Spectral Woods few and far between

For @Borlla.

Early afternoon, mostly sunny; northern area of Spectral Woods, close to the south fork of Cold Water Creek

Gone Tomorrow

Leaving Serach and Sceral was still no less painful today than it had been the first time, at least for her. Her two cubs were always happy to see their older siblings and their pack mates, and her absence was always overshadowed by the excitement of learning about and seeing new things. A final lick between their tiny ears and a stern word to listen to their sitters, followed by a mother's confession of love, and Corinna Donata had set off. Lean limbs carried her over the grassy hill and into the woodlands that covered Oak Tree Bend's territory. Her pregnancy had left her unable to to travel far, so she was making it up now that her sons had been born.

The unfamiliar terrain held just as much excitement for her as it did her sons, though the she-wolf was far more aware of the dangers that could be lurking. Fenru had warned them of what could have been a small pack gathering to the west - she had a mind to determine if they were still here. Keeping her nose to the ground, she followed the path that had been set before her by her pack mates. But after crossing the border (which she did after thoroughly marking it), the familiar scents were lost under the musk of the unfamiliar.

Overhead, summer birds sang their songs, either unaware or uncaring of the predator that loped through the woods beneath them. Once, when ducking her head to investigate a shrub, the leader startled a rabbit. Adrenaline kicked in and she gave chase, but it was no use. With a bark that was more scoff than defeat, Cori let her unexpected prey go and turned back to continue her path.

Warm rays of sunlight shown down, warming the patches of ground that were not covered by tree leaves. The day was half done by the time something dilly caught her attention. Lifting her head where it had been investigating a fading scent at the base of a tree, she tilted her head to better hear the sound. Running water. Scent forgotten, Cori settled into an easy lope, the sound bringing to mind how thirsty she was. Only the briefest look around was given when she finally came upon the creek before she went forward from the brush. Wetting her front paws as she entered the creek, Corinna lowered her head and lapped up the water greedily - only somewhat aware of her surroundings.

With every passing day, Borlla found herself more and more eager to awake. What would today bring? Who knew! But she was more than willing to find out. Her children grew steadily, and she only wished she could recall how she was in those early days. Certainly just as curious and nosy as they were. With new heads about, she had been less eager to wander from the territory, just until she could truly trust the new faces. But in time she felt it safe to leave them once again under the watchful gaze of the other Glen wolves, and allowed herself to wander. The woman had seen the forest to the north and knew of the mountains to the west. She felt no fear for the further east lands, but decided to take herself south instead. Though not very far.

Parting from the densite, she began to follow the creek, allowing it to lead her way. Her pace was leisurely and her senses aware. The borders had been active lately, so she would always be prepared to face someone, whether at the borders or nearing them. But she found her field of vision empty, though thankful, as it would certainly have slowed her journey south. Marking the borders as she passed through them, scraping at the ground and rubbing herself against trees, the woman drank from the creek before continuing. The magnolia trees were behind her now, only the occasional petal upon the ground to remind her of home. A different wood began to surround her, only allowing some light from above.

She had not traveled far into the wood before the faintest sound of shifting water caught her attention. The creek moved, of course, but the sound was stronger, obviously being caused by something living. She hadn't come to this place to reflect and so took advantage of this discovery. Borlla crept forward through the trees, keeping her gaze locked upon the creek's flow until the canine was visible. Borlla stood at the creek's edge, eying the wolf with curiosity and mild knowing. She knew this wolf, she was certain of it. <b style="color:#32527a">"speech."

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<3 Every time I see the end of your table, I ask myself why Borlla just said, "speech". xD

Gone Tomorrow

Clearly, Corinna had not realized how thirsty she was until arriving at the creek. Her front legs in the water to steady her on smooth pebbles, her pink tongue lapped eagerly at the water. It did not run anywhere near as fast as the Swift River had, but it was satisfying all the same. Water was all she was able to get, though. No fish seemed to live in this part of the creek, or at least, those who did evaded detection. Despite having lived by a river filled with fish for almost the entirety of her adult life, Corinna was a terrible fisherman. Pulling her face from the water, she grinned at the faintest traces of shadows between the water. Ah well, they were no meal for her anyhow.

Lifting her head from the water, the Oak Tree Bend wolf stepped back onto dry ground. Lifting one leg and then the other, she shook herself to dry. The sunlight would do the rest, if she could find an un-shaded area to rest. Absentmindedly looking around, Corinna barely caught sight of golden eyes watching. With a start, she took one step backwards, the fur along her back and neck rising - her stance more defensive than aggressive. It had been a long time since she had been surprised by somebody sneaking up on her. How long had the other been there? And why hadn't Corinna been paying attention?

While her peripheral vision had only caught a glance at the golden eyes looking at her, now that she was focusing, the rest of the creature became clearly visible. Another wolf, clearly. Her pale fur stuck out like a sore thumb against the green and brown around her - it was a testament to how Corinna's obliviousness. But this was no stranger, and her own widened eyes and slight gaping of the mouth betrayed her surprise. "...Borlla?"

It was Corinna, it had to be. Though the wolf drank from the stream, her eyes out of view, Borlla was certain that it was her old sister-in-law. The woman hadn't expected to meet her on such terms, so randomly. Something inside of her willed her to run, but it was small, merely a tickle and she resisted. If Triell had spoken true, then their meeting could turn out just fine. Borlla held fast, not speaking, letting the elder woman enjoy her drink, and her golden eyes followed the woman as she exited the stream. But it seemed that in her effort not to startle her, she'd done so anyway. Her own hackles rose instinctively in reaction, and she gripped the earth with her paws.

Corinna had gotten in the first word, and Borlla smiled a tight little smile. <b style="color:#32527a">"Corinna." She answered, confirming the woman's suspicions. <b style="color:#32527a">"I'm a little surprised to see you here, though Triell said... Borlla bit her tongue, ears flipping back for just a moment. <b style="color:#32527a">"Well, he said you all were moving over here." She finished, then eyed the water for a moment, wondering if t was wise to cross the creek, or if they would be conversing from a slight distance. <b style="color:#32527a">"Rest in peace, Swift River." Were her final words, though she didn't particularly sound sad, only faintly nostalgic, her voice flat. Her mind felt a bit empty, unsure of what really to say to the woman. The last time they'd met had been highly unpleasant. Corinna had sent her and Bardou away from the borders; Borlla had been exiled. And yet now she knew her wrongdoing, knew that she had deserved such a punishment, for if any of the Glen wolves had pulled the same repeated stunt, she would have shunned them for good. <b style="color:#32527a">

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Gone Tomorrow

Somehow, seeing Borlla across the River was almost like seeing Indru again. Indru had raised Borlla in place of his parents' after their death, and the younger she-wolf had seemingly resented Corinna's presence in her brother's pack and life. But the golden eyes that were looking at her from across the creek were not Indru's, and the voice, familiar despite how little Cori heard it, was far too feminine to be her old mate's. The shock was enough to drown out Borlla's words for a moment, though she frowned when she heard Triell's name roll off his sister's lips. Triell had known that Borlla was here? He'd not said...but they also hadn't spent a lot of time catching up since his rejoining the pack.

For a moment, Borlla's remark regarding Swift River cut home, and the older she-wolf physically recoiled, jerking backwards and taking a step back. Even though Borlla's tone had not reflected any malice, it had hit her like a blow - had she really made the decision to abandon her pack and its whole identity? But no, she thought as she righted herself and straightened up, she hadn't left them. They were all right here. "Yes. Swift River is done. We live South of here now - Oak Tree Bend is our pack and home now," she confirmed. "What are you doing here?" Not an accusation, but a genuinely curious question - Corinna had thought she had seen the last of Borlla when she had denied her reentry into Swift River. She hadn't realized that Borlla had remained in Relic Lore despite being turned away by family. Across the creek, the wind was not in Corinna's favor to easily smell the mix of pack wolves' scents that would no doubt have mingled with Borlla's own. Even if she had, her unfamiliarity with the area meant she had no knowledge of the other packs who had decided to make this part of Relic Lore their home as well.

(This post was last modified: Jun 28, 2013, 06:20 PM by Corinna.)

The Glen woman hadn't meant any offense in her statement, or at least not mickle. She'd been cast away from her home, and at the time, had been bitter about it, despite seemingly accepting her fate. Born and raised in Swift River, Borlla had never thought her path would have led her away so many times until there was nothing left for her there. But now all that was left were the fond memories and terrible ones alike, but she found herself mostly numb to the idea that her birth pack was gone forever, just like Hidden Tree. Borlla frowned at Corinna's reaction, sucking in a breath to apologize, but thought better of it. It was just another bridge burned, Swift River, just like Hidden Tree, just like the home her and Bardou had found, just like the old pack she had claimed and the cast quite literally to the wolves. So she pushed the thought away, focusing on the present as she was so good at doing now. Corinna spoke of their new home, Oak Tree Bend, south of here. Borlla smiled, finding something almost pleasant about knowing that her family was so near by. Well, Triell, at least. She'd never fixed things with Corinna and had never met her nieces and nephews, so while they were blood, Borlla wasn't certain how familiar they would be in action.

<b style="color:#32527a">"I'm glad to hear that," She said, the smile still evident on her muzzle. She was proud of Corinna, leaving behind what Indru had created and then abandoned, making something for herself and whoever was leading beside her now. When she'd first settled by the falls, she'd run into Cali who had been in Swift River at the time, and had informed Borlla that the pack was being led by Corinna and Marsh. She was tempted to ask if that was still true, but it was none of her business now, and probably still wouldn't have been if Corinna had still been leading Swift River. <b style="color:#32527a">"I formed Magnolia Glen with my mate, Phineas. We're north of here." It seemed both of their lives had changed a bit since they'd last encountered each other. <b style="color:#32527a">

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Gone Tomorrow

Borlla's smile took Corinna by surprise, though she could not honestly say if it was in a negative or a positive way. The younger female's words echoed the same positiveness, helping to assure Cori that Borlla was being genuine. It was good, wasn't it? They had done quite well for themselves now that they were no longer tied to a broken land that was haunted by ghosts. Perhaps in her own way, Borlla could understand that - Swift River surely had held plenty of demons for her as well. Dipping her head in acknowledgement, she lifted it again as Borlla spoke up to answer the question that had been posed to her.

Magnolia Glen? Phineas? Both names were unfamiliar to her. A bemused expression crossed her face for a moment, and she closed her eyes as she attempted to concentrate. No, that had not been his name-the stranger who had come to Swift River with Borlla-she was fairly certain. But, Corinna couldn't remember what his name had been. "I can't say I've heard of it, this is the first time I've been outside our borders." Pausing, she registered what Borlla had said. "Your mate? Then perhaps you understand not being able to leave your own territory for a while." A knowing smile had twisted Cori's black lips upwards and she looked on. She was taking an assumption, but there was no real other reason for a mated pair to start a pack than to breed. "Maybe we have some common ground now, after all this time."

Borlla had hardly known Hidden Tree. Certainly she'd been born there, but she'd really only come to know that place later in her life. Swift River had really become her home, her elder brothers standing in for her lost parents. But from the very beginning, it hadn't worked, and the brothers she'd so adored eventually started at each other's throats. Obviously, at the time, Borlla hadn't quite understood how it all worked, and although she did now, the events of the past had morphed her into what she was, or what she had been, at least. It was all behind her now and Borlla was glad. She wasn't waiting for Indru anymore or begging for his approval, or hiding in the abandoned den of her birth. Like Ruiko, she'd taken her leave, though in a less than respectable way, leaving behind the mess that her birth family had become. Now she had a new family, and though only two of them shared her blood, she would do better by them. She would.

The look upon Corinna's face caused a bit of confusion for Borlla, until it dawned upon her that she was probably thinking about Bardou. No, that man had abandoned her. She hadn't thought about Bardou in some time, and was happy to find that no affection for him remained within her. A tiny smile passed over her muzzle, and she dipped her head in an almost bashful way. Lifting her eyes, she laughed, <b style="color:#32527a">"I do know that feeling." Her tail slowly beat against the earth, and she felt a bit of freedom within. <b style="color:#32527a">"I suppose we do." For so long, she'd put herself at odds with the green-eyed woman, and for once, she finally felt free of all of that. The fear and the anger was gone, its catalyst burned out and lost. <b style="color:#32527a">"Who leads beside you now? Last I heard, it was Marsh." Curiosity lifted her voice as she watched Corinna from her distance. Hopefully the question wasn't prying and was meant innocently. Marsh must have been ages old now, and surely Corinna would not have had children with the mute man? <b style="color:#32527a">

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Gone Tomorrow

Borlla's bashful expression was all the confirmation that Corinna needed, and it made her chuckle. Who would have thought it? Or at least, who would have thought that the two of them would be able to have a civil conversation about anything, never mind motherhood. Borlla hadn't been quite a year old when she and Corinna had first met, and it was a reminder of just how long it had been to know that the young cream colored pup was now a mother and a leader in her own right. Taking a deep breath, Corinna took a step forward, her paw going back into the river. A few more, and she was fully within the stream, and a final few and she was out - a few yards from Borlla on the same side of the creek. The tension that had always surrounded their previous encounters was nonexistent today, and that had made her bolder.

Keeping the few yard distance between them, Corinna settled down to her haunches. Borlla had asked her a question, before the Oak Tree Bend wolf had crossed the dividing creek. There was no malice in the younger she-wolf's voice, but the mention of Marsh's name made Corinna looked downward, her shoulders hunching up as she "withdrew" into herself. Triell had told them what had happened, and though his death had happened months ago, it was still fresh in her mind. "Marsh is dead now." Looking up from her feet, she met Borlla's golden gaze and held it for a moment. "He and Triell were attacked by one of the sick wolves. Marsh killed her, but..." Her voice trailed off, leaving little question as to what had happened to the beloved Guardian. "Ice Aesir leads beside me now." Tilting her head a fraction to the side, the mottled gray female wondered if Borlla would know who that was. Had Ice been there the last time Borlla had come back to the River looking for refuge? It had been so long, she couldn't remember.

"What are their names? Your pups?" An abrupt switch of conversation, but Marsh's passing was still very much a raw topic. She could not blame Borlla for wanting to know, but this new found truce of theirs was potentially fragile enough to shatter at one wrong word or two. So better to avoid it, and besides, Corinna was genuinely curious about Borlla's offspring. In some sense, she was technically their aunt and her own cubs were their cousins.

There was something utterly wonderful in knowing that there was no longer any bad blood between them. They could have a conversation and Borlla no longer felt anger. Because in the end, he'd abandoned them both. If anything, they needed each other. Well, to a certain extent. Borlla retreated slightly, giving Corinna a little space as she waded across the creek. Her eyes dropped for a moment, as she backed up, then lifted again, the same gentle smile on her face. Borlla relaxed again, letting her tail sweep around her haunch as she settled her rump upon the earth. No, she wouldn't mess this up again. Corinna had done nothing to wrong her and yet Borlla had left them in the dust again and again. Everything was different now, everything was better.

Pale brows came together and bright eyes darkened as she watched Corinna...shrink. What happened? Her own ears flipped back, and she lowered her head slightly, concerned. She shouldn't have pried, obviously. But Borlla found herself startled by the news Corinna passed on. The woman swallowed, and sat up, frowning. He'd known where his loyalties lay, and despite the way he'd treated her upon her last visit, she'd had a respect for the man. When she'd strayed too far from the Grove, he'd been there. Certainly violent, but he'd never hurt her. It was sad to hear of his demise. <b style="color:#32527a">"It's alright," She said quietly, certainly not wanted to encourage Corinna's obvious pain. Hearing that Ice now led left Borlla feeling nothing. The name sounded familiar to her, but no face came to match it. <b style="color:#32527a">"I'm sorry to hear of Marsh, but...Well congratulations." Her tail gave a slight wag, the smile slowly tempted to reappear. Some things you couldn't really leave behind, but you can at least put it at your back. Sure, it got a little heavy, but it was better than having it sit upon your conscious every second of every day.

<b style="color:#32527a">"Kyros and Hypatia." She was glad to have it behind her and share the news of her children. <b style="color:#32527a">"A bit of a handful, but it's a um...Nice handful." Chuckling, her paws shuffled upon the earth. <b style="color:#32527a">"And yours?" Certainly they weren't related by blood, but Borlla would be curious regardless. If the children were related to her blood, then she'd think of them the same, even if Indru hadn't sired them. <b style="color:#32527a">

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