Sacred Grove i would take a whisper

Straying too far from the Lost Lake was not wise given the current state of the pack. Namid finally had her puppies – three puppies, imagine! – and the tawny timber wolf was determined to prove herself worthy of being a scout. Her mornings and evenings were often spent patrolling the borders of Fallen Tree Cove, adding her scent to the territory perimeter when required. The rest of her days were spent near the lake – fishing, to fill her belly or the cache, stalking birds (though she found the water fowl much more difficult to catch than the foolish pheasant she'd enjoyed on the tundra), or napping in the warm sands. The coming summer was a welcome change – dry heat was the climate the small wolf most relished. If she thought she could, she might have traveled back to the desert to continue her life. Such an option was not in the cards. She had a pack now, and Desideria hadn't actually fucked up her chances yet. Perhaps more importantly, she had a companion in Namid, and a trusted friend in Kajika. She had no desire to abandon them – it was those thoughts of abandonment that drove the female out of pack grounds temporarily, searching for the twins she'd originally entered Relic Lore seeking. Hopefully, Namid would understand the brief excursion, and wouldn't mind just a small fragment of time spent away from the cove. It wasn't right to relinquish her pursuit of missing siblings simply because she was no longer a loner. They were still lost to her, and until proven otherwise, the boys must still need their elder sibling. Pausing amongst the heart of the forest, Dezzy's ears rotated forward as she peered down, studying the forest floor. Something here felt different – she couldn't quite put a name to it, but there was something in the air. It left the rogue feeling uneasy, tail pressed close as her auds flattened against her crown. "Hello?" she called into the forest uncertainly, wondering if it was a presence she sense. "Is anyone there? Rico? Nico?"

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It was a longer journey than any he had been on so far, but his lack of familiarity of these lands further than a morning's travel from their densite made Ziigwan uneasy. It was difficult going from intimate knowledge of the area for days in any direction to barely knowing where the nearest source of running water was. It was such a desire which had driven him to take a day's travel from their safe spot in the grassy knolls. Having informed Miskwaa of his intentions, he had felt that small thrill of adventure again, the danger which came from the unknown. It was easier to try to enjoy it than be intimidated by it, though he was yet to be entirely convinced.

Striking northward, the journey had been steady and unhindered throughout the night. He did not ache as he had before arriving, with better rest and the strength of two wolves to feed one another. Their situation was adequate, if far from ideal, but it kept them alive, and gave him the comfort to know that he would be able to look after himself for the time being.

As dawn had begun to break, so had the telltale signs of moving water begun to surface, and before long he had found himself at a swelling river, and such a discovery held so much information about the rest of the land that it made him giddy. To follow it upstream would have been the most exciting prospect, but he knew that would likely take him to that mountain stretch which always loomed in the distance, and he had promised to return within two days. That could wait for another time. Instead, he chose to carefully cross it, enjoying the wetness on his fur as he shook on the other side. He paused to quench a quiet thirst before pressing on, but it was not long until he grew weary, and with such a discovery behind him and no trace of danger or pack territory to be found, he deemed it safe to curl up in the shadow of the undergrowth and rest his eyes.

The sound of soft footsteps woke him almost immediately. Taking a breath and holding it, he remained still, long enough to determine that it seemed most like a wolf's movements. Was that better or worse than alternatives? Tempted to remain hidden and let the other pass harmlessly by, that notion was squashed when a voice called out, hesitant and nervous. Damn. Though the names were unknown, and the tension in the female's tone unrelated to him, he had to decide if it was safer to ignore the cry or not.

Rico, Nico? "Not this time, sorry." He pushed himself to his feet, emerging from his hidden spot, turning towards the voice to see a small, pale-coloured female not too far away. She was too far and the wind was in the wrong direction to discern if she was alone, or if she bore the scent of a pack. Keeping his stance unthreatening, he kept his guard up nonetheless. Knowing little and less of this land's inhabitants made him anxious. Would she see that she was mistaken and move on?

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

"…oh." Damn it. Last time, it had been Mirren. From afar, he'd looked much like the siblings she sought. In fact, she'd actively been searching the boys out at that point, eager to find them and reunite. As of late, much of her time had been dedicated to the pack at Fallen Tree Cove – specifically, the care of Namid and her brood. While she had no actual responsibilities as far as the puppies were concerned, the alpha was her friend, and she found it imperative that she had all she wanted to eat at any given moment. Her search had gone neglected – finally, Des was beginning to feel the guilt gnawing away at her ribcage for it. Leaving the pack territory briefly, it was foolish to think she'd suddenly stumble upon the siblings she sought with no great preamble. Glancing over at the shivering foliage, she peered at the monochrome male. She got the sex right, and little else. Her brothers had a pelt painted with the reds, browns, and golds of the desert rocks. They were a bit larger than her, but the vagrant was clearly weathered in ways she'd not expect of the twins. With a sigh, she dropped her tail, ears sweeping backwards in a sheepish expression. Desideria slunk forward a step or two, moving no further into the stranger's space. "Sorry," she mumbled, slowly raising her gaze to meet the other wolf's expression. "I've been looking for my brothers – suppose you haven't run into any boys with that name? Or look a bit like me, but more reds and browns?"

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Her reaction was all Ziigwan needed to relax, for her obvious disappointment overruled any threatening aspect she had previously had. In fact, her disappointment seemed so all-encompassing that he felt a pang of sympathy. She moved forward, only slightly, and spoke of missing brothers, and that was it. If he couldn't empathise with somebody looking for their family, then what kind of a monster was he?

"I'm sorry," he said again, feeling like a broken record. Dropping his guarded stance, he stepped towards her, ears raised in curiosity. In truth he had crossed paths with very few wolves, and none of that description or name. How satisfying it would have been to possess more useful information. "When did you lose their scent? Could you go back to the last place you know they were?" He had fallen off Miskwaa's trail only a handful of times in his long journey, usually after resting or stopping to eat. He knew all too well the panic that could cause, the heavy heartbeats and shortness of breath as you wondered if you would never find the scent again. His nose had always found the traces of it again, stubbornness winning out over the desire to surrender. Ziigwan did not have the strength - nor the selflessness - to help a pure stranger on the hunt for other pure strangers, but he could offer understanding.

"It's okay," Desideria murmured, even though it wasn't. It wasn't alright, not in the least. Now more than ever, the guilt crept in, slinky tendrils slowly constricting around her chest. But it wasn't the stranger's fault, he was but a wolf passing through, and it was of no fault of his own that she'd mistaken the man for her missing siblings. At least he'd been understanding, she supposed – she'd been lucky enough to avoid offending any aliens thus far. The woman did not inch closer, respecting the loner's space as much as she required her own distance for safety. Kajika had started to train her, yes, but she wasn't confident she could take on an aggressor just yet. Still, the transient seemed amicable enough. Tipping her head, she considered, and answered honestly. "It's been a long time. We were separated when the river we lived near flooded. I haven't seen them since." For all she knew, they'd drown in the high waters. Des hoped with everything she had that it wasn't the case – she'd look for them as long as she lived. "The den's gone. So are they. Haven't seen them since. Not sure if they made it to the forest here…doesn't hurt to look though, you know?" Her expression was wry at best as she shook her head, well aware her naïve optimism was childish at best. Hope would not bring the twins to her, and regret would not bring them back. "If you ever see boys with those names, could you just tell them their sister is looking for them? I'm sure they'd be together." It dawned on her then that she'd completely forgotten to introduce herself in the midst of her fluster. "I'm Des, of the Fallen Tree Cove pack, by the by. Who're you?"

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Her despondent reply was almost managing to make him feel guilty for not being the brother she sought. If it had been a different issue which plagued her mind, Ziigwan may not have been able to relate as well, but such as it was... As he listened to her explanation, his hope for her success dwindled. It was a sorry situation indeed, one he had dreaded his own turning into. A flood which separated a family, it was a sad thing. Did she even know if they still lived? He decided not to ask that out of sensitivity to her sorrow.

It didn't hurt to look, though that depended on whether or not you thought it was best to hold onto hopeless hope. At least the love of family was an admirable trait, one which lent her more respect. At least she hadn't given up on her's. "Of course," he said, without hesitation, filing away the names and their description. Not that he would yet know how to find her again if by some miracle he did find her siblings, but perhaps that would change - and there it was, a name.

Ziigwan also filed away the name of her pack, but for entirely more self-serving reasons. It was good to be getting solid information of who lived in these parts. This encounter could turn out fruitful after all, at least for him; she would leave with little more than disappointment and the name of yet another poor lone wolf. He was definitely getting the better deal. "My name is Ziigwan Wanishin. I live with my niece, to the south - we came here..." To escape her sister? To seek purpose? For his own selfish reasons? "... looking for a better life." Much more suitably vague, and not dishonest either. It would do. "I'm sorry about your brothers. I'm sure you'll find them if your pack keeps searching." It was an easy assumption to make, that the disaster she had mentioned had happened here, especially with the rivers which ran through this part of the forest.

"Thanks," the desert dancer murmured quietly, a small smile flickering onto her lips.  It was more than some other strangers offered her.  The male was under no obligation to assist, after all, they'd only met moments ago, and only because she'd blurted out the names like they'd summon the twins to her.  "It's nice to meet you, Ziigwan.  Never heard a name like before.  Where are you from?" she asked, unable to help herself.  Of course, Desideria was a mouthful as well, but it was one of the reasons she'd stopped introducing herself with such.  It was the past.  It was her mother, the twins, the thievery, and it was the river.  She had come looking for her younger brothers, but if she was being honest with herself, she'd come looking for a better life, too. The smile she offered him was much less piteous now, feeling something akin to the man that stood before her.  They all came looking for something, didn't they?  "It happened over a year ago, I think.  I lived in a desert, then…I just, you know, kept traveling.  Or running?  Maybe I was running.  And this is where I ended up.  I only just joined this pack a bit ago," she rambled on, only vaguely aware she wasn't urbane at all, "but it's okay.  Being in a pack is okay." Only then did she realize how foolish she sounded, tail tucking underneath her belly as she ducked her head.  Pack wolf, perhaps, but she had no natural dominance to lord over the vagrant.  "Do you--  Have you found what you're looking for?" Can I help?

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(This post was last modified: Jun 08, 2015, 11:26 PM by Desideria. Edit Reason: Tags )

This friendliness-with-strangers thing was warming to him. Nice to meet you, she said, and he smiled, ears up. Was it, now? This was a land of pleasantries and politeness, and he found that he liked that kind of alien atmosphere. "Is it strange?" he quipped, when his name was proclaimed unusual, finding the notion amusing. So different indeed! "From a cold tundra many, many days' travel from here, where my name is quite common, actually."

His amusement waned as she explained her predicament further, fully laying bare its hopelessness. A year of separation and no word at all, that was a sad thing. Clearly she refused to accept it, and was still searching even now, though he guessed she never expected to find them; it's okay, she repeated, as if to convince herself. At least she was doing what was best for her in the short-term. He assumed that her new pack was full of strangers who would have no personal inclination to help her look. What a lonely existence that must be, despite being surrounded by warm bodies every night.

Ziigwan chose not to comment out of respect for her delicate situation, merely inclining his head in understanding - what little that would mean. She didn't need yet another foreigner's sympathy. That wouldn't bring her family back together. He did not judge her for her emotional moment, though she suddenly looked sheepish about it. "After a fashion," he said slowly, content to let her change the subject. "It's a different life, anyway. Time will tell if it's better. The locals are certainly friendlier." He wagged his tail once and offered a smile, not telling her that he had been one of the many unfriendly locals, a hostility ingrained into the culture of that land, a distrust of anyone not of your own. But he had left behind more than the tundra, and he was enjoying trying on different attitudes, refreshing more of his life than just where he slept and hunted.

"Do you like them, these Fallen Tree wolves?"

"A bit. Seems a bit more strange that you'd share a name with a bunch of other wolves! But I guess I can't talk – my full name is Desideria Barreda. Named in like of my mother, Desdemona," she divulged, deciding her full name couldn't be used against her. The Barreda name was fading into obsolescence, no longer associated with a family of criminals and master thieves. There was a bit of disappointment in that, she thought, but also a hint of safety, no longer associated with unwanted wolves. Uncurling her tail, she wagged it once, expression open as she leaned forward, pleased to hear the male was having a pleasant enough time so far. "I like the lake wolves, I think," she hummed, reflecting back on the time she'd spent with them so far. "The alpha, Namid Veusain, she's very nice. She fed me once, when I was still a loner, and promised to help me find my siblings later this year." It occurred to the woman it was unwise to mention the alpha pair just had a beautiful, healthy litter – while Ziigwan didn't much seem the type to take advantage of the information, there was no telling who he might haphazardly pass it on to in his travels. "I like some of the other pack wolves, as well. It's…well, the best pack I've lived in so far, I guess." She paused. "Not having a specific duty is a bit weird, but…well. Weird. But weird doesn't have to be bad, I guess. Are you looking for a pack?"

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