Copper Rock Creek Tintypes

The early morning light glinted off the creek's surface. It lit his face from a distance, and even if the air still held the night's chill, something about how bright the sun's reflection was made him feel warm. Spring always suited this place; every season did, really, but the green of the new foliage and the colorful, blooming blossoms of the scatterings of wildflowers was truly very beautiful. Beads of dew hung on every tip of every blade of grass, some quivering in the wind before losing their hold and sliding down to meet their ends where the earth began. He stared at it from afar, soaking up the peace that the place of his birth offered him and holding tightly to it as he tried to forget, if only for the morning, every last trouble that weighed on his shoulders. Just inside the entrance of the familiar and abandoned cave a slender tree branch lingered, what leaves remaining on its knobby, stiff stems now crumpled and dead. It was hard to believe how much time had passed since the flood had nearly killed him here, harder still to believe how much had changed. On the inside, Mirren still felt like the boy who for a short time played with his littermates right here on the banks of Copper Rock Creek. He still felt like the golden boy ─ one of the lucky ones who grew up beneath the guidance of his parents and had a home that he could choose to leave if he so wanted. In a time when so many souls lost those they loved, in a land where so many children suffered their first winter without the familiar warmth of their mother's touch to fall asleep into, he had made it. But...the years had passed, and though he'd left Sequoia Vale on his own accord and with his beloved @Nios to face the unknown with, Mirren missed his family more deeply than he'd ever hoped he wouldn't have to. Secret Woodlands was the home he chose, and loved, and protected ─ was the home where his first child would be born ─ and he had no reservations about that. Still, as the days passed and he grew older, wiser, weathered, he wondered what had become of the Tainns. His Tainns. Did Ruiko still reign beneath the redwoods? Had Aeylen raised cubs who may never know their eldest brother's face? Where had @Vaeta disappeared to while he'd been in Storm Plains, and why hadn't he seen his brother. To some of these questions he knew the answer. It was hard to accept, but the distance that defined the state of his blood family was of his own doing and he knew it. A deep breath and a long sigh quelled the disappointment in himself he'd never let the world see. Slow, steady strides delivered him across the clearing that seemed untouched before he felt the shadow cast by the crag's stony towers fall cold across his snout. He thought that he could do it this time. He thought that he could step foot inside the Creek wolves' old den, to relive the glory that was forgotten by all of the world except for him, but once again he fell short. Damned old cave. It was the one place he loved most and the only one that would bring him to his knees. The sun sat high in the mid-morning sky and the songs of the birds above reminded him that it was time to go home.

(This post was last modified: Jul 15, 2015, 01:46 PM by Mirren.)

From the Larkcall Lowlands, Desideria departed southward. Her belly was full for the time being, having enjoyed her hunt with Kajika. The pheasant she'd killed was a breeding male, one of fair size and with enough meat to keep her satisfied for the next few days. She still kept a scarce few of his feathers, pretty greens and blues she carried gingerly in her mouth. What she planned to do with them, even the timber wolf wasn't certain, but the male had implied she might almost look pretty in them – she hadn't looked pretty since she was little more than a yearling, face and pelt still intact. That was before the flood, the separation, and the pair of packs she'd tried desperately to become a part of. It was before Relic Lore, before meeting wolves both friendly and monstrous. What would become of her here? Would her brothers ever find her here, in a land so far from where they were born? Did her mother even still live? It was when she wandered on her own that such questions plagued her. Crossly, she forced them from her mind, and continued southward. She hadn't found any packs among the Snowmarch Expanse. Perhaps she simply hadn't looked hard enough, but it seemed further into the forest, one had to simply trip, and they would fall upon pack borders. Des did not want to be alone, not for long, and it would behoove her to pick somewhere to live sooner rather than later. Idly, she wondered whatever became of Anders – did he find the wolves he sought? Did Kajika move further south as well, seeking a pack as she did? Both males were burly things, athletic and strong, prime pack material, she thought with a soft huff. It would be harder to win her way in. But she would do it. She always did find a way. Several hours of traveling (traveling and constant thought) later, Desideria slowed briefly, following the stream southward towards the Secluded Springs. The woman had paused there, about to sample the creek in the early morning light when she caught the glimpse of a russet coat in the distance. Male! said her sense of smell, and the female's pulse jumped. The notion of pack was ignored as she rushed forward towards the clearing, emotion overriding any sense of self-preservation. "Rico? Nico? Is that you?" she called to the figure of a wolf, her heart pounding in her throat.

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He spent a time saying his silent goodbyes, overlooking every inch of his father's once-throne as if it were the last time he'd ever lay eyes on it. In time he would return, just as he always had. Maybe then he'd see his brother or sister again, or his father. He hadn't really made a move before the sound of paws disrupted the quiet of the spring. Snapping out of his reverie in the blink of an eye, the swarthy man spun around to find the figure of a woman rushing toward him. Maybe he should have been more defensive, but Mirren easily found confidence where he stood. These were, after all, his stomping grounds. Not to mention that the stranger, who was drawing nearer by the second, was...was...a bit smaller than she'd appeared at first sight. "Rico? Nico? Is that you?" His brows drew together in momentary confusion. He most certainly was not either Rico or Nico, but apparently he must have looked like one or both of them, whoever they may be. Widening his stance in case the lady chose to attack upon realizing he wasn't who she was looking for, Mirren did his best to appear as benign as possible. "No, it's not," he called back bluntly, squinting to get a better look at her and realizing his choice of words had been awkward and not chosen very well, "I mean─" Was she missing an ear? "I don't think I'm who you're lookin' for." She wore some gnarly battle scars, and so for good measure he added a directly courteous (and still subtly confused) "─Miss."

Her mind hummed with the possibilities as she wound through the trees near the clearing. The male seemed to come to a halt, and for a moment, for one, brief, hopeful moment, Desideria thought perhaps maybe she'd found one of the twins. As soon as he opened his mouth, the little bird in her chest was crushed, the weight of disappointment hanging heavy on her as her paws slammed into the ground. Pebbles scattered as the delicate damsel slid to a halt, ears immediately swinging back as she realized just how massive the stranger she approached was. Her tail dropped, hanging low as she noticed her powerful stance, and she lowered her head. Shit, how embarrassing. "I, uh… Yeah, I don't think you are. Sorry about that," she mumbled, wondering how she could have mistaken such a large wolf for boys that were only slightly taller than her. He might have been the same as the twins – might have had the same russet coloring, though now that she was close, the difference was obvious. This male had darker guard furs and a darker brow. He might have some timber wolf in him, but he was not the same as herself or the brothers she sought. Clearing her throat, Dezzy took a careful step backwards, shaking her head. "I, uh…no. You aren't them. You look – a lot like my brothers. I guess I had wanted so much to see them that I wasn't looking very closely," she explained, realizing even as the words fell from her mouth what a lame explanation that might actually be. "Haven't been in this forest long. I don't suppose you've seen any boys who look real close to you, though? Little more reddish – and smallish, heh, never did eat enough. I'm Dezzy, by the by, and I am sorry about before."

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He turned his face to avoid the spray of dirt that her sliding stop created. Blinking it from his eyes and snorting it from his nose, it was clear to see that she realized he wasn't who she was looking for by the look on her face and before she'd parted her lips to speak; she seemed to deflate right before his eyes. "I, uh...Yeah, I don't think you are. Sorry about that." She went on to offer her explanation, that he resembled her brothers in a way, offering that she'd wanted to see them. Well, he could certainly identify with that. His own brother was very much his other half, and for a time the two Tainns were inseparable. "Hey, no worries..." Mirren glanced over the sandy-furred lady's scars, beneath one of her eyes and across the width of her muzzle, for a short moment. Beneath them, she was a dainty, feminine thing, and he couldn't help but to notice the fiery color of her eyes in the morning sunlight. He felt like a towering giant next to her and he got the feeling that she wasn't from around here. "I'm afraid there's only one of me around these parts," he craned his snout, a single russet ear flicking sideways, "and I'm sure I haven't seen anyone who looks like me, or you. I mean, someone who could be related to you and looks like me..." Because that wasn't confusing. Maybe it it was because he hadn't been expecting to run into anyone this morning, in this particular region of the spring, but he was doing an excellent job at stumbling over his own words. "I'm Mirren." He returned, a single side of his lips pulling into a fleeting lopsided smile. "What brings you to the Lore?"

"Ah…I kind of figured us ending up in the same place was a long shot," she sighed, glancing over Mirren's shoulder like the twin's might magically materialize. She'd been watching over them ever since she was a moppet herself, and even if she'd been traveling without her family for some time…it still felt as if something was missing. Without thinking, she'd catch herself glancing sideways for her mother to accompany on hunts, or the twins to join her in a spot of mischief. As likely as it was they'd never cross paths again, the woman still could not convince her hear to stop looking. "Suppose it never hurts to ask." Well, unless the wolf was as angry as that alpha female she'd met further south, but the man before her clearly wasn't as aggressive. Mirren, she logged away in her memory. Mirrin, huge like Anders and Kajika, but colored like Rico and Nico. "They were my half-brothers, actually. Darker, much redder than I am. And bigger. Don't think my mother even knew who my father was," she chuckled, shaking her head. Why was she telling a stranger that? Shoot, she shouldn't allow her mouth to run on – he hadn't actually asked, only commented on the dissimilarities. Would it help if she explained they were smaller than he was? Probably not. Focus, Des. He wanted to know why she'd entered the forest of Relic Lore. That, she figured, was easy enough. "Oh! Well, our family den was flooded, and we were separated. 've been looking for them for a long time – joined a pack, for stupid reasons, left the pack, because I realized I was stupid, and then, I don't know, I kept traveling, and looking, and now I'm here. Haven't found what I'm looking for." But I'm tired of being alone, she didn't add, the silent statement written on her face as she sighed. "You live near this creek?""…this isn't your territory, is it?"

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@Desideria

Her explanation furthered, it was plain to see that ─ like so many others, himself included ─ it was perhaps hope that brought Dezzy to the Lore. The story she gave him offered some commonalities between the two of them. He'd nearly died in a flood once, and for the longest time he'd searched for his own brother, who he'd found and lost again. Hell, he apparently even looked like the girl's sibling. And something about her forwardness he found to be...soothing, and friendly. "It sounds like you're on the right track, if finding your siblings is what 'yer doing here. They, uh...They must be very fortunate to have a sister who cares so much." "You live near this creek?...This isn't your territory is it?" No and yes, he thought. The Creek had once belonged to his family, ruled over by his father and mother. One day, perhaps, it would be Mirren's. It was, after all, all he'd ever wanted and the reason he had returned to Relic Lore. Life had taken him in a different direction than Copper Rock Creek, however, and for now he was content to stay in the Woodlands with Kite and the pack. "I lived here once ─ was born here, actually," he answered with a fond, fleeting smile, "...but I live in a great thicket to the west, with the wolves of Secret Woodlands. As far as I know, we're on neutral ground here." The latter comment was less of a statement of fact than meant to reassure her that she wasn't in the way of harm. "...Soo, you're heading wherever the wind will take 'ya, huh?" Not to be nosy, but there was room for a girl like here back home. Perhaps she would be open to settling down, if she didn't have anything else in mind beside locating her lost family.

"I'm not sure they'd call themselves fortunate…or me 'caring'," Desideria rumbled, allowing herself a soft chuckle. No, they were striving for their independence the day they learned to walk, and found her to be overbearing. "'m pretty sure the word they used was 'bossy'. But they were yearlings then – maybe time changes things. Who knows?" It was neither here nor there – the boys were gone, and unfortunately, Mirren would not be able to help her. Not his job, but not worth pressing the issue any further. The relief, however, came in knowing that she had not unwittingly invaded onto the male's territory. He smelled like pack, and in her rush to approach the ghost of her sibling, she hadn't even stopped to check the creek for any scent markers. That was the sort of thing that was going to get her killed, she thought wryly, but she'd not pay too much mind while she was on open land. "Neutral ground is good," she breathed softly, the warm expression returning to her eyes. His next question should have been expected, but Des fixed the large wolf with a surprised smile all the same. "I-- Well, never thought of it much that way, but I suppose I am. Gets a little tiring, running, but haven't found a good place to settle down, and haven't found my family. Seems a little…wrong, I guess, settling down before I figure out whether they're in need or not. But if they aren't here, well." The rogue gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Like I said…can't run forever, I guess. Not getting any younger."

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@Desideria

He couldn't help but to feel as if she was selling herself short. From what he was gathering, Dezzy seemed pretty tenacious, not to mention caring and, well, smart. What she said made sense, and for a moment he hung on what she said nearly last ─ that she couldn't really settle without knowing whether or not her family needed her. It struck a cord. Wasn't that exactly what he'd done? For all he knew, his mother and father still ruled over Sequoia Vale, but who knew where in the hell Nios was, or Vaeta. What if they needed him?? All the while, he had been making a place and a name for himself and his mate in the thicket. Should he...feel guilty? Was he feeling guilty right now? Mirren blinked, the realization that he'd done nothing wrong crossing his mind and conflicting with the feeling that maybe there were some loose ends in his own life that needed tying up. "Life is short," he agreed, "but...I think that there's only so much you can do for someone else. I mean, at some point, you've 'gotta take care of yourself, let them do the same for themselves. Who knows ─ they might be healthy and happy in a place where their dreams can all come true." So he hoped for his own brother and sister, and so he knew was true of his own life. In the moment, with Copper Rock Creek looming all around him, he tried to be thankful for that. All the same, he wanted to help the woman in any way he could. "Do you...If there's anything I can do for you, to help you, I'm willing. You know ─ keep an eye out for your brothers, or if you're hungry..." It was unlike him to want to care for a stranger, but this one somehow seemed deserving.

(This post was last modified: Jul 15, 2015, 01:45 PM by Mirren.)

"I…suppose, yeah. Yeah." She knew Mirren wasn't wrong – after all, she'd spent months on top of months searching for those boys. They still hadn't been found, and she was running herself into the ground for her effort. What good would she be if she found them down the line, and was too worn to offer them little more than her happiness? What if it killed her? What if this was all for not and they were already- No. No. She was not going to think like that. Shaking the morbid thoughts from her skull, the female glanced back up at the younger wolf, her tail wagging slowly behind her. The alpha's idea was a much better one – maybe her brothers had stayed in the desert, happy to dance and play with the sun. Internalizing that image instead, she offered Mirren a small bow, the light back in her eyes as she sighed softly. "You're nice, you know that?" she asked, ears flicking forward with a small smile. "Strangers aren't usually so…kind. So thank you, for that. Being nice to me." Instead of yelling, or cursing, or chasing me away when I mistook you for someone else. Even still, he was making an offer, and she felt wrong taking them all, but… "If you see them…will you tell them their sister is looking for them? It's Rico and Nico Barreda, they're always together. Always. Identical too, except for height. I don't plan on leaving this forest so…yeah. Just…if you could let them know." Desideria trailed off with a small smile, bowing her head sheepishly. Them knowing would be enough, she knew. And two wolves on the lookout was double what she had right now. "Thank you," she whispered again, taking a step back. "I should probably get going, keep looking. Let you get back to whatever you were doing. Good luck with everything, Mirren." Exit.

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