Lost Lake fine and natural sight

early morning, scattered clouds 15.8° F            
For @Chan

aleister vuesain

everybody's dancing in the moonlight

The rogue was back from his short excursion away from the lake in hopes of discovering more of what happened with the Lore and if there were any other souls around. Aleister did meet a few others during his scouting trip, however, he didn't discover anymore news on what could have possibly drove everyone away. Coyotes he was sure to be to blame, though he would of thought everyone would have banded together to get rid of the vermin. Apparently he thought too highly of them.

Having greeted Neha earlier, he set off by himself to go scout and reinforce their new borders. If the small band was going to make this work, they needed to make sure the borders were well enough marked and secure. He would rather avoid another incident like up in Vigils Keep when they were trespassed upon. These lands meant more to him than the Turtleback lake lands ever would, so he wasn't going to allow that to happen again under his nose. Trotting along the pebble littered shoreline, the dark agouti male headed for the treeline to start securing their borders even further just as the dawn sun started to make an appearance upon the valley.

Chan was on his way back to the pack's den, having done his work to shape the land back to what it had been while the moon reigned over the sky. There was plenty of work to be done, and they were far from being able to call themselves a proper pack, but the Eastfall had no qualms about the time it was taking. They needed to earn this, he could feel that in his bones.

Spotting Aleister on his way to bed, Chan detoured to approach the other man. He let loose a soft woof to greet the Vuesain.

"Mornin'. Mind if I walk with ya?"

CHAN EASTFALL

aleister vuesain

everybody's dancing in the moonlight

Aleister was not the most demonstrative wolf in the world, but when the young lookalike called out to him, a soft smile tugged on his ebony lips. Not at all, he replied, his mistmatched gaze running over the younger male to make sure nothing was amiss. With the small band intending to live together for a long time, the rogue wanted to make sure he knew as much as he could about his further packmates. Though, he had to admit he hadn't set aside the time to just that. But, looks like now might be the time. How have you been, Chan?

Once welcomed to, Chan fell into pace next to the older man. Initially he let his shoulder and flank bump against Aleister's in nonverbal affirmation of their comradery. He was a creature very at ease with using body language to communicate, and did so often with most other wolves.

"Well enough," he answered with a smile. "How'd your scouting trip go? Find out anything useful?"

He hadn't had the chance to really touch base yet with anyone other than @Nash, who was often with him anyways. When they had more bodies and everything was established, it would become easier to keep track of the pack, but as it was their interactions were necessarily sparse, at least for Chan who often scouted.

CHAN EASTFALL

aleister vuesain

everybody's dancing in the moonlight

Welcoming his shoulder bump with a low rubble in his chest, he let his banner sway happily behind him as they fell instep with one another. The Vuesain littermates had much in common with the Eastfall siblings. Where some may question a possible rivalry with each having a paw in the pot for rightful heir of the Lake, Aleister felt it brought the band closer in spite of it. They each had the same intentions, make their parents proud. Unfortunately, nothing useful aside from these lands being mostly deserted still. He replied with a soft sigh, wishing he had real answers as to why nobody was around anymore. Even the stronger packs seemed to have left without a trace. I did meet a few other loners along the way, but nothing too notable. The ebony cloaked woman did linger on his mind however. So, when did you take your first trip away from the Lore? The rogue asked, wondering if his thoughts were true that they were more similar than appearances.

(This post was last modified: Jan 21, 2021, 10:55 PM by Aleister.)

Damn, Chan thought to himself, but let go of the slight disappointment quickly. Maybe next time they would find something, and at least wolves seemed to be returning. Eventually, someone would come back who knew something, right? Or heard something...

He didn't expect the conversation to turn onto him; no one had really asked him that specific question before, but the answer came easily to his tongue.

"I was like 8," he told Aleister, clearly speaking in months. "I just, didn't want to turn around and then eventually I didn't know where I was anymore. I loved it, but man I'll never forget my mom's face when I finally found my way back..."

He could remember the guilt just as vividly as the excitement, but he couldn't say it had truly tempered his wanderlust...

"Why do you ask?"

CHAN EASTFALL

aleister vuesain

dancing in the moonlight

Sharing the same sentiment, though the disappointment couldn't keep them from trying to find the answer. Whether or not they would find it was a mystery. Instead, each of them needed to keep looking forward to the future ahead. Though, it wouldnt hurt to look out for the possible dangers of the past.

His gaze lingering upon the younger man's face while he answered, his words confirming his suspicions. Because, I had a feeling you and I are more similar than we first thought, he answered, a soft tug on his lips when he glanced back at his companion. Wanderlust had been apart of me since birth and never truly left me. I've traveled to so many places and met so many different wolves. But, I... I had missed so much here, he went on to explain with a grimace washing over his features. I missed too much because of it. I remember my mother and father's face when I first came back. I thought for sure my father was going to tear into me for leaving and being gone for so long. But they welcomed me back with so much love. I repaid them with leaving again. Eventually, the guilt caught up and I couldn't face them again for the fact I knew I failed them as a son. Harboring the guilt led to so many sleepless nights and pained days, he couldn't imagine feeling that again. I found my sister on accident, which made me realize how much I truly fucked up. And I made a vow to her that I would never abandon her side. I realize now how much I needed her to guide me and how much she needed me. No matter how much it pulls at you, the wanderlust, never let it make you leave your brother all alone. Will you promise me that?

(This post was last modified: Jan 22, 2021, 03:14 AM by Aleister.)

Chan hitched an eyebrow and asked amiably, "oh yeah?", initially entertained by the notion. Then the conversation turned a bit more serious than he'd been anticipating in the moment, and he found his steps slowing. Certain words stuck out from Aleister's sentences, miring themselves in the Eastfall's mind like burrs. He could empathize with much of what the other man was saying, but as a promise was asked of him, Chan found himself conflicted.

His stopped and faced Aleister, brows drawn together.

"... you think they thought you failed them?" he asked, needing clarification on this point first. It mattered for multiple reasons to Chan, even if it didn't necessarily have anything to do with Nash.

CHAN EASTFALL

aleister vuesain

lyrics can go here if u want

The rogue didnt mean for the...word vomit per say, but he wanted to try to pass on some wisdom to the younger man who may share his same wandering traits. Not that the boy had to take any of his words to heart. He surely wasn't his father and Chan could make his own decisions. The guilt that riddled him for years, he just wanted to try to not let it happen to a nice kid like him. What he took from the conversation was up to him.

I wasn't there to learn from my parents. I wasn't there for my father when my mother first got sick and I wasn't there when my mother took her last breath. I was too late. He answered, his ears floating against his skull as his mismatched gaze looked off into the distance. I'd say I was every bit of a failure to them then.

Again the other man's words resonated strongly with Chan, and this time uncomfortably so. Tagg's last breath had apparently been spent telling @Nash that he was proud of them all. At least that's what his brother had told him, and Chan had no reason to doubt the other Eastfall's integrity. So why did this gnaw at him so fiercely?

"Did... did they ever say differently?" he asked after a moment's pause. The subject was clearly tender for them both, but Chan would pursue it as long as Aleister continued to oblige him. By every right, if the Vuesain child had failed his family, then so had Chan. What was the difference in their stories? Simply age? Is this where Chan would be in two year's time?

CHAN EASTFALL