Frog Chirp Creek When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe

When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me
Under the lamppost back on Sixth street
Hearing you whisper through the phone,
"Wait for me to come home."
- "Photograph/Clean", Louisa Wendorff feat. Who Is Fancy

September 28th; Northwest of Grizzly Hollow borders; Evening, near-sunset; Sunny skies; 47 ° F, 9 ° C

The trip back to Relic Lore had been a grueling one. Rook had seen the full moon one too many times by now and when he had been at least halfway between Renegades Reach and the northern stretch of Cedarwood Forest he had stared up into a true last-quarter moon. His paws ached, though his limbs remained restless. While he had enjoyed his time with his immediate family, it soon grew on him that the more he spent time with his nephew and twin nieces, the more he missed out on his own cubs' milestones. Their little milk teeth were now being replaced, their adult coloring was starting to become apparent in their faces, and their puppy blue eyes were just about ready to shift in hue. He had helped hone the vocabulary of Trisden and Wicket's brood; and, meanwhile, he had missed out on all the emerging personalities that made up @Joan's righteousness, @Felix's curiosity, and @Ophelia's confidence.

It had taken quite the inner pep talk but as soon as he was able to stop carrying the guilt and the regret, he bid goodbye to the Reach once more. A part of him had been so sure that he would not have been able to pry himself away from his sisters, but he had already been gone for so long that he felt as if they had all grown outward in their own directions. In some sense, their roots were the same, but only a fraction of their branches intertwined. He hadn't been able to discern what had gone on with Bishop, but it was all too clear to Rook that his older siblings had lives and families of their own. Rook was their baby brother but, finally, no longer "the baby" of the pack. It was refreshing, relieving in all the ways that told him that he no longer owed the Lyalls of Renegades Reach anything but his love and well-wishes. Trisden and Wicket had taken charge of it for sometime now and would take care of it for as long as they and their offspring were able. Rook had his own place and right now it continually called his name.

Through the Thicket he meandered over the twisted vines and crooked shrubbery, not stopping until he had reached the first cedar. Here, he stopped to survey his surroundings, his ears perking at the sound of wildlife nearby. At first it was merely little plops and splashes in the bubbling creek just out of sight, then it became a chorus of frogsong as the minutes wore on and the sky began to slowly darken.

Tired, his haunches sank beneath him; he winced as he forced himself to stand back up and move to where the Frog Chirp Creek finally rose up to meet him. Several beady frog eyes blinked upon his arrival, but as he wearily collapsed on the riverbank, the wart-covered cratures made themselves scarce. The croaking continued elsewhere in the distance. Rook quenched his thirst with a sigh. He knew he had a little bit more distance to cover but found now that he could not ignore the heaviness in his shoulders.

With his chin and paws in the shallowest part of the shallows, he closed his eyes. As soon as he had regained his stamina, he would see to it that he would find @Veho and Oula and the rest of their family.

(This post was last modified: Sep 29, 2016, 05:21 AM by Rook.)

Hope you don't mind I dropped Yvly into this thread?

What had started as a border patrol for the tawny women ended as an exploration of the northern border. She had, of course, been there many times, but not once had she taken account of the small details. The more open land to the southern border was far more pleasing to her than the slightly closed in spaces where the thickets were slowing making an appearance when one travelled northbound. Due to the recent events, however, she had decided make herself more familiar with all of the land around Grizzly Hollow.

Yvly plodded idly alongside the gurgling creek, the sounds of neighbouring wildlife picking up as the day wore on. At first the splashes in the creek caught her attention and she swung her head around to try and catch sight of the creatures, but they always seemed to dance away just in time. Once or twice she thought about jumping into the creek and attempt to catch one beneath her paws, but her better judgement got in the way. She was too old to play such silly games and had much more important responsibilities needing her attention... though sometimes it was nice to let her inner self come out and enjoy the simplicities of life.

Deciding enough was enough as the sky began to darken considerably, she began to turn around and go back the way she came from but paused mid turn. In the distance she could spot a semi-large form half in the creek and half on dry land. While it could be many creatures, including dangerous ones, Yvly's curiosity got the better of her, and she slowly moved forward, slinking, almost. A wolfy scent made an appearance as she sniffed cautiously at the air, one that did not smell like the cedars, but was somewhat familiar. Stopping a large enough distance away that would allow her to bolt if something happened, her tawny ears turned forward as she stared quizzically at the myriad-coloured form laying on the riverbank. She knew this wolf. "... Rook?"

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For a moment - just a moment - Rook had actually dozed off. It had been a dreamless slumber, the kind that came at the end of a long and tiring day. There was nothing but the black that was the back of his eyelids; so, when the sound came in the pronunciation of his name, his mismatched eyes fluttered open. At first she was just a shadow, a silhouette against the outlines of trees which were just as dark. Then came the frog chirps again, filling his ears and waking up the rest of him as his nose twitched. He knew this wolf. If he was honest with himself, he probably wouldn't have been able to live with his shame if he forgot her name (one of them, anyway).

"C-Crystal?" his head lifted slowly and water dripped from his chin and throat. He probably shouldn't have been even slightly surprised; the last time he had departed from Grizzly Hollow and returned, she had been there on the borders. An ever-vigilant watcher, a territory keeper of the Cedarwoods.

"You're--" he started, unsure where their conversation would lead when the only thing he wanted to do was see Veho, talk to Veho... love Veho. "You're still here..." For a few seconds more he was speechless, his jaw sealing shut when he started to feel embarrassed for being out this far on his own. It wasn't as if he had been avoiding them at all and he hoped they had all gotten that when he had initially departed. If it hadn't been for being overwhelmed with parenthood being shared between two other parents (one of whom was still something of a stranger to him), he might not have left with the hopes that Veho and Oula - alone - would provide a more stable foundation for their cubs.

He pushed himself up and back away from the water's edge, his forelimbs soaked up to his elbows as he sat up. "How are you? How's... everyone been?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

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

Yvly could see the glint of eyes reflecting the low light from the fading sun as they fluttered open in response to her voice. So it was Rook. She held herself a little higher now that she knew who the wolf was. He was... not a foe, though in his recent absence she was not sure if she could consider him a friend. She had not been privy to his reasoning for leaving, nor had she asked Veho or Oula as to why, and so he may have had a good reason for it. Regarding him as in between a friend and foe was her best bet for now, at least until she could get more facts.

Rook seemed surprised to see her as evident from his stammering of her name. Surely he should have not been shocked to see her... unless he had not expected to see her when he returned. Her tail swished petulantly behind her at his mention of her still being in Grizzly Hollow. Well of course she still would be, her loyalty was near unbreakable once it was gained. "Unlike some of us," she muttered beneath her breath with a soft chuff. Too many had been lost to them in such a short amount of time, and when they needed them most. Autumn was already here, and winter soon on the way. They needed all the number they could get to survive through the winter, making sure all three of the pups made it through. Though less wolves did mean less mouths to feed.

She regarded the multi-coloured wolf before her with a stern eye, unwilling to just accept him back into the fold just like that. He had better explain himself thoroughly or she would take it upon herself to keep him on the other side of the border, with force or without. It was his choice. The tawny female stood her ground as Rook stood up, meandering from the edge of the creek, and though she briefly worried about him catching a cold from being wet in the cool and dark conditions, she kept her expression stoic. Veho could easily fix him up. "I'm fine. The others still here are fine. We... keep to ourselves, mostly, but we are doing the best we can" Yvly admitted softly, eyes hardening at the thought of so many deserters, but the feeling was swiftly dismissed as she turned her focus to Rook. "And you?" She queried, "Where have you been?"

 

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His ears fell as he picked up the tone of her grumble, the words lost in the frog chirping and the babbling of the creek. His eyes went from her own eyes then down to her nose, down to her chest and even further to her feet. He had to remember that while he might have been family - or pack - before, he was at Crystal's mercy and her unwavering stance relayed that to him. She was still affiliated with Grizzly Hollow by scent and he might as well have been wild, without a place to call home.

He quickly gave his head a shake, ridding himself of the remaining droplets that clung to the fur on his face. At least she and the rest of the pack was fine. For that he was grateful. His eyes remained on the pebbles at her feet, half-certain that she might begin to figuratively take him under her wing. Instead, she asked him the same, wondering where he had been all that time he was away.

A part of him wanted to doubt that he had returned home at all but he did his best to push the thoughts away. After all this time, he had not established Grizzly Hollow to abandon it; surely its members, even under Veho and Oula's reign, understood that, right? He could feel a wince start to pinch and pull at the mask on his face and he turned his head away. One of his ears remained directly facing her.

"I went to visit my family," he divulged. "I needed to see my sisters." His last word could have been singular, but given the circumstances and undeniable curiosity, he had ultimately come to face his other siblings. Really, it was one hell of a reunion, and he still wasn't quite sure if it was the kind he regretted or enjoyed. All he knew was that he relished his new nephew and nieces, and had even found something akin to comfort when he had taken that one single walk with Trisden's mate and co-Leader. Apart from the time he spent helping his eldest sister, he kept to himself... trying to figure out for himself what Oula, Veho, and their three cubs meant to him.

He was about to mention that he had needed to be with his family to understand the one he had wanted to build with his partner, but thought better of it. To him, in his head, it sounded weak to have wanted that distance in the first place. He opted for something a little more straight-forward, "I went for some well-needed advice." Fleetingly, he hoped she might have realized that his father was no longer alive to help him out, but Rook couldn't even remember anymore if Crystal had been around to have known or met Borden at all.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

She was happy that Rook appeared to notice his side of the predicament and act accordingly; though he was not in the wrong he had left during a time when Yvly believed Veho had needed him most. The tawny female still did not quite understand their relationship with one another, but she did know how she would feel if her two only friends in the world left her alone, and she presumed it was something similar to that. Her gaze softened slightly when his head turned to the side, unable to catch the expression on his face due to the darkness, but understanding the emotions behind his words. There were some days where she, too, missed her family and wanted to return, but her home was in Grizzly Hollow now. She could not afford to listen to her heart's whims.

"Sometimes we need to return to reality to get a grip on our own lives." The tawny female could recognize that his decision may have not just been on a whim like hers were, and maybe that was because he was far closer to his siblings than she was, but there were occasions where family was needed. She nodded her head at Rook's justification even though he would not be able to see the movement. Suffice to say she was satisfied with his answer. Family could make a wolf do many things, and while she had no idea what advice he had needed it must have been important enough for him to leave Grizzly Hollow. "I hope you got what you were looking for?" Yvly responded with a much warmer undertone than before.

Tawny ears flickered to the sides for a moment as she thought on what to do now. Make him wait while she called for Veho, or let him across the borders with no hesitation? It was quite a dilemma for Yvly, she wanted to do the right thing by letting her fellow pack mate and authority figure decide Rook's fate, but could not bring herself to leave him out in the cold by himself. There was always the case of letting him in the borders for the night but limiting his access to the rest of the pack... "Do you think you can make it all the way to the border? There's an old fox den near there you can rest in for the night, if you wish." If he had been laying partially submerged in the creek with the sun no longer fully in the sky it could only mean he had been travelling for a long time and desperately needed a break. She was not a cold hearted wolf, and would allow him the luxury of sleeping in a warmer place than in a creek, but only because she knew he meant something to Veho. Just this once.

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"Sometimes we need to return to reality to get a grip on our own lives." Crystal seemed willing to accomodate him; without lifting his eyes to meet her gaze in the dark, he could discern that she understood the reason he had left the pack behind. His ears remained folded back; the want and need to be reunited with his family began to burn in his chest and throat. "I hope you got what you were looking for?" she asked. Rook's head tipped upward and he raggedly inhaled. At this point in their conversation, he should have realized by now just how much and how little he had changed.

The emotion within him still churned as it always did, his tendencies to be dramatic flaring up the longer he scrambled to collect himself. However, where he might have whimpered and whined and mewled to Crystal how he had wanted to see Veho, he didn't. Rook Lyall was now a little more mature than that.

"I think so," he answered her, his voice growing quiet. "I stayed there for as long as I could, but it was time to come back home. I thought I wouldn't come back." He shook his head, regarding her briefly before training his sight on where the dark creek had been so clearly at his paws just moments ago. "I know now that I was needed here."

He was about to ask if she would be willing to escort him to pack borders, but she beat him to it. "Do you think you can make it all the way to the border?" Rook's lips parted, his breath leaving him as he considered the rest of her words. He could stay in a fox hole nearby, rest up, and deal with all the formalities of rejoining the pack later or tomorrow. The left side of his muzzle wrinkled and he took a second to neutralize the yearning that had seized his whole being, everything within that told him to find the man he so pined for.

"Perhaps," he replied lifting his wet forelimbs and shaking the dry dirt from his left paw. "That-- That might be best." He turned to face her as he gathered his four legs beneath him, each and every movement slow to mask the ache that had accumulated in his muscles. His tail swayed about the air behind him. "I had meant to be back sooner but I was delayed. Took a wrong turn somewhere..." He wondered if this might uplift the mood a bit, particularly when he gave something of a half-chortle... as if he were scolding or ridiculing himself for getting just a little lost. He waited for some visual cue from her and, maybe, the tone of her voice, if she answered just as warmly as she had earlier. "May..." his voice trailed off. "May I ask how Veho's been?" He might have gone on, inquiring about Oula, Tomen, and the cubs, but he decided not to press his luck. As an outsider he recognized that he was probably not entitled (yet) to that information. There was trust to be rebuilt, but he hoped that Crystal would at least proffer some insight as to how he might handle seeing his partner after a long period of separation.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

While Rook churned over her words the tawny female stayed silent, letting him digest them in peace as she observed his reactions. She did not want to rush him into saying something he did not want to say, nor make it seem as if she was nosing into his private business. What he did was his own problems, unless he wished to share them with her, of course, but she could tell that was unlikely to happen. If their positions were swapped she would wish for some form of secrecy about her own dealings until she could confide in someone she knew better, and so afforded him that very curtesy. Whoever that someone may be for him she did not have any particular interest in for she found that including herself in every bit of pack affairs was quite tiresome and often not the best thing to do.

A partial smile appeared on Yvly's maw at his quiet words. She could agree with his opinion of Grizzly Hollow being home, the only place other than her homeland she could consider so. It may be a far cry from the open and never ending plains she had grown up in, but it was home now, and she could not imagine no longer living among the cedars she had grown so fond of. A soft chuff left her jaws at his proclamation of coming to the realization that he was needed in the Hollow. Yes, they could have had his help with everything going on, but the fact that he had returned said enough about him. "Well, we could always use an extra set of paws."

With Rook's acceptance of her offer a soft sigh of relief was released from her. She had been slightly worried that he may not agree and decide for himself what he would do. This way, at least, he would be safe within pack borders from any lowlifes or predators scuttling around in the dark looking for some food, and with how exhausted he looked she could not imagine him holding up for long on his own in a fight. Tawny ears flicked forward as he began the slow ascent from laying down to standing up, ready to help him if he was at all unsteady on his feet. She could just imagine what Veho would say if she did not appropriately care for the man he seemed so fond of. "It happens to the best of us," Yvly responded in kind with another chuff, glad for the slight uplifting of the mood on his behalf, letting the corners of her mouth turn upwards.

At the mention of Veho's wellbeing her jaws opened as if she was about to say something, but they quickly shut again as she thought about what she was going to say. She could tell he genuinely wanted to know, and while she would not explicitly talk about his state of mind, she would allow Rook to know the basics to which Veho could explain further on. "He's been busy," she started off slowly, dark amber eyes resting on Rook's risen form as she spoke, "It is difficult to balance caring for the children as well as the members still remaining, but he's doing the best he can." While Yvly did not want to speak for Veho, she wanted to get across to Rook that maybe he needed a bit of uplifting himself. She could not imagine how hard it must be for him to only have himself to rely on with all the recent disappearances. Maybe having Rook back would do more than just provide extra paws to use.

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He had hoped that hearing of Veho's welfare would bring on something like a second wind, something that would revitalize that feeling of homecoming. Instead, it was quite commonplace on the ears: Veho was busy, obviously trying to manage his life as a pack leader, a partner, and a father. Crystal was sure to let him know that he was doing the best he could. It made Rook's brow furrow and his tail fell. For the time being, though, he allowed her to take the lead. When he was last here, he had never wandered too far - at first it was Borden's health that bound him to the heart of the territory or down to the Lagoon, then it was Marsh and all the places where he didn't feel suffocated. One of those places, for the most part, had been Veho's den along the creek by the Jasper Rocks. Rook never strayed from those areas (not even to find something new or previously undiscovered), finding comfort in the familiar places he knew best.

The further Crystal went, the more the Lyall's head sank, his body completely parallel to the ground from nose to tail. In the dark, even if his steps were slow to begin with, he took note of the distance between them and tried to maintain it as best as he could through the trees. He didn't want to seem nosy or thankless for this favor by asking for more or prying for information that could have been none of his business. But, this, he had to know, "And how about Oula?" They had not been close when she had decided to help them in their endeavors for a family, but Rook still cared for her. She had given their children life, carried them, cared for them, and had allowed Rook the same privileges Veho had as their (biological) father. Maybe, if he put forth the effort, he could find something of a significant other in her, too... "The cubs must be quite a bit to handle now." This bit found him smiling; Tomen at this age had been adorable. Between Ophelia, Joan, and Felix, the curiosity and the adventures must have been endless.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.