Secret Falls Forward And Back

A sad little bean come for a sippy. Open to any one ♥.

What a pain. What a hideous, ugly pain in the arse.

Lena hadn't managed to shake the headache yet, even after all this time. It was like a leech, constantly drawing energy from her being. The short meeting with the leader of Oak Tree Bend had been interesting. Well, no, it hadn't. It had, in all reality, been depressing. On the level of something like a physical, nothing-held-back slap in the face from your best friend (not that Spieden was anything more than an acquaintance--just a titled wolf without a name).

Swallowing thickly, Lena decided that perhaps she was simply dehydrated, that she needed a good long drink. She had followed the sound of rushing water for a while now, hoping that the distant rumble would reveal exactly what she was looking for. Persistence paid off, and she found her prize with wide-eyed awe. A series of waterfalls. Re-sult!

Without hesitating, the misplaced youth searched for a pool to drink from, in the hopes that her theory of simply not wetting her throat for a while would ring true and cure her miserable migrane. Whilst there was foaming pools nearby, Lena wanted something a little less tumultuous. Somewhere she could nurse her wounded pride in relative quiet. Shuffling along the banks of the rivers and streams from the falls, all of which joined together eventually, she found where the water slowed and calmed--if only for a brief moment in its cycle of never ending rushing--and drew closer, bowing down to lap.

Was there honestly a better feeling than cool water rushing down a dry throat?

If Mohammed doesn't go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammed! @Lena

Elk were the reason that Serach was so far from home that day. He had caught their scent the previous day and had decided to follow them north, through the ghostly vestiges of Spectral Woods and through the dying red leaves of Red Fern Forest. The cold wind had nipped at his coat throughout the journey, reminding him with urgency that winter was soon to be upon them and that any successful hunts made now could mean life or death in just a few short weeks. Once upon a time, he would have had to skirt the territory of Magnolia Glen - perhaps even confront them over rights to the elk herd, but those days were long behind them. He hesitated only a moment at what used to be their pack borders before boldly crossing to continue his pursuit. He had told @Aponi where he was going, but he did not want to be gone more than a few days, so time was of the essence and he could not waste time being respectful over boundaries to a pack that had long since vanished into the surrounding woods.

The signs of the herd were strong - broken branches, missing foliage, droppings. By the time the dull rumble of water reached his ears, Serach was closing in on locating his quarry and actually seeing just how many beasts were in their number. But it had been nearly two days now with little rest, and his throat was scratchy from the wind. Satisfied that he was close enough to pick up the trail again, he followed the sound of the water to Secret Falls, a place he knew from his diplomacy trip to Hearthwood River to see @Kisla.

He emerged from the wood near the base of the falls, where the sound of the water was loud and the spray blocked much of his view. But it did not block his nose, and before he could look for a place to take a drink, he was aware that he was not alone. "Hello?" he called, his voice loud and competing with the sound of the water behind him. "I know you're there!" It wasn't a challenge, but a statement. Serach was happy to leave whatever wolf alone so long as they were willing to do the same.

Ah! Thanks Shadow! Should be fun!

She hadn't been paying attention, given that she was preoccupied with wallowing in self-pity (an oddly addictive feeling) and quenching her thirst, and so she didn't hear the initial call. She couldn't respond if she didn't catch it. Only when the sharp "I know you're there" hit her ears did Lena suddenly stiffen, staggering backwards from the water's edge as if she was worried some great brute would come barrelling up behind her to shoulder tackle her straight into the water. That wasn't exactly what she wanted. Not that she would usually mind a splash around with a beefy, handsome fellow. It was just that there were probably better times, with perkier moods, where flirting would roll off her tongue as if water from a duck's back.

She squinted as she glanced around awkwardly, trying to spot the wolf who left her shaken with his cryptic statement. Had she trudged onto some kind of hallowed ground, a territory that belonged to wolves who were less than friendly? Surely she would have noticed the scent ... she wasn't that absent minded, was she? She looked it, all prickly and wide-eyed, ears folded back as her tail wagged in the air anxiously; I'm friendly, okay?

"Me?," came her response as she frowned. Lena swallowed the lump in her throat--she was more than a little bit frazzled. "I mean, I'm just makin' sure. Y'know, in case yer mistakin' me for someone else. But, er, yeah. I'm here? I-I'm not tryin' to be hidden or nothin'!" Nonsense rambling in order to smooth over any mistakes she may have made. "I didn't notice the border" or "I'm sorry, I'm a bit daft sometimes" weren't great excuses.

There was no reply to Serach's first call, and for a split moment, he hesitated for calling out again with more confidence that there was, in fact, somebody else with him. The second call had its intended effect, and turning his head to look downstream to look towards the source of the noise. The voice - her voice - said she wasn't trying to hide, but Serach wasn't able to see her from where he was standing; too many trees blocked his view. Wanting to put a face to a voice and scent, he abandoned his place at the base of the Falls and moved downstream, picking his way through the trees. As he did so, he called out again in response to her own awkward question, "Unless there's somebody else here, I mean you." He had only smelled the one wolf, but with sound and sight impaired (at least by the base of the waterfalls), it wouldn't surprise Serach if there was another wolf nearby who had not roused to his call.

The fog generated by the spray of the falls dissipated quickly, and as Serach made his way towards the sound, he grew increasingly confident that it was just the one wolf. She wasn't that far away either - just a minute or so and just far enough downstream that the water was a little quieter and the sounds of Secret Falls were a little more dull. She was lean, compared to Serach's well-fed physique. Probably a lone wolf, he thought as he approached. "Didn't mean to scare ya, just wanted to make sure we wouldn't bump into each other by surprise. These Falls are known for playing tricks on people." He had never experienced it first hand, but his pack mates had told him the rumors about the falls. "I've been tracking an elk herd for my pack. You haven't seen any signs of them, have you?" Maybe he would get lucky and his quest would be completed early.

Lena winced sightly, once more peering over her shoulders. Was she the only one here? She took a deep sniff, filling her lungs to the brim and then some, only to splutter at her exhale -- too much air! "Hhhhhh!" Out came her wheezing huff, before she cleared her throat to call out in response. "I think it's just me!"

... wait ...

"Probably shouldn't have said that out loud," she muttered.

Too late for regrets now. A figure slowly appeared against the backdrop of trees and fog, creamy and pale. Like a ghost. Except ghosts didn't talk in full sentences, and they certainly didn't warn wolves about the dangers of falls that cast illusions on those ill-fortuned enough to idly stumble into them. Lena threw up a cautious smile, tail still wiggling behind her. "It's fine, I weren't really all that scared, y'know? Y'just ... caught me off guard, s'all. But cheers, I appreciate the concern." It was difficult to be as chipper as she usually was with the weight of having to go home empty handed on her mind. Worth trying to catch the Relic Lore Donatas still, regardless of one woman's words? It was difficult to approach -- misery had thrown her haphazardly across the room, and she'd wanted to run in shame.

"Elk? Erm, no. Sorry, not seen a single thing. Like, there's been the occasional deer or something, but nothing like elk. They're the big ones, right? If you want bigger than a deer, I think I saw a moose back south. Ain't sure, but I've never run so fast in my bloody life. Maybe that's too big, though ..." Moose were definitely scary, and you didn't want to get on the business end of a huge, beefy moose barrelling towards you at a surprisingly fast pace. With antlers like those, and feet that big, they'd probably squish a wolf in a moment! "Sorry, ramblin'. If you need help finding the herd, though, maybe I can lend a nose? It's ... not like I got much else to do at the moment. I'm kind of at a loose end, maybe it'd do me good to focus on somethin' else. S'what my pops said. You, er, don't have to say "yeah" though."

She seemed uncertain, and Serach couldn't blame her. Meeting strangers, especially as they had, always came with a risk. But he wagged his tail in her response to her own, and his lips pulled upwards into a wry smile that he hoped was reassuring enough to demonstrate that he really didn't mean her any harm. He dipped his head in silent acknowledgment of her thanks, although he wasn't entirely sure he believed that she hadn't been scared by his sudden presence and yelling. I would have been, he mused to himself as she answered his question about the elk. It had been too much to ask, he knew, but he couldn't help but smile as she rambled on. Definitely young, he thought.

"Yeah, they're the big ones," he affirmed, answering her question about the moose. Moose were doable, but only with the right set of wolves. Remembering the moose than had run rampant through Oak Tree Bend's territory when @Sahalie and @Drift were still just puppies, he decided that it was worth continuing his trek to track down the elk instead. They were big, but certainly less so than the giant beasts that were moose. "I've got a big pack to feed, so yeah, we need something a bit bigger than a deer," he told her. "Smart of you to run from the moose though. They don't normally hurt wolves, especially if you're not hunting them, but you never know when they're feeling ornery." Wasn't that the truth?

He smiled at her offer to join him, and after taking a moment to think about it, he nodded his head in agreement. The Bend leader really didn't have much to lose, after all. This had been a tracking mission - they wouldn't certainly not be trying to hunt anything together. "Sure, I'd appreciate that. I was following the trail of a herd that passed by near here when I decided to take a break and grab a drink," Serach explained, shifting his body forward towards Lena. Walking passed her, he approached the water's edge and dipped his head to drink. He hadn't actually done that part yet. "Ready to go?" He asked her when he was finished, lifting his head and looking back towards the way he had come. "I'm Serach Donata, by the way. I'm the leader of the Oak Tree Bend pack down south of here."

"S'what my pops said. Moose are mean an' unpredictable, so it's better to move on than risk it." She frowned ever-so-slightly, pursing her lips thoughtfully. What was he doing right now?

She didn't dwell on it for long, smiling as the older wolf, with his oddly youthful features, agreed to take her up on her offer; she'd help him track the elk he sought. Lena had hunted before, obviously. When she was young, she remembered watching her family and pack mates rush after prey, teeth pinching the skin of its rear in an attempt to stagger its rhythm and bring it down. Her dad always loved running, and he loved really alive whenever he was chasing down food. "Well, hope we can find 'em again. An' I hope you can feed yer pack well soon." Part of her wanted to chime in with a would I be allowed to take a piece, or is that too cheeky. Of course she wouldn't! She was a loner, and the pack wolves would have set her ... well, packing.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Lena nodded and lowered her chest down to stretch out, preparing for what she assumed would be a long walk--she hadn't seen any elk, after all, so there was no telling where they were. It was in this mid-stretch posture that she practically choked on her own tongue, scrambling upright and staring at him head on. "What did you say yer name was?" Her voice was a squeak, eyes wide with stunned awe. "Serach Donata?" Leader of Oak Tree Bend?

A million things sprang to mind. Woah. Woah! Wait. Why had that woman lied? What am I supposed to do now? Ohmigosh, ohmigosh! This is my uncle ... I think -- the one old man spoke about. He hardly looks like my dad. But Donata. He's Donata. I'm Donata! Only one thing escaped her lips, a whisper; "Are ... you're my uncle?"

Yellow green eyes widening in shock, Serach stared dumbfounded at this girl. Mere moments before she had stood before him as a stranger, somebody he would more than likely forget about once their quest to seek out the elk herd had ended. But his introduction had started something, although as he watched her struggle to squeak out words, he wasn't entirely sure what it was. It set him on edge, and he instinctively drew back a step. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, but he mustered up enough to reply to her question. "Yes...that's what I said," he confirmed his identity. Why does it matter?

She answered that questions moments later, when she managed to push out a whisper so quiet Serach doubted he would have heard her if his attention wasn't laser-focused on her at that moment. It was a question that created more confusion than it alleviated, and Serach could only stare quietly at the girl in front of him. He didn't recognize her - not even a little bit. She was pretty, but her tawny coat and grey-green eyes were fairly unremarkable as far as markings went. They were certainly not the signature markings of the Tainn family. "I might be," he finally replied after studying her long enough to reassure himself that he really did not know who this girl was. That didn't make her wrong though - he was definitely an uncle to more than a few young wolves who walked these woods. "Are you one of Kisla's?"

That made the most sense to him as Hearthwood River wasn't that far from here. But she did not smell like his sister, nor the larger River pack and he found himself questioning again. Fenru had children as well, but that was a larger stretch. Still, it was worth asking, "Or perhaps Fenru is your father?" His heart skipped a beat at the possibility; it had been so long since the oldest of Corinna's boys had made an appearance in Relic Lore that Serach would be content with hearing how he was through his daughter.

It mattered. It mattered so much.

"No", came her breathless reply. She was not one of Kisla's, but that opened a whole new realm of possibilities. More family. Far spread in this land. More ties to wolves she did not know, but was desperate to forge relationships with. But that wording ... one of Kisla's. This woman had children, Lena had cousins.

"Not Fenru," came her second response. More overwhelming information that left her feeling like her brain was frying, like everything under her skin was hot. All she could do was sit there for a moment, soak in the short responses Serach had given her and try to find the mental function to actually reply. But, goodness, it was all so sudden. All so ... exciting! And terrifying! And intimidating! But heart warming! She swallowed thickly, glancing down at her toes before her muted green eyes settled back on the pale wolf before her. She had lost her courage, if only for a moment. Get a grip, she scolded herself. Just say it.

She took the leap. What could possibly go wrong? Well, a lot, really. Perhaps the two brothers had ended their relationship on a sour note. That would have been impossible! From what she had been told, her father had simply left. But of course, perhaps that would have built up bad blood. It didn't matter, the doubts came too late. She took the leap."I'm Sceral's second daughter. Lena." The adolescent offered a sheepish sort of smile, the kind that portrayed a meek hello. She felt like she was in a whirlwind, as if she had been thrown into the air faster than she could process. Would it hurt when she came crashing back down?And would it hurt Serach, too?

"I've been lookin' for his family -- uh, my family. But that woman! She said she leads Oak Tree Bend. She said there weren't any Donata wolves in her pack. I was gonna give up." Silence settled quietly for a moment before she nudged it once more. "But she lied."

Her "no" was like an electrical pulse straight to Serach's heart. Despite physical limitations, he could have sworn it had started to beat even faster - the dull thud like a thunderstorm in his ears. Not Kisla's...that had to mean Fenru, his brain connected the dots and before he had truly time to process, or register the second no, his tail had begun to wag and a broad smile began to appear on his pale face. But the thunderous noise in his ears did not sufficiently block Lena's words, and her negative response - she was not one of Fenru's left Serach frozen as his body, heart, and mind competed for expressive control.

A half formed smile still on his face, the Bend leader's hind legs stopped their shaking and gave out. Less than gracefully, Serach fell back onto his haunches, his eager tail now distinctly still. Slowly his face merged through the expressions of his emotions - fading from smile to befuddlement to irritated confusion. There was really only one possibility left, as far as he knew. @Aiyana was the only other Tainn-Donata likely to be alive, although, she wouldn't know I existed he realized as he stared at Lena.

Whatever game the girl had been playing by keeping the truth from him came to an abrupt end, although it was not clear to Serach how exactly he should respond. Sceral? Serach's own littermate, who had disappeared so long ago. The older of the two Donata brothers had long since accepted that his agemate was dead - just one more casualty to the cruel game mother nature played. But evidence to the contrary was standing right in front of him, and he had no idea how to respond. Meeting @Kisla's or @Fenru's offspring would have been a pleasure, but Serach had been able to get closure with each of them. They had not simply disappeared into the wood, only to return in the form of a tawny girl who had opened up a pandora's box of emotions.

"Sceral is dead," he responded, his voice dull. He knew it was a lie as soon as the words left his lips, but it was important that Lena understood just how extraordinary this moment was for him. She might have been floored by the coincidence of finding her uncle in a forest so large as Relic Lore, but discovering a believed dead brother's progeny was even more extraordinary. "Start from the beginning. All of it. Where is he now? What happened? Why didn't he come back?" He tone booked no argument, but it occurred to him that she had not stopped speaking after her introduction. "And what do you mean you met the leader of Oak Tree Bend?"