Drooping Willows something almost forgotten

@Tali! :D
♫ A Golden Crown

i try to kill it all away,

Fenru Tainn

but i remember everything

March 7th; North of Willow Ridge, far east of Whisper Marsh; Mid-Morning; Partly Cloudy, windy; 16° F/-9° C

It was strange how sometimes all it took was one train of thought to make time fly faster than a raven with the last morsel of scavenged meat. Fenru should have been keeping watch over Aiyana today - not that the forthcoming yearling had needed his supervision at all (she could more than readily fend for herself if need be) but it comforted him sometimes to know that his youngest sister, while under his watch as she slept during the day, would come to no harm. He had been thinking about everything that had happened in the past two months and how much he had changed when he realized just how far he had gone past the swollen River and its number of babbling creeks. The sight and aroma of the awakening willow trees and the emergence of hardy green cedars brought to mind something that had been nearly forgotten... someone he had once known.

A gust of wind easily brought her back from the deepest parts of his memory, his childhood, her voice forever matched with her golden-eyed face and the scent of cedar trees. "I mean we don't have to be friends. You don' have ta like me. I'm Arlette, but everyone calls me Lettie." The youth came to an abrupt stop at the base of a tree with a number of knots and claw marks. He had to catch his breath. Whatever had happened to Lettie? A frown distorted his face. They had barely been a year old, the both of them, still naive, innocent, and solely relying on their parents as role models and standards. When he had chased her away, had she been able to find her way back home?

Fenru shook his head, willing himself to believe that the girl had merely avoided his part of Relic Lore due to her mother and father keeping her well away from neighboring packs. He gave a snort as he eyed the tree to his side, scowling at the claw marks before continuing on his way. There was no use in trying to navigate his way towards where he thought Grizzly Hollow stood, but while he was this far west he figured he might as well make his day useful and utilize the coming afternoon hours to scout and search for anything Swift River might be lacking.

FENRU TAINN

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(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2013, 10:44 PM by Fenru.)

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The silence was killing her. It was draining every bit of sanity she had left. Had it really been six months since she and her siblings were separated? Tali was unsure. Some time during the third month of her isolation, the days began blurring together. Time was passing her by so quickly, or was it passing slowly? She really wasn't sure of that either. The trees started looking the same, and even her sense of direction was starting to waver. She could no longer trust in herself. It was as though she was living the life of a passerby, watching as others lived normal lives, but she herself was not living. Merely there to observe rather than engage. She was running, but getting nowhere, and all traces of a former life had been washed away by the elements. Constantly questioning if her past was even real, she started to wonder if she ever even had siblings. Was she just put on this Earth already alone, plagued with memories of a life never lived? Of course she knew she was in existence on this plain. She could feel pain, hunger, and desire. Other creatures obviously were aware of her presence and fled from her as soon as they could. But who was she really? She could recall hearing the elders in her former pack saying everything happens for a reason. So what was her reason, her purpose?

Maybe her mission was no longer to find her lost littermates, but rather to find someone, anyone. She needed to have a conversation again. She longed to howl once more, and have her call heard, but she'd lost hope. Countless nights of calling out, hoping for an answer had met her with the cold truth. It wasn't likely she was going to find anyone else, at least for a while.

The wind picked up, making her trek a little more uncomfortable, but comfort wasn't something she knew anymore. Being on her own had heightened, and almost perfected her senses. Caramel colored eyes were constantly scanning the horizon, while her nose sucked in the air. Little noises made her jump, and she was terrified of coming across another large predator. Loneliness was a constant companion, though it never comforted her. Still she pushed forward, in search of some life form that wouldn't run away, or chase her. It was then, that she got her first bit of hope. A sort of familiar scent swept through her sinuses. It wasn't familiar in the sense of anyone she'd ever met, but familiar enough to know that there was a wolf somewhere close by.

Her eyes brightened, her fur prickled, and she all but flew in the direction of the scent. Running as fast as she could, praying she could keep the scent, Tali got her first glimpse of another wolf in months. He was far in the distance, but she didn't care. Her run slowed to a walk, then to a crawl. Realizing no wolf would like for another to run up on it. She wasn't even sure if she was going to talk to this wolf. Maybe she would just watch, and follow at a distance. Terror pulsed through her veins at the thought of being ran off by him. That settled it, she would do her best to watch from a distance. Getting as close to him as she dared to let herself, she stayed low to the ground, just watching. Curiosity flooded her head, and her mind started working again.

What was he doing out here? Was he part of a pack? She wanted to know, but was too afraid to lose this chance to find out.

i try to kill it all away,

Fenru Tainn

but i remember everything

The spaces between the trees were both wide and narrow; wherever his large frame could easily pass through, he opted to revise his path. Slowly through the forest, his trail twisted and turned, and he did not pick up on the spy until the wind died down for only a moment before hastily snatching her scent away from his nostrils. To realize that there were wolves about these parts was not surprising. Months ago, when he was just a cub, Ice had brought him through this very area and he committed to memory the scent of the wolves of Willow Ridge. The idea that he was being spied upon, however, was not even worrisome in the least. Not yet anyway...

Here and there he stepped over half-covered stones, fallen branches, and abandoned pinecones. The bottoms of his feet, hardened and tempered from his climb over the cliffs on the sides of Mount Dire, only lifted abruptly on occasion after wedging a pine needle tip in the soft spaces between his toes. As he trekked onward, little by little, his steps and pace adjusted; and, soon, Fenru was no longer withdrawing his paws on the account of stepping on something sharp. His gaze steadily lifted upward, and his eyes eagerly took in the forest around him. The trees here were very much unlike the ancient giants that made up his home within the Grove, and something in their midst seemed to tell him that they were older, maybe even wiser as he noticed that bits of green had already signalled the beginning of spring in this part of Relic Lore.

He had been so caught up in taking in the foreign lands that it occurred to him that something was not quite right. The wind might have made the birds seek refuge in their nests and kept the usually bothersome bee at bay, but the quality of silence here was unsettling. Fiery eyes scoured the ground around him for the sight of an abandoned corpse - one of many reasons as to why the world around him held still - but found nothing even similar to it. The breeze further robbed him of his sense of smell and he warily cast his gaze over both of his shoulders. All around his shoulders, his fur bristled, not out of fear but out of plain uncertainty. He frowned, then threw all caution to the wind with a single word, "Hello?"

FENRU TAINN

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(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2013, 11:06 PM by Fenru.)

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She had been watching this wolf for a while now, and was honestly surprised he didn't know. Tali had felt like she was being rather loud. Her need for caution was overpowered by her blatant curiosity, and desire for company. She hid in the dense foliage the best she could, while still keeping her eyes trained on him at all times. He moved through the forest like he had been there before, obviously familiar with his surroundings. Familiarity was something she missed dearly.

Quietly she padded the ground behind him with questions buzzing through her head. The question sticking out in her mind though, was what she planned on doing. This was a chance she couldn't pass up, but if he ran when she came out of hiding she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. Maybe she could enter loudly, or swing around him to put herself in his way? Whichever would be the least stressful for him. Finally she decided that she would just walk out of her hiding place and say hello. It was probably the best way to approach the situation. After that it would be in his hands.

Suddenly, she watched him stop and look around. For the first time in however long, she heard the voice of another wolf and even if he hadn't addressed her directly, at least he was speaking. By then she had known that he knew she was there. With a sigh, she crawled out of her hiding place, and slowly allowed herself to be in his line of vision. She dipped her head toward the ground, trying to show him that she meant no harm. "Hello, I apologize, I didn't mean to disturb you." Though her voice was a little rough, it felt good to speak. She felt herself desperate to prattle on about meaningless things, or even just add in a couple more words, but unfortunately she wasn't the one in control right now. She would wait for his move.

i try to kill it all away,

Fenru Tainn

but i remember everything

There, along the brambles, she had been hiding, watching and keeping an eye on his every move. She apologized. Why was it that since he decided to get out more, the wolves - or at least the three he had met in the past week - beyond Swift River's borders commonly apologized? It wasn't like they were interrupting him or encroaching on his personal space or bothering him at all. If they had happened to be pestering him, he would have let them know in a heartbeat. But all the same, his fur never bristled beyond his nape, his eyes never hardened and his teeth were never bared.

"Hi," he sounded, his downy, black-tipped tail lifting as his interest in her sudden appearance piqued. His hefty frame stood impressively alongside the towering trees and, though he could have easily been received as unfriendly or daunting, a cordial smile graced his dark features. Her voice sounded somewhat odd, but he presumed that it was probably hoarse from the long winter months. Nevertheless, he did not think less of her and his tail waved about from side to side in a slow wag. "Are you... okay?"

Fenru meticulously looked her small frame over, breathing deeply and attempting to scent any sickness or blood from the air about her. He found nothing... nothing but the alluring scents of the forest around them and the number of places she had recently visited. "Is... everything all right? Something troubling you?" Concern flickered across his mask and one of his muddied forepaws lifted in question before being planted back down in the bed of dead needles. "Are you hurt?"

FENRU TAINN

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Noticing his lack of hostility she made to stand up. Still avoiding eye contact with him in case it was seen as a challenge. The last thing she would want to do to this male would be to challenge him. He pretty much towered over her small frame, and she knew that she wouldn't even be able to put up a fight. She could listen to his voice all day. It was like the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. "Oh no, I'm fine!" She managed to hold her excitement in. What she would really have liked to say would have went along the lines of, 'I'm so glad you didn't run away! I am perfect now that I have someone to talk to.'. Unfortunately, babbling on would be rude.

She couldn't help but smile as concern flashed across his face. It was silly, but no one had held concern for her since she was separated with her siblings, and it gave her comfort. Aside from the fact that she hadn't been resting as much as she should have, there wasn't a hair out of place on her whole body. "Really, I'm ok. I've just been traveling alone for a while.". Her body begged to let her ask the questions in her head, and it felt so good to have her mind somewhat back. Of course she would keep them to herself, and maybe later she would be able to ask some more. For now though, the most nagging question was one she chose to ask. "What are you doing out here?"

Tali could smell other scents on him, rather than just his alone. This led her to believe that he was either in a pack, or he wasn't the only wolf around here. Her heart soared as she realized that maybe she wouldn't have to be alone so often anymore. It was a whole new era for her. Hopefully the silence would cease and she could begin living as the social creature she once was.

i try to kill it all away,

Fenru Tainn

but i remember everything

"Oh no, I'm fine!" her voice, brimming with enthusiasm caught him off-guard. His eyes widened at first but almost immediately as he fully realized she truly was okay, his smile broadened. She told him again that she was frankly in good shape and he nodded to acknowledge her second statement. "Alright then," he managed a light chuckle, not to laugh at her or deride her cheerfulness but rather taken in her energy in stride. She asked what he was doing 'out here' and he had to hand it to her that she was sharp. Having been bound to the Sacred Grove all his life, he had forgotten that whenever he left home, he often smelled like the ones he held dear, protected, and cared for. The numerous scents alone declared him as a pack wolf right up front; he had to remember that... Perhaps that was the very reason why others often thought they were intruding...

"I, um... I..." he laughed again, all too aware now about how self-conscious he had become in front of this rather likable young lady. "I was, uh, just scouting," he revealed, another charming smile flashing about his jaws before he sealed his lips. "Never been out this way so, I... I thought I'd check it out. See for myself what lay beyond familiar rocks and trees." Seeing as she seemed friendly enough, he went ahead and asked her the same question, "An' how 'bout yerself? What're you doing out here? Don't seem like you'd be a Willow Ridge soldier." He raised a brow, thinking about the stories he had heard about Elettra and her pack when he was a cub.

"Are you looking for Grizzly Hollow?" He searched her face, wondering if any lightbulb would flicker on inside her head. He had to rein in his sense of hope; there was just no way that this girl here knew Arlette Lyall or how to find her.

SWIFT RIVER

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(This post was last modified: Mar 11, 2013, 09:16 PM by Fenru.)

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This was going rather well. Her first real conversation in months, and she was lucky enough for it to be with a wolf who genuinely seemed to like talking to her. Luck was definitely on her side tonight. Of course she couldn't help her curious nature, and wondered if he had come from a pack. It was the more likely situation, but still she knew that this wasn't where his pack resided. It was also rather strange to her that he had been so accepting of her. Due to his size, he could have easily ran her off. She was after all, a stranger, in a place that wasn't her own.

Tali couldn't help but smile brightly as she realized he stumbled over a few words. She too was pretty lost for words, well not exactly. There was plenty she would like to say, but they were all questions that might come across as intrusive, or annoying. It was positive he was from a pack when he mentioned he was out scouting. This was obviously a good thing for her. It meant that there would be more wolves around, not only those in a pack, but loners too! Looking him over, she confirmed that he was in good shape, which also told her food was abundant enough for his pack to thrive. "Ah, I see." She answered with a smile. "Oh no, I don't have a pack. I've been on my own for a while now." That was the first time she'd ever spoken that out loud. An eerie feeling crept through her, but it was quickly pushed away.

The look of hope on his face struck at her heart. She didn't want to disappoint this wolf who had given her such a special gift. One of acceptance, and the hope that there was more for her out there. Her face fell slightly as she broke the bad news to him. "Oh.. No I'm sorry, I don't know what Grizzly Hollow is." She paused before giving him a weak smile. "Is that where you're headed?" She questioned, hoping to keep a conversation with him.

i try to kill it all away,

Fenru Tainn

but i remember everything

Fenru nodded and as the girl confessed to not knowing about Grizzly Hollow, what it was or who it represented, he took it all in stride, continuing to smile and show his gratitude for tolerating his nosiness and assumptions. "You must be quite brave, living on your own," he complimented, his black-tipped tail still wagging about. "And very resourceful. It surprises me no one's snatched you up to call your theirs." His smile at last touched his eyes, "If I were leader of my pack I would initiate you into my ranks in a heartbeat. My mentor, Ice, taught me that hardiness and spunk a good thing; usually means they've had experience."

"Grizzly Hollow is somewhere further away from here," he half-explained. "Maybe a day and a half's worth of travel for a pup, less than a day for someone like us. I'd visit them but I wouldn't want my mother, er... my family to worry." In the back of his head, his self-consciousness grew. He didn't want to seem anything like a "mama's boy" but he very much wanted to imply that somewhere down the road, he was destined to be a family man. Somehow, in some sort of way that was brought about from his father's abandonment, he had decided such a fate to compensate for his father's - Indru's - shortcoming as a Leader. From when he was young up until now, it was all appealing: to shoulder such responsibilities as taking care of his own family (and, to never leave them or betray them) and be looked upon his pack as a man of status.

"I'm Fenru," he extended, deciding to trust her enough to give her his name. "Fenru Tainn; and, who do I have the honor of addressing?" The knightly introduction rolled easily off his tongue as his ears folded bashfully back against his skull for a second. It might have been the changing of the seasons or the chemistry in the air, but something about meeting this young lady reminded him of when he had met the ivory daughter of Grizzly Hollow. It summoned from him the familiar feelings of wanting to know the stranger before him, to establish himself as the comely, modest man he had grown to be over the past year... to... to call her "his."

SWIFT RIVER

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Tali smiled gratefully at his compliments. True, she was always resourceful, but brave, she wasn't so sure about that one. It was something she had never been called before. Just the word made her heart soar and she couldn't stop her fur from prickling or her tail from dancing slowly from side to side. "I wouldn't say that." She looked toward the ground feeling slightly embarrassed. "I just know how to get out of a sticky situation." She laughed nervously. How she wished he actually was the leader of his own pack. Being in a place with other wolves, where she would be wanted was such an amazing prospect. "Well to be honest, your the first wolf I've run into in months. I haven't even caught on to a scent trail that wasn't far too old to follow." She admitted.

Curiosity struck her when he confirmed that Grizzly Hollow was actually a place, and not someone else. It wasn't too far from here, maybe that would be where she headed next. What was there she didn't know, but she was always up for a little adventure. When he mentioned his mother, Tali's tail sped up. Having a family and priorities was always a good quality in someone. Having a family to go back to every night makes way for good morals, which in turn opens the door for you to grow, live, and eventually have a stable family of your own. "I see." She smiled, noticing a slight discomfort about him. Did she make him nervous? Even the thought was enough to make her laugh. She hadn't been old enough when she was kicked from her previous pack to think about having a family, or even her future in general. Therefore, this interaction with a very handsome male was foreign to her, but it certainly felt right. "Oh no, you shouldn't make your family worry!" She said, knowing all too well how much she worried about her own siblings, and even her parents. "Is there anything interesting there?". She questioned, switching topics.

Tali couldn't help but think what a gentleman he was. Never in her two years of life had she met anyone quite like him. A small chuckle escaped her lips as she answered. "I'm Tali Callow. It's a pleasure to meet you Mister Tainn." She spoke, with bright eyes. Unsure exactly why, she knew that she wanted to get to know him better. He seemed so genuine, and well mannered. Those were hard qualities to find, and possibly the two most important.