Lost Lake Things can't get worse, can they?

All Welcome!

Archer

He'd searched everywhere. Everywhere he could think of, except here. He really hadn't wanted to climb the mountain in the snow, had really hoped his daughter hadn't done so, but maybe she'd suddenly decided to try finding her mother here? Could she even remember the way? How could she, having only been here once, so young? The Lost Lake wasn't the easiest thing to find - hence its name and why the Cove wolves had first found fit to make a home here.

But he needed to see if she'd come here seeking sanctuary. He didn't know why she'd gone but he was so incredibly scared. Archer needed to find her. He couldn't return back to the Backwater without her. He couldn't admit defeat, couldn't go home a complete and utter failure. He couldn't give up on his daughter.

He reached the borders and howled, hoping that perhaps he might soon see her bounding through the snowy brush toward him.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Would they be sort of brothers in law? lol

The worry wrapped around his young body as his large dark paws walked the well known path of their border. His sister and older brother had yet to return from their scouting trip. Sure, he knew how long the trip was to their uncle's pack but to take this long? Logically he also knew that the fact that it was winter could be aiding in their delay. Yet the worry continued to gnaw on...

An unfamiliar howl rang through the chill mountain air, pulling him out of his spiraling thoughts. Immediately he changed course, directing himself towards the stranger. Soon enough Matos' two tone gaze sought out an equally dark male standing a respectful distance from their border. "Hello" the yearling called out as he closed the distance. "How may we help ya?" The boy asked taking in the sight of the other male as his dark banner waved easily at his hocks.

Archer

Archer waited, expecting @Aquene to answer, like she had last time. Especially since now she knew Kateri was missing and she had a granddaughter. Maybe her lack of urgency was due to having found Ally, and she knew Archer had lost her and she was sending someone else to kick him out.

Instead it was one of the yearlings to arrived to greet him, his voice friendly as he approached. Archer recognized him as one of Nash and Aquene's first litter, but he couldn't remember his name. Archer's ears flicked in surprise, that they let someone so young answer border calls on his own. Then again, he'd done some silly things as a yearling and it wasn't necessarily because his parents had let him.

"Hi," he said. "I'm looking for my daughter; she got lost and may have come here."

(This post was last modified: Feb 17, 2024, 06:32 PM by Archer.)

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Aquene had heard his call and moved towards the borders, only to discover her son beating her there and greeting Archer… she arrived on the tailwind of his final words, her eyes softening. There was a frown on her features when she heard it as well… a worry burrowing deep in her gut. She recalled the pain she had felt when she had discovered Kateri was missing… and now Ally? Ally who was not even a year old yet?

It reminded her much of when Kateri had gone missing during her first year, and the panic she had felt as she searched endlessly for her.

“Ally is missing?” The worry was undeniable in her voice. Despite all that had happened, and the role she’d played in the fate of Archer’s sister… she cared endlessly for the wolves she came across… especially family.

Aquene Slayer

There was surprise in the stranger's expression when he saw that Matos answered his call. The fact that he was only a yearling and that not every call comes from someone kind never even crossed the boy's mind. He was helping wasnt he? The swarthy man responded in a kind greeting explaining why he had come. His tone kind but laced with worry. Inky brows furrowed as the Eastfall searched his brain. Had someone new come to the cove recently?

Before he could find an answer and formulate a response his mother arrived. Matos' fluffy banner picked up speed at her arrival. Though she got right to business so the boy took a step or two back to allow her to take the lead. "Ally's missing?" her concern was undeniable. Amber and emerald gaze looked back between the two adults. Obviously Aquene knew who this man was and who his daughter was. Unbeknownst to him, he was an uncle and it was his niece that they were speaking of.

Archer

It wasn't long before the dark form he'd been looking for - well, after his daughter - came toward them. The yearling stepped back to allow Aquene to address Archer. He glanced between them; her son, perhaps? Kat had left her birthplace because her mother had become pregnant with another litter.

Archer's attention quickly refocused on the shaman, heart sinking into his stomach. "I take it she's not here, then," he said, voice falling. His shoulders slummed, the weight of his failure crushing down on him again. "I don't know what happened... she just ran off we think, and her scent disappeared, and I haven't been able to find her." He wondered just how disappointed his da must be, that Archer had not only failed to keep his son alive but had now lost his daughter. He should have stayed with her, remained by her side even in the territory, should have-

All the should-haves in the world wouldn't change the fact that Ally was gone.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Matos took a step back, and Aquene would take the opportunity to explain to him later the complicated nature of the relationship they had to the man at the border. “We? Did you find Kateri?” She couldn’t deny the thin vein of hope that her daughter had returned to her family and had not abandoned them fully. Either way, that wasn’t the fact of the matter.

“Take a deep breath… pups get excited and they wander. We’ll help you look for her. Kateri wandered off like this when she was her age, lost in a storm and we found her. We’ll find Ally too.” She might not be an acting alpha, but she also knew that if Nash had a problem with it, she would fight to the ends of the earth. She was family. And she never turned her back on her family, even when they wanted nothing to do with her.

“Where were you when her scent disappeared? We can canvas the areas. She’s a good kid, chances are she’s bunkered herself down somewhere or is trying to find her way to some place where you’d know to look for her.” It might just take time of course.

Aquene Slayer

The inky Eastfall boy stayed quiet during the exchange, more of a be seen and not heard. His mother's question had the man visibly slumping, his words echoing Matos' own thoughts. The missing girl wasn't here then. The boy's fluffy audits flicked forwards at the mention of his older sister. He know of Kateri though had never met this wayward sibling and didn't know the exacts as to why he never had. As much as he wanted to ask the role Kateri had to play in the disappearance of Ally he remained quiet. Stashing the question away in his mind for a more appropriate time.

His mother offered reassuring words, that this happens to pups sometimes and the flash of when he had gotten lost in a cave system before his father and Magg had finally found him. His ears flicked back in silent guilt as his two tone gaze flitted to the ground. He hadn't realized the panic it might have caused his parents...if it was anything like this man then...he sent a silent apology to his parents.

Aquene inquired to where the girl's scent was last tracked and offered to help search for her. "I can help too." He offered with a small smile and wave of his ebony banner, despite his head being a bit lower than before from the lingering guilt of his own disappearance.

Archer

Aquene's shadow remained silent, though Archer couldn't help glancing at him occasionally. He idly wondered just how much family Ally had here and what they might do to keep her... he quickly shooed the thought away. They wouldn't intentionally keep her from him.

The mention of his friend's name drew his attention back to Aquene. He blinked. Of course she wouldn't know, and he had been gone long enough the pack scent had likely faded from his fur. "Ahh, no," he said regretfully. He didn't say he thought they'd never find her. "I, ah. My brother... my dad... asked me to come home. So I did. We did. She disappeared right after... it looks like she may have gone north."

He hoped she wouldn't ask any more questions. He didn't want to explain his meeting with his brother, how tense things were. How angry and hurt he still was, struggling to forgive the things said... including himself.

Finally the shadow spoke up, offering his own help. Archer nodded. "Thank you," he said. "I should be on my way. I have a few places I can check." Again. And he'd keep checking them until she was home safe.

Archer is very haggard and thin; it is obvious he is not doing well.

Matos remained silent at her side, and she listened carefully to Archer’s words. Her heart sank slightly to hear there was still no news of her daughter, but she was forced to push such feelings aside. She cared right now about finding her granddaughter, ensuring that she was with family even if that family was not her. Even though it pained her, even though she felt no one could truly be as hard on her as she had been herself for what happened to Sephrina, she understood that the likelihood of any memorable relationship with her granddaughter was slim if not nonexistent because of who her father’s family was.

When Matos offered to help, she was about to give him leave to do so. She’d consult with Nash later… but Archer was quick to deny it. “Then we shall continue to keep an eye for her, especially on the mountain… and should we find her we will immediately send a scout to find you.” It felt as though it was all she could offer, even if she knew that it might be met with hostility if he were located within the Backwater.

“And please, if you need anything… please do not feel as though you cannot come to us, to me.”

Aquene Slayer