Lost Lake let the wildfire shine

Aleister is back! <3
@Vespertio @Namid @Cernan @Neha @Nathaniel @Kajika anyone from FTC is welcome really :3

Wanderlust invaded his curious soul, but the guilt of the thought of his mother's worry brought his dark tawny body back to his birthplace. Aleister knew the moment he stepped back into his parent's domain, his mother would have his hide. Though, he knew his mother would swoon upon him with her worry, but he was most nervous to see the reaction from his father. The middle child felt the most shame for making his father unhappy with his actions. Al looked up to his father, striving to be at least half the man and leader he was. Having his father's disapproval hanging over his head, made him apprehensive to go back to Fallen Tree Cove even if it was the right thing to do.

His brooding mind continued, the quiet storm trying to think of what to tell his mother and father why he had left. In all honesty, Aleister loved the lake and the mountains, but he felt trapped and cocooned within Fallen Tree. He wanted to breath, to feel free and not feel like he had to be this perfect boy and fit the perfect mold of the prince of Fallen Tree Cove. He didn't blame his parents for the way he felt, knowing his mother would never want to put all that pressure on him. Al just wanted to find himself and figure out truly who he was, they couldn't be upset about that, could they?

Cream limbs brought him finally to the borders of his birthpack, his mismatched eyes searching around to see if there was anything new. His ebony nose scented both of his parents heavily upon the borders, which gave him some peace of mind that they were alright. Lifting his cream washed muzzle up to the sky, the Vuesain boy called to his family announcing his return.

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2016, 05:54 PM by Aleister.)

There was no denying life was anything, but dull for the wolves of Lost Lake. From the loss of their prized male second Anthem, the depression that came and went from their tormented patriarch leaving him distant from his subordinates and family to the disappearance of the lead pair's son, Aleister, and the recent addition of Moonshadow to their female ranks it was a constant question upon all of their minds with each rising sun. What did life have in store for them today? The answer to this question though, would be a welcomed surprise to them all. Especially the heavily worried parents left to ponder if they would ever see their beloved son again.

Creamy limbs belonging to the Great Plains patriarch trudged slowly through the snow that finally began to lessen upon the cold ground, the warming rays of sunlight of recent days working their hardest to melt the ivory powder from the land despite Winter's futile attempts to keep a firm grip on the world. Spring was on the looming horizon and eventually the snow would all but disappear until next time. Liquid gold irises studied the worn path that marked the intangible border of his domain ahead, a rear limb lifting on occasion to douse the invisible barricade with his masculine scent warning all who inhale its pungent odor just whom this lakeside estate belonged to. Especially to the foolish males that could come around now that the warmer weather was triggering the heat cycles in fertile females. Luckily for Vesper, though, only Namid would come to experience such a natural state, her dominance keeping the flooding of hormones at bay for any other female in the pack and it would be he who sated her desires.

The regal male had just finished refreshing yet another checkpoint along the borders when the familiar call rang out in the air causing the father to freeze in his tracks. Russet audits pivoted between facing forward and sideways as they dissected the call, flabbergasted at the notion that their son had returned after their weeks of searching for the missing heir. All task left to be finished were swiftly discarded as the brute lurched himself forward in the direction his son had announced himself from, snow and exposed debris flinging in the wake of his mighty strides. There was no proper warning of his arrival for his son other than the sound of his heavy panting as the weight of his body suddenly collided with that of Aleister, a creamy muzzle embracing the boy as the duo tumbled to the ground. A whine erupted from his father's mouth, joy and relief that his child was safe and unharmed drowning out all thoughts of anger from having left in the first place. Vespertio was just happy to have his son back home, to have his family whole again. 

Kajika had come down to the lake for his usual morning drink and ended up staying. Sitting at the edge of the water with his tail wrapped around his feet he watched as the sunlight danced across the water. Cauting the ripples from the feeding fish to shine like it had been sprinkled with glitter. His thoughts had drifted to the times he’d spend there with Des and then to Anthem and his death. So much had happened in his life since he had joined Fallen Tree Cove. The lake had always been a happy place for him but lately it seemed to bring only sad memories.

The sound of Aleister’s call had reached his ears bringing him from the thoughts that plagued him more often when he visited the lake these days. Turning his head and perking his ears he listened for a moment. Kajika was sure that Namid and Vespertio would be overjoyed that Aleister had returned after his disappearance. Kajika himself had been rather worried about the youngster and hoped that he would return one day and now that day was upon them.

With his recent decision to work at gaining the role of teacher he thought that responsibility included being involved in the lives of the youngest members of the pack. Due to this he thought that he should be present to greet the young prince home. Raising from his sitting position he turned from the lake and moved through the forest in the direction the call had come from. It did not take him long to reach the border where Aleister was waiting and Vsepertio had already arrived. Taking the scene before him Kajika made the decision to stay some distance back to allow father and son to have this moment to themselves.

(This post was last modified: Mar 03, 2016, 03:15 AM by Kajika.)

Please see OOC Profile for OOC Preferences, Thank you.

Life for Neha lately, had been a puzzle. One that she couldn't quite fit together. Each day, she never knew what would be thrown her way. If fate had in store positive or negative surprises. What twists and turns might lie ahead as the day wore on, hour by hour. All that she did know though, was that everything was not as it should be in Fallen Tree Cove. Oh sure, yes, she had her home and her parents to keep her safe. But it wasn't so simple as that. In the recent months, a series of events had unfolded that had shaken the Lake pack. First was Anthem's untimely death. Then following was the arrival of that nasty swine, who had dared to injure @Nathaniel and was even reckless enough to go after her father! After what the budding Princess had witnessed that day by the lakeside, a match had been lit within her. Fueling a desire. She did not, could not sit back and watch her loved ones suffer helplessly. She wanted to be useful, to help them when they were in pain. When the time was right, after the breeding season, she would seek out both of her parents and express her interest in studying medicine.

But, that would wait. One more worry, which weighed heavily on the minds of each wolf, was the fact that her oldest brother, @Aleister, had been missing for quite some time. They were not nearly as close as she was with @Cernan, but she loved him just the same. And she wondered why on earth he would just leave so suddenly, with not a word. All she could do was pray that he was okay, wherever he may be, and that he would come home. When the howl had gone up, Neha had been lounging outside the communal den. In between her outstretched forelegs, was an old rib cage of a deer the pack had taken down long ago. She had been gnawing at the bone contently, strengthening her jaw muscles when the familiar voice cried out.

Slowly she lifted her head, blinking her eyes as if waking up from a long nap. Not sure if she had heard correctly. Gently she tipped her nose up to the wind, to catch any scent. And sure enough, a familiar, long lost fragrance hung in the air. @Aleister was back! She bolted up to her feet in a whirlwind, her leftover snack completely forgotten as she raced through the trees like a bullet towards her brothers voice. She heard the delighted whines of her father as she drew closer. Then she saw them...father and son pressed together in a joyous hug of reunion. @Kajika was there as well, who she breezed by, but not without a soft mouthed greeting to the underside of his chin. Barreling towards the pair of tawny males, her voice called. "Aleister!! Oh god you're back! I...I missed you!" She whined as she threw herself energetically, but gently against her brothers unguarded side, her tail a blur as it sliced through the air behind her. Digging her nose into the ruff of his neck, she preened at him affectionately, while making sure to give him the good once over.

(This post was last modified: Mar 03, 2016, 03:55 AM by Neha.)

Neha can often be found close to Aleister's side and therefore may appear in any of his threads.

In the few weeks since joining Fallen Tree Cove Moonshadow had familiarized herself with her new home. Exploring the territory as well as learning a little more about her packmates. There had been an unspoken sadness that hung around like a light fog. The obsidian yearling was unaware of the loss that the pack had experienced before her acceptance and had decided not to pry. Figuring she would be told whenever someone was ready to talk about it. The most recent loss however had been spoken about; the disappearance of the Vuesain’s middle child Aleister. The dark girl hadn’t ever met the boy but she was a bit worried about him. She may not have been as worried as his parents or other packmates but sue to her past she believed that he could fend for himself if push came to shove.
 
This day had been like many others, full of exploration. Moonshadow wanted to know these lands like they were the back of her paw. She was trotting along the lake shore quite a ways away from the den when an unfamiliar call filled the forest. The voice was vaguely familiar but his words allowed the girl to conclude that it was the missing prince. Leaving the lake dark paws trotted through the melting snow towards the origin of the call.
 
When she arrived she could see a heartwarming scene unfold. Vespertio and Neha were both embracing Aleister, overjoyed to see him, while Kajika was a few lengths back allowing the family to have their moment. Deciding it was best to follow Kajika’s idea, the yearling walks over to where he is sitting. Coming to his flank the dark female brushes up against him in greeting before she takes a seat next to him. Her heart swelled as she watched the family embrace and her midnight tail swept the ground slowly in response.

It was turning out to be quite a pleasant day for the Lady of the Lake. She moved in a content yet powerful stance, chin up and tail curled as she strolled through the territory. Early, early that morning she had led Vespertio to the underground sea where they had proven their love and loyalty to each other yet again. There was no telling if she now carried what were the beginnings of the next Vuesain brood in her womb, but there was no doubt that she would be eventually. That morning had been just the beginning of the next few days where the couple would steal away into the night for more excursions. Only then would the flame that still faintly licked at her body be extinguished completely, but until then she would continue to display her right to all.

Then, something perhaps even better happened. Her child’s voice rang through the air. Her heart stuttered in her chest as she paused to a halt, auds slamming forward and mismatched gaze going wide. Had she been mistaken, had her hopes finally gotten to be too much? Yet, the echo off the trees told a different story.

Then, she was flying.

Namid flew over the ground wet from melting snow, splashing through puddles not caring that the pale of her underbelly was going brown. She didn’t care about much else at that point except getting to Aleister. Her lungs expanded and contracted and her muscles tensed and unwound as she moved with confidence and a touch of desperation. Reaching the border her mind barely registered the dark figures of Moonshadow and Kajika before latching onto the writhing mass that was most of her family. Cernan had yet to join them, but she could clearly make out the like-pelt of her daughter, the larger agouti form of her husband, and curled into his clutched his own twin, Aleister. A gasp left her maw as she surged forward, joining the wriggling mass and pressing kisses to her son’s crown as if she couldn’t get enough of him. And she really couldn’t. “Aleister, where have you been,” she managed to choke out.

OOC: The whole family's here! :D  <3

The chubby youngster was hardly fast enough to arrive on the scene with any sort of speed. Still, he had been running with all of his might, and even stumbling over his big paws here and there in his mad dash to greet Aleister. The boy had been gone a considerable amount of time, and even his parents' best efforts to locate him were futile. Instead here he was, calling the family to him. Whatever amount of anger he felt toward his brother was absent while the tawny pup charged over the rocky, wooded terrain of their home. He just wanted to see Al again, and he was certain that the rest of the pack would be heading that way too. 

Their scents mixed as Cernan galloped onward; his father, sister, and even mother were already ahead of him. The whole family was about to be reunited at once and it made his legs pump against the ground even faster. Mama's voice burst into the air around him, full of relief and concern. His thick frame surged onto the scene just seconds later, golden eyes ignoring the others and locking immediately on the muddled forms of his parents and searching for Al's muddy coat beneath it all. He caught a glimpse of those multicolored eyes somewhere in the fray and his heart jumped. It's really Al! The lad closed the distance at speed, stopping just in time to not collide harshly with everyone else. He was getting quite big as of late; and he might have been able to topple them all on accident. 

"Al!" He called hastily, feet skidding to a stiff halt and forelegs outstretched mere inches from the rest of them. Cernan felt no need to join in the kisses and displays of immeasurable affection. He was still a little upset, and the beige-furred youth had never been one to lavish licks or embraces so zealously on anyone; at least not since he was little. He stood there wagging though, overcome by everyone else's vibrant emotion. The Vuesain's youngest burst into speech; he would have his question answered right then and there. "Where the heck were you?!" There was no anger in his tone or eyes, only heaping amounts of bewilderment and confusion as he parroted his dam's words. He couldn't be upset now, not with everyone so very happy to have the boy home. Cernan was overjoyed as well, but that joy was not enough to completely erase the other emotions that swirled uncontrollably in his young mind. He had still hurt Mama and Papa, and the protective boy wanted a good reason for it. He didn't look injured, at least, so what had happened? 

(This post was last modified: Mar 07, 2016, 12:20 AM by Cernan.)

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

OOC - NO posting order please! <3

Nervousness seeped into his body as silence followed his call. His banner slipped between his legs, curling underneath his cream washed belly, at the thought of the shame he brought to his parents. Aleister had wanted to come back sooner, but he had lost his way though it was mainly because of the girl he had tried to help, making him go far out of the way back of Relic Lore. Guilt had swarmed his heart, eventually making the boy more determined to find his way back to his birthplace. Finally, Al found the path where it was familiar enough for him to find the lake and his mountain home. 

As his mismatched eyes peered out towards his parent's kingdom, his tawny audits curled forward in hopes of hearing anyone coming to him. Suddenly, sounds from ahead perked his interest, his audits quickly turning towards whoever was approaching him. Quickly, the Vuesain child recognized the starkly similar coat of his father's and as quickly as his audits flicked forward, they were plastered against his tawny skull. As Vespertio rushed towards him, he couldn't help but assume the father was rushing to give him the punishment the wanderlust infected boy thought he deserved. Before he could flee, his larger twin collided into him, throwing them down to the ground in a frenzy. 

Instantly, he imagined he'd feel his father's angry teeth upon him, giving him the sharp punishment he deserved for deserting their family. Instead of teeth, Aleister was met with kisses and whines from Vespertio's creamy muzzle. A sigh of relief flooded over him and his stiff and tense body relaxing into his father's as they embraced. His salmon tongue reaching out happily to return the kisses as his agouti tail thumped loudly against the ground. A soft whine escaped his muzzle as suddenly his open side was covered by Neha's body with her own kisses and preening met his cheek. The stormy boy couldn't hide his happiness of being with his family once again. Though his loudest cry of joy was when his darling mother joined the mix, his tongue reaching excitedly for his cheek as loud whines escaped his chest. He never imagined their reunion to go like this, though the boy was clouded by the storm clouds above him. 

Aleister had heard the question his mother had asked of where he had been, though when his brother Cernan came into view between the forms of his mother and sister and demanded an answer, he knew he had to answer. Turning his mismatched gaze to his younger brother, their eyes meeting for a long moment before he spoke. "I was just out by woods on the East side, when someone I met needed help finding their brother, so I tried to help her. Before I knew it, she led me far from here." Through most of his story was true, even the girl he tried to help, but she disappeared quickly before he could completely help her in finding what she needed. But he left out the true reason why he was gone, though one could not tell.

(This post was last modified: Mar 29, 2016, 02:09 AM by Aleister.)

One by one the remainder of the pack gathered upon the frenzied scene of affection and dissipated worry, an oof leaving Vespertio's maw more than once with each added body thrown into the growing pile adorning Aleister with their own swarm of kisses and exchanges of affection. All around the cacophony of whines and whimpers filled the air while the various coloration of individual banners blurred in energetic motion to greet the returned prince. Soon the question on everyone's mind spoken not once, but twice by both Namid and his youngest son Cernan. Where had he been all this time?

Deciding not to further suffocate his boy with lavish kisses and allow him a chance to properly breathe under the weight of his family, the tawny patriarch slowly wiggled himself free from the wolf pile, molten gold irises registering the presence of Moonshadow and Kajika for the first time. A gentle nod of acknowledgement offered to both swarthy wolves before his creamy limbs backed up a couple steps, equally creamy haunches lowering to connect with the earth in a seated position awaiting his boy's answer. Apparently Aleister had been in the process of aiding a lost soul on the East side in reconnecting with their sibling when the boy noticed himself located in unfamiliar territory.

A soft sigh escaped Vespertio's lips then in relief that it wasn't anything his mind had previously conjured up as a reasoning for his disappearance. No rouge wolf attack, no illness, nothing. Nada. Just a simple case of poor navigational skills which was easily dismissed considering the dark agouti child had managed to find his way back home. "I'm just glad you've managed to find your way back home safe and in one piece." And don't ever pull a stunt like that again he wanted to tack on, but there was a proper time to address this and right now it was more so a time to rejoice the prince's safe return.