Hidden Tree the nothing song

the song in case you're curious :]
<blockquote>Afternoon. Mostly Cloudy — Current Temperature: 36° F/2° C
This part of the Wildwood was so... quiet. Hael tried hard not to make a sound as he carefully picked his way through the woods, taking note of each small green spring that gave color and promised life to the ruined forest. The day was chilly and gray, and it mirrored how the kid felt. Usually he made a point to stay away from this part of the forest, despite it being so close to his home. It was too dreary, too broken for his liking, and just the thought of it put a damper on his spirits. But this afternoon, he felt... drawn out here, to this place. And he was pretty sure he knew why.

Before long, Hael had lost himself somewhere in the dead forest. He hadn't anticipated getting lost, as the trees weren't too tall, and there was little foliage to obscure his vision. But the jumble of twisted, fallen trees added up after a few miles, and here he was, floating alone in this odd wasteland so close to Swift River. One thing guided him: a mental image he'd made up himself of what the tree looked like. There could only be one big old tree with a den under it around here, right? If he found it, he'd know.

Just as he was picturing it in his head, an ancient-looking, bent tree seemed to appear before him when he looked up. Pleased with himself, yet unable to shake the eerie feeling actually <i>seeing it</i> and being here gave him, Rihael stopped. Slowly he crept forward. There was the den, a dark, forlorn hole in the ground. No scents were to be found here, or so he thought, dipping his nose to the ground as he drew closer. Only ghosts of scents, of wolves past, of wolves he knew were now both alive and dead. Or was he just imagining them?

His curiosity tugged at his paws, an invisible force asking him to go on, <i>go down there.</i> But— not yet. Maybe in a little. Silently, he just stood there, the Hidden Tree towering over him at last. As a young pup, he'd never thought twice about the fire, had just accepted it as history. But now that he was older, almost a yearling himself... he couldn't shake the feeling that this place was just as much a part of him as it had been a part of his father, and his grandfather before him. Now he realized just how... sad it was, that where once there had been so much life... there was now nothing.</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2012, 04:53 PM by Rihael.)

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Is it okay if I say this was before this thread? Just otherwise Indru has tons of angst issues unnecessary for this thread haha. <3

While the feelings towards, and in turn his attachment, the broken, shell of his birthing den had slowly begun to lessen it wasn't rare for Indru to find himself near it without any concious thought to head there. It was these times he missed his parents most, their guidance, their wisdom, and the closest he could get to them now was this den where so much life had been created by them. Kinis was missing and Indru felt like a zombie as he patrolled Swift River, it was true that Kinis and Ruiko were closer than he was with the boy but that didn't stop Indru feeling the loss anymore.

Large paws carried the leader towards Hidden Tree swiftly and it wasn't until he was almost right on top of the small clearing that he picked up another scent there. Instinctively Indru halted, his movement had already been quiet but now he made a concious effort for it to be so, and it wasn't until he had drawn in the scents and identified the culprit that he relaxed, a smile creeping onto his face. When his son came into view Indru picked up on his melancholy, there was a certain slump to his shoulders and an expression on his muzzle that made him seem much older. Hael? His tone was soft and calm, yet the concern in it was clear and, own troubles forgotten, Indru headed towards him, pushing his own body (not too much larger than Hael's own now) against his son's side in comfort as he groomed gently at his ears while he waited.

of course. :]
<blockquote>He looked up, and down. The tree stood like a giant, though one perhaps made of stone, its ruined branches jagged shards. It just seemed... haunted, as though some ghost of a wolf might clamber out of the dark, abandoned hole at its base. Hael couldn't imagine what it had looked like <i>on fire.</i> He had never encountered fire, but he had seen lightning, and with the way <i>that</i> lit up even the darkest night sky, this place must've been... <i>terrifying.</i> Looking to his left and right, his orange eyes crossed the places on the soft ground where wolves, his family members, must've run for their lives. Silently he pictured them dodging falling branches, their faces lit up by the white-blue glow of the fire. Maybe— no, definitely— he was standing right now in a place where one of them had once stood.

<i>"Hael?</i>"

The image of this was shattered as the sound of his name and the scent of his father snapped him back into the present. The world had returned to its gray, deceased state as he looked over his shoulder at Dad, the large wolf's coat the most vibrant spot of color he could see anywhere around. He smiled weakly, and turned back to face the tree, waiting silently as he stared at the empty den again, unsure how he felt about being found here. Suddenly he felt very small, childish. As he felt Dad gently brush against him, he sighed softly, letting his eyes fall shut for a moment. "Hi Dad," he said simply, taking a moment to nuzzle his head in the fur of large male's soft, strong shoulder. With a deep breath, he stood up straight again, unable to take his gaze away from the beckoning darkness of the den.

"I just... wanted to see it."</blockquote>

(This post was last modified: May 02, 2012, 12:05 AM by Rihael.)

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Sorry for the wait. <3

A concerned frown crossed Indru's face at his son's weak smile and muted greeting, the sigh from his son causing his ears to twitch. Something was wrong and Indru peered sceptically at the old den, wondering whether the two were connected or whether Hael's troubles with something else had brought him here like they did Indru. He felt Rihael nuzzle against him and Indru smiled softly, accepting eagerly each unprotested sign of affection he could share with his son and his tongue lashed gently against Hael's ears as he groomed the soft fur there comfortingly.

Beyond his first greeting Indru remained quiet, as though his concern wanted him to ask the question of what was wrong he felt it best Rihael came to his own decision when he wanted to talk when the young boy was ready. He didn't have to wait long though and at Rihael's words Indru paused in his ministrations to his ears as he tried to catch the boy's gaze, so similar to his own. To see Hidden Tree? He clarified, for it would never be just a ruined and abandoned den to him like it would to some strangers. Indru's voice was soft and his eyes drifted towards his old home, melancholy apparent in his frame, was there any reason in particular? With a quick sigh of his own Indru pulled his eyes away from it, resting them on his son again. I come here often, to think, to remember. I find it easier to remember your Grandpa Hael and Grandma Lani here and how they would advise me. It was not often that Indru's scent around the den grew stale, for even unconciously, out of instinct of them many years before, his paws would often draw him to the old den before he even knew he was here. There's nothing wrong with wanting to visit.

aww Tara. sorry girl. I need to get back into things, sorry about making you wait so long. <3
<blockquote>Just as Rihael knew he would, Dad allowed him to take solace in the momentary comfort of his soft touch. He sighed sharply, smiling a little as Dad groomed his forehead, his eyes still lingering hopelessly, tiredly, on the empty den before them. When the leader confirmed the name of the strange, hauntingly beautiful place to which they'd both come, the son nodded quietly, slowly, fiery eyes only momentarily tracing his father's before moving back to the base of the tree. At his second question, he shook his head. <i>No, no reason,</i> yet part of him knew that a strong curiosity about the ghosts of Swift River's past had drawn him here today, and he lowered his head slightly as he listened to Dad's words.

His words left thoughts, memories he'd never had, swirling in a whirlwind in the youth's mind. Like smoke, the ghostly faces of ancestors he'd never met, Grandma Lani and <i>Grandpa Hael</i>, formed inside his mind's eye, though he knew he could not even begin to imagine what they actually looked, smelled, sounded like. And how crazy it was, how humbling, that even Dad with all his strength and dominance came here, to <i>them,</i> for help. His... parents. A dull sadness swelled in his throat, and he swallowed it away, his eyes narrowing as he raised his head to look at his father. For the first time, the realization had struck him. Dad didn't have any parents.

Hael... couldn't imagine what that would be like! For a while, he'd lived in Indru's absence, and even that had been difficult to bear at times. But to lead a pack, raise a family, with no guidance but one's own instincts...? It was admirable. Finally the kid smiled with more confidence. Rihael knew that he looked like his father. Was he also seeing the features of his grandfather in Dad's strong features? He wondered about this momentarily before letting his gaze fall to his paws, and then to the den once more. A question was burning inside him, and he wasn't sure whether or not he should ask it. But after a second, he knew that if there was ever a time to find out, it was now.

"Dad... what was he like? Grandpa Rihael?" The name, though so familiar, sounded so foreign when he had to use it to refer to someone other than himself. But he welcomed the newness of it, posture straightening a little as he readied himself to listen to whatever Dad would say, if anything at all. He hoped, really hoped, that it wouldn't hurt Dad too much to talk about it... but he'd always wanted to know, and had never had the chance to ask.</blockquote>

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A silence fell between them, thought it was a comfortable one, and Indru let it, giving his oldest son time to think and settle his thoughts as Indru tried to comfort him as best he could with his presence. It was strange, in a way, to see Rihael so quiet and lost in his thoughts but it was a change not necessarily unwelcomed—perhaps a change was coming, a newer level of maturity, as the boy neared his second year.

The question that fell from Hael's mouth was somewhat unexpected and Indru blinked at him, surprised, for a moment before turning his gaze thoughtfully upon his old birth den. While he carried his mother and father's guidance in his life and actions, it had been a while since he had thought of them so indepthly. He looked a lot like me and your Uncle Ruiko, so a lot like you too, he smiled, leaning forward to nudge his nose affectionately against his mirror-image of a son. He was a great wolf, a true leader, and one to be proud to be descended from. Perhaps it was a slight bias, after all a son often looks up to their father, but since growing up, raising his own family and his own pack Indru couldn't help but be struck by the truth of the words even more.

He and your Grandma Lani sacrificed themselves to keep all their children safe and out of the fire, all but one his mind corrected, his thoughts flashing briefly to Hotei as his gut constricted painfully. They were both very brave. The benefit of being amongst the oldest litter like he and Ruiko had been in Indru's eyes was that they had been able to spend the most time with their parents, time Indru only cherished now and though they had not been a physical presence in his life since, they had been there, in his memories and in the lessons he had been taught. Above all else your Grandpa wanted us to be strong, brave and good, to achieve the very best we were able. Adopting the thoughtfulness that had belonged to Hael earlier, Indru licked his son's muzzle absent-mindly, his thoughts back in his past. It's a name to be proud of, Rihael, and one I'm certain that you deserve.