Drooping Willows smithereens

for @Sven and @Ravenna only please - i would also like to keep this short & sweet <3

Greer had spent his whole life in the Lore. Grown up among the low-hanging willows that engulfed the forest. Made the trek up and down the mountain more times than he could count. Gone north with his sister and helped her forge a pack of her own. Left the north to seek out the scarlet woman that had stolen his heart—a wolf he had known since his youth. Four children later and Greer had never been happier. But the mountain had grown stagnant. The well-travelled couple had become restless. It had become time for them to continue their story elsewhere. 

But there was something he needed to do first.

He stood at the edge of the Ridge territory, his lips curled into a soft frown as he studied the familiar surroundings. It was strange being back in the forest—especially after everything that had happened. But he could not leave without informing their neighbours. His birth pack. His family.

Tilting his nose to the sky he called for Sven and Ravenna.

It was a surprise to hear Greer's voicing calling for them, but not an unwelcomed one. He did have to wonder, as he peeled himself away from the side of his paramour and children, how many others would be with him, however. It seemed the Heights always traveled as a pack. Yet when Sven arrived at the territory's edge, he could only see and smell his uncle; even Kyna was missing, and that was quite a bit of a relief. Maybe the interaction would actually go well, for once.

Of course, that all depended on what Greer was here to tell them. While the man didn't look panicked or torn, he still looked far from happy. Though, Sven had seen the wolf smile precious few times in his whole life. Still, he felt compelled to ask, concern faintly tinting his silver eyes into a murkier shade as his head tilted toward the side.

"Didn't lose one of this year's batch, did ya?"

and with a spark its going to be

Ravenna certainly couldn't have been more than a few minutes away from following Sven's trail when the call of her brother unexpectedly moved throughout the trees of her willowy forest home. When she arrived she paused at the sight of him, stiffened with a fight in herself. She wanted so much to rush over to him as she had time and time again, hugging him and licking, waving her tail wildly... But the last few times she had seen her brother had been far from pleasant and to this day even after it had been known that the leader of Willow Ridge or any of its members had nothing to do with the kidnapping of his daughter, she had still not heard of any kind of apology for their obvious lack of trust and respect to both their family members and what should have been their allies. She had heard so word from Aurora Geights since the mistake, actually, until now. Until unknowingly her brother was packing up and leaving.

"Greer... Hey." Was what she finally managed to get out then, unfreezing herself to move closer and to stand at the side of Sven. After months of no contact with her brother or anyone in his ranks (perhaps they had been smart to avoid them) it was a true wonder of why he had come to visit this day.

the biggest fire they've ever seen

The shadow actually smiled at his pale nephew’s question—a rare, almost unheard of, response from the stoic Archer. He was trying to keep the mood light as he did not want any more beef with his relatives before he left the Lore behind. Greer was not sure how long the family would be gone for but he wanted to make amends, or at least attempt to, before departing. He flashed another small smile in the direction of his younger sister at her arrival, his tail swaying slowly behind him. He remained quiet for a moment, his mercury gaze flitting between the two. Aurora Heights no more, he started, getting straight to the point. Greer Archer was not the type to beat around the bush; he was blunt and honest, a trait that would never leave him no matter where he went. Greer-family and subordinates leave. Not sure where-go. He shrugged. New mountain, maybe. A new kingdom for the mountain couple to rule. Greer never apologize. Greer knew not Sven, but Greer and Heights scared. Not think. He wasn’t good at apologies. Or speaking. Greer want to apologize before leave. Not want grudge. He blinked, his mercury gaze lingering on his pale sister. Return one day.

(This post was last modified: Sep 05, 2018, 12:55 AM by Greer.)

As Ravenna arrived at his side, unusually hesitant but understandably so, Sven leaned lightly into her shoulder as a silent hello. Speaking of the rarity of smiles, Greer gifted them with two. So things were definitely not wrong... was he finally here to patch up the unspoken tears between himself and his family? Instead of lowkey alarmed, this began to just feel... weird.

Especially when the words finally came, and Greer started it the way he did.

Moving? That didn't make sense to Sven, as far as he knew the Heights' numbers were fine. The land was still sustainable, so why? Certainly it was, in a way, a good thing; the farther away Greer's wife, the less often she could piss off the Ridge and vice versa.

Then came the apology, awkward as words always were on the shadow's tongue. It was different from when @Enoki had shown her remorse, was far less touching, especially so long after everything, but still important to have been said. Sven nodded once in acknowledgement; he didn't have a lot to say about it all, but he figured of all people, Greer would appreciate that.

"Why go?" was what he then asked, in regards to the Heights' move.

(This post was last modified: Sep 18, 2018, 10:25 PM by Sven.)

There is a deer carcass being picked over by three coyotes. They spot you and become territorial of their kill.

and with a spark its going to be

Sven's silent hello with a touch had her moving the same, pressing her side to his own before side shifting and taking a step closer to her dark brother. He smiled to them, waving his tail and happy so it was obvious the visit was not an I'll one. At least not for him.

As a moment of silence passed he told them that Aurora Heights was no more. Concern touched her features. Had they fallen in members? Had disaster struck? Perhaps not if Greer did not seem upset. They were simply moving but the pack didn't know where too exactly yet. Something told her that if they didn't have a location in mind then it spjldt likely not been in Relic Lore, given the fact that Greer had lived both far south and far north here and likely his restless paws craved a change.

He apologized then for what had happened, long overdue of course but perhaps he thought best said so no strings were left untied before he left. What had happened had let Ravenna know her place when it came to the Heights wolves but now she supposed it didn't matter - the heights wolves were no more.

The frown was obvious on Ravenna's face even after Greer said he would return again and even though if was goodbye or wasn't forever. But Ravenna of all wolves knew how unpredictable life was. Ravenna remained silent, listening to Sven's question, ears perked in obvious wonder herself...

the biggest fire they've ever seen

Neither Sven or his little sister acknowledged his apology verbally but that was enough for Greer. He had offered his sincere apology and knew that, despite the delay, they appreciated his words. Hopefully, if the mountain wolves returned to the land of Lore, there would be no need for future apologies and that both packs could live in harmony (the way things should have been). But he did not know how soon they would return. Or if they would. It was dependent on what they found beyond the Lore. What else the world had to offer for them. He had seen the majority of Relic Lore in his four years; there was nothing left for him to see. The mountain, while he had become a home to him and his family, had grown stale to the Archer Argyris’. They wanted more. 

Sven’s question did not come as a surprise and it appeared Ravenna seemed keen on a response from her older brother as her lips remained drawn tight. Paws itchy, he mused, his tail flicking idly behind him. See more. A shrug. Need change. For both his and Kyna’s sanity. 

His reason was incredibly simple, and would've made Sven's lip curl if he hadn't already known Greer to have wanderlust in him. The Archer would maybe never be able to understanding uprooting an entire pack because you were bored, but he had long ago accepted that he didn't have to understand. And so Sven merely nodded, accepting the few words as they were.

"Well, stay safe. Visit if you're ever back around."

It was, really, all he could think to say. He was thankful at least that Greer wasn't disappearing into the night, like so many others liked to do. Other than that, well, he and his uncle had never had an exceptionally close relationship, even this past year aside. It would be Ravenna who was more likely to be affected by the absence of her sibling than anything. His silver eyes trained on her, awaiting her response.

and with a spark its going to be

There was no dire reasoning for the Aurora Heights wolves to leave their home. No treat from another pack, no lack of prey or influx of predators (other then the annoying coyote) but it was simply that their paws were itchy and they wanted change. It was a concept Ravenna could understand, granted much of her family were wanderers, explorers, creators of their own families and packs. Though Ravenna herself perhaps was an odd ball in that sort. Greer was loyal to his wolves, not his homeland, much like Morganna, Skoll and Niles. Ravenna was loyal to both the wolves and the soil which they found comfort it and had so for generations.

Then, after a moment and after Sven spoke and turned his attention to her, Ravenna stepped forward closer. "Don't let yourself be gone forever, okay?" She kept moving closer, close to where then she could touch the top of her chest to his and lay her head down around his shoulder/nape. "I love you brother." Of course she still did, despite it all, which is really much more then she could say for any of her other brothers- Two of which she never met, one she barely knew, another she distrust and one she despised.

After a moment or two, offering him time to speak of he so wished, she then steps back, allowing him to go and she would watch him do so.

the biggest fire they've ever seen