Celestial Falls so far, so long

[ This is for @Lord & @Nios ...maybe even Phineas later? ]

As each and every day passed since seeing @Rory it had become more and more clear she had been abandoned, a feeling which she was not new to. Having told her that she was going on a hunt and would return for the youth, she came back to an empty den site. This happened the very day she had met up with @Lord at Turtleback Lake. Vaeta had spent weeks in the north, calling out, crying for the small, pale babe to return to her side. She, in the few months she had been with the youth on their own had come to love the little girl and now that she was gone she was reluctant to leave her behind. She had hoped to more back south, to return the girl home though it became more and more evident that she did not wish to be found. Thinking of her own well-being now and the well-being of her new companion, Lord, she decided it was time for them to move on. Having otherwise been willing to find a pack in the north close to the lake she loved, Vaeta decided to once more pick up the pieces she had left behind and finding the remaining bits of her family. Her longing to be near those she considered her friends - Rory, @Hudson, even Lord if she did not wish to join, would have to be set aside if only for the time being in order to find her brother, Nios.

She was happy enough Lord had decided to join her side, the pair becoming an inseparable group. Lord's lack of health had decreased, Lord's might and Vae's swiftness becoming quite the team at hunting and quite the dominant and strong-willed pair to mess with in a scrap. It had been a month of traveling the east side of the mountains of Relic Lore until they had wondered here. They had been lost within the Deep Forest for what seemed like forever, Vaeta clinging to Lord's side for warmth and comfort until finally it's dark depths broke free to this. "Lord, oh Lord look!" She squeals to the roaring sound of the falls, and dances about her friend before bursting out towards the Celestial Falls.

I am so terrible at my tags.. I didn't even see this until now.

He had accepted Phineas’ terms, and in turn, had healed with time from his injury. It had not been severe – of that, the inky male was grateful, and while his forelimb was still tender, he was now beginning to pull his weight for the Silent Moon Plateau pack.

The day found him downward from its slopes, however. Scouting was integral to knowledge, and given that both of his leaders were wrapped up with new children (now that was a debacle..) Nios took it upon himself to explore outward slightly, his paws carrying him with ease from the borders and to a deeper forest.

Minutes turned to hours, and he found nothing of true interest. It was easy to see that the tangled mess of brush and thick trees was dreary on this side of the mountain.. but the lack of beauty did not deter the male. Instead, it intrigued him. He had been surrounded by beautiful landscapes the entirety of his life.. and now, with the chaos of the Vale before him, the wolf felt there was perhaps a hidden truth in it, compared to the deception of the western Lore.

It was the rushing sound of water that would pull him from his thoughts, though they held no organization. Loping forward more quickly, for it had been awhile since the swarthy male had found a source of water, it was as he neared it that his breath was truly stolen away. There, studying the falls that cascaded down the rocks, was the honeyed form of a very familiar wolf. Blinking, as if disbelieving his own eyes, Nios stood, rigid in place, as if he had come upon an illusion of sorts.

'cause its home, but it's gone

Since idk where Fenrir went and when she is coming back, I'm going to go ahead and say she held back so they could have 'alone time' I guess.

Lord had not immediately followed her, more logical and hesitant then she ever was. Perhaps the other, shorter yet stockier woman was smarter for this, though Vaeta burst forth without a care. She splashed through the shallows of the water, taking a few large gulps after having been lost in the abyss of the Deep Forest for so long. Lifting her head high, honey-hued eyes scanned the beautiful wonder of it all, only now taking note of the very dark black smudge of this colorful world. It was a wolf, perhaps another reason why Lord had kept her distance after all, unable to tell her more energetic partner before she dashed off towards the water. Though after a moment of staring into his direction, it was made clearer that this stranger was no stranger at all. "Nios?" It was but a whisper on her lips, with an uncertainty as she took a few steps closer into the other wolf's direction, sniffing him out. It had been far too long since she had seen her darker brother, but there was still more mistaking him from any other black wolf within Relic Lore. "Nios!" His name finally called out in a squeal as she came bounding into his direction, dancing around him wildly before lifting up on her back legs to offer a wolfish hug around his nape. "Oh, where have you been!?"

It was no illusion -- Vaeta moved toward him faster than his imagination could possibly keep up with, and as she called out his name, Nios felt a clench in his chest. He had found he r-- the day he had stopped looking for her, he had finally found her!

His own paws could barely move before she had closed the gap between them, and as she lifted upward on hind limbs, Nios' remained rooted to the spot, supporting her with his weight as his muzzle buried in to the nape of her fur despite the ache in his limb from her weight. Inhaling sharply, she smelled just like she had when he had last seen her, and he exhaled just as sharply. "Looking for you and Rory," he finally murmured, pulling back so his words were not muffled within her fur. Glancing over her, his amber eyes preened at her, ensuring himself she was alright. "I smelled you at Whisper Caverns.. but then I couldn't find you. You both were gone.. and then I left when it appeared that no one else gave a care about their missing members." His tone roughened as he finished his statement -- Narime had held his respect, but when she had become enthralled with Ash, it had seemed nothing else mattered to her. He had never imagined himself staying there forever, and so he had left with a quick farewell howl.. and never once had he looked back.

"Where have you been?" That seemed the more important question, and shifting his weight, the ebony wolf gave a gentle shake of his muzzle.

'cause its home, but it's gone

The news of the Whisper Caverns wolves befell her, Nios explaining how he had in fact been looking for not only her, but the little silent princess of the land as well. The winter was harsh though not anywhere near as cruel was the one prior and once spring hit it seemed their Leader's attention had been placed elsewhere. They had been forgotten. It was hard to think about though not a subject which kept Vaeta down for long. Nios had been looking for her. Nios had cared. Nios had been the reason why she had gone to the caverns in the first place so it was Nios' opinion which only mattered. She pushes her muzzle deeply within her brother's scurf with a sigh before falling down, all four limbs meeting the ground once more and then she sits before him, her body giving a shake of excitement. "We both got turned around somehow in that crazy storm we had. We were lucky to have found one another but it took us forever to regain our barrings. We ended up further in the northern reaches of the Lore then I've ever known, further then even the Copper Rock..." The final bits of her words in mentioning of their birth home was but a whisper on her tongue. Once upon a time ago, Mirren swore to rebuild what once had been lost there. Vaeta would be left to wonder of how happy they would be as a family again. Together, whole... Now the Tainn girl was just lucky enough to have one family member at her side. "By the time we got it together and decided to head south again, Rory left me... She knew I was going to bring her back. I guess she just wasn't ready..." Quite frankly, had it not been for Vaeta's longing to return to her brother and both make sure the young girl was reunited with her father, Vaeta would not have bothered to return to the caverns ether. The wolves were plesant there, sure, but living underground on the cold, hard rock was not her kind of living. Now Rory had made her choice and Vaeta had her brother so she was free to start a new chapter of her life.

His ears cupped forward as he listened to her, his golden eyes skimming over her as if to ensure once more that she was indeed alright. He was surprised by her news -- they had surpassed further north than he would have guessed, and he gave a small nod, a light frown etching its way to his features at the thought of Rory not wishing to come home. How could he blame her, when her own guardians had not seen fit to even look for her? "I'm sure she'll find her way," he mused gently, as if to reassure himself as much as his sister before him. Rory held a soft spot in his stoical heart -- but he was finished chasing ghosts.

 "Copper Rock Creek," he mused darkly then, his ears sliding back to his skull. His heart longed for it -- more so now for the promise Mirren had made them all, rather than longing for what was familiar. For now he could barely remember what it smelled like. "I'm staying in a pack called Silent Moon Plateau. The leader and I made.. an interesting agreement," he began, uncertain how to quite put it. Or how serious he would be taking this arrangement, especially now that his sister was back.  "Come back with me for now.. We'll figure out what to do from there?" Once more his muzzle swept forward, brushing to her cheek and inhaling her scent sharply -- Vaeta was finally with him.. now, all they were missing was Mirren

'cause its home, but it's gone

Omg. I'm posting. How cray.

For the time being all Vaeta Tainn could do was nod at her brother's first set of words. She was uncertain of the little girl's well being and if she would be able to navigate herself in the far north in order to find her way home if she willed. However, if home was something @Rory had wanted then she would have come along with Vaeta. It seemed that perhaps the gypsy lady had rubbed off on the girl in their ventures more then she had thought. Now Rory was becoming a young wanderer herself and for this Vaeta found a happiness even tough she was no longer with the girl. She is silent still, ever more so now as her brother muses over their only home where they were born. A single golden ear slips back and her honey hued eyes turn to the beautiful waterfall next to them, the mists dampening the top layer of her coat. She gives a little shake then, perking up once more as Nios continues. For the time being she does not question the arrangement that her brother had made with this Leader of Silent Moon Plateau. She could gain more information about it upon their walk. "Of course, Nios... Were together now, and thats how it should be." She spoke with a sweet smile, lifting up then from her sit to further brush into the embrace of her dear brother. She had missed Mirren so horribly when he had left though it had been far longer since she had seen Nios. It was like a dream come true, him being here. "I...I've a friend." She spoke up then, having not forgotten Lord though for the moment dismissed her at the sight of her brother. Her head turns, those large almond shaped eyes peeking into the brush down hill though could not see her. A frown swept her features, thinking @Lord must have wondered off a bit to give them some privacy. Surely Lord would not stray far and Vaeta could call for her later when matters are more settled. "Her name is Lord, and I'd like her to join me if she wishes."

It was determined that Vaeta would come with him – and, even possibly a friend she had made along the way. Nios did not question her about her friend – he trusted Vaeta’s judgement on who she found to be companionable. Instead, the ebony male gave a quiet nod, accepting this and leaned forward to nudge her.

In his mind, there was little reason to hesitate or prolong their sudden journey back to the Plateau, and so the wolf gave a nod in the direction they would need to go, his paws pushing him forward once more. He had not expected to simply stumble upon his sister in Relic Lore – and yet it was exactly what the nomadic male needed.. his family. Silent Moon Plateau was still fresh to him, and unfamiliar. He had searched for Vaeta for months after having come upon her scent in Whisper Caverns, and it would seem the moment he stopped looking for her, she would simply reappear.

It only occurred to him the moment he was reunited with his sibling that perhaps the day would soon come that they needed to seek out Mirren once more. He had no idea where his brother was these days – as far as he knew, the eldest Tainn had gone back to Seqouia Vale to remain with their parents until their time came.. and perhaps even take over the pack come time for Ruiko and Aeylen’s passing.

Little did he know that their mother had long since gone missing, and Ruiko had been dead since the winter.

'cause its home, but it's gone