left as himself. If the hourglass of his mind might run dry before they returned.
He couldn't know, and yet at the same time, he knew that it was unrealistic to wish for nothing to change simply because he feared the future, and what the unknown might bring.
Was that what it was gnawing at him? Fear?
He didn't want to appear unthankful for the opportunity being afforded to him, but his tell-tale mind continued to see fit to question if staying here where it was comfortable and familiar, was ultimately more appealing. In some ways, it undoubtedly was, but he knew it was also unlikely to get him any closer to other questions that still gnawed at him.
Like those concerning Symkaria.
Wordlessly, he waited at the bottom of the stairs of the nearest ship while Nomble carried their latest collection of belongings and camping paraphernalia inside. While no one had given him explicit instructions to remain outside, he thought it best to do so, so as not to provoke concern that he had any intention of borrowing one of the vessels again. He had no doubt that further security settings had been set to prevent such possibilities, but it served no purpose to test the fringes of their trust.
When Nomble reappeared, she smiled and he handed off another armload of blankets and pillows to her and resumed waiting for her at the base of the stairs. Idly, he ran his fingers over the embroidered seams of the new clothing T'Challa'd brought along for him at Shuri's request. They made for a more than adequate replacement to the garments that had been sullied by the morning's activities.
The fabric of this newest set of pants was softer than the jeans, and they contained more pockets than his prior wardrobe, which was still half as many as Barnes might've preferred, but he found them suitable for the time being. The additional pockets offered increasingly comfortable storage for the vibranium nanite five-pointed star he wished to understand more, his phone, and a growing collection of small objects he found appealing to keep on his person, including a small striped stone Ayo had given him.
Likewise, the breathability of the fabric was far more climate appropriate than the constricting jeans he'd awoken in previously. While opted to wear the same shawl he'd been wearing previously – the blue, black, and gold one that he'd been told T'Challa had once gifted to their friend – he now had on a new coordinating sky-blue shirt that was was brighter, looser, and emblazoned with contrasting geometric embroidery around the hems. Like the pants, the fit was suitable, and the touch of the fabric was comfortable and airy.
And oddly: familiar.
Were they garments he'd worn before, in another life, or merely similar?
Before he could inquire if Nomble knew one way or the other, he heard movement at the top of the stairs one ship over. Moments later, Sam reappeared from the opening in the hatch wearing a casual ensemble that was bright, and identifiably Wakandan in design. Shuri immediately paused her conversation with T'Challa to step closer and investigate his change of wardrobe, "Well, what do you think?"
Sam adjusted his shoulders testingly, "Yeah, it fits nicely."
The princess rolls her eyes, "Of course it fits well. It was modeled using the same volumes as your suit. But what do you think about the color and style? Are they to your liking?"
Before Sam could reply, Barnes thought to contribute, "It's… red. Like your other one."
Shuri waved a hand dismissively, "Such a simplified view. It is clearly a different color of red, one that is more suitable to Sam's complexion, accompanied by a popular contemporary trim meant to pull inspiration from our bold sunsets."
"Is that what it is?" Okoye remarked, bemused. "The color choices remind me of something else…" she tapped the red and orange trim of her regalia thoughtfully.
"You would prefer our guest be adorned with token offerings from one of our many gift shops?"
The General only snorted.
Sam's face spread into a grin as he admired the fine embroidered details, "Thanks. I appreciate the wardrobe upgrade, as always."
Shuri waved a finger at him, "It will not be the last if I have my way."
"Is that a threat, or…?"
"It is definitely a threat," T'Challa confirmed from a step beside her.
Shuri only shrugged, an easy smile overtaking her face, "What can I say? I am not one to turn away from a perpetual fashion challenge. It is a worthy charity in its own right."
"She called you 'challenging,'" Barnes offhandedly directed at Sam.
The man wearing a shirt that was a hair off from 'Dora Red' squinted his face and turned to him, "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
"It's not my fault you need help with these things. First your friend apparently had to negotiate a new skin-tight bodysuit. Now this."
Nomble's lips wavered as she struggled to suppress what might've been building to a laugh.
"Wow, Barnes, wow." Sam turned to Ayo for support, "Are you hearing this?"
"Is he wrong though?"
Sam's voice was measured betrayal, "Ayo!"
Ayo only smiled in that way that radiated to her eyes.
She wasn't the only one.
Their shared amusement only solidified a feeling of preemptive loss in Barnes's chest: He was indeed going to miss this place.
But he was quick to remind himself for not the first time that "home" was not a place. The connections they'd built together here had grown stronger, not weaker, through their collective trials and the passing of time.
Who knew what two more days might bring?
Once the last few items were collected from the camp, it didn't take long for plans to be made, and in short order three ships became two, and two became one.
Ayo accompanied T'Challa and Shuri in one Royal Talon, while Nomble piloted the experimental craft back to the Design Center. The group's parting words had been brief, truncated with clear intention that this was not meant to be a belabored goodbye, even though some part of Barnes worried it might be.
Due to Okoye's early decrees, Barnes suspected that Ayo was continuing to undergo a test of her own by avoiding addressing him directly, but as they prepared to attend to their separate matters, he didn't miss the the brief distraction Shuri managed so Ayo could formulate a few quick gestures with her fingers, 'You should be proud for your efforts here. In the meantime, do not worry. Our Pack will reconvene again soon. I am sure of it.' She concluded her movements by drawing her fingers together to form the custom sign Yama had crafted that roughly translated to a blend of 'lost' and 'wolf' which had become an endearing shorthand for 'Barnes.'
If Okoye's caught wind of Ayo's silent messages, she'd chosen not to speak of it, even after their ships had departed for the Design Center.
Knowing what he did, Barnes had been surprised that Okoye herself would opt out of accompanying the royal siblings on the next leg of their afternoon activities. Instead, she'd insisted that she travel with Barnes to a nearby destination that she would not specify by name, but made abundantly clear was not the Design Center. Sam and Yama were to join them, and while Barnes didn't have any idea what the calculating general was planning, gauging by Yama's tempered reaction, he didn't feel inclined to believe it was cause for concern.
As he sat alone and unrestrained on a bench in the rear of the ship across from Yama and Sam, he found his latest preoccupation was trying to piece together Okoye's reasoning behind selecting Yama for their outing. He didn't doubt that there was intention behind her choice, and his best guess was that Okoye recalled Yama admitting that she had been the one who first stepped inside the shield with him, back when he was remarkably injured and still at-odds with what was going on around him. Perhaps Okoye believed Yama to be exceptionally tuned to his moods and behavior?
Not that he had moods, of course.
Whatever reasoning Okoye had for her selection, Barnes was relieved she and Sam were accompanying them, and, if anything, some part of Barnes was entertained watching Yama forcibly resist the compulsion to engage in conversation unless spoken to after spending the better part of the last two days freely exercising her quick tongue.
That being as it was, Yama remained attentive from her perch beside Sam, her spear extended vertically in what Barnes interpreted as a manner of polite protocol supplementing battle-hardened instincts he had no intention of testing.
She kept her chin lifted and attention focused, and did not address him specifically.
…Well, at least that Okoye was aware of. Yama'd taken a page from the Book of Ayo and had taken to occasionally using her hands to communicate words and phrases to him when the General wasn't looking. Sam saw it too, but he had no inclination to stall her occasional quips while the highest ranking General of Wakanda steered the ornate Royal Talon.
Sam was presently doing what he could to fill in for Yama's penchant for ongoing verbal chatter, "So how far out are we from our mystery location?"
Okoye remained facing forward from where she sat cross-legged in the pilot's chair, "We are not long from our destination."
"Still no clues?"
"What fun would there be in that?" the General chuffed.
Sam casually turned his attention to Yama beside him, "Do you know?"
Yama only narrowed her eyes in playful response. She wasn't about to lead herself into a trap by replying to Sam's inquiry without Okoye's expressed permission. Theirs was a private game of sorts she had no intention of being baited into losing.
"We're headed south," Barnes offered, trying to be helpful as Yama discreetly signed back, 'Good eye.'
Okoye turned her head only slightly, gazing over her shoulder nearest Barnes, though for a moment, he swore her gaze shifted to Yama, as if perhaps she was curious if her Lieutenant might be feeding him information, "Are the sights beyond the windshield familiar to you, or are you reciting the direction from the instrumentation?"
The answer was that it was a bit of both. The lush sprawl of wild grass below was broken up by clusters of thick bushes and towering trees lining sunkissed rivers. Pockets of civilization were sprinkled about the picturesque landscape, tucked along the waterways and high into the mountains. Structures of all shapes and sizes signaled the presence of the numerous vivacious communities that populated the rolling hills beyond the city proper. While the details of the sights out the windshield didn't elicit any specific memories, Barnes felt certain they were not only moving away from Birnin Zana and the Design Center nearby, but that this route they were traveling was not new. That they'd been this way before.
Specifically: he and Okoye.
While the timing and details of those early events evaded him, somehow, he knew she'd been one who'd taught him to fly a ship like this.
Maybe even this exact ship.
His eyes searched the interior anew, looking for signs indicating the possibility one way or the other, "I don't recall any specifics regarding what's outside, or where you're planning to take us, but I can read the current trajectory from the compass in the corner there. You… showed me the controls at some point? The modified ones, for one hand." He found his question shifted naturally into a statement as he added, "...We were going a lot faster than this, though."
His passing remark pulled all of their attention at once. Okoye swiveled her head around to face him, while Yama suppressed a Dora's smirk and Sam saw fit to valiantly declare, "I knew it."
The General's focus shot to Sam, "Knew what?"
"That you… uh…" his voice faded off as Sam puttered and politely coughed into his hand in a poor attempt to diffuse the thread of their budding exchange, "Nothing. Not important."
"Nothing," Okoye deadpanned, unconvinced. She infused every syllable with that commanding presence that made Barnes's hair stand on-end. The General's eyes shifted to Yama, but her Lieutenant remained utterly composed and lock-jawed.
Sam's eyes darted to Yama and back to Okoye, "I… might've hedged my bets on who taught Barnes – er, you know – to fly, way back." He quickly added, "Respectfully."
Okoye made a non-committal sound with her throat, but didn't deny the accusation.
Barnes thought better than to interject anything into the exchange, but once Okoye swiveled her head back towards the forward console, Yama thought to discreetly sign, 'Sam is only jealous that no one has let him pilot one of our fine vessels.'
Barnes made sure Okoye wasn't watching as he spoke with his fingers in return, 'You say that, but it'd be far more entertaining if Okoye was piloting in earnest to her skill.' He paused before adding, 'Wait, did she test his flight suit too? Tell me someone recorded that."
Yama had to stifle a snort with her free hand, but she wasn't able to suppress the whole of the wicked grin that spread across her face.
'I'm rusty in ASL, but I know what you're saying, asshole,' Sam signed back, albeit a beat more slowly.
'Oh, I know. Try to keep up, Cap.'
Sam hadn't raised any objections to the proposal that their little adventuring party ought to split up for awhile so some of 'em could travel to the Design Center, where Sam was betting Shuri wanted to check in with her medical staff, and poke at Ayo's left leg if she had her way. While Sam had no qualms accompanying Barnes on wherever they were cartin' him off to for the next leg of their Wakandan vacation package, he was admittedly surprised that Okoye wanted to take 'em on a little nature excursion of her own.
As far as Sam could tell, Okoye and Bucky hadn't been nearly as close as other folks here, but he was finding it interesting watching the two of 'em interact, regardless. He could tell Barnes was on his best behavior, all careful and self-conscious not to inadvertently provoke Wakanda's highest-ranking General, but he was no longer playin' it safe and restrained at the fringes either. He was willing to let bits and pieces of his personality show, like that move he'd made to snatch one of Okoye's beads as a bold ice-breaker.
For her part, Okoye maintained a stern facade, but she allowed her sharp humor to cut in alongside respectable attempts at pulling choice bits of conversation from Barnes. The longer Sam spent around her, particularly if she was away from the others and it wasn't a funeral or fightin' to prevent the end of the world, Sam was finding that though she wasn't anywhere near as gregarious as Yama could be given the right motivation, she wasn't stoic either. Okoye was alert. Inquisitive. Highly tuned those around her. Moreover, it was apparent that now distanced from her responsibilities watching over the royal siblings, Okoye felt it prudent to understand Barnes further.
In her own way, of course. Which was mercifully less 'tough love' now that she wasn't wielding a spear or karambit against either of 'em.
On one hand, Sam'd be happy never being on the receiving end of a proper Dora Milaje-style beating like that again, but at the same time, she'd been right about it being valuable to train with groups of other folks again. Test his mettle and something approximating teamwork with a safety net of trained professionals.
But damned if the feel of the resulting bruises stayed around long after they'd used that tech of theirs to smooth over his skin.
Okoye kept her focus straight ahead of her as she used the motion of one hand to coax the ship to a lower altitude. The change of scenery drew Barnes's focus, and Sam could tell that his tight expression remained on high alert to see what additional tests Okoye might be planning for him.
The man across from him kept his hands neatly folded one over the other when he wasn't secretly shooting the shit with Yama in those quick little hand gestures of theirs. He didn't look distressed, but Sam was quick to remind himself that the last time they'd been inside a ship, it'd been under very different circumstances that Barnes wasn't the least bit proud of. That said, Sam got the impression at least some of the residual tension orbiting the blue-eyed cyborg had been skimmed away since T'Challa's proclamation that he'd passed their latest test.
None'a that had been an easy watch, that was for sure, but Sam had to admit he hadn't necessarily considered what headspace Barnes might'a been in concerning the people that'd done heapings of wrong to him, and if Barnes was privately eager to put'em into the ground in the name of revenge, or so they wouldn't hurt more people.
The truth of the matter was? After seein' what some of 'em had done to him – like those damn nails – Sam would'a understood if that's where his head was at, but he hadn't realized Barnes had concluded he didn't want to be painted by the same brush as the knife they'd thrust in his hands for so long.
And that was somethin'.
It had a way of connecting the dots from what he'd learned about matters in Washington D.C. and how that led to Barnes – or whoever you wanted to call him – globetrotting and taking up residence in Bucharest years later. Along the way, Sam'd maybe been biased enough to believe his best leads in Steve's missing person's case would be the kind that converged on a trail dead bodies. When in reality? Barnes had apparently been doing what he could to get away from that line of work unless it found him.
And Sam believed him. He believed Barnes wasn't out for blood, and hearing him snarl it so emphatically as he exchanged blows with T'Challa had a way of making Sam not only a little proud, but more'n a pang troubled about Barnes's uncertain future.
There was time not even a day or two ago that all he could think about was the idea of getting Bucky back. Now? He'd managed to carve out something like acceptance for Barnes as he was, blemishes, rough edges, and all. Now, as he sat across from Barnes in that fancy Wakandan cruiser, Sam permitted himself the possibility of imagining how their lives might go if Shuri was able to stop the degradation of his mind. And strange as it was, Sam could actually picture a world where this might all work out. Weird, yeah. But he could picture it.
He could imagine the man calmly sitting across from livin' outside of a cage, workin' to sort out a way forward, and makin' something of his life. That wasn't to romanticize that it would be an easy journey, but it no longer seemed like a dead end. He could even imagine a world a ways out where he could introduce him to Sarah and his nephews and the folks around Delacroix. That bit would take awhile, but if he could find a way to trust Buck around Sarah, Cass, and AJ, he felt confident that given time, he could extend that same trust to Barnes too.
They were cut from the same cloth, after all.
More'n that, another layer in, Sam found it strange how he'd gone from resenting Barnes, to finding himself all-in to help in whatever ways he could, not simply out of obligation to Buck or the Wakandans, but because it was the right thing to do. Sam wouldn't admit it out loud, but Barnes wasn't even half-bad when he wasn't cornered and thinkin' he was surrounded by agents of HYDRA.
When did his life get so damn weird?
Subtle movement to his left drew his attention, where Yama was continuing to send quick little hand signals to Barnes when Okoye wasn't looking. Sam had difficulty following Yama's side of the conversation based on the angle she was sitting at a few inches away from his left hip, but even though Sam was a mite rusty on sign language and didn't know some of the custom signs they were using, he was able to track the broad strokes the replies Barnes sent her way, 'If you're not going to give us any hints, you can at least stop gloating over knowing what Okoye is up to."
Yama's far hand changed shape rapidly as she constructed a response.
Barnes wasted no time in his own reply, 'I can recognize gloating when I see it. You're the one who taught me the expression to begin with. But you'd tell me if it was the 'Screaming Avengers though, right?''
Okoye's voice cut in from the front of the craft where she remained facing forward, "We are not enroute to visit those namesake goats. We have more important matters to attend to."
Sam, Yama, and Barnes reflexively straightened in their seats at once. Did she have eyes on the back of her head? A rear-view nanny-cam? Okoye'd managed somethin' very specific with her tone that sent him straight back to grade school, when he'd been caught passin' notes back and forth in class. It was a special talent indeed to be able to make him feel so remarkably guilty even though he hadn't been a fraction the participant that Barnes or Yama had.
So like the mature adult he was: He sent Barnes an offended glare for good measure.
And because Barnes was an ass, he shrugged it off, but not before adding aloud, "That's alright. I'm sure Human-Sam understands."
"I swear to God, Barnes…"
"There was one named after him, wasn't there?" Okoye mused from the front of the ship. "The annoying little black one?"
Yama was visibly struggling to not respond, but Barnes had her covered as he looked directly back at Sam without a drop of propriety, "That sounds about right."
Sam didn't think it was another five minutes until they must'a reached wherever remote location it was that Okoye was cartin' 'em off to for their first stop. She still wasn't seeing fit to offer any hints on just what her intention was with all'a this, though. His best guess? Maybe it was some sort of test to see how Barnes reacted to a change of scenery when he was away from Ayo and the others?
No notable landmarks were visible out of the front of the ship as Okoye settled the craft into an open sprawl of grass that looked to be smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. Once she cut the engines, both Barnes and Yama rapidly shifted her hands out into the open to make it clear they certainly hadn't ever thought to be in silent conversation with one another during the ride over.
Sam might'a put his hands flat on his lap too, but who was judging?
Okoye rose to her feet and extended her spear, stepping towards the rear of the craft as Yama did the same, returning to a guard's stance. The General's calculating gaze drifted over each of them before landing back on Barnes, "Is the sight out the windshield familiar to you?"
Barnes gave it a second glance, but shook his head, "No, I don't recognize the location."
"It's been five long years," Okoye volunteered, sweeping her thumb over a blue holographic prompt above her palm which coaxed the rear hatch open and extended the stairs into the grass below, "Nature moved ever-forward, undeterred by the press of the Decimation." Okoye lifted her chin thoughtfully, "But you once visited this place. In the time before."
Sam didn't miss her preference for specifying him in particular over "their friend," but Barnes wasn't inclined to argue the point. He thought she might've been considering saying more, or offering them a breadcrumb of additional intel, but instead Okoye used one hand to gesture for Yama to disembark and lead the group down the ramp. Sam wasn't certain what the protocol was here, but Barnes waited obediently until Okoye signaled for him to follow after Yama, then Sam tracked behind him, with Okoye close on his heels.
As Sam's head cleared the lip of the opening, he found himself shielding his eyes from the late morning light outside. He'd seen plenty of idyllic natural scenery out the front of the ship, but he'd been expecting to see something more telling behind their rustic parking spot. Instead there were only more sprawling hills covered with more waving trails of long grass, trees, and sinuous, winding rivers that looked straight out of a nature documentary.
Pockets of civilization spotted the distance, and while the villages were no doubt walkable on foot, Sam didn't get the impression Okoye'd planned on a backpacking expedition after the numerous hours of morning cardio they'd already gotten under their belts. But maybe he was wrong, and they were all just gluttons for punishment.
That said, if her intention was to make the jog in, he wouldn't be the one to put up any complaints, but he suspected she had something else she wanted to accomplish beyond seeing if Barnes would make a run for it, if given the opportunity.
Yama didn't say a word as the four of them stepped onto the grass. While she did a fair job of keeping her expression neutral, Sam could tell by how she and Okoye held their spears that neither of them were on-edge, which Sam took for a good sign as Okoye closed the hatch behind them. He knew the two of them were still keeping a steady watch on Barnes, but so far as Sam could tell, even that mandate had eased up around the edges in the wake of their recent trials.
Instinctively, Sam'd been framing his observations in terms of the two Dora standing out in the grass with him, but without even consciously thinking about it, he'd stepped into line beside Barnes without a second thought. And those frayed nerves of his? They hadn't thought to offer a single objection about being in his immediate proximity.
Which was sayin' a lot, all things considered.
While Sam squinted and held a hand to his brow, he tried to pick out something from what looked like an awful lot of nothing for as far as the eye could see. He glanced to Okoye, hoping she was workin' her way to some manner of explanation, but her eyes only scanned the horizon before returning to Barnes in a measured expression Sam read as curious.
What were they waiting for? Maybe Okoye was building to a check-in before she led them to whatever it was she'd flown them out there for?
Did the Wakandans do geocaches or scavenger hunts?
Sam started to open his mouth to say something, but he was stilled by a light pressure on the outside of his right elbow. He hadn't been expecting the contact, so while he didn't jump out of his skin – thank you very much – he definitely did pump the brakes on whatever he'd been ruminating on to rapidly pivot his attention down to his elbow, where Barnes'd used the back of his nearest hand to get Sam's attention. But when Sam traced the metal arm up to torso and head attached to it, he found Barnes wasn't lookin' his way at all. No, he'd squared off his jaw, and was hard focused out in the distance to their right.
It didn't take two heartbeats before Sam was immediately back on high-alert. That tension was ebbing through the other man's neck as the once Winter Soldier shifted his weight in place warily, doin' that creepy starin' thing off to one side. Whatever it was that'd gotten him riled up gave Sam enough pause that he thought better than to break the uncomfortable silence hanging between them.
But the women standing to either side of them had clearly picked up on it too. Whether they were keyed into something wrong in the air because of Barnes's acute reaction or because they sensed something amiss themselves, Okoye slowly turned to share Barnes's gaze while Yama slid her feet along the ground and lowered her spear to face the opposite direction, ensuring their backs weren't left unguarded.
That… wasn't entirely reassuring.
…They had ways of dealing with natural predators, right? He was guessing his health insurance prolly didn't cover wild animal maulings. Or was this something else? They'd talked about there being a civil war here at some point. Sam'd assumed those particular political matters were in the past, but maybe not-so-much as he'd hoped.
For a moment, Sam still couldn't make out anything concerning, but then he caught movement from atop a nearby hill. It wasn't distinct enough to be readily identifiable, but his battle-trained senses insisted that the now stationary silhouette along the horizon wasn't simply part of the scenery. It'd moved.
He frowned, keenly aware he was wearing what amounted to Wakandan casual wear, not his protective suit, or the accompanying red goggles that would've offered valuable intel on their crouching adversary a ways off.
"Don't. Move," Okoye's no-nonsense voice carried a warning so tempered it was barely audible over the pounding in Sam's chest.
The silhouette remained still for long enough that Sam started to question if he'd seen it move it all, or if it'd been a play of his overactive imagination. But seconds later, he got his answer, as it began to creep low against the ground, circling closer before stopping a distance out among a shelter of towering boulders. Sam held his breath as he watched it, sparing a moment to look over his shoulder to where Yama had taken up position behind him. Her head was fixed in the opposite direction, her spear extended out in a protective hold.
Well, this wasn't good.
Sam couldn't tell what she was looking at, but he eventually thought to turn his attention back to the figure Barnes and Okoye had spotted. When it didn't stir again, Sam thought for a moment, perhaps wistfully, that maybe whatever – whoever – it was, had lost interest?
Because from this distance? It looked big. The kinda size that he didn't have any interest in crossing paths with.
Sam was relieved when it turned away, retreating back the way it came, "What is it?" he had the sense of mind to whisper.
"Rhino," Barnes breathed, just as the creature lifted its head, paused, and then began lumbering closer. What started as a lazy, chugging pace quickly grew in momentum as the wild animal headed squarely in their direction. Sam was hardly an expert when it came to wildlife, but he had a sinking feeling deep in his gut that this was the step that came directly before the one with the charging and the goring from that sharp horn he could now very clearly make out once it'd stepped beyond the protective shelter of rocks and vegetation.
Sam found himself taking a reflexive step back, wishin' the hatch of the ship was still open and available for a hasty retreat, and hoping there was some Dora Milaje-style protocol to dealing with rampaging wildlife, because he sure as hell hadn't received tips on that in the visitor's handbook.
Around the time Sam was trying to recall nature facts on just how fast rhinos could run and how much time that gave them to get out of the way at this distance, the massive creature suddenly came to a halt maybe ten yards away. The massive creature pawed the dirt warily as it lifted its head and snuffed the air. All the while, its hair-tipped ears pitched this way and that, ever-alert. It turned to one side, then back at them again, lowering its head so the business end of its horn faced them and shook its massive head menacingly.
Okoye didn't move. None of them did.
"Steady…" she whispered.
And then the rhino charged them.
Barnes had training for a lot of different contingencies, but HYDRA hadn't exactly been interested in big game in the formal sense. He couldn't understand why the animal, given the space to roam, felt inclined to direct itself into their space, but as the creature swiftly gained momentum and bore down on them, he looked to Okoye for a signal on how they should react. Anything to go by.
Instead, she stood firmly planted in place. Though oddly, Barnes could tell there wasn't strict tension in how she gripped her spear. It was firm, yes, but not so tight that fear betrayed her.
He tried to take some amount of comfort from her steadfast pose, but his own mind was scrambling to figure out a solid 'Plan B' for when the multi-ton creature came within striking range. He wanted to think he'd have enough time to shove them the people around him out of harm's way before it could come into direct contact with them, but that's when Barnes saw it: The white curves painted around its eyes, and the peppering of geometric markings visible across its broad, pebbled shoulders. It wasn't a wild animal, but an individual.
He put it together in just enough time to shift his weight protectively in front of Sam and brace himself just as Okoye suddenly tilted her spear upright and the charging locomotive skidded to a halt just inches in front of her.
She didn't so much as flinch.
Dust billowed at the great creature's feet as it raised its enormous head, and leaned in close and… liberally slurped the side of the General's face.
Barnes barely had time to process what was happening mere inches to his right before the massive animal turned its full attention, and that arm-length sharp horn, squarely on him.
The beast's head alone was easily larger than his torso, and it took a notable amount of restraint to remain still as Okoye'd suggested, especially when the creature took a heavy step closer so it could more easily snuff at his shirt and hands. He could feel the puffs of hot hair against his skin as its brown eyes regarded him.
The rhino made low sounds in its throat that Barnes scrambled to decipher. Was it discontent? A threat? Was meeting its gaze a challenge, or the best chance of not irritating it further? Whatever its meaning, it was remarkably difficult to keep his feet planted in place while those sharp horns along the crest of its face wavered just inches away from his own. He wasn't sure what the protocol was here, but he tried to think back to those stray cats in Washington D.C., and so he lowered his head slightly so as to convey he wasn't a threat.
That's what he hoped it communicated, anyway.
From this close range, he could smell the rhino's hot, earthy breath, but he kept his hands still, resisting the urge to lock them into fists as the creature slowly plodded around his side.
Barnes was aware that the rhino was eyeing Sam, to his left side, and Yama behind him. The massive creature's shoulders were higher than his own, a veritable freight engine on legs, but as it moved, Barnes was able to make out more of the white designs painted across its pebbled skin. They weren't runes or any language he knew, but the ornamental diamonds, circles, and winding, multi-pronged patterns criss-crossed all over the sides of the rhino's face, neck, and down its legs and body like a living tapestry.
The great creature stood and regarded them a moment longer before huffing out another breath of air and pushed forward into the space between Barnes and Sam. Barnes considered objecting right up until the moment the animal lifted its head and made a resonant noise deep in its throat before leaning its massive head squarely across Barnes's broad shoulders.
The contact and sudden weight came as a surprise to Barnes, but even though the animal easily weighed two or three tons, he was surprised to find that the pressure it was putting on him wasn't overbearing. Moreover, even when he had to shift his balance to account for it, the animal didn't spook. It stayed right where it was planted as it made another low sound and nibbled at his shawl before nudging him with the side of its colossal head.
Barnes wasn't certain what compelled him to do it, but slowly, carefully, he reached his right hand up, over his shoulder and behind him so he could press his fingers against the leathery skin just behind the rhino's cheek. It was rough and warm to the touch, and the rhino made a contented rumble as he ran his fingers across the valleys and folds of its pebbled skin.
He couldn't make out much from his awkward, hunched-over position, but when the rhino shifted its weight again, Barnes saw it briefly close its nearest eye as it leaned into the gentle contact provided by his fingers. In short order, it snorted lightly before repositioning its head again, this time further to one side of Barnes's shoulders so the great creature's lips and curious tongue could better investigate his far hand, which was rapidly accumulating a thin coating of rhino saliva.
"She remembers you," Okoye observed in measured words from a few steps away before adding, "at least someone who looks and smells as you do."
Barnes grasped her meaning as he continued to run the fingers of his right hand against her skin in unhurried circles. A few steps away, Sam'd taken up position next to Yama with a perplexed expression and a visible loss for words.
When Barnes didn't immediately respond, Okoye took a step closer to the rhino and ran her own hand over its shoulder, which came up nearly to her head, "When half of all life was sent to be guarded by our ancestors during the Decimation, half of the animals journeyed with them." She tilted her chin, indicating the rhino, "Her mate went with them, and yet she remained. Like Yama and I."
Okoye's expression softened as she watched the rhino press herself against him, as if she couldn't be close enough, "For her, it has been five long years."
Barnes knew she was talking about the rhino spread over his shoulder like a contented feline, but something in her tone made him acutely aware she was in some way speaking for herself as well.
He wasn't sure when Yama'd turned to face the group, but the expression on her face shared some of Okoye's quiet melancholy.
"What's her name?" Sam asked, finding his voice again. "You know, the rhino there that took at least a couple years off'a my life?"
A warm smile overtook Okoye's face, "The Border Tribe is fond of letters and numbers to indicate members of their herds," she supplied. "Her mate is 'M20,' but I have always called her by her common name, 'Themba.' It means 'one who is trusted and is full of faith and hope.' I have found her to be a remarkably good judge of character."
And some part of Barnes found he did remember. Not the details, but the unique smell of her, the comfortable weight leaning into his shoulder and the contact of his fingers.
He remembered running beside her. Racing her as they played with an oversized orange ball. He remembered sitting with her too. Letting her head rest on his lap, watching the steady rise and fall of her great chest while he gazed up at the clouds moving unhurriedly across the Wakandan sky.
They weren't full memories. Just bits and pieces. Glimpses into a life he didn't remember.
But they were good ones. Contented ones.
Barnes couldn't know what the animal was thinking, but as she pressed her face into him, she made a rumble with her throat before redoubled her efforts in stretching out her tongue in an attempt to lick his vibranium hand.
He let her win her self-imposed challenge.
"You did not have that when she last saw you," Okoye observed, bemused. "She thinks it a new toy, or a second means of scratching her hide."
Sam shook his head, a bewildered smile cast over his face, "She's like an oversized puppy. Like those ones they used to have in all'a those 'reuniting' videos they used to showcase when folks came back from bein' dusted."
"They did not understand, as we do," Okoye agreed, "But the animals grieved in their own way. Hoped, in their own way. They did not have the complicated misgivings, worries, and responsibilities so many of us had. But in some ways, it makes their joy that much brighter."
Her words had a way of making Barnes ever-more appreciative for the moment, but a part of him couldn't help but wonder about the cats he'd sheltered in Washington D.C. in 2014. What'd happened to them?
Were any of them still around? If so, did they even remember him?
…Or miss him?
Sam nodded at Okoye's statement as Barnes lowered his vibranium arm and rotated it around the underside of Themba's jaw so he could scratch with both hands at once. When he did, she closed her long- lashed eyes contentedly, and the rumble in her throat grew louder.
Was she purring?
"Are rhinos usually like… this?" Sam inquired, "I didn't get the impression they were particularly sociable, but I might be mixing up my Wakandan wildlife with the traditional African strains that don't get the spa treatment."
"They are not," Okoye confirmed, amused, "Rhinoceros, even those that are hand-reared, are often very wary of outsiders, even among those in Wakanda. But Themba was fond of him. I once thought it was because she could be more forceful with him, "play rough" with him since he was stronger than most, but in time I came to think it was because he didn't force his interests upon her. Too many try to coax friendships with animals that would prefer to remain wild, you see. But White Wolf, he…" Okoye's voice faded off briefly as she searched for the proper words, "He let her come to him. On her terms. Let her remain wild as she wished." The notes of melancholy in her tone lifted as she quickly added, "But she is still a wild animal. It is wise to be cautious."
At Okoye's words, Themba lifted her great head off Barnes's shoulder and turned to look back into the long grass. Her tall ears perked upright as they swiveled around, as if she'd heard something in the tall grass.
Barnes traced her line of sight, trying to pinpoint whatever'd drawn her attention. For a moment, he worried there could be a predator lying in wait. That was, until Themba made a snort followed by a peculiar short squealing noise.
Seconds later, there was a shimmer of movement in the grass a short distance away, a higher-pitched squeal of delight, and out pranced a baby rhino barely larger than a golden retriever.
"You didn't tell me there was going to be a baby!" Yama's voice declared at an octave higher than her usual speaking voice as the small creature awkwardly plodded in their direction. She rapidly recovered herself and added, more measuredly, "General."
Okoye's smile only widened, and she didn't seem the least bit inclined to reprimand Yama's choice to speak, "No oath of silence is needed in this shared encounter. I thought you might enjoy the opportunity to meet him. He is only a little over two days old. Sharing a birthdate with some of our more challenging times of late. Do be mindful around him and do not seek him out. Mothers can be very protective, even to those they would normally trust. That is why I left it up to Themba if she wished to share space with us"
Barnes caught the steady warning in Okoye's words, and he didn't move as the baby waddled up to his mother's nearest leg for reassurance, nuzzling it lovingly. Themba leaned down and pressed the side of her face against him encouragingly. In response, the infant rhino took a few wobbly steps to snuff first Okoye, then Barnes and finally Yama before making his way squarely over to Sam, who was hanging out tactically towards the rear of the group.
The youngling plodded over and investigated Sam's shoelaces only briefly before promptly flopping over onto the grass with an emphatic squeal of delight that Barnes felt rather certain was composed to draw their attention. Themba only huffed, rotating her body and returning her head to Barnes's shoulder so he could continue scratching her while she kept a watchful eye on her baby. Once he returned to his solemn duty, her throat rumbled appreciatively in the rhino equivalent of a purr that reverberated through Barnes and made his left arm rattle.
It was a good feeling.
"You can duck down to get on his level," Okoye instructed, her words for Sam, "Just… slowly. Remember to let him come to you."
"Believe me, I'm not aiming to make momma mad," Sam confirmed as he did exactly as he was told. Once he was in position, he carefully rolled over one hand so it was palm up.
Intrigued, the baby hefted itself back to its oversized feet and plodded closer without any worldly hesitation. Curious, the baby looked over to Barnes and his mother and connected the dots enough that the little creature found himself compelled to do his best to mimic the oversized scene playing out nearby and laid its chin in Sam's offered hand.
Sam's lips tightened with emotion as he offered the baby rhino a gentle chin scratching. The premiere Captain America was utterly enthralled to the point at being at a loss for words, which, in Barnes's mind, was saying something. When Sam managed to catch his breath, he spoke to the pint-sized rhino, "Aren't you just all things precious? You know, my sister isn't going to believe this. She'll accuse me of being high on herbs or some kinda painkillers. No less Rhodey. He's gonna be so jealous."
"Don't worry, I have already been taking many photos," Yama contributed.
Sam only snorted as he continued to interact with the baby lovingly nuzzling his fingertips, "You got at least one of Barnes too, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"I don't need any photos," Barnes half-argued, not seeing why it was relevant.
"Oh, you absolutely do," Sam insisted. "If nothin' else, we've gotta document the fact that the first time we caught you smilin', it was when a white rhino was droolin' all over ya. Not back on the tranquil mountain with all'a us playin' games or making grub. Nope: just you and Themba here. Two peas in a very weird pod."
"I wasn't smiling," Barnes insisted, though he wasn't entirely convinced. Was he? He glanced to Yama, hoping she might come to his defense.
She only shrugged, unabashedly wearing that 'gloating' expression of hers, "Sam is right. 'Twas a smile. A very peaceful one. Quite becoming on you, not unlike the dynamic, highly memorable hairstyle Themba is working to shape for you now."
It took Barnes a moment to register what Yama was getting at, but the snuffling along crest of his hair rapidly transformed from curiosity to delicacy as Themba testingly nibbled the tufts before slathering his hair in a long stroke of her tongue from the base of his neck to the crest of his head. The result was undoubtedly something between a mohawk and a cowlick.
"You don't need to take a photo–" Barnes started to object, but Yama was already two steps ahead of him.
"Too late! I caught video of it too!"
"Yama…" Barnes groaned, wiping away a drip of warm drool that'd trailed down his brow and along the side of his cheek. Yama only grinned and slowly slipped into a seated position among the grass, obviously hoping it might coax the baby rhino to visit her once it was done lavishing in Sam's sublime chin-scratches.
"You will send me a copy," Okoye instructed, lovingly rubbing Themba's shoulder.
"Double for me," Sam agreed, glancing up to Okoye before adding more seriously, "Thanks for this, by the way. I think we all needed it."
The General only smiled as she reflected aloud, "It is a gift to be present for such reunions and causes for celebration."
Barnes got the impression her words were layered in meanings he couldn't yet parse, but the smile Okoye offered to him in that moment had a lightness, an openness to it he wasn't used to seeing from her.
He hoped Yama caught that in her photos as well.
[Chapter Art #1, by Mads]
[ID: An illustration by Mads showing Sam, Okoye, and Barnes interacting with a momma and baby rhino. The five characters stand in a grassy savannah with trees dotting the background, and trees, a fence, huts, and mountains in the far distance. Closest to us, Sam is ducking down towards the baby rhino and petting it under its chin. Sam is wearing a red "Wakandan" style shirt with mustard-colored geometric trim, dark blue jeans, and black boots. He's grinning, visibly enthralled by this touching moment. Behind them, Okoye smiles as she stands next to the momma rhino with her spear in one hand and her other hand resting gently on the rhino's shoulder. The mother rhino has been painted with geometric patterns of white paint, and she has her eyes closed as she enjoys being petted by Barnes, who is touching her horn. Barnes is wearing a deep mustard orange shirt with triangular tribal red trim and a blue shawl with golden stripes, triangles, and spots as trim, medium blue jeans, and dark brown boots. His black and gold vibranium hand is holding two springs of green plants. There is a strand of Kimoyo Beads around his flesh wrist. He looks peaceful and content. The color palette of the scene is warm, as if it's just after sunrise. End ID]
[Chapter Art #2, by Mads]
[ID: An illustration by Mads showing Sam, Okoye, and Barnes interacting with a momma and baby rhino. The five characters stand in a grassy savannah with trees dotting the background, and trees, a fence, huts, and mountains in the far distance. Closest to us, Sam is ducking down towards the baby rhino and petting it under its chin. Sam is wearing a red "Wakandan" style shirt with mustard-colored geometric trim, dark blue jeans, and black boots. He's grinning, visibly enthralled by this touching moment. Behind them, Okoye smiles as she stands next to the momma rhino with her spear in one hand and her other hand resting gently on the rhino's shoulder. The mother rhino has been painted with geometric patterns of white paint, and she has her eyes closed as she enjoys being petted by Barnes, who is touching her horn. Barnes is wearing a deep mustard orange shirt with triangular tribal red trim and a blue shawl with golden stripes, triangles, and spots as trim, medium blue jeans, and dark brown boots. His black and gold vibranium hand is holding two springs of green plants. There is a strand of Kimoyo Beads around his flesh wrist. He looks peaceful and content. He looks peaceful and content. The color palette of the scene is cool and crisp, as if it's midday in a bright and sunny afternoon. End ID]
I'm thrilled to share two (well, three) special pieces of art that coincide with this chapter!
The first two pieces are by Mads ("maddie-w-draws" on Tumblr), who I relished the opportunity to collaborate with again!
Fun fact: This scene was outlined nearly a year and a half ago, around the time I went to the San Diego Safari Park and got to have a close encounter with momma with a three-day-old baby rhino! Look at his little tongue sticking out in a "bleep" in the second photo, aww!
[Mother and Baby Rhino Photo #1, by KLeCrone]
[ID: A photo of a baby white rhino and mother rhino standing on a grassy green hill. The mother has her head down and is busy eating grass while the baby curiously regards the viewer. End ID]
[Mother and Baby Rhino Photo #2, by KLeCrone]
[ID: A photo of a baby white rhino and mother rhino standing on a grassy green hill. The mother has her head down and is busy eating grass while the baby lays on the ground. It has one front leg extended onto the ground and the tip of its tongue is sticking out. End ID]
But at the time I was conceiving this scene, it was so far out that "Barnes" hadn't even formally shown up in the published story yet, so suffice to say, I wasn't certain how the flow of the prior scenes would play out in terms of if it would be closer to sunrise or midday once we finally got off that mountain of ours. But Mads was two steps ahead of me, and offered two lighting options, and I wanted to share both of them since they are both so wonderful in their own right! :)
I just love the interactions she has with everyone here from end-to-end. It's so sweet and peaceful, and such a beautiful moment of fluffy respite after everything our characters have gone through recently. I can't thank her enough for illustrating this memorable moment. The piece she did for me previously of Barnes and the many strays of Washington D.C. can be found here, in Chapter 58: "Accord Progressions."
Please check out her account to see more of her wonderful, personality-infused art (as well as Marvel, DC, and Witcher content, and… more adorable animals).
[Chapter Art #3, by Hazelgee]
[ID: A painting by Hazelgee showing Barnes hunched over with his arms lifted, making contact with a joyous momma rhino who has her cheek pressed lovingly against his head and shoulders. The rhino's face and shoulder are painted with white geometric designs, and she has her mouth open and tongue out as she drools on Barnes's vibranium hand and does her best to try to reach it with her curious tongue. Barnes is wearing a blue shirt with embroidered triangular trim around the neckline, and a black shawl with gold embroidered stripes and fine details. He has a Kimoyo Bead strand around his flesh wrist and his shawl is positioned over his black and gold vibranium arm. In the distance are a misty procession of mountains spotted with trees and flocks of birds set against a warm sunrise and deep purple sky. He is smiling and wearing a peaceful expression. End ID]
The other painting crafted for this chapter is by Hazelgee ("Haze_gee" on Twitter), and features a more intimate moment between Themba and Barnes. I really enjoyed the idea of a wide shot of the bulk of the group, and then a close-up shot of these two, leading to Barnes's first real smile as things just… fall into place. :)
Also credit where credit is due: trying to frame a scene with a massive, thrilled rhino "greeting" Barnes was no easy task, and Hazelgee pulled it off wonderfully from end-to-end! This feels like the culmination of so much, and fun fact: she also painted an adorable image of Okoye and a baby rhino! She has such a lovely and emotive style.
While I'm forever thankful for the talented artists that have contributed to this project, I also want to thank so many of them for being willing to hand tight on sharing their respective pieces until I work my way through the story beats where I can share their lovely, illustrated scenes and tooth-rotting fluff. :) Thanks for helping keep me inspired to see this project through!
Speaking of memorable scenes…
[Chapter 27 Chapter Art, by Muggylee]
[ID: A painting by MuggyLee showing Sam Wilson and Ayo standing in Shuri's lab while Bucky remains in a cryogenic stasis in the background. Sam is listening intently while Ayo speaks. Sam is wearing a red shirt, blue jeans, and a watch around his left wrist. Ayo is wearing her Dora Milaje regalia and is holding her spear in her right hand and is gesturing with her palm up with her left hand. They both appear to be deeply engaged in conversation with one another, and are seen from the thighs up. Bucky's form is visible in the background. He is wearing a charcoal grey shirt and blue jeans, and a strand of Kimoyo Beads is visible around his right wrist. His left arm (the prosthetic one) is absent. Bucky is enclosed within a cryogenic tube that is attached to an IV. A variety of medical and scientific charts and scans are seen on the displays in the background, including a full-body neurological scan, and brain scan. End ID]
When I originally wrote Chapter 27: "Event Horizon" back in June of 2021, I remember really looking forward to the opportunity to step into Ayo's PoV after exclusively ping-ponging back and forth between Sam and Bucky PoVs up until that point. It offered not only a refreshing view of events such as the fallout of the Decimation, but also an opportunity to, I'd hoped, get to know her better, and to start to understand her complicated perspective on all that had happened.
The process of writing and editing it made me ever-more aware that this was/is her story just as much as theirs, and it felt great to carve out space for her and Sam to have a heart-to-heart of sorts prior to when Bucky finally exits cryo. In particular, that conversation about the arm was a long time in coming.
The scene really stuck with me, and I am incredibly touched that MuggyLee ("Muggylee" on Twitter) was willing to lend his incredible artistic prowess to help bring this poignant scene to life with his skilled hands.
This is a highly complex and emotionally loaded scene, and I just love everything he was able to capture here end-to-end. The rendering, the lighting, the little details in the readouts (including some written in the Wakandan Alphabet!), it's just all so lovingly handled, and it's like you can feel the heaviness in the room.
It's truly incredible.
Because I am adding this illustration to a prior chapter, I wanted to ensure that current readers didn't miss the update, so I wanted to give him a shout-out here as well. His color palettes are a feast for the eyes!
Once again: A *huge* thank you to Mads, Hazelgee, and Muggylee for offering to lend their incredible skills to capture such poignant moments and key story beats.
Please check out this chapter on Archive of Our Own to see the art and link to see the gorgeous art and links to the artists' social media pages!
Author's Remarks:
Ahhhh, delicious, well-earned fluff… that somehow propelled us over the 600k-word mark (HOW?!). :)
Wakanda Forever is coming up soon, and I'm hyped for the movie, but there is a tiny part of it that's bittersweet for me, because way back, I was originally aiming to wrap this story before that movie's premiere, but, as you can probably tell, that isn't going to happen. Ah well! How it goes! I'm still hoping for this story to exist comfortably in the time in canon between "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and "Wakanda Forever," but I can't wait to see what is revealed in the new movie!
Either way, I aim to see this journey through, and I hope you enjoyed the moments of introspection and levity in this chapter. :)
- Packing Up Feelings - For as much time as we've spent together on the mountain, it felt fitting to take a moment to reflect about all that's happened before we step forward into the unknown.
- Okoye Teaching Bucky to Fly - I can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to following up with this after the question was brought up way back in Chapter 43: "Aphelion" -
"The Soldier could not speak our tongue, nor manipulate our technology," Yama casually offered.
"Wait, really?" Sam rolled that statement around a little, "So who is it I need to give a firm talking to about teaching whoever that is to drive?"
"Okoye or Ayo. Nomble is not so tempted by impassioned thrills."
"And Okoye and Ayo are?"
Yama chuffed, her voice playful, "I do not think I should enjoy being demoted in the wake of answering such a question."
"So Okoye," Sam hedged his bet.
- M20 - The comment about the name of the male rhino (The one W'Kabi rides in "Black Panther") is 100% canon. That is legitimately the rhino's name, which I personally find… a bit weird, but what do I know about naming fictional rhinoceroses…?
Thank you again for your beautiful comments, kudos, and kind words. Even though some of these last few weeks have been rougher than usual here, I continue to be deeply appreciative of your company as I continue to carve out time to work on this story and the journey ahead for these characters. It's incredibly nourishing and reinvigorating to know others are reading along.