Oak Tree Bend i want to go home

It was with some food in her belly, and a long rest she continued her journey south. Her wounds were turning into scars, and hair was starting to cover most of them up. But the Aquila hadn't had to travel too far to know something was wrong. There was a new scent in the air despite the snow. One she did not recognize, and hurt her nose. Fear wanted her to rush to the Bend, to her family. To the trouble, but she forced herself to be careful. She had thought home would be a safe haven but now...she might just need to save her energy because she had no idea what she was up against. She was still quite thin, and weak.

Tall blackened trees began to greet her. The further into the woods the more there were. Scorched, and withered unlike anything she'd ever seen. Many of their limbs were broken, and some had succumb to their wounds and fallen completely. Every dark hair stood on end. What had done this? It wasn't just winter.

"Mother!" She called, hurriedly pushing to the border. Fighting her way through the debris afraid what she might find. "Serach!" Panic crept into her chest, and tears began to cloud her vision. MABEL!" She couldn't smell any of them. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. Frantic, she rushed to the den. "AYLA! CORSAIR!" She screamed in fear, her eyes frantically scanning from one edge of the woods to another. This hadn't just happened.... Unknowing to her, her body began to tremble as she continued sifting through the snow for a clue. It was with some reluctance she began to dig away at the den hoping she didn't find anybody because of what that would mean.

(This post was last modified: Dec 01, 2018, 02:14 AM by Lila. Edit Reason: typos )

I havent posted in so long, please excuse while I remember how to write lol

It was a sort of nostalgia that had brought Mako back to the lands of Relic Lore all those months ago. It was his first home, and whatever strings of fate that were twisted around his paws had tugged him back. But something had held the male back from returning to the all-too-familiar forests of his birthplace, even though an itching sort of curiosity always sat in the back of his mind about what became of Oak Tree Bend. Maybe it was the poor terms his mother had left on, or the thought that him and his blood did not truly belong there.

Whatever it was, it was an itch he could no longer resist scratching. The journey down was uneventful, but as Mako neared his destination it quickly became apparent that something wasn't right. The land seemed deathly still and the thick borders of scent that had once marked this place were missing. Even with the leafless trees and heavy shroud of snow coating everything, it was easy to see the destruction that had been wrought. Blackened scars traced along gnarled stumps, charred boughs blocked familiar paths, bared stones were covered in soot. He felt his throat tighten and eyes water, as if by the ghost of the fire itself.

He moved numbly through the forest, not knowing what he had expected to find here, but certainly not this. With how quiet everything was, it was hard to miss the panicked screaming that rang out through the lifeless wood. Mako's heart dropped, missing a beat before stuttering into a frantic staccato. Before he could think much more about it he was racing towards the voice, paws punching through the snow. He vaguely noticed that he was nearing the densite, or what used to be, but most of his thoughts were spiraling around with worry for whoever was wailing. He skidded to a stop, chest heaving as wide amber eyes cast around the densite for the problem before settling on a single trembling wolf pawing and pacing. 


"What's wrong? Are you okay?!" Mako blurted out as he raced to her side.

<33 no worries i know that feeling >.<

Recklessly she tossed snow behind her in her search. Where was the opening?! How the hell had she forgotten? It had to be here. A strained whine built in her throat as she continued to dig while sadness fell and anger began to rise. She should have been here. Why had she ever left? Stupid.stupid. Images of Azra and Kisina caused her to try another spot. Eventually she might realize they were not little cubs. That they would have been just as able to run from whatever this black monster was.

A wicked disease? No,no. Her mother would have told her about something like this. Grinding her teeth, she kept wracking her brain. But she was having trouble deciphering what was coming through her nose let alone what was coming to her. She did not hear the young man until he was right there. Flinching, her head jerked up. Almost hopeful. But he wasn't her family or any of the members she knew. She couldn’t hide the disappointment, pain and anguish so she didn’t try. Her face was soaked by it and the stupid snow.

"No," she shakily answered, hating the quake in her voice. Unable to hold his bright eyes, she turned back, hurriedly trying to remove more snow from the den. She had to be sure.

“My family’s suppose to be here...” She insisted, while attempting to find her commanding tone. Though nothing could hide the plea and her desperation to wake up from this nightmare.

(This post was last modified: Dec 15, 2018, 05:48 PM by Lila.)

Mako's eyes widened even further when the girl finally noticed him, a choked answer of 'no' given to his question. He didn't know the girl at all, even though there was something slightly familiar about those grey-blue eyes. But he didn't have long to linger on it before she turned away from him, back to her frantic search.


"Your... family?" The words fell dumbly from his lips, the wheels of his mind turning as he steadily pieced things together. Mako wasn't much of a detective, but when everything lined up this way it was hard to ignore. She looked about his age. She was in Oak Tree Bend. "Oh." He murmured again, brows deeply furrowed as he watched her dig and scurry. Looking for... "A-Aponi? She's- She's-- You're--" He sputtered, old, practically buried memories swirled in his thoughts. "Lila?" He finally managed to say. His eyes flicked around to the charred yet frozen scenery with new understanding.

He seemed surprised by it. This place wasn't much to look at now, but it use to be. She merely nodded, finally getting to the mouth of the den as this time she wasn't met with resistance. She wasn't paying him much mind until he said her mother's name. Shocked, she withdrew from her task, looking at him face to face. How did he know that? Suspicion furrowed her brow but she couldn't demand him to explain it all. He seemed uncertain himself. Yet he spit her name out and the dots began to click. Her face softened.

"Mako?" He had eyes similar to his mother too. Amber. His coat lacked color much like her own where the Tainns had had snippets of brown. Still it was strange to see him all grown. He was not the small pup she had a picture of in her mind but he was. There was some form of relief she wasn't alone despite how much time had passed.

There was also a little worry.

Did he hate her? Her mother? She forced her eyes shut momentarily to push tears back, almost wanting to laugh at herself for even having the idea right now. But the sound wouldn't come out. Of all the times she thought she might meet the other "pups of the Bend" it had to be like this. "Do you...do you know what this is?" Much as she didn't want to look again her attention turned to the ruined woods.

(This post was last modified: Dec 20, 2018, 08:04 PM by Lila.)

Mako stared, and then waited for it to sink in. He could see the eventual recognition mixed with the pain already painted plainly across her dark face. If there was any bad blood left between them, it paled in the current situation. With distance and time, he understood what Aponi had done, understood that his mother was not quite right, that things had been blown out of proportion. It still hurt that all of it had ended up with him being taken from his childhood home. But Mako wasn't one for grudges, and Lila needed help now. Whatever was in the past was behind them.

Her question tugged at his heart and it broke for her, did she not know? This had been his home once, too. But his family was far from here, away from the destruction that had been wrought on Oak Tree Bend. He'd never seen a fire himself, but he knew the stories of hungry tongues of light devouring entire forests, and had seen the charred aftermath in his travels beyond the Lore. 

Mako winced and pulled his gaze off to the side, unable to face her as he spoke. "A fire," He answered with a grimace. He hazarded a glance at her from the corner of his eye before returning his attention to a blackened tree trunk. Glaring into the darkened wood as if he would find any answers there. "They would have...They must have escaped." He tried, knowing deep in his heart that he didn't know whether that was true or not. Maybe he was selfish, or weak, but he couldn't handle telling the distressed girl otherwise.

His silence made her heart sink further. He knew but he didn't seem to want to say. Looking at the aftermath did that mean they weren't safe here? No. She felt if the black stuff would have harmed them that would have been his first concern.

When the single word fell from his lips nothing came to memory. There would have been a few of the Bend who could have told her, but there'd never been reason. She attempted to repeat it, but instead gulped it back. If she couldn't say the word she couldn't even begin to ask him what that was. How it had done this.

Maybe she didn't want to know. The damage was done and it was clear nothing stood a chance against it. Closing her eyes, she attempted to sweep back another wave of sorrow, just enough.

It helped when he spoke again. Drawing her from dark thoughts. She brought her eyes to him, wanting to believe it. Needing to believe it. There was a glimmer of hope that wanted to rise. Because though her senses were still slow coming back the smell of death she feared the most wasn't there. She needed to think of this with her mind. Aponi was a strong woman, and Serach had remained by her side. They would have been capable of running...all of them.

"You're probably right," she managed to murmur her voice still dry and small. It would be better to think that way until proven otherwise because it was clear she was already past the amount she could handle.

Where would they have gone? The thought was overwhelming. Another search she wasn't prepared for mentally or psychically. Again she forced herself to think. She had come from the north so she figured that was likely out. Would they have went over the mountain? Kyna lived somewhere over there.

Taking in a deep breath, steadying herself, she gestured to formidable mountain itself. "Ever been over it?" Just the thought of scaling it now made her feel sick.

(This post was last modified: Jan 06, 2019, 06:20 AM by Lila.)