for just one yesterday

Cue Mace's teleportation across the Lore~

His time spent exploring the wreckage of his home and surrounding area with Lily had been fruitless at best, if not a helpful distraction. Though the youths were displaced — he because of a monstrous flood that had cleaved his family in two, and she from her true home, unbeknownst to him and perhaps even to herself — they had spent the time gaily enough, given the circumstances. Sorrow had not permeated the core of his being yet, and the young Aquila had been handy in keeping him from sinking into it completely upon seeing Darkwater Rapids, or what remained of it.

But soon, it had come time to move on, and he had bid her a fond farewell before selecting a direction to go. Mace was only just an adolescent, right on the cusp of the teenage equivalent of wolfhood, but he was still alone, and young. Already, his stomach was discontent. It had been the longest young Mace had gone without eating, and though it wasn't urgent yet, there was the ever-looming reminder that even if he had come across prey — which he had not — he was an atrocious hunter, and his likelihood of catching it alone was poor.

He wandered for a time — a day or two, he wasn't sure — catching snatches of sleep in abandoned burrows and hollows in tree roots, where shelter from the cold could be found. It was the furthest he had ever gone from his home. In fact, he'd come out on the other side of the mountain that split Relic Lore into two halves, and was even now approaching the western edge of the forest. And then… And then it happened.

Mace's nose twitched as a wisp of familiarity brushed past it in the form of a scent. Nostalgia washed over him suddenly; though he couldn't immediately place a name to the smell, he had definitely smelled it before. He wasn't the greatest tracker, but he was a wolf, and so it was a natural behaviour. His head dropped to the ground in search of stronger scent signals, and when he found them, he followed them gleefully to the creek, along the way realising whose scent he was following.

When he reached the creek, the scent trail he followed suddenly crossed easily half a dozen others, but the smells were too muddied here for him to pick out. He eyed the creek, whose edges had begun to crackle with sharp ridges and flat expanses of ice, but the tenuity of the fine sheets deterred him from proceeding. The last thing he wanted was for the ice to crack unfavourably and slice his ankle. Instead, the impatient youth, with tail waving in a hopeful display of relief, tilted his head back and loosed a cry that very specifically named the individual he had been tracking: Maksim!

gorgeous set by kydnt

This place did not feel like home – not because she compared it to the beauty of Darkwater Rapids, but because at night, when she had once surrounded herself with the warmth of her parents and three other siblings, all she had now was Quil. The ache she felt throughout these nights was a persistant throb that echoed in her chest and at many times, caused her eyes to grow heavy with a tension headache. She felt the cold on her backside – where once before had been thoroughly covered by one of her brothers or parents – and even now, it still lingered as her ebony form loped through the winter grounds of her new home.

Of course, the rebellious streak the youth held only intensified now without her parents around. @Maksim doted on her with the time and attention he could afford, but it was not the same. @Quil, at times, would disappear from her side. When this happened, there was a panic that would spread across her, as if at the end of the day, Cinder would come to find that Quil too would not return to her side once more.. that she too, would vanish without a trace. Such a great fall from her confidence, and yet she spurred forward to the pack borders, uncaring to what or who found her there. Nothing could be more dangerous than losing everything she had lived for.

She grew, though her lack of appetite was now hindering this, though she barely noticed the jut of her ribs now. Her legs were long, slender.. perhaps less muscular than what they should have been for an otherwise healthy cub at the tender age of six months. Her energy lacked, and with it, her enthusiasm for life.. that was, until she heard a familiar cry not so far from her.

It was almost as if fate was playing a cruel joke with her. The howl that resounded throughout the lands now was not one she had heard often without the smallest of squeaks to accommodate it, and yet Mace’s howl had always bested hers. Her heart throbbed, and as she continued her lope to the voice, it was only when her bright eyes befell his swarthy form that it felt like it had stopped.

She spoke nothing. Instead, her brisk lope became a panicked race as she clumsily moved forward, stumbling in the snow that cloaked the ground. Mace. He was here, and she bounded to him, not bothering to slow her pace as she made to completely barrel in to his chest for a foolish embrace. A crooning growl escaped her then as her tail beat against the air, her teeth nipping to his features in an attempt to welcome him. Only then did she peek past him, her eyes expecting to see the rest – Kade, Ava, Rowan.. and yet all she was met with was the looming of the tall cedarwood trees, as if laughing at her for even expecting such a thing. Only then did she feel her smaller body begin to falter, her eyes drifting to him questioningly.

like a black widow, baby

OOC: Was gonna wait til Maksim replied but couldn't help myself >_>

IC: In the void left behind by his howl, Mace felt unsettled. It was his first winter, and though he had gotten over the wonder of snow as soon as his paws had touched it, he wasn't quite accustomed to the way it muted all sound. It was an adjustment that he would have to make every winter, and it was a particularly unwelcome one, as Mace was made quite uncomfortable by silence. There was no responding howl to match his, nothing to cut the haunting silence, which was equally unsettling given the collection of scents at his feet, but the Attaya swallowed his doubts as best he could. He would have expected the Baranski to vocalise a reply at least through a howl, but then, he didn't know Maksim as well as he thought he did.

The boy's ears turned up cautiously when the sound of paws through snow grew audible. It was an unusual sound, but recognisable: the steady wshhh-crunch of a paw sweeping through powder only to pack it down underfoot with the slightest squeal of snow-on-snow. His ruff prickled uncertainly, and although he fought to remain relaxed, his muscles along his legs tensed, ready to send him into a headlong rush or a retreating trot if the approacher was unfriendly. Still there had been no vocal response to his summons, so there was no guarantee that it was Maksim approaching him. He was young, foolish, and overly confident of his abilities, yet he was not raised a fool. It was a death wish to face down a pack wolf if they approached with even the slightest hint of distrust.

The wolf who actually materialised was one whose presence was enough to make his veins decant his blood from all limbs, leaving them feeling chilled and numb, and leaving him with a rush of panic, fear, and relief. It's a ghost, it's not real, it's a ghost, it's not real… We didn't leave her behind, it's not real... If Cinder was real, why hadn't she called out to him? Why hadn't she searched for them, her family, when the flood claimed Darkwater Rapids? He was so wrapped up in his confusion, in the painful squeeze of his heart as she stumbled toward him, that he didn't think of the opposite being true: rather than searching for her and Quil, Ava and Kade, and Mace himself at first, had assumed they were gone.

So desperately did he wish to believe she was a ghost, that they hadn't left her behind and left her abandoned and alone, that he was startled into yelping when he felt her very real body connect with his. The force of it snapped him from his horror, although it was not lessened by her presence. We left her. Still, he could not stop returning her affections any more than he could stop the whipping of his tail and the whining that issued from his throat upon feeling her warmth. His nose dove toward the crown of her head, which he was alarmed to find was lower than his (had he really grown that much?) and he was nipping and licking feverishly, assuring himself that she was real. “Cinder, I'm so glad...” he breathed as she moved to look beyond him, and understanding her questioning look, he shook his head regretfully.

“They're safe,” he divulged, not wanting to worry her, “mom and dad. Rowan was, too, but he went missing after the flood. We all got out, though. Mom and dad are safe, but they aren't with me.” It was his turn to glance beyond her now, with brows knitting together with concern, though he hadn't noticed her thinness or any aura of a dark mood around her; he was too relieved she was alive, too horrified that he'd left her behind, and too preoccupied with hoping Maksim was also here, to notice physical deficiencies. “Is Rowan here with you? Is Quil?”

(This post was last modified: Nov 26, 2013, 01:03 AM by Mace.)

gorgeous set by kydnt

Look Out!

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

this took a little longer than i expected it to. so sorry!

All seemed quiet today. The River wolves had now settled well, their leader confident they would do well this winter. Judging by the early snowfall and bitter coldness in the air, it would be an exceptionally harsh one, like none the Baranski had lived through before. He worried for his pack mates—how would they cope? Especially young @Quil and Cinder. They barely ate these days, a sign of grief no doubt. Truth be told, he felt useless. He couldn’t replace their mother or father, he hadn’t a clue as to how he could reassurance and comfort them. He was their guardian, since birth, and he could do nothing to help them, just like he could do nothing to help Mace and Rowan.

His heart sunk at the very thought of those lost in the storm. So young and so undeserving. His gut tightened still at the thought of their fate. Were they even alive? Then, as if someone were calling from the afterlife, came a song so familiar it caused the large male to go rigid. Mace? It couldn’t be. Simply couldn’t, it made no sense! Ghosts weren’t real, he knew that. Yet the howl had been so life-like … was it a hallucination? His subconscious playing tricks on him with the memories of those left? Maksim felt the desire to be sure prick at him, to ensure that, no, he wasn’t losing his mind; Mace could still be alive. Without a word, with his heart overriding his brain, he shot off through the snow and the trees to find the caller, be it a phantom or truly alive.

Dashing through the snow he went, passing a family of deer on the way (which quickly bolted at the sight of the charging predator). He gave no second glance to the prey, his mind fixated on the task at hand. Finally, he came across a sight that warmed his heart: two black figures stood in the surrounding white. Cinder and the once thought lost brother. Mace was here. The Attaya prince was alive.

Maksim woofed, finally giving some vocal signal of arrival. Slowly, the Cut Rock leader approached, wary at first—would he be forgiven for abandoning the boy?—, before he threw caution to the wind, his tail wagging as he almost bounded over. He halted as a small whine escaped him, some attempt at an apology, before he bent his head down and smoothed his tongue briefly over the dark lad’s crown. Maksim felt like a child, wanting to ask so many questions. He restrained himself, though, not wanting to smother Mace with words that may sting. Instead, he uttered softly. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">“Thank God you found us.” This wasn’t a ghost, no spectral being come to plague his heart. He cast his reptilian gaze to Cinder briefly before returning it to her brother. What should he say? He couldn’t quite find the words, no matter how hard he tried to summon them. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">“Are you okay? You’re not hurt at all, are you?” Foolish words for such a miracle, really, but it was all he could think to say. He needed to reassure himself all was well with Mace, physically at least.

The Baranski could not heal mental wounds.<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">

(This post was last modified: Dec 07, 2013, 05:56 PM by Maksim.)

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

The crunch of snow beneath her paws and the sound of a winter wind rustling through the bare branches of the cedar trees did little to temper her thoughts today. The red-stroked girl had settled into life here better than she'd anticipated and at times she even liked it. The territory itself was pretty, even in the winter when snow and ice replaced the greenery that covered the rolling hills, and she did feel safe. Still, Quil had yet to embrace the forest as "home" and the thought that one day she might made her heart feel heavy as it beat in her chest. Every day was something new when it came to dealing with the emotional turmoil that resulted from losing her family─sometimes she could face the morning knowing that Cinder was all she had left of the dream that was her past. Mostly, she was broken.

Today, it was Maksim's trail she followed with her nose pressed to the ground or turned to the air. Of all the wolves in the pack save her sister, it was he─her guardian─that she felt the closest to. Maybe it was because he had always been around ever since she could remember, or maybe it was because he had dutifully served her father and mother. Whatever was the reason for her affections, each day that passed only brought her closer to him, or had her wanting to be closer. She looked up to him and the leader that he was for them all; Maksim was strong, smart, and had a heart of gold, among other attributes she admired or desired. Catching his fresh trail swiped along a frosted trunk, the long-legged girl pressed forth with triangle ears tipped forward. If he wasn't too busy, maybe he could give her a hunting lesson or she could follow along during patrol.

Well on her way, the girl came to a frozen stand still as a ghostly song rang clear through the winter air. The breath in her chest hitched in her throat and her clear golden eyes grew wide in uncertainty. She knew that sound. She knew it so well that now, here where she never thought she'd hear it, the sound of a familiar yet distant voice didn't seem real. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her? Quil swallowed hard, gulping down the swell of emotion that, for now, was unwarranted before quickly continuing along her path.

When she came across the scene she stopped dead in her tracks. Her gaze didn't fall upon Maksim's tawny form, or her sister's, but upon the dark figure who she was sure was a ghost. At first, she saw the figure of her father─swarthy and handsome, with piercing, pale eyes. Then, her mother's─long and curvy. It wasn't until she registered the shock on Cinder's face and caught his scent on the wind that she knew she was laying her eyes upon her brother. Her legs were weak. Her mouth was dry. Her heart was was absolutely pounding. She wanted to run to him and slam her face into his broad chest, to cry and scream and believe that this was really happening. All that she could do was breathe a single word─a whisper in the air.

"M-m...Mace?"

She barely registered his words, so intent was she to stare at the emptiness that was behind him. Any moment three more dark figures would rise from the pristine white – they would see her, they would race to greet her. Her and Quil, their little girls. Once more they would be a family, and either they would return to Darkwater Rapids to claim their legacy once more, or her parents could join beneath the lead of Maksim. Either way… they would be together.

But she only met silence. The silence of winter was deafening in a sense, and after a moment passed, her eyes would dart back to Mace, warmth spreading across the top of her head where he had grazed her ever so gently moments before. His words were like a slap to the face – they were okay, but they weren’t here. “Why?” Incredulous, she stared at him openly. Why was he without their parents? More importantly, why did they not care enough to come back? She shivered then, her heart seemingly stopping as her jaw opened, only to clip shut. At his question regarding Rowan, she backed up a step, shaking her muzzle numbly. Rowan was missing.

Gone. Dead?

Kade and Ava did not care to search for them. Mace had somehow found them. “Quil.. yes..” Her voice turned soft, disbelief filtering through her like a vice. Maksim came then – strong and sure as always. The pain seared her heart at this news. This loss. She had not lost her family.. they had left her.

She groaned then, pulling away from her brother and stumbling, her knees giving way to the pull of gravity as she sunk in to the snow, shaking. “They didn’t want us, Quil. They didn’t want us.”

(This post was last modified: Dec 03, 2013, 01:33 PM by Cinder.)

like a black widow, baby

It all happened so quickly.

Despite his reassurance, Cinder's gaze was still locked in the distance behind him, as though ghosts had arisen from the woods behind him. Hesitantly, the boy cast his own vision back over his broad shoulder, half expecting to see spectres stalking him through the snow, but there was nothing. Nobody had accompanied him; his parents had pressed on without him once he'd departed, though he couldn't say where. He had made his choice that day in the falling snow, when he bid his parents farewell; there was no going back to them, not for him. Not for any of them. Her sudden question stabbed shards of ice into his heart; how could he explain it to her, that they couldn't be together anymore, that Ava and Kade's memories of the Lore were tarnished, and their hearts turned to grief for the daughters they thought dead?

He didn't have to search long for words to comfort Cinder, although he took note of her confirmation that Quil was also safe (his heart leapt for joy at this news, despite Cinder's change in tone upon delivering it), for Maksim abruptly arrived with a chuffing sound that comforted Mace immensely. Had he noticed the Baranski man's hesitance, the young Attaya made no mention of it, merely pushed forward to greet his old idol warmly. Maksim's move came first, but as soon as the tawny leader's tongue left his crown, Mace delivered his respects in the form of a snout snaking beneath the older male's to cradle it, and his tongue danced between his lips to touch upon the lead male's throat appeasingly.

This same action he had taken when Maksim had saved him from the storm, so long ago. The sincerity was equivalent now. Mace made certain it translated, however, by saying, I owe you my life for theirs, Maksim. The meaning was clear, though there were really two of them: that his life now belonged to the Baranski wolf, to serve and run alongside, but also that he would lay it down in an instant for the man who had taken his sisters to safety. The weight of it was perhaps beyond Mace's youth, and yet he was a knight on the inside, and the oath would stand forever.

Quil arrived presently with stuttered disbelief, and Mace shot her a warm smile and a happy wave of his tail. It's me, he assured her, gesturing with his snout for her to come to him as well. Before he could embrace her, however, Cinder had fallen to the snow, and he lurched forward with profound speed granted by alarum. His nose sought her side and he prodded it gently, urging her to rise once more, but his actions froze when he caught her mumbled words to her sister.

No! Mace said, a little too sharply, as he fixed his sister's eyes with his own. No, Cinder, no, they want you, they want both of you. They thought you both had died in the flood, when they couldn't find you. I left them to come look, because I didn't believe it. They're gone now, I… I don't know where they're going. His face took on a sternness that might better have suited Kade, as he firmly fixed his eyes first on Quil, then back on Cinder. Nobody left you behind because they didn't want you.

gorgeous set by kydnt

kind of awful but maybe we could wrap this up quickly. we can always make a new thread to continue the conversation later? <3

As Mace’s tongue flicked out against Maksim’s throat, the agouti wolf couldn’t help but feel a slither of pride run down his spine. The Attaya prince still respected the Baranski—no doubt he had ever since that dreadful storm, months before the flood—and it warmed his heart to know that, if he had been hated or blamed, he had been forgiven. “I owe you my life for theirs, Maksim.” Such words seemed far too mature for a wolf so young, though the agouti brute had been similar himself as a child. All the Attaya offspring had to have grown up fast considering all that had happened to them in such a short amount of time. They had been split apart, lost their home, but another piece had returned and the leader’s heart soared. He nodded at the boy, knowing full well he had adopted both his parent’s adamant streaks.

A stuttered whisper came to break the silence. Quil. Both sisters were here to witness the return of their “lost” brother. The gentle smile that tugged at his lips was wiped away when Cinder sunk down to the floor with a moan. Maksim’s ears suddenly pricked and he lifted a paw from the snow to step forwards but hesitated slightly when Mace was suddenly at her side. Reptilian eyes widened at the youngest Attaya’s words. They didn’t want them? Surely she didn’t mean her parents? The prince was quick to get in a response as the Baranski slowly lowered his paw to the snow, compacting the powdered white with a crunch.

Gone. The word was a slap to the face, almost too hard to believe. The agouti male was torn between two emotions. He was relieved the Attaya couple were alive yet confused, maybe even hurt, they had left without alerting the others. Maksim simply didn’t understand. His face softened and as slowly approached Cinder, lowering his head with a hushed murmur as he gently nudged her temple with his nose. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">“Of course your parents would want you, Cinder. You know that they love you.” Maksim straightened up, inhaling deeply. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">“We should head back.” He was desperate to say “home” as his verdant gaze fell upon Mace. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">“All of us. Together.”<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11px">

(This post was last modified: Dec 07, 2013, 06:38 PM by Maksim.)

we are shining in the rising sun, as we are floating in the blue

OOC: Hey guys, sorry to skip over people here and write a short and crummy post but... I really want this finished. I'll make a continuation thread and edit in the link if you guys wanna continue there!

IC: Although his sisters were both clearly in distress, and Mace's immaturity shone a little bit in that moment as he scrambled through his thoughts for some way to rectify things, it was Maksim who brought him back to earth. The tawny leader suggested they return together to the pack lands, and Mace felt relief wind its way through his breast. He was welcomed back. For an onlooker, there might have been no doubt of that, but for Mace, there had been the possibility that his chance could somehow have gone out the window when Cinder collapsed into the snow.

Still, the girl rose in time, and the quartet set off for the heart of Cut Rock River's territory, where Mace would at last feel a sense of belonging that he had been lacking since Darkwater Rapids' demise. This place was not unlike Darkwater Rapids, and yet it was different; they were not as veiled as they had been before. He would come to find in time that the pack's den site was equally well-hidden, but the territory itself was open... And all the more in need of wolves to patrol it daily, which Mace decided to commit himself to wholly.

gorgeous set by kydnt