Almost home, Indru called over his shoulder to Ruiko, trying to keep his voice light hearted but failing. Who knew what state there home would be in — or who had lived. Indru's stomach felt queasy at the thought and he quickened the pace him and his brother had been keeping, a steady run that ate up the miles. We'll see them all then, you just wait. The brothers had been stopping to send out a howl frequently, hoping to hear a response from a family member but failing to hear anything each time, it was worrying, but the pair refused to give up. It was starting to hit midday, the boys had been running home all morning, hoping that by now the worst of the fire would be over. When the fire had struck Indru and Ruiko had been out hunting together and it had been instinctual for the pair to run, the fear the fire caused driving any rational thought from their minds, but Indru felt guilt creeping along his spine at the thought of abandoning their family, he just hoped they had done the same.

As they travelled north through Cedarwood Forest Indru began to pick up a faint smell of burnt pine, a smell that caught in the back of his throat and felt like it clogged his lungs and scorched the inside of his nose. He paused, his paws aching and his chest heaving with exertion and the smoke that clung to the air, they have to be okay, Ruiko. With a quick breath Indru shook his head, building up his courage to continue and with a weak smile to his brother he did, paws hitting the ground rhymtically once again. Once they hit the creek the boys ran along it's edge, allowing it to lead them home. As they entered the Wildwood the damage was clear — the trees still standing now had black trunks, scorched from the fire, and the floor was littered with trees that had given up, the brush that covered the Wildwood allowing the fire to travel easily. The destruction blocked Indru's throat, he couldn't speak, knowing at best it was only their home that was destroyed.

Hidden Tree was almost unrecognisable, the only thing allowing it to be recognisable was the tall, strong tree that had once protected the pack's main den still standing amongst ones that littered the floor. Indru felt a tremor of shock go through him at the sight of his home, though when he saw two bodies on the floor, one with black fur the other with fur not far from his own, he felt his heart stop. No... No, no, no! Indru sobbed, rushing forward to where he parents lay on the floor and, seeing their still, un-moving bodies, he raised his head, an agonised howl echoing around the forests desperately hoping it would bring his family back.

Fear had its icy grasp on the large male’s heart – not that he would ever truly admit it to anyone. The day had started innocently enough, and the two brothers had bickered over which prey would make a hearty meal for their family when their eyes had locked upon a furious blaze that consumed anything it touched. Instinct in its most natural form had spurred them to flee, and without question the two Tainn brother’s had run from the fire’s rage so quickly that his thoughts were only now beginning to catch up.


The dark timber had become steadily silent as they trekked back. Their unanswered calls were heavy on his heart and mind, and he felt the worry carving in to him as a sharp sword wood. Each time the silence grew heavier, and the stern wolf had fallen quiet himself. Indru broke the eerie silence every so often, and all Ruiko could offer in return was a gruff grunt – his golden eyes much more fixated on the damage of the forest that had been their home for so long.


The tawny wolf followed closely behind his brother, bristling every so often that their fur would touch. On edge with his worry, the Tainn male still remained annoyed at his brother as he seemingly lead them home.. as if he was the dominant wolf to do so. But the circumstances were neither here nor there, and Ruiko managed to contain his temporary grudge for the moment.. and the moment he heard his brother’s cries of anguish, his own bright eyes fell upon the remains of his parents. As stoic and solid as the tawny wolf was, his ears slid back to his skull and his eyes fell to his own creamy paws, unable to fully look upon the ruins that had once been his parents. Indru rushed forward, his howl echoing harshly across the sky as he released his pain. The other brother instead held on to his, his muzzle bowed in respectful silence as he felt the guilt and regret eat away at him. Could they have saved them? He did not know.. but had he known that these were the possible circumstances, Ruiko would have tried. He and his brother would have died trying.


Or that’s what he would have liked to think. Instead, they had turned and fled with their tails tucked beneath their legs like mere omegas. The thought stirred a dark frown upon the large male, and he finally padded over to his brother, his muzzle gently grazing the other Tainn’s shoulder in quiet comfort. For a moment he stood like that, and finally his eyes fell upon Indru’s own. “We need to find the others.” His tone was flat, his pain clear. Nothing would ever be the same.

As the Tainn family fled the fire that threatened to claim their home, Niija had done her best to keep the youngest of them within her sights. Most of the older litters were capable of taking care of themselves, but the pups (and even certain yearlings) were too easily frightened, too easily panicked. She had done her best, though only Borlla and Junai remained with her now—and she did what she could to keep the guilt and fear of losing the rest of them from her demeanor as she cared for her two sisters in the days following the fire. We will find them and they won't be harmed, you'll see, Niija assured them as often as the sorrow shone on their faces. But even she, usually always so certain and knowing, doubted the truth of her assurances.

Several days had passed and the fire had not spread to reach their temporary haven; rather, it's glow seemed to dim and disappear entirely within the Wildwood. Still, knowing the risk of fire remaining hidden beneath the loam of the forest and erupting again at the slightest disturbance, Niija thought it best they wait to return for another few days. It worried her that she hadn't heard the voices of her family, searching and calling for survivors—and that she received no response in her own song during the interim.

Finally, having grown anxious, Niija nosed Junai awake. Come, let us return home. Perhaps the others have gone back as well. Without waiting for her younger sister's response, the tawny female awoke the sleeping pup with a tender lick to the forehead. When they were all roused, Niija led them on the journey back to Hidden Tree.

As they neared, remnant smoke teased her snout and caused the occasional, unbidden sneeze. Her voice rose in a brief howl, announcing their presence to anyone that might have already arrived—and not long after, she reached the old den. Indru and Ruiko were already here, seeming to be in a state of mourning. Ice clutched her heart and Niija crept closer, silently bidding Junai to keep Borlla away, golden eyes finally taking in the sight of her parents' still bodies.

Gods, no... she whispered brokenly, sorrow wracking her body in silent sobs. Niija moved to Indru's side, wanting to be close to her brother in their grief. Have you heard from any of the others...?

He'd fled as soon as the sky clouded with smoke. Everything was dark, the air was thick with an unfamiliar smell: all signs to urge Honijo into a run. The male had picked up his feet faster than he could ever imagine having to do in the past, and while in the beginning the task of running proved challenging to his broad body built for strength rather than speed, when you're in it for your life, everything changed. Things change. Miracles can happen. Before long, and without much thought put into it, Honijo found himself hidden away in a small little den that must have belonged to a fearful animal who had evacuated. He had been much too tired to carry on the journey, and so for his time spent, the great male pushed himself as far back against the hollow of the den as possible and waited it out, hoping to God the others had realized and found escape. Hope was all he could feel, other than the ground steadily heat up. He knew it would pass, and gradually over time, just when the dust and fumes were beginning to make the brute near dehydrated for a drink, the fire simmered and died.

At first he just waited. Out of fear, out of the important need to be completely sure. When no sounds came, not even the crackle of a flame or a print of pressure on the ground, Honijo lifted his head up and launched his great body out of the den. He first shook his fur, watching the dust particles rise and waft in the air, mingling for just a moment before disappearing into oblivion. Where to next? He had to find the others. Just as he was about to take his first step forward, a howl sounded across the sky, echoing around the Wildwood... coming from an all too familiar place. Making his way carefully towards the sound, the one Honi identified as Indru (he couldn't help the smile that broke the corner of his maw at the sound of him), the male wolf pulled himself together and tackled the remaining way back to the Hidden Tree. Everything was charred and broken, trees had fallen everywhere; it ws quiet save for his pads stirring up dried up crumbles of earth, leaving it simple for anyone who wished to track and follow him. The birds were gone, the squirrels, everyone was in hiding. But he, the predator, the family man, the wolf, would not rest until he found the others. It was only then that he would be able to breathe, be able to think.

He stopped at the edge of the clearing where a small gathering of familiar wolves stood. Their heads were bowed in mourning, and it kept everything in Honijo not to fall in defeat. No, no... not one of us. He broke through the trees and stepped forward, peering amber eyes away from the confused and insisting Borlla, right past Junai who seemed to be trying to affirm the truth. He passed them all and moved straight to Lani and Rihael. It felt like something was punching at his chest, fighting to come out. He wanted it to, but at the same time he didn't. So it remained stone cold, barely beating. "No." He said it so simply, his voice hardly a whisper. Cooly, the older male spun around: Indru, Ruiko, Niija, Junai, Borrla. All alive. That left...? "Where are the rest of you? Your siblings? Your mother would not have wanted us to waste time; she would have wanted us to look to the living. Has anyone seen a trace... a scent, anything?" Voice faded in the silence, trying his hardest to direct his eyes away from the others'. The loss in their eyes would slowly eat away at him, would make him realize the facts. He was not yet ready for the news to settle: she couldn't be dead. But he needed to tone down his tone and stop with the orders. It wasn't fair to be this way when they were all in the midst of mourning. However the sheer protectiveness of Honijo was still there, fighting to take control of the situation and he would grasp at every possibility that still remained.

When the fire began to spread the small family had fallen into chaos. Triell had been out with his other young siblings, learning every day things like how to track, wiggling off into a cluster of bushes after a the interesting smell of a squirrel, then they were gone. Fled from the sudden blaze and to crazed with fear to remember the little dark Tainn off in the bushes. He had been lucky to escape, short legs hindering his speed but luckily he had made it in the shallows of a river, hiding beneath an outcropping of wet rocks.

Now Tri wandered, days later, stomach contracting with pain and nose dried to the rough texture of parchment. His little stout and awkward form waddled aimlessly, sneezing and tumbling down amongst the ash of his ruined home. He was heading for the den, to naive to understand that there still might be dangers looming within the scorched remains. Pushing himself back up with a whine the little Tainn snuffled at the air, scents still obscured by the stinging smell of the smoke. Huffing he pushed onward, paws coated in a gray scale that now peppered his normally flawlessly dark fur. Suddenly a fierce howl broke the strange silence and the young boys ears perked up, wiry tail waggling behind him with a renewed vigor. Indru! Other howls soon rose in answer. All family, all safe. Breaking into a wobbly gallop he wheezed his way over to his family, who now all gathered around the remains of their den, yipping with joy.

The first and only person in his baby blue sight was Borlla and though he would normally cringe at the sight of his annoying sister he was just so glad to see her after so long. He had never been apart from his family for so long. Bounding over to his light tawny litter mate he practically bowled her over with joy, licking her all over, accentuating his affection with whines. Soon he caught on to the somber mood of the gathering and stopped his attack, stumbling off of his sister to creep over to Indru, canting his head up at his older brother as an anxious whine slipped past his lips, ears folded back in confusion. What's wrong? He seemed to ask as he licked the older males leg timidly and wagged his tail in youthful assurance.

So alone.

The world had always seemed so, so big, but never so much as now, when he was alone and scared and alone and oh mummy what's happening -

The smell had been horrid, terrifying, and it had confused everything, everyone. By the time the question had popped into his head there was nobody left to ask, they had all fled, and how had he been left behind? He couldn't remember, it was... he had been... and they -

He was crying, but nobody heard. There was nobody left; the world had died and turned black. Kinis would never be sure how he survived, when he had grown up and understood what fire was; it seemed to defy logic. How could he survive, a tiny, helpless creature, but they -

No.

Questions swam like drowning fish in his head, all unanswered. They festered and died and the fertile ashes encouraged new ones, all which grew and then fell and created a huge mountain of unsatisfied questions but there was nobody to relieve them, nobody to tell him what was going on, because what was going on?, where was everybody and why did his nose smell like, like, he had no word for it -

Finally, there was a saving grace, and he clung to it; the sound of his brother's voice, the sound of a howl. The tiny wolf tried to cry back, but it was feeble and he felt foolish. He was not as mighty as his brothers, he could not compete, but that meant he couldn't even tell them he was alive. He was alive! Barely aware of the concept of death, Kinis wanted to tell them he was alive, and when he heard the air fill with other songs, other rejections of death, he felt overwhelmed by joy. They were there! He could hear them! Weak and hungry and scared though he was, Kinis put all of his renewed energy into clambering towards the sound, towards his family, towards safety and comfort and answers -

There were voices, small voices, and as Kinis scrambled, he could smell his family, pick out those who were strongest, and his little heart beat hard with each happy realisation. Alive! Alive! Alive! There was something wrong, something just not right, but he was overwhelmed with joy at being reunited again that the notion of queaziness took a little while to resurface. He burst out towards his family, probably largely unnoticed, and made a beeline for Ruiko, waddling underneath his brother's warmth, brushing his nose against his ankle. Safe! But there was something wrong - and then the question came back.

It was too much, and as he glanced about their ragtag group, little blue eyes wide, he realised that only some of them were there. But - but mother and father's smell, he was sure... his head turned slowly to the centre of everybody else's attention, the dark, burnt smell, the dead smell.

There was one question more powerful than the others. It overwhelmed him with more force than any of his fear or insecurity had. Again he nudged his brother's ankle, something holding him back but he wanted to see and oh, oh no...

"Why?

It was simply too much to bear for the hefty male. A warrior at heart with a stoical persona, it was as the tawny wolf glanced to each of his arriving family members that he felt his heart plummet further and further. Niija arrived with Junai and Borlla, and the elder sister’s sobs tore at him and caused his ears to slicken tighter to his skull. If he could wear the pain for them all now he would.. but he could not. They had loved their parents dearly, and now, it seemed, in an instant it had been taken from them.


Borlla’s high-pitched demands went unnoticed by the group as Honijo swept to them. They all trickled in, bit by bit. Ioni, Triell, Kinis. Relief flooded him at the sight of the three pups. Hotei and Torla were still missing, but at least the whelps were safe. Kinis pushed to him for comfort, and sliding his frame so that the boy could not see the sickly appearance of his parents remains’, the large male then bowed his muzzle to sweep his muzzle lovingly across the brown whelp’s brow. He could not answer their questions. Could not calm their fears.


With a shared look to Indru, the male gave a slow nod. They needed to get their siblings away from this disaster. “Come,” he murmured lowly, his eyes falling upon each member before scooping up Kinis to his jaws. The group followed the two brothers, who, along their way to seek out a new home, would quarrel among themselves for dominance. Indru would reign supreme, and only then did Ruiko finally challenge Honijo for his place.


Change had not only been inevitable, it had swallowed the Tainn family whole.