Sacred Grove Blood of my Blood

Relief, like it always did and always would, bubbled through Indru at the sight of Torla fine and well—each time Indru learnt news of his family, of the Hidden Tree wolves, it felt like a weight (and guilt) was lifted from him. Torla's explanation did not surprise Indru, Junai and Hotei both had been her littermates and she had always been motherly towards them, though it did worry Indru that she had been looking for Hotei too—his brother's death (as he believed) had been one of Indru's biggest guilts, though it worried him that Torla had not accepted his death over the two years.

That's good—I'm so relieved you're safe, Torla, I was worried, and Indru's eyes drifted from his sister to the dark, scarred male at her side as he noticed her to reaction when he asked who the stranger was. The leader inhaled gently and noted with distaste that he could smell nervousness from her, and in response Indru turned a somewhat harder stare onto the dark wolf, who was this male that worried his sister? There wasn't much silence until the stranger rose his head to look at him and Indru was too surprised at the familiar eyes to bristle at the forward gesture, and soon, as he spoke, his brow wrinkled in his confusion.

It was the smile that gave it away, that flashed grin coupled with those eyes, and Indru had only a second of awareness before the male spoke his name and it was confirmed—he was alive. Shock caused Indru's heart to skip a beat and his fiery eyes drunk the male in greedily as he digested everything, his mind flashing across two years worth of grief and guilt which Indru still battled with. He was aware of Ice on his right and Indru took comfort from his familiarity, instinctively moving closer to his packmate, though he could pay no attention to anything but Hotei and Ice's dislike and almost mocking behaviour was, perhaps luckily, lost on him. Ho—Hotei? You're alive? Grief, relief, guilt and pure shock caused Indru's usually strong voice to break on the last word and his fiery eyes drifted between his brother and sister dazed, how? He breathed, almost exultant, and he took a hesitant step towards his brother who he had thought was dead for two years, but his guilt at being unable to find him, to keep him safe, that fact that he ran when the flames hit instead of searching, caused him to halt a few metres from him. Hotei.. Hotei, I'm so sorry. His innocent, harmless, bumbling brother who he had thought the flames took from him—like they took his parents—alive.

<blockquote>Indru's genuine response felt like actually coming home; where before she had merely stood in the physical place that was meant to symbolize her acceptance his words solidified her existence. No longer was she just a wolf standing at the border, she was <i>Torla</i> - their sister and friend. It was soothing, relieving, empowering either - now all they had to do was see if Hotei would be given the same warmth. Torla held her gaze on Indru as their brother spoke, pleased to find that the black-coated male's voice held no ill-will within it as she might have expected. In fact, he spoke to their older brother with a spirit so bright that she could very nearly hear the smile that spread across his wounded maw without having to take her eyes off the older Tainn. It seemed like an eternity rather than just brief seconds before Hotei went ahead and spoke his name.

The pale Guardian's mockery, or whatever that noise had been, rubbed her the wrong way and she stared at him for nothing more than a moment, for at this point she had no authority over him. In fact, even if Indru would allow her to become part of Swift River, she would still have less authority than him. Yet Torla did intend for him to know that she saw him, watching Hotei, and in turn Torla would be there, watching <i>him</i>. It was a difficult balance trying to remain as kind as possible while feeling such a fierce protection over her siblings - especially her littermates - especially Hotei. Bad blood made her stomach churn no matter who it was between, and practically made her sick when she was among the parties. But it was Hotei... Torla was glad she stared for such a sort while as the guilt caught up with her quickly - he was just doing his job, protecting his pack from wolves he did not know... that was all. He couldn't possibly bode them any ill will, why, he didn't know them well enough for that! Satisfied to have come to a middle ground, Torla's attention returned.

The remorse in Indru's voice threatened to infiltrate the cracks in her own heart, but she remained stoic for the emotional reunion was Hotei's to experience. There was much of his story - almost all of it, actually - that the dusty brown female had not uncovered from her littermate. However much of it he chose to share today, she would be listening intently.
</blockquote>

"Yeah I'm alive." Hotei chuckled then watched his brother
quietly. Indru seemed so shaken for some reason at
Hotei's appearance. Though the black wolf was getting used to other
wolves being shocked by his scarred patchwork of a body.
Maybe he's just shocked that I'm alive? I have been gone for
what..years now. He dipped his head once more to Indru and
hid his shame from the alpha. Now that Hotei knew others were alive
he was ashamed to be coming back after the years he'd spent alone.


Torla seemed to relax greatly beside him after watching Indru's response.
What? Was she worried that Indru wouldn't want us back? Or be happy to see
us? He scoffed at the idea in his head then flicked his tail against her side
to calm her down more. Not that she needs my assurance...

Turning his yellow eyes back to Indru Hotei watched the big male almost
lean on Ice next to him. Least it looked like he was leaning on him.
Burn snickered when Indru almost caught Ice being a bit too stupid in
front of his alpha, but now his attention went back to the leading Tainn.
Just then Indru said the one thing that muddied Hotei's happy feeling right now.


"How?"

What do you mean how? You idiot I did the same as you. I ran for my life. Hotei
bit back the words and kept them bottled up in his head as he watched Indru take a few
tentative steps towards him.


"I'm So Sorry..."

The bitterness in Hotei's heart leached away just at those words. Those almost
tearful words which came from the truthful voice and feelings of his brother.
Burn was sidled now and Hotei took full control.
For once he might be able to tell his story without feeling the pain of it all.


"Stop being so emotional you're the alpha remember Indru." Hotei smiled, himself
close to tears now. He nuzzled his elder brothers chin and licked his cheek
before stepping back and lowing his body once more.


"Let's just say that It took me this long to come back because I didn't want
my old wounds to open up again if I came back to see who'd perished. " He closed
his eyes and thought about father and mother. Were they happy with him coming back?


"And how I survived is a long story." He grew more quiet as he spoke then
looked up to Indru trying to smile. "As you can see some parts of me never came back
after the fire." He flicked his tail pointing to his scarred legs and the skin where
fur would no longer grow.
"Enough about me though..I can't believe you're the alpha now! I mean... I can
believe it because you alwayshad the good instincts and stuff...but It's just so cool!"
Hotei lightened up again and glanced back at Torla and then to
Indru. However he completely ignored Ice.

(This post was last modified: Jul 11, 2012, 10:50 PM by Hotei.)

Ice's an ass and Fen's a slow llama. <3 Sorry for the wait.

you do not know who is your friend or who is your enemy until the   ICE breaks. Indru sidled closer to him and Ice, despite all his emotions running rampant across the clearing, leaned in against his leader, offering silent support - well, silent apart from his mocking cough. It seemed that it was lost on the eldest Tainn though, and in the moments after it, the pale Guardian realized it was with relief that he noted it. The dazed look on Indru's face, the pain, the confusion, surprise, joy - Ice could hardly decipher all of it, but the notion that insulting the black male around his protective brother was a bad idea stuck. Deeply. It had been the same when Borlla came along with that sharp tongue of hers, really. Indru loved his family so much - perhaps too much. If he'd taken Borlla in despite how it aggravated Corinna..? If the strangeness overcame the black male again, would he wave it aside, refuse to see it? Did he love them so much that it made them blind to it? Would he love them so much that he'd turn on Ice if he criticized them? He ground his teeth together, a dry, alien noise escaping, reverberating through his skull when his molars rubbed against each other. He hoped that if this black male proved to be trouble, Indru would see it. Acknowledge it. And deal with it. Indru pulled away like a dreamwalker, stumbling forward, and Ice hung back. It had happened once, but the Guardian was on edge - might not happen again. But he'd seen Torla steal the same kind of glance at him and his burn-riddled body, that she'd not really believed him either. Leaving Indru and Hotei to their brotherly cuddles, Ice brazenly walked up to her, but despite his dominant posture there was no challenge in his eyes or movements. He favored the Tainn brothers with a sidelong glance, then swung his gaze back to her. He'd rather not have enemies in his pack, but with the cubs - he'd not risk anything. They weren't even out of the den yet. "I saw that you saw it too," he said - it wasn't exactly a whisper, but hushed, low, so the males would not hear; with the initial distance between them and Hotei moving forward to greet Indru, they were some yards off. Something sincere and sharp glinted in his silver eyes. "Do yourself a favor and don't let him near the pups. I don't trust him." He focused her gaze on hers for a moment. Nor you, his mind whispered. He doubted Corinna would leave either of them alone with the cubs before she trusted them, though. ".. yet." He was a Tainn after all. He could give him a chance. Later. Not now. Not around the precious cubs he was sworn to protect. "He seemed - conflicted. And he lied about it." It came out full of bitterness; Ice hated lies. Torla could make of it what she wanted, but if it was one thing Ice had a very hard time tolerating, it was liars, or those who deceived. He gave her another pointed glance. Let her imagine the possible outcomes for herself. Then, with a flick of his bushy tail he turned and padded into the shadows, settling there like a ghost, his keen eyes on the males. Let them frolic, but he'd be here, watching, waiting, until they asked him something or left for the territory. It was obvious by the intensity of his eyes that it was Hotei he was watching, for more signs of that volatility he'd glimpsed. ( go ahead and skip Ice unless someone interacts with him/when it's time to wrap up. ^^ ) .ice aesir

let the stars above shine in your soul