Magnolia Glen i spend all my money

all these roads still be wrong

INKHEART

but i still drive them all night long

They would surely find luck hidden within their prime fishing spot, as Inkheart had walked near this hole plenty of times and they always seemed to be in plenty. Spending a lot of time alone with such adventurous qualities as himself, he had to expend them somehow and finding prime fishing spots, makeshift dens, safe locations for floods—he looked at it all. Inkheart wanted to be prepared for anything, as this pack was the only family he had (and to him, it would be the only family he would likely ever have).

Inkheart’s main goal was to feed Zia and the rest of the pack, if he could. His hunger could certainly wait for later if he had the time to go hunting for his own satiation. Borlla would likely give birth any day now and he wanted everything to be prepared for her and her children when they did. Since he saw his future very dimly lit, he wanted to treat their upcoming treat as if they might be his own—spoil them with food, train them if he could, talk with them and teach. As second-in-command he felt that this would be an appropriate task, one that he would take pleasure in helping with.

“As do I,” he mentioned as his thoughts scattered once she spoke almost surprised to hear her speak of keeping active, in-shape and busy… it was like hearing himself being repeated. “I also like to keep active and in-shape… I run along the Mountainside as many mornings as I can and do periodic checks to the borders… so you’re potentially the suspect who has been marking ahead of me?” It made sense to him that she was the suspect that likely was marking trees and such along the borders to ward of potential intruders and wanderers. If not, no big deal but it certainly would make those jobs less tedious and more enjoyable if she were to tag along. “I’ve got a lot of exploring to do around the area and you’re always welcome to join me.”

Within just a few seconds of his invitation her attention dissipated from him to the creek’s edge, watching as fish swam merrily through the water. Plenty of time for all the eye to see. “Yup, it’s just a bit further upstream,” he smiled and began his ascent north hoping to find as much fish as he had seen in previous days. “I guess you could say that I lived in a rogue colony—we were something like a pack but we all defended ourselves. My parents were never truly there and I left as soon as I could. What about you?” Perhaps she had some exciting details to share with him, as his past life outside of Relic Lore had never given him much excitement.

by Sarah

i'm always looking for threads, so message me if you'd like one!

A glance was given towards the surrounding area, as she idly took note of the magnolia trees in the distance. This little piece of land which she called home, was quite different from both her previous residence and her homeland. Although it went unmentioned to Inkheart, Zia planned on spending the rest of her days here. Only if tragedy struck, would she be forced to leave the comfort of the pack. While it was still early, she had already begun to consider what her primary task would be later down the road. She served as a diligent guardian before, and her fondness for roaming around the territory was a plus. Her lithe frame came with speed and agility, which was perfect for running down prey. Mentally shaking her head, Zia diverted her thoughts back on track. She had to prove herself proficient in either of those fields before approaching the Alphas. Zia wasn't entirely surprised by his remark, as she had suspected that the dark male had spent a lot of time keeping watch over the borders. Many a time, while doing her rounds, she had found traces of his scent, mingled among others. She flashed him a wry grin. "Yes, that would be me." Working as a team or even being one step ahead of him wasn't a problem in her eyes. It was beneficial. The more the better, and perhaps later on, the two wolves could help each other out by covering different sections of the Glen, to make up time. "I've been meaning to get out a little bit more, so I'd be more than happy to tag along." Hopefully, this would not be her last encounter with Inkheart. She found they had a lot in common, and the more time she spent with him, the more they could work on forming a close friendship. Sadly, she never really had any close friends or a strong bond in her former home. That was something she wanted to avoid here. Developing some alliances and getting to know each face personally, was one of Zia's goals. Down in the shallow depths of the water, she noticed that the fish were steadily increasing in numbers. A good sign that their luck at the fishing hole today would be high. She made a note to memorize this particular route. Easy, smooth strides took her ever closer to the location he had in mind, while her hunger began to grow. For now, she listened to what Inkheart's words, which captured her interest. His past certainly wasn't like her own, but then again, no ones was. She wondered why he chose to leave the band he was with, even though he surely had his reasons. Then it was her turn to elaborate on her past. She would start off with only the basics for now, leaving out the finer details unless asked. "I grew up in a closely knit pack, along with my brothers. Our parents had high expectations for us. I guess wanderlust soon got to me, and I left on my own." Her memories replayed themselves in her head, from past to present. "A little while after traveling, I found myself in another pack that lived in the mountains. Quite different from Magnolia Glen." A surge of unseen bitterness sped through her. "I can't say I miss it. I left them for my own well being." Life there wasn't bad, but it had been far from ideal. Here in Relic Lore, with a likeable companion by her side, Zia was content.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

all these roads still be wrong

INKHEART

but i still drive them all night long

Everything about this place had been the perfect image of a home since their coming together. It was brilliant, for lack of a better word. Inkheart had never felt like he had a home, not once in his life. There had never been anything to keep him rooted to a particular place but the second that Phineas had mentioned making a pack, he had felt drawn. There was something mysterious that intrigued him and although sometimes things were pretty slow and uninteresting for the inky subordinate, he could deal with it. It felt better to simply have a home than wander from place to place.

Ink smiled, glad to know that the scent he had come across while on his walk had been hers. He had no minded retracing her steps but it had always made him wonder as to whom it was that frequented the borders just as much as he did. It would certainly be a change to routine if he could start doing it with a partner, sharing shifts and being able to split the process. “Feel free,” he smiled instantly knowing that would definitely be a plus for his journeys, “you’re always welcome to accompany me whenever you’d like.” Her company would always be welcome, especially consider how much they apparently had in common plus she was a woman. He liked womanly conversation (though he might not ever admit to it).

Watching carefully he was very curious as to hear her side of the past but for the moment she seemed incredibly curious about the fish in the water. It was a great thing, seeing all the fish that they had stumbled upon and hoped that Zia was amused by how lucky they were at finding it. Inkheart knew the best places, but it was up to her if she could keep it a secret between them. Her story of her past was very different from his but appreciated nonetheless. “Regardless you’re here now and if you’re anything like me, you can’t imagine leaving now.” He could somewhat sense that she wanted to make this permanent, but he was kind of fishing for the answer in hopes that he was correct.

by Sarah

i'm always looking for threads, so message me if you'd like one!

Despite the short months Zia had been with Magnolia Glen, she already felt more at home here than she did in the other pack. There she felt as if she was just another wolf in the ranks, dutifully fulfilling her responsibility, day in and day out. Here she desired to get to know each and every face, to form solid friendships. To look upon her pack members as friends she could trust and protect. And here she was with Inkheart, already taking the first steps forward in that direction. It was true that she had ran into Phineas and his band of followers by accident, a little while ago when they had been crossing the mountain. Then and there, she had made a split second decision. To join them in their quest. The sense of longing to be a part of something, to be among her own kind again had hit her in the gut. However she had taken a quick moment to assess the qualities of the Alpha pair, to see if they seemed like wolves she could live under. And they did, even if she had yet to get to know them on a personal level. Now in the present, she felt good as Inkheart's voice rang clearly. The words were even more pleasing to the ears, knowing she'd be welcome to accompany him on any little adventure he had planned. Her tail wagged back and forth happily, as she smiled warmly, making a mental note to keep a close eye on him from now on. She spoke nothing more about her previous home. She was in too good a mood to go diving into all the details about it and her experience there. Perhaps the next time their paths crossed, she would reveal to him every little detail, and her true feeling on her ex-pack. For now, there were other things to interest the both of them. Such as the task of catching those sizable fish that populated the water of the creek next to them. "Well well, we certainly lucked out today. Looks like you really know where to find the best fishing spots." She grinned, sending him a playful wink. "Let's not tell anyone we know about this spot, huh?" Slowly, she dipped her paws into the water, instinctively knowing to try not scare the fish. The creek wasn't terribly narrow, just wide enough so a few wolves could stand side by side in it. Seeing a moderately sized rock peeking out of the water, she claimed it as her own, setting her paws against the damp surface firmly. "You are certainly right about that. If fate is kind to me, then I'll live out the rest of my life here." Her blue eyes turned towards the fish gliding effortlessly through the water, but she made no movement. Staying perfectly still, she chanced a glance at her companion. "I don't know much, but from what I've heard, patience is key when it comes to fishing. Right?"

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee