I have not really had any time to clean this up, moving is a thing along with a steady 9-5 and part-time caretaker for a grandparent... so enjoy and leave any questions, comments and/or constructive criticisms in the reviews? They are deeply appreciated.
The coloured ones told Mogar about their pack's 'duties' as the city's protectors to show up and make an appearance at all of the fancy parties and useless dinners. Mogar told them he was not pack, so he would not be going… but he found himself dragged along to every event by Hilda anyway. And while it was difficult for him, being led around while in the confining clothes that she and Ash had insisted he needed for the events, the smile she gave him and the strange look in her eye whenever she glanced his way was worth it.
As part of the courtship Mogar had made a couple of rough jewelry pieces that he had been presenting to her almost daily since Christmas. And at each event he couldn't help the swell of pride when he saw at least one of his gifts on her settled amidst the colourless sparkling stones and flashing metals the other females wore. Growing up in the woods meant that he had never actually learned to dance the way you were supposed to at one of these fancy parties, in complicated patterns and sweeping circles perfectly timed so no pair knocked into another. But he found that with Hilda's help, leading him along the outskirts into the center of the mass of rustling silks and suffocating perfumes, he almost looked like he knew what he was doing.
For her, for that smile she gave to only him despite all of these fancy people vying for her attention, he could get used to the infuriating clothes and complicated steps. The strange food and bubbly drinks that made his senses go a little fuzzy after a while. He could even deign to smile at the people that he was expected to not hurt at the parties despite the insults to him or one of Hilda's pack. He could sort of understand it all. Could sort of make sense of all the traditions and rules of the city. What Mogar just couldn't understand was everyone else's interest in his courting her. It was probably his own fault, being so territorial of her attentions at the parties she dragged him to. Even going so far as to challenge some of the more persistent males when they tried cornering her in secluded shadows with their greasy smiles and sharp sour scents that reeked of deception and ill intent. But Hilda and Ash had told him that you did not challenge other males to a fight to the death over a female… or for any reason really. So people were intrigued by his 'bearman courting rituals'. And it was all made so much worse when the Monarch Labs New Year's party was attacked by the minions of one of the city's newest villains.
They had fought side by side, their movements fluid and in tune with the other's. Now he knew that he wasn't any good at dancing in a circle or waltzing across a ballroom floor, but he figured that the way they moved together that night in battle came close enough. He was hard and steady and unyielding where she was soft and quick and adaptable, always protecting each other's weak points. When he fell back she would take his place and when she spun away from an enemy's strike he was there to block it. They were balanced and tuned to the same thrum of battle. He could see it in her eyes the way they lit up when she tossed a smile his way. Smelled it on her skin when she brushed in close just to slip away again. He could feel it pulsing through him with each strike and block and fist and kick that filled in the empty spaces she left. This was their dance
So it didn't come as much of a surprise when, around the day of hearts, the day the air was heavy with the sweetness of chocolates and the scent of mating, Ash came down for breakfast with her laptop and excitedly showed everyone all of the pictures and articles that had been popping up since Mogar moved in. None of it seemed to bother Hilda so much as amuse or exasperate her in turn. Except for that one from what Ash had called a 'gossip rag', that had infuriated her. It came as no surprise that the coloured ones actually seemed to share the curious female's excitement over it all so Mogar said nothing. In fact, he kinda liked the ones from their first time fighting together in front of the people with the flashing boxes and loud, personal, questions. He liked the way she looked at his side in that soft black dress with white and silver armor over it all. Her hair piled atop her head and pinned into place, the necklace he had given her on display where it rested against her collarbones.
All caught in perfect detail.
So he just sat silently through Gavin's ramblings about what he had deemed the city's cutest couple. Chuckled at Ray's fits about all of the fan written stories and fan created art pieces that was popping up about them, and the group in general, though he would never divulge just how he found any of it. And he trusted Ash and Rusty to -as Hilda said- work their magic at Public Relations. It wasn't until the snows occasionally turned into rain and he felt nature stirring that he let himself start to consider his fate. He had until the rain falls.
It was loud and ugly and had both Hilda and Mogar storming out of the restaurant with cameras popping and reporters yelling questions after them. The tabloids screamed out all the dirty details they could dig up -or make up and pass off- about what happened. Everyone spewing a different theory about what had Mogar dumping his suit jacket, tie, and dress shoes on the doorstep of the fanciest restaurant in town and running off into the temperate evening as Hilda summoned her full ORF suit to fly off. Ash and Rusty worked long hours with the PR department of Monarch Labs to control as much of what was being said as possible. And X-Ray and Vav were given explicit instructions to avoid the paparazzi at all costs until Ash gave them the all clear. But they never were very good with following directions. Slowly stories cropped up of Hilda spending long nights at the office. Mogar disappearing for days. Rusty actually avoiding alcohol to deal with the problems the group was facing. Trying to keep their family together.
But Rusty was no Alpha and Ash could only do so much even with the crew that had kept the Mad King in the city's good graces pulling every string there was and calling in favors she didn't want to know about. The city noticed their dynamic duo patrolling by themselves again.
Ash's to Ash's all but shut down. And there was that strange hobo randomly shouting about Vietnam again. The mayor held a number of press conferences to try and quiet some of the rumors.
And the city hummed in confusion at the words 'When the Rain Falls'.
The world was truly coming alive again when it happened. The small pack's morning ritual was shot to hell and it was one of the all too common days when everyone but Hilda and Mogar were at the table. They had settled into the only semblance of peace and family they had left when Mogar burst into the room, sword strapped to his back and bags under his eyes.
"Where is she?!"
