Heartleaf Creek Race With No End

Loosely set around February 14th, ALL WELCOME - @Greer maybe, if the timeline fits? :3

RE: A cold snap seizes Relic Lore in its icy grip! - Late morning, Partly Cloudy

He was on her trail now; Finally! It had taken several weeks, lost in those damned timbers, before he realized his run-off sister had turned south. But finally he had tracked down her scent, and now it could only be a matter of days before he caught up; And then your ass is coming back home! It had been too long already, who knew what might be going on in the River while they were away. Their parents had to be worried sick, Naia and Lachesis as well, and Kjors too, not to mention the girls! He still couldn't believe it, how could Karina have just run away? With everything that had happened to them; With Alek..! Orren Baranski shook his head, once again stuck in the same, pointless string of thoughts. Hi blinked his warm orange eyes, looking around at the naked, spindly trees, lining the creek he had been following for the past couple of days. Everything looked so small here, compared to their home in Kingsfall, these trees were wispy dwarves, the stream barely a watery ditch, even the prey seemed wimpier; And scarcer! But he couldn't turn home without Karina, it simply wasn't an option. So he trudged on, nose held high as he searched for her scent in the air. It was a fickle thing, tracking someone over days, through wet land, the smell constantly drifted in and out. He partly had to go on instinct, using every moment that he did have her scent to judge her direction and make guesses at where she might be heading. So far, it seemed nowhere specific, nowhere he knew anyways. There was a small part of his heart, that tugged, now when he was so close to Cedarwood forest. While he had come to see Heathwood River as his home now, he still longed to reclaim the land where he was born, chase out the traitor who had forced them from it; ROOK! The name was forever seared in the proud youth's brain. Alas, Karina was definitely not headed for Cut Rock River, and so neither would her brother, his mission was to find her. And he surely hoped he would soon, his instinct was telling him that spring was close now, even though the air was particularly freezing on this morning. He wanted desperately to have Karina home before spring, showing his parents that they need not worry about their oldest children. Will there be pups this year? He hoped so, more sisters, and maybe brothers, to help raise and teach. And if so, he had to be back home before they came! Judging by the sting of frost below his paws though, it was some time yet. A shiver ran along his spine, a sudden, cold touch trickling his nose, eliciting a loud sneeze. Yes, winter was still at large. Orren shook out his fur, picking up his pace to try and trot some warmth back into his freezing limbs.    Word count: 495 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

(This post was last modified: Mar 11, 2016, 10:23 PM by Orren.)

started writing this up eariler, then left to go do things, and was so happy to see nobody else jumped in yet <3

The shadow prince was getting frustrated with the cold weather. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he stomped through the trees, his ears pinned to the back of his skull. Despite the heat, spring and summer was Greer’s favourite time of the year. The land was lush with foliage and overflowing with the abundance of both prey and predators. It was also much easier to engage in his favourite activity — lurking in the shadows — when Relic Lore wasn’t covered in the annoying white substance known as snow. A frown creased his lips at the thought. It wouldn’t be long before the temperatures rose and melted away all the snow; Greer couldn’t wait.

Heading nowhere in particular, the yearling pursued a northern path today. His slender body cut expertly through the land as he used the trees to shield his dark frame. The snow made it nearly impossible for the Archer to blend into his surroundings, unless he was moving beneath the cover of darkness. And the cold — brrr! Greer couldn’t stand the frigid temperatures, even with his plush winter coat. Spring would be on its way soon — until then, the prince would just have to pretend it was much warmer than it actually was. Or keep exploring, because constantly moving made him forget about the freezing air that caused his thin legs to shiver almost constantly.

A familiar scent reached him as he ran parallel to the creek, his large paws maneuvering expertly over the pebbly edge. It was a scent he had not come across in many months, and with it came a tidal wave of memories flooding his shadowed mind. It belonged to a wolf his own age who had befriended his brother Deacon many moons ago. Their brief encounter had sparked an unlikely friendship between the two, even with the reluctance on Greer’s end. Despite the time that had passed between that initial meeting, the shadow hoped that there was something still there; that they were not complete strangers. The willow prince was not fond of maintaining friendships — or even starting them — but there were a few he didn’t mind seeing more than once. This river wolf happened to be one of them.

Following the sound of the sneeze Greer caught up to the sparrow-coloured boy quickly with a shy, lop-sided smile resting lazily across his maw. He woofed a quiet greeting, not wanting to disturb Orren as it looked like the river prince was looking for something — someone.

@Greer <3

The river prince was definitely not fond of winter either. Water should be running, not frozen solid or crystallized into this white stuff. Snow could be fun, sure, and as a hunter he could appreciate the help that a good snow-cover gave in tracking. But enough was enough. He couldn't wait for the heat and bounty of spring. The sneeze had started his nose running, and he had to stop, wiping a paw across his face. He needed it clear in order to follow the trail. Smacking his lips, the young wolf snorted, making a face as the air cleaned the blockage in his nostrils. Then he heard it, soft footfalls in the snow, copper ears flicking back at the sound. Orren turned, narrowing his eyes at the dark wolf approaching, a stark contrast against the frosted backdrop. Copper brows furrowed at the figure, heavy skull tilting. Then the call reached him, the thin smile on his old friends face evoking a bright grin on Orren himself. "Greer!" He exclaimed joyfully, tail beating the air, high behind him. How long had it been, almost a year? Since they last saw each other. Yet Orren felt like it hadn't been a day since he went to visit Deacon, and instead ran into his shadowy brother. A surprised, breathy laugh bubbled up through Orren's mouth, his orange eyes alight as they met the pale silvers before him. Yes he was quite close to the Willows, wasn't he? Just around the corner! Yet he hadn't even imagined such a treat as running into his friend. It reminded him why he used to love travelling so much. Beaming at the raven wolf, Orren was a grain away from jumping on the spot in his excitement. "How are you? It's so good to see ya' again man!"   Word count: 302 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

While he preferred not to interact with others — even if they were wolves he had encountered before — the shadow was pleased to see Orren’s elated response to his greeting. A soft smile unfolded across his maw as he changed his course and stepped through to the snow toward the River prince, his tail swaying lazily behind him. Friends were not a necessity to the Archer; he had always preferred being on his own and being surrounded by the darkness that birthed him. However, there were a few individuals who had managed to earn Greer’s friendship — a task that was exceptionally difficult. Orren had been one of them. Greer was thankful it had been him and not Deacon who had run into the agouti pup that day. Kyna, of course, was another, but aside from that there were very few wolves who had been able to get close to the shadow. Hecate had, but Greer dismissed her presence now. He refused to dwell on their fallout. She had chosen and so had he — he wanted her out of Willow Ridge just as badly as his sister did.

The River prince’s voice called out once more, causing his sullen expression to retreat immediately. Occasionally it was nice interacting with wolves outside of the willows, who had no idea what kind of turmoil the pack was going through. The never-ending drama was exhausting and draining; there was only so much the recluse could handle before he needed to slink away into the surrounding trees and immerse himself in the outside world. “Greer ok. How Orren?” He asked, his head tilted to the side as he studied the fiery eyed yearling. They had been much smaller the last time they had met; the river wolf before him was no longer the plump puppy he had encountered many months ago. He held onto the lanky physique that Greer also possessed, but the shadow had a feeling his friend would bulk up considerably. Greer, on the other paw, would remain streamline and ‘built like a bullet’; ideal for stalking and lingering in the shadows.

“Orren look?” He asked, his brows furrowed as he remembered his previous observation. Perhaps he was looking for Deacon again — he would be disappointed to discover his friend had disappeared from Relic Lore.

Their friendship might seem an odd one, the rowdy River prince, so full of fire, and the shadow of the Willows, quiet as the night. Yet they'd managed to make a connection on that foggy morning, a bond that had remained strong, even through their long separation. The dark lad was smiling warmly, and Orren's tail wagged excitedly, his own grin stretching from ear to ear. He'd been travelling alone for so long, at this point meeting any old wolf would have delighted the social boy; Running into an old friend was positively exhilarating. He did even notice the brief frown creeping across Greer's face, so caught up was he in his own elation, only when his question was offered answer, did Orren calm down enough really focus on his friend. Smile turning a little sheepish, the Baranski settled his gaze on the dark boy proper, nodding along to his reply. The speech was of the same shortened kind as he remembered, uttering only the few, key words needed to get the point across. Orren released a small, laughing huff, nodding again; "Okay, yeah, 'am okay too." There was no easy way to convey all that had happened in his life since they'd last seen each other, all that was still going on. Nor did the bulkier lad really want to start explaining it all, to try and give a more clear image of how he was. Suffice to say he was okay, that wasn't a lie, and it fit well enough. There was a pause then, Orren wondering what to ask of his friend next, thinking that Greer might have just as little interest in sharing his life-story as himself; A lot of things can happen in a year..! In the end it was Archer who spoke first, his question causing a mirroring frown to form on his brighter colored companions face.  "Yeah… 'am looking…" He started hesitantly, eyes  drifting to the frozen creek beside them, his ears flopping to the sides. "For ma' sister. She's… lost." His voice was small now, all the light and excitement gone. "I don't s'pose you've seen her?" He looked back up into his friends pale eyes, the faintest of hope glittering in the depth of his otherwise defeatist gaze.   Word count: 377 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

@Orren I am so sorry !!! I didn't see this because of the SoW account :c I will not make you wait this long again I'm so sorry <3

A faint and unusual smile rolled across his maw at the river prince’s response, his tail wagging softly behind him. It had been quite some time since they had last seen each other and while Greer was becoming more indifferent to those he encountered, Orren was a welcome sight. During their last encounter they had bonded over Greer’s brother Deacon, who had disappeared since then. The shadow liked to believe that his brother was off forging his own legacy elsewhere and that they would find each other again in the future instead of thinking that he had suffered the same fate as Isolde. While Greer had always been the one wanting to see what was beyond the wall of willow trees, it had been his brother(s) to make the first move. He remained envious, and perhaps he would always be, but he was also proud of Deacon for pursuing his dreams. Greer, on the other paw, frequently put off his plans of leaving. He should have done so when he had met with Hecate in the winter, before she became infatuated by his older brother and was consumed by her lust for power. However, with the unexpected family drama unfolding, he became reluctant to leave. Now, he felt stuck and it was suffocating him.

Sister. The previous smile fell quickly into a frown as he studied the golden-eyed boy, his forehead creased. This would be the second time that Greer delivered bad news to his pale counterpart. Sorry Orren, he thought glumly to himself as he searched through his memory for any wolves he had encountered with the river scent. “Not seen,” he responded finally as his ears fell back against his skull, his lips tight over his teeth as he observed the agouti. “Most avoid willows.” It was true — smart wolves avoided lurking near the Ridge border, especially if they wanted to keep the fur on their back. His birth pack was not fond of strangers; if Orren’s sister had wandered south to the willows it was possible that a meeting with one of his pack mate’s had not ended well.

(This post was last modified: May 14, 2016, 06:09 AM by Greer.)

Don't worry about it, I just did exactly the same on another thread. Gotta <3 these two though!

Oh if the boys only knew how much they had in common. Perhaps, on some level, they did, or was at least drawn to each other by this mutual fate. The relentless battle within, between that thirst for adventure, the wish to escape, and the love and guilt that kept them trapped at home. Had their brothers not abandoned them, the two might very well have struck out on their own now, perhaps together, searching for the thrill that their hearts would ache for every day. For Orren it was a struggle with wild and conflicting emotions, his heart was not a changeable one, but it harbored both love, and pride, a wish to explore and the need to protect. With Aleksei as the reasonable, older brother, he had been able to wander his own ways, safe in the knowledge that his family was safe. Had they stayed in Cedarwood Forest, he might never have cared either way, never have  even considered their need for protection. But they hadn't, they had been forced from the home he knew and loved – even if he failed to show it, running off every other day as he had – thrown into a long and tiring journey that had cost the lives of his unborn brothers; And his father's health. The thing was, he'd almost been content, almost, having nearly forgotten his longings. But then @Karina had run away, and he had been thrown onto this foolish quest. And while he told himself he wanted to get back home, that he was only out here to find his sister and would be hauling her back as quickly as his legs allowed, there was a part of him that felt like it hadn't been truly alive until now, that running back to Kingsfall would be virtual suicide. After all, hadn't he already failed? Didn't Karina's flight prove the ridiculousness in his self appointed mission; I can't protect them..! Yet here he was, staring hopefully into the eyes of an old friend, wishing desperately that he could give him answer, that the end to his quest was just around the corner and he could be back home by nightfall tomorrow. But Greer's reply was not what he hoped. With a glum face, the midnight wolf delivered his rejection, the bitterness not lost on his friend, even in his disappointment. Orren sighed, his shoulders sagging, gaze once again growing bleak. "Yeah…" He breathed, trailing off for a moment, lost in his own troubles. Then his attention returned to the lean yearling, his own brow furrowing as he turned over the statement in his head. When he spoke again there was genuine, concerned interest in his voice, eyes alive now as the focused on his friend; "Guess things aren't so great for you either? Trouble at home?" He was quite sure Karina wouldn't have dared stray close to the Willows, but from the way Greer had said it, it was clear that he had more than just Orren's sister in mind. Knowing all too well what struggles might come with pack life as a yearling, the River prince could sympathize, and he wouldn't mind lending an ear if his dark comrade should go against  form and give a longer spiel; Or perhaps just a friendly tumble to help relieve his mind for a while, which seemed more likely.   Word count: 559 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!

For a moment regret bubbled up inside his chest. Should he have chased after his brothers like Orren after his sister? His lips tightened at the thought. Deacon had joined the wolves of Whisper Caverns after his departure, but once news of their disbandment reached the willows the shadow had hoped he would see his brother again. Unfortunately D’s scent had disappeared, along with Castiel’s, who had wandered away from the ridge without returning. The shadow hoped they had found each other… for his own peace of mind he pretended that they had, and that they were off exploring the rugged terrain beyond the Lore together.

The look of disappointment on Orren’s tawny face was impossible to miss as the shadow announced he had not seen his sister. The river prince was one of the few wolves that Greer cared about outside of his family; delivering bad news weighed heavy on his shoulders. For Orren’s sake the shadow hoped that the river princess had not made it down this far — or, if she had, that she had gone further west. With the unfortunate drama unfolding among the willows Greer knew that a stranger would not fair well if found too close to the borders.

With a lazy roll of his shoulders and an irritated grunt in response to his friend’s question, Greer gave him a knowing look before allowing his broken speech to (reluctantly) fill the air. “Trouble all time,” he mumbled with an exaggerated eye roll. “Family not know what doing sometime. Frustrate Greer.” His nostrils flared. He did not want to divulge too much into the ongoing Archer drama with the river wolf; despite their friendship his loyalty was to blood first. He did not want Orren to nonchalantly mention the ongoing issues of Willow Ridge to his packmates and for the rest of Relic Lore to think they were weak. “So Greer out about,” he added with a more relaxed shrug, his features growing soft once more.  

There was clear frustration on his swarthy friends face, the pointed gaze of silvered eyes not lost on Orren. He knew plenty about family troubles, even if every pack had their own particular flavor. So he nodded his understanding, clearly recognizing the apprehension, even through Greer's stunted way of talking. His own struggles was not something he liked to broadcast either. Rusty ears flicked back, charcoal crowned head shaking lightly, both in solidarity with his friend's irritation and to indicate that there was no need to say more; Bet he didn't come out here to talk to someone else about it..! Venting was all well and good, but, as somewhat of an expert on running away from your problems, Orren knew that the best means of dealing with this type of issue was to occupy yourself with something else. He jumped quickly on the open attempt at changing subject, more than happy to help his friend forget his worries, at least for a little while; And perhaps his own too. Perking up his ears, the river wolf quirked a brow, a touch of excitement sneaking into his voice as he asked: "And what do you do, out about, here?" In the back of his mind, a nagging voice reminded him that he was on a mission, the more time he wasted, the further behind he'd get. But it had been so long since he last met an age mate, let alone an old friend; Just a few more minutes! Surely there would be no harm in getting some fun out of this rotten track down mission, was there? The young hunter couldn't help the rush of thrill running down his spine, since the move to Hearthwood he had spend way too much time thinking about everyone else, he longed for some good, old fashioned, selfish fun! "I haven't been this far since we moved up north, any good sport around here?" A brisk little hunt would be very welcome in the midst of all this boredom and aggravation, and he knew very few wolves who would disagree; Just a short break, then I'll be back on Karina's trail!   Word count: 358 Thoughts ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

PLOT WITH ME!