Grizzly Hollow when the seas and mountains fall

For Rook... Want to join? Please PM beforehand. Thank you.

When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I can hear your name.
- Edward Ross/Peter Hollens, "In Dreams"

When the cold of winter comes

borden lyall

Starless night will cover day

April 24th; Early afternoon; Cloudy, patchy light snow; 31 ° F, -1 ° C

"Rook," the boys name had slipped from Borden's lips as though his son had been beside him and they had been merely talking, side by side. The last-born Lyall was nowhere near, though, and everything - at least for today - was both clear and in fog all at once. Even if Spring had arrived, the colder temperatures had brought upon Relic Lore the surprise of fresh snow. Though, it laid in patches all around the forest floor, caught in places by the overlapping evergreen branches of Cedarwood Forest. The grizzled man had been nestled at the base of a tree, cradled for some time between its gnarled roots, until his back insisted that he sat up as straight as he could.

His good eye surveyed the forest before him and something stung him within his gut... his chest... a sharp pang at his temple...

He tensed his shoulders before relaxing them, his one neutral gaze suddenly turning into one of desperate longing. "Rook," he whispered again. Then came another string of names, ones he had thought he had forgotten, "Bishop. Prosper. Theodore. Trisden. Aiyanna. Vlarindara. Kade. Aisling." His heartbeat felt as though it had come up into his throat and his nostrils burned from the sudden sensation of being overwhelmed with what had once come to pass.

The patriarch's gaze grew unfocused, distant, as he fell quiet. For what seemed like several moments, he became lost. His memories fell away and Borden was rendered unreachable through an invisible haze. He wasn't so sure what he was doing here anymore. He couldn't recall why he had thought to come around this part of the world. He couldn't even remember who he had come "home" with... that is, if this was home at all.

The unbidden feeling of helplessness crept over him like fog and, suddenly soon after, a name crept from his throat, this time louder and tinged with confusion, "Rook?!"

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(This post was last modified: Aug 16, 2015, 07:44 PM by Veho.)

Well, what do you want from me?

when the seas and mountains fall
and we come to end of days

Rook, since the snowfall had started, had slowed to leisurely pace. In haste, he had spent most of the morning trying to reinforce Grizzly Hollow's borders with his scent, laying claim wherever his mother and pack mates had been the day before. It was strange though, just lingering about and placing one paw in front of the other with no particular place to be. As he made his way from the river banks of Jasper Rocks, it was as though he had been drawn forward by the tug of an invisible rope.

Fate, or perhaps good timing, had his ears perked up and he wrinkled his brow upon hearing his name whispered through the trees as though there was something urgent he had to hear.

"Rook?!"

His fur stood on end and, immediately, he set off at ground-eating run. When he had thought he had come close enough to where his father had possibly been in trouble, he let out a low woof. Though when no one had come to answer, he peered around each of the rough-barked trees until he saw Borden sitting quietly in the open. The snow had piled up on his bear-like ears and atop his faded crown and muzzle. It could be assumed that the elder had remained like this for a while.

Rook's mouth turned downward in a grimace and, instinctively, he began to summon within him that sense of sang-froid that commonly was the key to drawing his father out from the depths of his mind. It was with caution and discretion that he approached. His mouth twitched as he smiled but his tail gave a warm, inviting wag, "Father? Dad?"

As much as he wanted to wait for some sort of sign that he was recognized, he didn't dare to give that inkling of hope a chance to nibble away at him from within. He continued, "What brings you out here? You shouldn't be out here in the snow - at least, not by yourself." A pause for effect and a little bit of patience to see whether or not Borden would even acknowledge him, "May I join you?"

(This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2015, 11:56 PM by Rook.)

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

When the cold of winter comes

borden lyall

Starless night will cover day

Borden was not alone for long and before he had even come to notice it, someone vaguely familiar had come into his midst. The wagging tail was not missed and a smile welcomed the lad. Several seconds passed after the boy had politely asked if he could join him and all the patriarch could do was smile. This look-alike face with those mismatched eyes, he knew, belonged to someone he remembered, but the name that matched it was, at present, lost. He waited for the other male to settle down, to savor with him the comforting silence that had come with the falling snow and the chilled air.

When he looked to his companion again, his eyes traced along the contours of his face, the triangular markings below his lower eyelids, the broadness of his muzzle, the squareness of his nose. All the features that looked like his own, save for the colors of his irises. Even their shoulders, when he had briefly looked while they remained beside one another, were the same hues of mottled tan, brown, black and ivory. The other's ears were even washed with a bit of auburn, too.

His gaze had lowered down to their forepaws (which were now roughly the same size) when it had dawned on him who this individual was. His eyes fluttered and when he had come to look upon Rook's face, he sniffled once, remembering now just why he had come this far out from the pack's main den. His muzzle slowly dipped downward and he nudged his son's agouti-colored shoulder with a soft whimper.

"I'm sorry," he rumbled as he straightened himself again, turning to look away. "I am so sorry, Rook... For everything." The bridge of his muzzle wrinkled briefly and he clenched his teeth, "You, most of all, shouldn't have done this. This shouldn't have been your burden to bear."

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Well, what do you want from me?

when the seas and mountains fall
and we come to end of days

The smile that had lit up the older Lyall's face was heartening. For Rook it seemed to be a sign that Borden had recalled who he was... that all was well. He took a seat beside his father, his Leader, his superior. No words were spoken and there was nothing and no one to disturb them. For now it was just the two of them between the ancient trees in the middle of a gentle cascade of snowflakes.

Rook took a deep breath, softly smiling to himself as he relished this moment. So much had changed between them it seemed. Once upon a time, when Rook had been nothing but a cub, they had spent their days exploring the whole of Renegades Reach, playing by the creek, and splashing about in the pond by the den; and, when the afternoons had given way into the quiet evenings, they would spend hours watching the skies change colors, count the number of lights with each flicker of a firefly, and patiently wait for the stars to come out in the dark of night. The silences between them then had been pleasant, filled with warmth and unspoken words that relayed the unconditional love between a father and his youngest son.

This gap of quiet between them was nothing like those memories of when Borden's mind had been intact. While it made Rook feel on edge, as if the man beside him might lash out at random, he had forced himself to have faith and hope that that wouldn't be the case - that Borden had indeed known who he was. He kept his eyes focused on the gaps between the trees. He was only acutely aware of how the patriarch quietly eyed him, raking his gaze up and down his similar-sized frame and, when Borden spoke at last, it tugged at his heartstrings.

"I'm sorry," an apology. Rook should have known. The language of regret and forgiveness was something he had grown up with. It was how his parents commonly communicated with one another, even more so when it had become apparent that something was not quite right with Borden's sense of well-being. Rook's eyes began to gloss over as he comprehended his father's words, the internal demand to maintain his mask, the front in which he was the stronger one in their relationship, might have burned him alive if it had been manifested as fire.

"I had to, Dad," he murmured, unable to keep himself from looking at his father any longer. "For you. For Mom..." There was a tightness in his chest, his ribcage likened to that of a shaken up soda bottle while the emotions within him - guilt, longing, desperation, and anger - frothed and bubbled. "I had no choice..."

He winced and leaned his shoulder into Borden's, fighting the need to bury his face in the crook of the elder's neck like a cub. "I lost my sister, I needed to find another place to feel whole. I thought I would find my siblings here. I consider myself lucky that you and Mom had come by, that Ryvet had only been so far." He didn't have the heart to mention Taima and how she had chased him from the place, that it had been her misfortune to not hear him out. "You had told me before... that Grizzly Hollow was the only place you had truly considered as home."

(This post was last modified: Apr 24, 2015, 11:56 PM by Rook.)

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

When the cold of winter comes

borden lyall

Starless night will cover day

Rook retorted, "I had to, Dad. For you. For Mom..." Borden was already shaking his head in denial. "I had no choice..." Borden's eyes shut tight and he pointed his muzzle to the ground; his ears had folded back in shame. This was how he confirmed that he had ultimately failed as a father, a Leader, and Rook's role model. Additionally, he could not accept the fact that his son had taken it upon himself to attempt to restore their pack and family. That was a father's duty - to protect all that was his. His mate, his children, his pack, and their lands. Obviously something was not right and the youngest Lyall had personally vowed to correct and redeem what had once been.

He grew still upon hearing that Rook remembered what he had said. Yes, this very place had been home to their family for the past few years, but while it had held many a heartwarming memory, it held just as many painful memories, too. Perhaps much too many against the few precious moments he and Jaysyek had had with Rook and Bishop's older siblings. "No," he verbally stamped out. Whatever point the boy was trying to make as the basis of his argument against his pain regarding the old territory as a whole, Borden was going to see to it that he was heard. At this point in time, everything was crystal clear and, so long as he could keep it, he was going to get out all he had to say.

"Rook," his tone was firm, the harsh click of his tongue at the end of Rook's name demanding the youth's full attention. "You must understand." He kept his gaze on his son's face, daring him to meet his eyes, not in challenge but in a sense of comprehending everything that was soon to be said. He expected the lad to instantly react, to counter him with whatever reasons he might have to tell him that he was wrong to admit such a thing. He gauged Rook's body language, wondering and bracing himself for any comeback that he might have. The apple didn't fall far from the tree with Rook... that much was clear, even more so now that he did not have his twin sister to balance him out and neutralize him into the kinder, more patient version of himself - the side that predominantly took after Jaysyek.

"Grizzly Hollow, this time around, was a mistake..."

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Well, what do you want from me?

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

when the seas and mountains fall
and we come to end of days

Oh, how Rook wanted to flash his teeth and growl, to bark and yell for his father to take back what he had said. It was only in good grace and practiced patience that the younger Lyall managed to contain himself with a quivering lip. His fur bristled at the back of his neck, the statement sending a prickle of heat down between his shoulders.

Then, suddenly, it occurred to him then that the man he was speaking to could quite possibly not be his father. This was not the Borden he wanted to talk to. No, no, no, no, no, no, no... Rook let out a pained whimper. Come back. He had not come all this way for this. Come back.

He pressed his lips to his father's crown before taking a chance to sit so close to the Leader's striking range. "It's not a mistake," he whispered, swallowing hard. Take it back. "We're here for a reason. Don't make it seem like anything else. Okay?" He didn't even want to wait for Borden to answer, "If we weren't meant to be here, we would not be here now. Like what Kiche always used to kinda say, He always has a plan. This was apart of it."

A span of silence stretched out between them and Rook let out a sigh before truly focusing on his father's face, scrutinizing the two pale green irises. His gaze lingered on Borden's blind, milky-white pupil a little longer than he would have liked. One of his ears lowered before the other followed suit. "Dad?" he tried again, hoping the elder would turn to look up at him. "Dad, who am I?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

When the cold of winter comes

borden lyall

Starless night will cover day

Rook's words easily went in one ear and out the other; the gap of silence didn't help either. Borden was away until that familiar name pulled him from the depths of his mind, "Dad?" It was something too instinctive to ignore or dismiss, he had to reply with his characteristic "Hmm?" He regarded his son's expectant look with a curious tilt of his head. "What is it?"

"Dad, who am I?" the question could have sparked a handful of different suggestions, but Borden merely gave a lopsided smile. It would seem he had already known who this particular individual was, as if he did not need to actually look at the youth to discern who he was or wasn't. "I know who you are," he started, somewhat irked by the tone of his voice. "Why do you keep asking me that? Really... Rook."

"I might be old and I might seem off some days, but I know you... I know you are." The frown on his face softened and he let out a soft sigh. "You're just like your mother, you know." A humored scoff came from him then and he shook his head to dismiss it all, "And, if you say so... then... I guess I'll leave you to it. You know what you're doing." He looked his son over, studying the contour of his body and the dark markings that cloaked him from his head to his tail. Typical Lyall through and through. "You should go," his gaze went over his shoulder towards where the pack den laid behind an expanse of trees. "I was just thinking and I'm sure you got an agenda to finish up and Quil to look after."

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Well, what do you want from me?

when the seas and mountains fall
and we come to end of days

He wasn't sure why he had been holding his breath, for as quickly as he come to accept that his father was sick for the thousandth time that week, Borden - his father - came around with a quip. He even went so far as to tell Rook flatly that he was aware of his age and that he did have his 'off' days sometimes. Rook let out a sigh of relief, smiling as he was instructed to mind his agenda, to mind Quil, and carry on with whatever else he had been doing until he came by. The lad tenderly bumped his nose to his parent's grizzled chin and took his leave. Perhaps Borden was right and perhaps it was best to stop worrying over his parents' affairs. They could manage for now while Rook had his own family to look after.

Rook turned to see that Borden had resumed to relaxing with his head on his paws and allowed himself a small smile. If only he could remember his father this way - stubborn, affirmative, and yet loving all the while. Grizzly Hollow might not have been a mistake, but it was definitely the start of something new, beginning with the choices Rook would soon make in the coming months...

(Fade.)

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.