A Father's Plea

Featuring Jackdaw, Taegann, and alluding to the rest of Haven
Late Winter, Year 767 of the New Age
Glenmore, Bróccán’s Gate

Jackdaw
Looking out over the sea of stags below, the grullo couldn’t help but recall how normal this day had started out. He was home, just hours before- enjoying quality time with Mae and their new daughter. Aveline had even stopped by, dropping off some fresh berries from the gardens and staying to chat. Taegann was out, but he was certain he’d be home soon to enjoy the day with them. Óganach, it had all been so lovely; so completely normal…

Now, just hours later, they were at War.

He took a deep breath, mustering the mental and physical strength to stand tall against the storm. Cold winds whipped at his face, yet he did not shy away. He wanted to see what they were facing- who they were up against. Not that he’d even recognize anyone from this distance, though…

Drustan had finished his speech, and all around him, the warriors of Haven were gathering. Waiting. Their leader might not have been a real King by bloodline or title, but he spoke just about as passionately as one. Everyone around appeared invigorated; hardened- or at least from what he could observe. Jack definitely needed that extra strength today.

When his son had returned with the news earlier that day, frantic and terrified, his heart just about leaped out of his chest. He could have lost him; those bastards could have taken his boy, tortured him, killed him, even! He was incredibly fortunate they did not. Just thinking about that possibility broke him. For the past five years, Jack had never had to worry about the fear of death taking his loved ones. Now, it was the only thing on his mind.

Taegann stood beside him today in battle; legs trembling underneath him like twigs in the breeze. He shouldn’t be out here on the frontlines, Jack thought to himself repeatedly, he should be resting with Mae and the family. Such a luxury was impossible, unfortunately. Haven could not afford to waste any of the strength they had - and despite being a boy in his eyes, Taegann was growing into quite a capable fighter. Most fathers would have had immense pride in standing beside a son such as him in a battle such as this - but the grullo could only feel dread.

He had almost lost him once today; he did not want to give fate a second chance…

Taegann
It had been a long time since he’d seen anyone react the way they had that morning.  But their reactions were understandable.  Not everyday was one warned about the approach of war to their very doorstep.

Tagg had been brought immediately before Drustan, Scarlet and a few trusted others close at hand to hear the news first hand.  Jackdaw had come as soon as he heard then, together, he and his father had embraced Maeja, Kajsa, and Aveline before they joined the other does and fawns in a journey to the other side of Haven.  They would be safe there, at least for the time being.  Tagg tried not to linger on horrible visions of the Glenmore guard breaking through and what they might do to his mother and sisters…

The leader of Haven spoke to them now, giving them inspiration and reminding them who they had all grown to be - they were Haven and they would prevail against these odds, just like they had before.  

Yes, this was a siege, the colt repeated to himself silently as Drustran continued on; hopefully, it wouldn't come to all out combat.  Tagg's legs, still somewhat strained from the hard sprint earlier that morning, quivered gratefully.  At least, for the moment, he would be able to regain his strength for if things did escalate and his tines were needed.  

His brown gaze followed Drustan's form as he slipped away to converse privately with Fenella.  The doe's cremello coat served as a perfect reminder of who wasn't among them -Nimue.  Tagg's ears fell to the side, his chest and throat suddenly feeling tight again.  Where had she gone?  He prayed that she hadn't run straight into the hooves of the guard; who knew what future they would have in store for her if she had...

The colt tore his gaze away from the couple and shook his head, trying to keep focused.  

Tagg cleared his throat and nervously touched his shoulder against Jackdaw's blue-toned hide.  "What is battle like?"  He inquired, leaning forward a bit to peer through the thick wall of thorns at the mass that moved as one toward Broccan's Gate.  He had sparred plenty of times but, to date, he had never locked tines with a real enemy.  Not for the first time that day, he felt painfully young and inexperienced.

The familiar click of rock against rock caught his attention and the colt watched as Aytan began to gather a pile of rocks together.  Good idea, he thought to himself and he quietly began to do the same, although admittedly his rocks were far smaller than those that Aytan was able to gather.

Jackdaw
A flash of white briefly caught his attention, distracting him from his watch over the enemy. It was Fenella; there was no mistaking the doe for anyone else, the way Drustan embraced her. Jack could feel his own heart ache, but before he could wallow in those feelings, he forced his attention back over the gate. Part of him wished for Mae to be here, too; but asking her to join the fight would have been selfish. Kajsa needed her mother more than anything. Even if Mae’s magic was better than most of those Glenmorian dogs marching forward, he wouldn’t ask her to take such a risk..

Besides, he didn’t want to think of the possibility of leaving his children orphaned...

“What’s battle like?”, A gentle tap on the side from his son snapped him from his troubling thoughts. Jack hesitated to answer, looking down at the approaching horde. Funny.. he remembered asking his father the same question as a kid. Galmir always gave him a glorified, romantic answer involving honor and heroic feats; yet, the old fart never actually battled anyone besides training dummies… He doubted the old grullo even knew what it felt like to have so much at stake…

“...awful...”, he replied without thinking too much, joining in with Aytan’s actions of pulling up stones from the dirt. “... I can’t sugarcoat it, it’s absolutely awful…but it's something that must be done…”. Shaping stone and dirt for the past five years gave him enough experience to know just how to mold rock, and so with every stone and boulder he and Taegann dug up, he made sure to shape the sharpest ends to be the sharpest they could be. Whatever, or rather, whoever, they fell on, they'd definitely make a dent.

Pushing the rocks into a pile with the others, Jack let out a long sigh, and then turned to his son, “I need you to do one thing for me…if things go south and fighting picks up -I want you to stay close to me. Stay close to me and your brother. We have defend each other, understand?” He couldn’t ask the boy to run, but he could at least be able to protect him personally.

Taegann
While he wasn’t sure what he had expected his father’s response to be, he still found himself somewhat surprised by Jackdaw’s response.  Awful.  A queasiness settled in the pit of Tagg’s stomach.  Was he ready for this?  He still had so much to learn…  The colt took a break from pulling rocks, closing his eyes as he allowed the sickening fear to fade.  He couldn’t let the fear take hold of him, not now.  Not when Haven needed him.

Jackdaw pushed the rocks they had collected into the pile before he made a special request of his son.  Tagg’s ears flicked back, gently pressing against his skull.  He knew what his father meant by things ‘going south’; their fortifications would be broken and it would come to physical combat.  As brave as he wanted to be, Tagg would be glad to have his father and older brother by his side.

“I promise,” he replied, tapping his tail gently against the back of his father’s legs.

Before any more words could be said between the two stags, a hush fell over them as a strange white stag came bounding through the snow toward Haven...

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Word Counts:

Jackdaw= 771
Taegann= 642