Turtleback Lake And clearly I don't see myself upon that list

@Inna if you have time and would make sense for her to go this far!

As a runner and soldier with The Bloodbreakers, Mace had quite a bit of privilege. He was often given some amount of priority at kill sites, and he was able to seek the counsel of the higher ups without much consequence. He could speak his mind if he so chose, though the Attaya was more of a listener than that. A man of action with little avarice, even if he had the means to be greedier than he was. But as a lone wolf, Mace could only hope to be so lucky, and the truth was that he simply wasn't. 

He was accustomed to hunting with a pack, and time alone traveling from the plains to the grand forest, and now traveling north and east from the mountains, had certainly taken their toll. He was leaner than he'd been in many years, likely since he was a yearling with hardly the means to provide for himself. The cold turn in the weather didn't help, and spring wasn't yet in full bloom. Prey wasn't yet wholly abundant. He noted that as he stalked a swift hare along the forest lining Turtleback Lake, a locale he knew nothing of.

The hare was in good health, a strong animal. Far from Mace's first choice, but also the only hare he could flush out. He stalked it with the wolf's natural grace and silence, and yet it was always seven steps ahead of him. The cat and mouse game was unwinnable. The Attaya knew it, and so did the hare, but still they went on, the hare darting away any time he tried to close on it, but showing no signs of immediate fear or flight. He could smell it, though, the natural fear of all prey animals, but this was not the stench of fear for its life.

That boldness was well earned, for even when Mace threw himself into a charge-and-lunge, the hare darted away effortlessly, and both of them knew he had lost. He slumped to his haunches with a sigh and stared wistfully across the still-icy lake surface at some bird or other far in the distance, and wondered how much easier hunting might be if he could just sprout wings and fly out there.

(This post was last modified: Apr 27, 2017, 12:40 AM by Mace.)

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She didn't really know what had struck her but Inna had left pack lands though she didn't plan to be gone too long. Maybe she just needed to get away and get some fresh air, get away from the crushing pressures that were at home. Or maybe she wanted one last adventure before she would have her children. Whatever her reason she found herself traveling at an easy pace across the land.

The ebony Baranski didn't know if she would be missed but she felt she needed this one last jaunt before the birth of her children. Her paws carried her further and further from her home without a specific destination in mind. She felt the fur along her back move in the wind and despite the cold she felt a little more exhilarated than she had in what seemed a long time. She also felt a little better than she had since returning from the trip that had left the tiny lives growing inside of her.

She'd been traveling for a few hours at least if not longer, the mother -to- be hadn't paid much attention. So much so she hadn't realized when she saw the lake come into view but something did catch her attention. It was the figure of another wolf as they chased after something. She was still too far off to take in the scent that would tell her what was being chased and the information she needed to know a little more about the wolf. They soon disappeared from sight so she continued on to the lake, by this time she'd grown rather thirsty.

She was a little surprised when she found the same wolf that had been chasing the small creature staring across the lake. She didn't say anything to him at first as she moved to the lake a safe distance from the man. Stepping up to the water she lowered her head to take some of it in. Once she had her fill she lifted her head and licked the excess water from her lips. “I hope I'm not Intruding I just really needed a drink.”

(This post was last modified: Apr 20, 2017, 06:23 AM by Inna.)

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The fowl out on the lake made no sounds that would identify it, and neither did Mace for a long while. His eyes were hazy and unfocused on the speck drifting across the glassy surface as his mind dredged up memories of the past, sudden unbidden thoughts to consume him. Often he would snap out of such a reverie, blinking and unsure of his location and unable to recall why he'd sunk into his mind in the first place. Try as he might to be a better wolf, the Attaya was haunted by his past mistakes, and those claimed him more often than he liked to admit, particularly when failures occurred.

This time, it was the arrival of someone unfamiliar that dragged his consciousness back to the present. The male shifted his neck and swung his broad muzzle in a slow arc, stopping at the height of it to point toward Inna's chest. His pale eyes were half-lidded as he observed her, as though he was still immersed in a daydream, and then he gave his head a shake and his vision cleared. The polite lay of his ears against his scalp felt almost natural now, but the caution of a loner's life remained and his guarded manner betrayed his nervousness.

For not only was Inna unfamiliar, but the rounding of her sides spoke of new life, and that branded her almost instantly as a wolf with a pack. After all, what loner bred when the stakes were so high? The younger woman's voice came to him then and after a heavy pause, Mace dipped his head and said, not at all. I was just... reminiscing. Then, because he wasn't the keenest on idle chatter and had a level of compassion and concern for potentially vulnerable wolves, Mace had to ask, do you live nearby?

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 12:17 AM by Mace.)

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It hadn't been planned for her to end up at Turtleback lake, she'd let her paws choose her path as she got lost in her thoughts. To be honest it wasn't really a good place for her to be as there were so many. Lorcan, her pups, family were all just the few things that she needed to figure out but Inna worried that she wouldn't be able to figure out the solutions to any of them. She hadn't been able to in Hearthwood so what made her think she could out on the open tundra.

When she caught sight of the wolf chasing down prey it was a welcome distraction from her thoughts. She was surprised to find him on the banks of the lake when she did finally arrive. He didn't seem to notice her at first so she went ahead and got a drink of water before she finally spoke. It probably wasn't the safest decision in her condition so she remained cautious in case she had to run. Inna watched as he turned his head towards​ her after she'd spoken but she wasn't entirely sure he saw her.

It was only after a shake of the and head did Inna believe he truly saw that she was there as his ears laid back. Then he finally spoke of reminiscing which caused her head to tilt slightly, “I suppose the lake can bring that on,” as peaceful as it was there and the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. It was one of those things that she has always enjoyed when she came to the lake. His question she supposed wasn't one that could really be avoided, “I do a few hours walking from here,” she answered with a smile, “What brings you to the lake? Are you just passing through?”

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 03:50 AM by Inna.)

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He could think of nothing to add, so nodded his agreement and left it at that. The sound of the lake water lapping against its shore was nothing like the rush of water from the rapids in his memory, but nevertheless, water had a profound effect on him and his psyche. It drew him back into himself and reminded him of childhood. Inna picked up on that so easily that his eyes roamed over her face briefly, seeking the telltale sign that she felt exactly the same as he did. Inna was young, probably half of Mace's age, but he got the sense from her that the water held a lot of sentimental value for her, too.

He wanted to say something about it, but his lips and mouth felt dry when he tried to conjure the words, and then the moment passed. Inna answered his question, and he lost his opportunity to connect. Putting the thought away for later, the burly black wolf settled on his haunches and turned his full attention to the pregnant young wolf as she bounced an inquiry back at him.

He licked his lips, rustled his shoulders, and answered, kind of. I'm sort of looking for something. Or... well, someone. The water reminded me of him. His lips lifted into a sentimental smile as he asked, have you lived in the area long?

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 10:24 PM by Mace.)

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The stillness of the lake was something that Inna wasn't used to, her home held a river that made a rushing sound. It could be heard throughout the forest if she just listened hard enough and while it was a comfort Inna also liked the peacefulness of the lake. When her head felt so full the rhythmic lapping helped to calm a lot of what was going on in her head. It wasn't a permanent solution​ but it was nice to get away from her worries for just a little bit. She still had a lot to work through but perhaps this little excursion could help her to sort through things. Being in Hearthwood only reminded her of what everyone thought of her and the problems between her and Lorcan, the worries of what would happen to her children. Sometimes it all seemed so much that all she could do is curl up in her den and hide from the world.

She didn't find it an odd question for him to ask if she was from the area, it was one that she had answered easily. A few hours walk was all it had taken but she planned to spend a little longer getting back home. She needed the time away before her pups were born and she wouldn't be able to get away. Inna had also decided to put her scout training on hold so that she could concentrate on her pups.

Out of polite curiosity Inna asked the man what he was doing at the lake. He wasn't just passing through like she had expected, instead he was looking for someone the water reminded him of. “Who are you looking for maybe I could help you find them?” She asked. Inna had met quite a few wolves since her return to Hearthwood after she'd gone on her adventure the previous year so she might have heard of the wolf he sought. “My whole life,” she replied when asked how long she'd lived in the area.

(This post was last modified: Apr 23, 2017, 11:33 PM by Inna.)

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Her whole life. Imagine that. Once upon a time, Mace might have proudly said the very same thing, but his pride hadn't factored in when he wandered off into the wilderness and didn't return for two and a half years. He wondered then if he had any claim to it whatsoever. He was proud of his name, but he wasn't sure he deserved to be. He'd all but abandoned it in pursuit of something else. Thinking back on it, the wayward man couldn't even name the thing that pulled him away. Her whole life, said Inna, and Mace felt a kinship in spite of his own failings in that regard.

Well, then, maybe you would know. He paused momentarily, shot a sheepish glance at his toes—he was so nervous all of a sudden, the possibility that Inna might know the wolves he was trying to find suddenly within his grasp—and then he began. My name is Mace Attaya. I was born in Darkwater Rapids to Kade and Ava Attaya. I'm trying to find my family, or my home. Hopefully both. But they've been gone a long time, I think.

So I'm trying to find the last tie I had to them. His name is Maksim and he leads the Cut Rock River pack. He was... a good friend to my family back then. And a man you surely let down at least once, if not twice, but he tried not to think of that. Maksim had saved Mace once. He'd never repaid the favour, and oh, how he would like to make that right. Have you heard of him, or his pack?

(This post was last modified: Apr 25, 2017, 01:14 AM by Mace.)

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For a moment the young Baranski wondered if she was supposed to have met the man, that perhaps it was all in some grand scheme. That maybe this was a way for her to collect some more of those pieces of herself. She thought that maybe by helping the man to find who he was looking for she could somehow grasp that part of herself that enjoyed helping others for the sake of helping them. She remembered when she had brought a she wolf to the pack so she wouldn't have to spend the winter on her own. That was the old Inna, the one she could be proud of, the one her parents would be proud of.

His comment about her knowing maybe knowing did pique her interest even more about who he was looking for. She tilted her head slightly in interest, if she knew the wolf he was looking for who could it possibly be. Her mind ran through the possibilities until he spoke first by introducing himself to her. His name was not one that she had heard but that wasn't what brought her ears forward. Darkwater Rapids was a pack that Lachesis had spoken of to her, he’d told her the story of what had happened. For a moment she wasn't sure she should say anything but then decided against it. Mace was looking for his family, she maybe having struggles with her’s but they were still important.”I have heard about Darkwater Rapids,” she stated quietly.

It was only as he went on with his story that she had to sit back on her haunches. This man, Mace knew her father before Cut Rock River? How was this even possible? Out of all the wolves in the she could have run into she had found one that had known her father. It was clear that he didn't know that Maksim had moved the pack and renamed it. His question brought her gaze to meet his, “I'm his daughter,” she spoke even quieter than she had before. It was the only thing she could say in that moment.

(This post was last modified: Apr 25, 2017, 02:25 AM by Inna.)

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She said the words he didn't think he could possibly hear: I've heard of Darkwater Rapids. A thrill danced up his spine as the realization that his dream was now closer to reality crashed over him, and his dark lips split into a broad grin. While he'd held out hope that someone might still exist in the Lore who knew of the Rapids and the Attayas, somber Mace was realistic enough to know it might never happen. Inna represented the key to answers he'd tentatively thought he might never receive, and he saw her all the more fondly for it.

What he hadn't expected was the reason for her having that knowledge. Mace might have guessed that Darkwater Rapids was just a former pack that was frequently talked about. A tragedy. A sore loss. He couldn't have imagined it was Maksim's own blood standing before him, a young woman who likely grew up on stories of that place, and what it previously meant to her father. Maksim had surely built his own empire in the time Mace had been away, but the Attaya man considered it the rebirth of the Rapids nonetheless.

I... wow, he said, speechless. His eyes narrowed marginally as he looked her over, taking her in more fully. Try as he might, Mace could see little resemblance to Maksim in the dark-haired young woman, but he had no reason to doubt her claim. Ever a man who believed in truth and honour, he took her at her word. I had no idea he had children. I'm... sorry I wasn't around for you like he was for me when I was young. He was like a second father. He hadn't owed that to Maksim, but it would've been one way to repay the grizzled Rapids veteran for what he'd done for the Attaya cubs. As it stood, Mace was like a foster son who never paid his debts. That weighed heavily on him now.

Can you tell me where he is now? Is he still at the river?

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She knew about Darkwater Rapids from when she and Lachesis had talked about her father. She knew of the food and how her father had formed Cut Rock River and then the move to Hearthwood. She had no idea she'd ever have run into anyone that knew about the pack. Inna didn't recognize the man's name but then Lachesis hadn't told her the names of any of the other wolves in the pack before the flood. She couldn't give Mace any more information regarding the rapids then what Lachesis had shared with her but perhaps she could give him the healers name if he was looking for more than what she could give.

Inna was left at a loss for words when Mace spoke of her father and Cut Rock River, she had never met anyone besides the wolves of Hearthwood that knew her father. She shifted her weight on her forepaws and let a sigh heave her swollen sides as she composed herself. Hearing her father's name from another's lips had been unexpected to say the least. She loved talking about her father but the man didn't know what had happened the year she'd been born. She never imagined that she would run into another wolf who had known her father from his time in Darkwater Rapids. Inna sometimes wondered if Maksim regretted moving the pack because of what had happened to Karina but that was something she would have to ask her mother for her father was no longer able to tell her.

For a long moment Inna didn't know what to do or say but she knew she would have to tell him the date her father suffered. Before she could say anything though Mace spoke once more of what her father had meant to him. A smile broke across her face as her gaze drifted out across the lake. “That sounds like my father,” she said the love and pride she had for Maksim clear in her tone. “He has five children,” she told as yet gaze went back to Mace, “I couldn't ask for a better man to be my father.” It was something she always believed and what made her look up to him if he was only a memory to her now.

Then Mace asked what she had been dreading, she would have to tell him the fate that had befallen her father. Her gaze went to her paws as she took a deep breath then she brought her gaze to meet his. “I'm sorry to have to tell you this but my father passed away last year, he now rests in a place called Lavender Ethos,” she said quietly a note of sadness in her tone. Inna didn't go on to allow the information to sink in.

(This post was last modified: Apr 27, 2017, 04:27 AM by Inna.)

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