Grizzly Hollow next on my to-do list

No worries, Siki! It's all kinda vague apart from their arrival/departure to the Reach and the fact that Trisden's a pack Leader in Jayse's place. c: Sorry for the wait, vacation - even with wi-fi access - just pulled me away.

Cinder shifted at his side as the woman before them began to speak, stating that she had already known who he was. Rook's whiskered brows touched briefly, unable to recognize her, but eventually he let a small smile take over his maw. There was no doubt after a few seconds that this was one of his sister's friends, one who was definitely trusted to relay some messages on her behalf. He could feel Cinder's eyes on the side of his face and he, too, wondered if she would rather spend her time elsewhere. They had only known each other for a whole four months but Rook knew better than to tangle her up in things that held no significance of benefit for her. He tilted his muzzle downward and towards his sister-in-law, his voice quiet and rather considerate, "Thank you, Cinder; you may be excused. I'm sure Quil could use some company at the den."

He wondered if she would take this opportunity to leave, if she did, he gladly looked after her. If she chose to stay, he wouldn't have minded in the slightest, but he wasn't sure if they would talk for long. His gaze swept over Bella again and he openly smiled, "I'm glad they're doing well, thank you for sending word. This place isn't what we'd like it to be just yet, but we're working on making it something like home. I think our father's benefitted from the move the most."

Then, shyly, he scratched at the ground with his left paw, uncertain how to go about asking for her name, "Will you be staying with us by chance?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

Taking note of the way Rook's expression warmed at the mention of Trisden, any lingering doubt melted away. Bella saw how the dark woman spoke little, and wondered if she was not close enough to the main Lyall family to find the news of any particular interest. The woman's name, Cinder, was finally revealed by Rook himself, with a polite offer of dismissal. Bella inclined her head at Cinder, whether or not the woman chose to leave, thanking her for her time and presence.

She smiled then at Rook, pleased that he was pleased. Though she had never met Borden, she felt some residual affection for the man, borne purely from the way Trisden had spoken of him, and to hear that the return to his old home had treated him well made her glad. If only she did not have a purpose of her own so she could turn around and take the news back to Trisden! Perhaps, one day, she would do just that.

The question took her by surprise, though perhaps it shouldn't, for what was the most common outcome of a lone wolf calling for attention at a pack's borders? Flattered, and amused by the shy manner with which he affected, she had to shake her head gently. "Thank you sincerely for the offer, but I'm headed towards the mountain. I was born there. I would like to visit, though, come see what Trisden spoke so highly of."

"Oh," she said, something occurring to her - "Bishop is at the Reach. She's, uh, well."

Cinder’s wolfish brows lifted as she was dismissed by her sibling’s beloved – if it were not for the tilt of his muzzle and the tone she had come to learn, the swarthy female might have felt it to be more offense than intended. However, her gaze lowered to rest upon his cheek as she took it at face value – Rook knew she would be bored with the intricacies of the Lyalls and the messages they sent one another.

How nice to have a family that cared to look for you, even after gone. The Attaya’s could have taken a page out of that book.

Drifting her bright eyes back to the woman, she returned the nod, if only to maintain an air of politeness. Her eyes would drift briefly to the boy who continued to avoid her eye contact, and had his mother not been in presence the grin she would have offered him would have been positively lascivious – instead, she maintained disinterest.

Shifting her weight to nudge Rook upon the cheek, Cinder Attaya spoke nothing more. Her due diligence was complete – she had assisted a wolf at the borders and had proven she was more than simply a pretty face. As far as she was concerned, that should at least earn her an afternoon off. And so without another word, the slender she-wolf trotted away from the group, her tail swaying leisurely as she went to seek out Quil and fulfill her afternoon with something she found to be interesting.

(This post was last modified: Sep 11, 2015, 06:38 PM by Cinder.)

like a black widow, baby

As Cinder made her leave, Rook took the time to consider all the woman had said. She appreciated his invitation to stay, but declined it with the sort of grace that somehow reminded him of his sister. He swallowed at the mention of Bishop and had no choice but to figuratively close the book of their story - hopefully not for good, but perhaps if Pangur would have it, they would meet again in due time. For the time being, he was living out his own life and treading the paths, both familiar and unexplored, on his own.

"I'm glad," he offered after a while when the sound of his sister-in-law's footfalls had grown distant enough. His grin had subsided into a rather wry one. "I mean, about Bishop. We didn't leave on the nicest of terms, but I'm glad to hear that she's... well."

An idle forepaw scratched at the ground before he regarded her again with a tilt and shake of his head, "Sorry, where are my manners?" He did his best to recover his smile, but failed. "You just seem very familiar, I've forgotten to ask your name." There was a small pause and he figured he would fill it with a small tidbit that had resurfaced from memory, "I hear the mountain is very unforgiving. My father lived there once before he came this way. Have to keep a firm footing, but I can only imagine just how beautiful Relic Lore looks from at least halfway up."

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

When he moved on to point out that she hadn't actually introduced herself to him yet, she gasped at her own ill manners, realising that her instant recognition of him hardly meant that the same had happened the other way around. To Rook, indeed to all of them, she was a perfect stranger. The notion, then, that she would seem familiar struck up her curiosity but she chose not to press it. Perhaps she just had one of those faces. "I'm so sorry, I just got so excited when I realised I had finally  found you! I'm Belladonna Calor, but please, call me Bella."

His next words were even more interesting, and she very obviously perked up at them. "Your father lived on the Dire?" She did not know of any Lyalls in Poison Path, but she had not known of all the packs on the mountain. Her smile grew wider as he complimented her birthplace, though it was clear that he had never really visited it. She knew that Trisden had traversed it a long time ago, although the Lyall had not remembered it nearly so fondly. It fascinated Bella to learn of how others perceived the mountain and all it offered. "That might have been before my time - where did he live? How charming! It is indeed a beautiful place, I've missed it ever since leaving. Have you ever been? I would be happy to show you."

Belladonna. Bella. He rather liked that. He smiled to her ever still, dipping his muzzle once to confirm that Borden had once taken refuge with the wolves of the mountain. He had known about the events that had transpired into the makings of the pack his family had established; and, it was this story of bravery and determination that he often liked to recall. He would have to share it with his son one of these times.

"It was once called Midnight Plateau," the words came from him, confident and sure, as if he had been there once before. "He served Alexander Dieudonné there." He dropped the old Leader's name without any hint of hesitance, carefully watching her face for any signs that she recognized it. "I've never been there," he added quietly. "But, I would love to meet you there one of these days. Maybe when my son is old enough we can take a trip. I would definitely like to see what the Plateau and the Heights looked like for myself."

His tail wagged and his smile broadened, "Are you sure we cannot offer you anything before you leave? Something to eat, a place to rest for a little while before you embark on your journey?" It was, perhaps, a little too hopeful on his part (as he did crave to hear a bit more about his siblings and their welfare within the Reach), but it was the least he could do if she ultimately chose not to stay.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

You can reply with a fade or just archive? <3

She did not immediately recall the names, so either it had been long before her time or Midnight Plateau had not dealt with any future Poison Path wolves. Either way, she resolved to find out if possible, always keen to learn of the history of the mountain and those who lived on it, past or present. His acceptance of her offer was met with a pleased smile, for perhaps such a visit could enrich the both of them; he, to see new wonders, and she, if he really could find the Plateau of his father's past. She would love to see it, no doubt finding the rocks and landscape familiar but now with a whole new hidden story.

Rook's own offer took Bella by momentary surprise, but only because of its generosity. "You Lyalls and your hospitality," she said, gratitude and pleasure written in the lines of her face. "You take after your sister a great deal, you know. It would be a great relief to have somewhere safe to bed for the night, if that's truly okay. We don't want to impose."

Duck was silent, and though his nose had scrunched up momentarily at that, he was still stubbornly studying his dead branch. He was used to being spoken for, nothing unusual there.

"I can tell you more of the Reach, what we saw of it," she suggested, suspecting that he would enjoy that a great deal. If they were to take sanctuary within the Hollow, then she had to make sure that it was both appreciated and earned. "It would be my pleasure."

"You Lyalls and your hospitality," she remarked. Rook could almost feel the tips of his ears redden as she told him that he took after his sister. It was definitely a compliment; she was his most ideal role model after their parents. "Please," he nodded, glad that she would stay even for just a while longer. Here was when he actually took notice of Duck, a gangly sort of boy, but he made no comment and knew better than to pry or even try to make a friend of the yearling. He merely empathized and gave him a smile before addressing Bella again and stepping to the side before leading them into the forest, not quite as deep as the den or the heart of the territory but still a long way's away from the border.

"Yes, please," he eagerly simpered, "and of all the things that Tris' has been up to... and what else you've seen outside of Relic Lore." Perhaps it was something the youngest Lyall still had yet to grow out of, but hearing of far away lands and of places he had never been to had always been Rook's most favorite things to imagine -and there was no doubt that he would probably try to share a bit of these picturesque places with Tomen tonight.

Fade.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.