Broken Timber Pines The Lost Souls

For @Iopah and @Nova
Early Morning. Light Mist

 

In the earliest hours of the morning, just as the light began cast a golden glow within the forest, one member of Broken Timber Pines was wide awake. Zia Celencio. Experienced pack wolf, second to Iopah in rank. Devoted friend and protector. Mother to Arion Celencio. Mate to Inkheart. But not anymore. He was gone. While it was true that he had always been a busy man, dedicated to guarding the borders for most of the day, Zia was accepting of the fact that she would not get to see as much of her mate as she would've liked. It was normal, she knew. After their reunion and pledge to one another, he had vowed never to leave her side again. And she believed him, enough so that she had been willing to try and share a life with him. As days turned to weeks, without any glimpses of the dark male, Zia grew worried. And that worry turned to panic, to fear when his scent began to fade, and then disappeared altogether. At first she was numbed, as if unsure of how to react. As if the brutal truth hadn't quite hit home yet. But after one week of sleepless nights in the den, with her silver frame curled around her dark son...the last that remained of Inkheart, she could take no more. That morning she had piratically raced around the borders in a frenzy, in a last, desperate attempt to try and pick up even the faintest of scent trails. When there was nothing, she felt her heart clench. Tears welling up behind her eyes while her mind was reeling. No! Not again, please! The first time her inky companion had vanished from the mountain, due to an unfortunate accident had been hard enough on her. But this? A second and perhaps final time? The silver woman didn't think she could take it. She had so much more to lose than just her spirit now. Her thoughts immediately went to Arion, her body shaking. Her beloved child would grow up without a Father, without a role model to guide him. At such a young age, he wouldn't understand what had happened, but how could she break the news to her son? Should she even tell him at all? In these moments, Zia was no longer the normally calm and calculated female she was known to be. She was shaken up, broken with her heart cracking at the core. Unable to sit still and simply do nothing, she raised her head to the heavens and poured out her heart and soul, in one long, low mournful cry. Iopah had to know...everyone did. The light tawny colored woman was like a sister to Zia. Surely she would have some answers, or at the very least, be able to lend a shoulder to cry on. But Zia also knew that in these dark hours, she was not alone. Another first time mother, much younger than herself, was also missing her partner at her side, she noticed. Nova. A wolf she had little in the way of socialization with, but respected all the same. And her missing mate, Camio, just as much. She remembered how boldly...how passionately he protected the females in the scuffle at the borders some time ago. Such devotion to his pack had made an impression of admiration on Zia, and she had meant to catch up with the young man, to thank him. But he was missing too. Something needed to be done, before this tragedy in the pack shook the very foundations on which held them together.

 

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

A lonesome song drifted through the forest, it's solitary note striking a chord in Nova's heart. The Zamora female lifted her head, careful to not strike it upon the low ceiling of the den as she listened to the voice. Zia. Nova knew that Zia's mate had been missing, what horrible luck that the two mothers had found themselves in. She hadn't spoken to Zia about it, rather staying secluded by herself as she tried to get through the day to day without him at her side. She tried to not let Nalda see how broken and empty she felt, tried to field and deflect Nalda's questions of where daddy was. He'll be back soon, she said at first. Any day now. Then, I don't know.

She had wracked her mind for answers, searching for any incident that might have caused him to stray. It had happened before, she had pushed for too much from him and driven him away for weeks. They had been younger then, their relationship newer and rockier as they were still figuring each other out. She still did not entirely understand the situation, but it was behind them now. Surely bearing him a child of his blood would be reason enough to keep him from running away in a similar fashion. He wasn't heartless, he wouldn't leave behind his little girl no matter how much Nova managed to stick her paw in her mouth. With a heavy heart she could no longer deny what had probably happened. An accident of some sort, a run-in with a bear, a mis-step crossing rapids, a hunting incident. She spent many nights circling the borders after setting Nalda to bed, crying his name out into the lonesome starry sky and waiting for a response that never came. She did not want to think of him injured, alone, dying or dead, and desperately wanted to scour heaven and earth for him but couldn't risk something happening to her and leaving their daughter an orphan.

Nova carefully uncurled herself from @Nalda, placing a soft kiss upon the girl's russet brow before tiptoeing out into the golden morning. She sought out Zia, slowly treading towards the silver woman with her head and tail draped low. "Zia..." Nova said, stopping before her. "I'm... Sorry about your mate." She ground out, lifting her yellow gaze to meet sapphire blue.

#estrogensolidarity
tagged people as an fyi @Koda, @Arion, Nalda (already tagged), @Ember

Without a word, Iopah had done what she could. There were many nights spend along the borders, both taking up the missing roles and surreptitiously searching in one breath. It didn't matter that nothing had been said, the absences were obvious. The other mothers were quieter and scoured the pack borders at erratic times of day. When their attention started to drift, she was there to quietly take over pup-sitting. As the questions came, she was quick to attempt distracting the pups. Perhaps someone more confident with her words would have said something, but that was not Iopah.

She was teetering on the edge of wakefulness and sleep when Zia's distraught call went up. A whine pressed inside her chest as the woman turned to peer out the den entrance. She already knew what the matter was. Both daughters were still asleep, gangly feet and wide paws sprawled in every direction. Iopah rose and softly stepped around them to their father. For reassurance and to wake him, she buried her nose deep in the plush of his side. "Watch them?" She murmured quietly, knowing he would understand why she was had to leave so early -Koda was just as observant as his mate.

Outside the den the air was heavy with moisture. The alpha's paw felt just as weighted as they searched out Zia. She wasn't sure what to say, but her pace did not slow. The morning was quiet, the mist burning of slowly. In the distance was a shift of silver and another of dark brown. Both of them. Pale feet quickened over a carpet of red-cedar needles. They were speaking; hushed words that didn't need to be heard to be understood. "Zia, Nova." She hummed in one single, soft breath. Iopah drew close enough to close the circle with them, whiskers quivering with sorrow and the desire to help them. "What can I do?"

A lynx has left behind the remains of a deer. +5 Health

 

With tears streaming down her cheeks, all the silver woman could do was stare blankly ahead into the mist. She didn't know who would come, be it the whole pack, or just a few of the members themselves. Nonetheless, Broken Timber Pines was now short one more wolf. The impact of Inkheart's loss would affect her far more than it did the wolves she shared her home with. First to emerge out of the wispy fog was a figure she had only ever seen at a distance. Larger than herself and darkly colored, yet her posture was low and humble. Zia only turned her head to the side so she could acknowledge the fellow mother. While her words may have seemed to fall upon deaf ears, the briefest look into her eyes said otherwise. The dip of her chin was so subtle that it could hardly be considered a gesture, but it was there. Lost for words, all she could do was wallow in the grief that was consuming her. It was when Iopah showed up, that her presence made Zia snap out of her numbed state. Right back into a fit of silent sobs. When the wheat and ivory woman drew close, within reach, the silver female tossed all cares of formality and rank aside. Turning in a half circle, she wound her body around to press up against her leaders chest and shoulders. Pitiful, short whines escaping her lips, dark ears nearly invisible while flattened against her skull. "He's gone...he's gone..." She choked in a sob. "How? I don't understand...I never thought..." She paid no mind to forming her sentences correctly. She only said what her heart pushed to her tongue, even if it wasn't coherent. Drawing away to look Iopah in the eyes with a pleading expression, she shook her head. "Please...just bring him back. Please..." It couldn't be done. She knew that. But for the first time in her roller coaster life, Zia was too far gone to be thinking level headedly anymore.

 

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

(This post was last modified: Sep 01, 2015, 11:08 PM by Zia.)

@Iopah

Nova watched the silver woman with concern. Zia's body was there, but her spirit was someplace else. Something peeked through those icy eyes, a small twitch of the head acknowledging Nova had said anything at all. She did not want her packmate to suffer so, but had no idea what to do about it. She hardly knew how to help herself. Nova felt like her body was taking up way too much room despite the ample space in the clearing, shrinking down on long legs and watching Zia out the corner of her eye. 

Nova's attention shifted as the tawny leader approached, straightening slightly. "Iopah..." Nova said, turning towards the older female. Zia reanimated, words tumbling from her mouth as she engulfed Iopah. Nova trusted Iopah, looked up to her even, if she couldn't help then who could? But she knew Iopah was not capable of miracles. "There must be something we can do. I know Camio wouldn't just leave, something must have happened to him." Nova said with a soft whine. She did not want to be so convinced, but in her bones she dreaded the worst. Was it already too late? Was he still alive? Would she be so cursed to find the corpse of yet another important man in her life? Her throat choked, dandelion eyes blinking to clear what threatened to spill. 

"I need to know, if he's out there. I just... I just can't leave Nalda, what if something happens to me?" Nova sputtered, her tongue flashing out to swipe nervously over the end of her nose. She was caught, one side needing to find her mate, the other needing to protect her cub.

(This post was last modified: Sep 13, 2015, 09:22 PM by Nova.)

Do we want to play out the actual search, or just have it fade out with them searching. I'm fine with either, but playing it out might take us well beyond 10 posts.

She wasn't sure what sort of mental states would turn to greet her; grief did strange things sometimes. The morning was still early and the mist hung in strange, immovable shadows. For a moment both of her subordinates seemed much the same, awkwardly suspended in the mist without speaking or moving. Her heart grew tighter the closer she came, loosening only enough to utter Nova's name back in somber greeting. She reached out in the same instant that the other turned for her. That simple movement, or perhaps their low voices, seemed to tear something loose in Zia.

This is why she had come out in the early morning fog. Iopah and Koda had promised to keep them all safe, that was the point of Broken Timber Pines; to help each other. She was not about to shy away now. When Zia tucked up against her side, Iopah hummed a low whine and made to run her tongue over the back-turned ears. The grief was not nearly the same, but she reacted the same as when her daughters came to her after a bad dream or a trivial injury. With the Celencio in a half-circle in front of her, Iopah made to cast her neck and muzzle over the woman's body in a protective, reassuring gesture. She listened to the words, her heart filling in what was left unsaid or scrambled. Over the silver-and-charcoal back she made eye contact with Nova. "I know." she said, both as reply to Nova and reassurance to Zia. "We will go out and we will search for them." Her muzzle lowered to Zia, intending to nudge and make sure the woman had heard, and understood.

With a sigh she drew away from Zia, giving Nova as look as she did so. Did she really worry over Nalda's welfare? Her head shook vehemently, fixing a firm expression on first the raven and then the silver pelted woman. "Nothing will happen to them. Nalda and Arion will always have a home here." It simply was not conditional. With a quick intake of air she lifted her head and sang out for the rest of the pack; letting @Koda, @Silentium, and @Valeria know that the mothers were leaving to go searching. Whether they liked it or not, they all had pup-sitting duty until they returned. "All their scents are old, I haven't found a scent trail leaving the territory yet." They needed a direction to start in and she hoped either had an clue that might guide them on their mission.

If you want, we can keep this thread moving with them searching until they reach the borders?

 

It was in times like these, such hard and heart wrenching times, that Zia was so grateful to have such a wonderful support system. Choked up with emotion, she was thankful for Nova's presence, for Iopah's comfort and strength. Letting her friend draw away, those dark charcoal ears twisted back to absorb the worried words from Nova's maw. Her brows furrowed at the thought of the larger she wolfs mate. Clearly it was not just herself or Inkheart Zia was fretting over today. They were a pack, and thus to all of them, she felt a strong magnetic tug. With Iopah's statement, something inside of her hardened then. Her jaw set firmly, still wet blue eyes fixing straight ahead. "Agreed. It's the best we can do...all we can do. I am familiar with this side of the mountain, except to the north." Her thoughts then shifted to the pups, especially now that Nova had expressed concern about her only child. "Don't worry...nothing will happen. We will travel together to make sure of that." She silenced herself only but for a moment as Iopah called out to the remainder of the pack, letting them know that the trio of mothers would be leaving, temporarily. With them alerted, their pups would be under safe watch. She joined in with her leader, adding her own sad yet resolved song to the air. Once her howl ended, Zia began moving forward, with slow strides. She was oddly composed now, yet still very much upset. Even confused and a little bit angry. She reflected on the distant past as she spoke to her pack mates. "...This isn't the first time he has gone missing like this. Once, when we were apart of a pack called Magnolia Glen, our Alpha sent us out on a renaissance mission, to the other side of the Lore." She paused to lick her lips once, blue eyes distant. "On our way back, the weather took a nasty turn. We were caught in a snowstorm...on the mountain. I still remember the avalanche...trying to reach him, but he insisted I go on." She sighed deeply. "For the longest time I had thought he was dead, lost to the mountain. I had given up all hope, but then...one night he just...reappeared again. We swore never to let anything come between us ever again." She concluded, letting silence envelop her for a moment. Then she huffed in a dry, humorless sound. None of them could control the future, what destiny had in store for them. Zia knew that now. Yet she would not give up yet. She headed with her friends towards the northern border, desperately trying to pick up any trace of Camio's or Inkheart's scent. It was as good a place to start as any, and if they were out there, who knows where they were by now?

 

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

@Iopah

Nova nodded hesitantly at Iopah and Zia's reassurance that her daughter would be taken care of in their brief absence, and that with numbers the trio would remain safe. Nova's voice could not help but join in as Zia and Iopah sang their songs into the morning sky, adding her own somber note to the chorus.

Nova walked along with the women, her nose twitching for scents that had long since gone stale. She listened quietly as Zia spoke up, telling of a time past when her mate had been lost before. There were parts of the story that were familiar to Nova. A child of the Pass, it did not surprise her that the mountain had turned its indiscriminate cruelty towards the scouts. And similarly she had lost Camio before, but the shame in her having been the cause of Camio disappearing the first time, rather than some natural disaster, made her hold her tongue.  

As they crossed the northern border, Nova was overwhelmed with the feeling that they wouldn't find them. She didn't say this, but her soul felt it. Even so convinced of imminent failure, she knew she couldn't give up so easily. If she could not find Camio, or Inkheart, at least they would know they had done all they could.

Her dandelion gaze roved through the trees, the mist between lifting as dawn gave way to day. As Nova cautiously picked over a heap of fallen trees, her head turned towards the west and she stared at the Mountain of Dire with dread growing heavy in her limbs. She glanced towards Iopah and Zia, a soft whine squeaking from her throat. "You don't think they could have gone up there, do you?" She asked with fear in her voice.

Io decided to have a religious opinion tonight, no offense intended by this post!
also, I have no problem with @Zia fading with her next post (assuming it's fine with @Nova?)

Zia seemed to be better now that she had something to focus on, but still, Iopah glanced over once. Her words were lucid, if a little disheartening. The leader hadn't know this had happened before. It wouldn't have changed what had happened on the day they meet, but it did harden the gold in her eye as it skimmed the silvered woman. All of the Broken Timber Pines' wolves were hers to protect and @Inkheart had hurt Zia, twice now. It wouldn't be overlooked -or forgiven- very easily.

Some wolves believed in destiny, that things happened despite every attempt and hope otherwise. Iopah listened to Zia and thought of that belief. It was bullshit, no less reasonable than when Hollow had explained it to her years ago. "We'll find out what happened to them." There was no higher power, just different decisions, and Iopah would withhold her judgment until they were found.

They passed over the border and Iopah's eyes looked over the brightening landscape before going back to her subordinates. With no true trail to follow, it seemed an overwhelming search. The forest stretched out in every direction, but they could only go in one today. She whuffed softly to both and started north. Iopah didn't say why, but the fight at the border had likely been forgotten by none. Her head lifted at Nova's voice to regard the mountain. She continued her stride, looking down only to pick her way between the red-cedars. "I don't know," Why would they have gone up there? Iopah glanced over at Nova and remembered her history. What if @Camio had also started out a mountain wolf? "We might have to."