Late afternoon was one of Indru's favourite parts of the day, it was something about the setting sun and the hush of the animals as they found places to hide and settle through the dark night that he found relaxing. Snow coated the ground and the trees, who looked so lonesome without their red cherries for which the area had been given its namesake, were dyed orange by the sun as it started to set behind the Mountain of Dire in the west. Again, like each year since his birth, Indru found it fascinating how much the landscaped changed in the winter as Relic Lore lay covered in a white blanket.

Indru sat, lost in thought, underneath one of the biggest cherry trees in the orchard, his tail curled around him and his shoulders hunched for warmth. The sun made his fur glisten a lighter brown than normal, almost an amber shade not quite so different from the boy's fiery orange eyes, as he sat as still as a statue watching the sun set. It was a nice change for Indru who was mainly always moving, doing something and constantly worrying and checking over his family, and it was perhaps, he had realised, one of the perks of not leading a pack the worry was someone else's. Yet, it didn't make the situation any less tense between he and his brother, nor did it really stop the thoughts in Indru's mind about what he should do. So he continued to sit, beneath the tree, letting his thoughts drift through his mind as the sun peacefully set in front of him.

Through the dappled shade she walked, her eyes catching the flicker of sunlight breaking through the trees. It was so strange to be in a world so cold, when everything about it, washed in golden rays of splendor, seemed so warm. This notion cast her thoughts to a dream of a verdant world, a universe of jade, a world so lush and vibrant that would chase away this snow that made Relic Lore look so foreboding and barren. It would not be much longer. The seeds of seasonal war had been planted, and under her feet they slept, they waited, they plotted. Soon, the first tongues of supple viridian hope would appear, bursting through the fading snow. In this reverie of spring, warm and green, Ozera wandered through a path where boughs of contorted branches made a roof.

A scent tickled her nose out of her daydream, though. It did not belong to the vernal season of her fantasies. Faint but familiar, Ozera followed it curiously, trying to place it. It was oh so familiar. Yet, upon arriving, Ozera became aware of the fact that she had never seen this wolf before. However, out of a dream, she saw a tawny wolf, a statue with gold eyes. The memory flickered strangely in front of her eyes. Except, before her was a darker looking wolf, with a figure that was equally imposing, but with smoldering eyes of firebrand. There was something awfully familiar about him. "Excuse me..." she chimed hesitantly, for she wasn't sure how this wolf would appreciate being shaken from his pensive state. "But I feel as if I know you from somewhere."

As deep in thought as he was Indru didn't notice the presence of another straight away, but eventually, as she neared him he became aware. She spoke to him softly and he turned to her, already knowing that the wolf was a female, older than he, but a loner that was without a pack already from her scent, and waited until she finished. I have a lot of family. He offered, smiling lightly and fondly as he thought about them, he loved them greatly and it was clearly shown in his face and voice. Many brothers, perhaps you have met one? The connection with those of his family with black fur like Triell would not probably be a wolf to remind her of him in appearance, but Ruiko maybe as the two shared more than just a very close brotherly bond. Though not all of his family had returned yet all of them had a drive to explore so he would not be surprised if she had come across at least one Tainn.

I am Indru Tainn of Swift River, he offered, curious as to whether the family name would spur her memory. Hopefully it had been a good meeting, civil at least, as Indru did not feel in the mood to deal with another angry and tense situation. Though, if it was Ruiko, perhaps not. It wasn't uncommon knowledge that Ruiko was the most grumpy and unwelcoming of the two brothers at times. It was a beautiful afternoon and briefly Indru took his eyes back from the dark brown female to continue to watch the sun set again before it drifted behind the mountains as he waited for her response.

When he smiled, the familiarity drifted away like clouds being chased away by the sun. She frowned pensively, unsure of why she had felt as if she had already been acquainted with this stranger. A wisp of a memory teased her mercilessly in the back of her brain, but she could not quite sink her teeth into it. "I don't... I don't know..." she breathed wistfully. Inside her head she chased the phantom about, trying to snag it in her paws and trip it up so that she could get a good look at it's face. But true to it's real-life counterpart, Ruiko, it always evaded her. Hardly paying attention now, Ozera barely caught the word brothers as it flew past her ears. Was that it? She couldn't be sure. "Hmpff," her tail thumped on the gnarled tree trunk beside her while she was trapped in her world of introspection.

He introduced himself, though, and she did manage to hear that. Swift River. Ironically, after meeting a wolf or two who belonged to that pack, she couldn't recall them having mentioned it to her before. Triell, who smelled very much like this wolf, had only said he had to go back to be with his brothers. And then there was..."Oh!" she called out with a beam, "Oh I see now... or at least I think I do. Can you look blank and emotionless for a second, please?" What a strange request, but she felt she had it now. But just to be sure...

The wolf seemed confused and he watched her with curiosity, ears twitching delicately as she spoke her confusion out loud. If he was honest, Indru wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to know anymore and he just waited as she worked through her own thoughts. She was different, at least, to any other wolf he had met before, she didn't seem suspicious at all of a male wolf who she had never met and could potentially be a sadistic murderer. Gradually Indru found himself drifting back into his own thoughts, this she wolf was certainly no threat to him and as she continued to whatever unknown thought she had Indru decided to do the same.

Suddenly she called out excitedly and Indru's head slid back in surprise, intention now returned back to her once more as he waited. Her question however surprised him and he stared at her in shock, utterly bewildered by this eccentric wolf before him. It took only a few seconds for Indru to realise that in doing so he had performed her request for looking blank and emotionless perfectly and he laughed, shaking his head and smiling at her handsomely. You are very strange, he teased, meaning it harmlessly and not as an insult at all as he ducked his head to peer at her curiously with his bright eyes. Did you finally discover your answer, then? Indru was curious, after all this dilemma and the strange requests, as to what it was.

The empty, bewildered look on his face raised a flag in her mind. "Ruiko!" she cried out, "You look like Ruiko!" Triumphantly, her tail windmilled behind her. Ozera was certain that his wolf, who claimed to have many brothers, was related to Ruiko. Why, they looked almost like twins when expressionless... although, their differences probably would have stood out more clearly if they stood together. However, in this light, when Ozera hadn't been paying very much attention, this Indru fellow looked very much like that resigned, somber creature she had met at the charred remains of a grand tree.

Now aware that she really had answered no questions other than her own, Ozera tried to clarify. "I'm sorry. What I think I mean to say is... I ran into a wolf who looked very much like yourself when I was walking in this burned down forest. He was... a little less than pleasant. Can you two be related?" Really, she didn't know, because one side of her —the more realistic side— said that yes, of course they could: they looked alike and smelled alike. But the smile that came so easily to the lips of Indru made Ozera think otherwise. "You're certainly very different. Very.... very different."

Understatement of the year.

She exclaimed again and Indru grinned, shaking his head once more, amused by the female in front of him. Now, now, no need for insults! He laughed, his eyes showing his enjoyment of the peculiar conversation they were having, a she wolf guessing his heritage and matching his genetics by facial expressions. Her explanation was useful though her question made him grin at her again, before he nodded at her question, we are most definitely brothers. Indru confirmed, his voice holding a friendly confidence as he turned his body to face her entirely, his interest in the setting sun long forgotten.

Different in a good way I hope. The male's tail flicked out behind him and whipped lightly across the snow to show he meant it good naturedly, they argued but he loved his brother. It is well known that I am the better brother after all, he laughed, the female bringing out the more comic side of his personality that Indru had only really experienced with the pups as of late. Most of his family were left sombre with their grief and his attempts to cheer them up had gone stale and he too had turned more serious with them. It was why, Indru thought, the youngest Tainn's had become more like his own pups than younger siblings to him, his bonding with them had been so important. It's my good looks and winning personality, of course.

Even if Indru had confirmed her suspicions, she was still nearly dumbstruck. His laughter, light, carefree, was such a strange sound to her. If Ruiko were to laugh, Ozera wondered, would he laugh like that? Deep down in some secret cavern of her brain, she was determined to find out. But she laughed along with Indru, glad to be around someone who she didn't have to cheer up. As much as she had loved Kauda and Triell, it was a drag on her conscious, to listen to so much darkness and pain, to see such somber little faced. It almost seemed fitting that they were both black in color. But Indru, he was like the spring-time she had been dreaming of moments before —except furrier.

Oh, and he was funny in a way that Ruiko definitely was not. In their short time together, Ozera had touched upon a sliver of his humor, but it was like a desert: harsh, dry, sparing. "Oh, you're not being fair, Ruiko is such a playboy." Her sarcasm was evident, mostly from the laughter that was beginning to split her sides. Truly, Ozera believed Indru was the "better" brother. While he looked the same, of course, his personality clicked much more easily with hers. "I don't know, Indru. Your brother did have the good graces to call me a 'fat cow.'" Even though Ozera had not been offended originally by the term, she saw no harm in using it now to her advantage.

"I'm Ozera, by the way," she amended, beaming through her set of yellow teeth, "It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Her sentiments made Indru chuckle as he knew they too were meant in good jest about Ruiko, besides knowing his brother like he did, he most likely wasn't pleasant. However, Ozera gave him more details of their meeting and at the mention of the description that he had gifted her with Indru stared at her in shock for a moment before roaring in laughter. Then...Then I owe you an apology on his behalf, he managed to choke out, trying to sober himself slightly but not being all that successful. I'm— I'm sure he meant it harmlessly. Though even he was not sure, Ruiko would be Ruiko and he was not the friendliest of the Tainn's. Luckily though, the female did not seem that annoyed with his brother, or at least, she wasn't taking it out on him. I am sorry though, he assured, more seriously now, this wolf seemed nice enough to him and he wasn't sure what she could of done to deserve insults.

Ozera, he tested, smiling at her again now that his laughter had subsided, I'll remember that, he winked playfully. The wolf was older than he was, maybe around the same age as his uncle Honijo, and so he found it peculiar she was without a pack. Most wolves were settled by this time he had thought, from the role models he had been given anyway. Why are you without a pack at this time of year, Ozera? As, strange as it was she had no home, it was even stranger that in winter, a dangerous time for any wolf pack or not, she was alone.

ooc - eek. awkward pack situation. wish i was accepted fully. xD

"No, no, it's alright," she giggled blithely, flopping on to the ground, "I think he was just trying to make an argument out of how I called him a rock. " For a moment, she mulled over the memory, sorting through it, turning it over. How could he have called her an enigma? Surely the enigma was him. Rolling on to her back, she looked at the sun fading behind the dark, scraping peaks of the mountain. This scene, this moment, it was delicious, she thought. "He really is a rock, don't you agree?" Her paws churned in the air playfully.

Ozera's eyes flashed at the mention of a pack. "Oh, I'll find one. Don't you worry. I lived three winters on my own, and I can sure as hell survive the rest of this one." Her smile was deep and blissful, and when she closed her eyes, she could almost smell the spring. Almost. But tendrils of winter air still played with her unkempt, wild fur. She wished they would just go away, the winter breezes, she was rather sick of them.

"What about you? Do you and your rock of a brother play nice?"