Jasper Rocks my only friend was the man in the moon

Finally thought I'd "discover" this place somewhere between Jasper Rocks and GH. That place that Jaysyek had founded so long ago where Theo and Prosper Lyall were laid to rest. Name forthcoming; may be something like "Lost Boy Pond."

There was a time when I was alone
Nowhere to go and no place to call home
My only friend was the man in the moon
And even sometimes he would go away, too
- Ruth B, Lost Boy

little do you know

January 18th; Early afternoon, just before sundown; Patchy moderate snow; 18 ° F, -8 ° C.

Rook had risen that morning with a mind to finally wander the trails and take into account just who was still around. Clearly Yvly and Veho were here; as well as Pip, Tomen, and Nineva. Felix, he now knew was about, exploring on his own agenda now that he had reached that point in his young life where he still needed guidance but not the constant supervision of an adult or appointed cub-sitter. The girls, Joan and Ophelia, and their mother - Rook was also sure - were about. The more the thought about it as he walked towards the one place he knew he could find some sort of inner peace, the more he figured he'd ask someone later - who remained, who had left, who returned...

Snow began to fall. It gathered in the boughs above and what little bit of snow fell through the tangle of cedar and fir branches, settled on the forest floor. It covered Rook's tracks and dusted the wolf-made highways with a fresh blanket of frost. Then, when Rook had finally come to where his older brothers had been laid to rest, it gathered in his coat too as he sat in perfect silence before the cluster of two large boulders and a spindly fallen fir sapling.

When the Lyall bowed his snow-crowned head, he did not pray as he once did. Instead, he sought to become as silent as the rest of Relic Lore around him. The reason why he had come here instead of where his father had been buried was this: he hoped to receive an answer for the coming Spring and what the thaw might bring him if he proved himself worthy. What Rook believed to be Theo and Prosper's Lore-bound spirits had never disappointed. Once thought of as real angels or as close to saints as a pseudo-Christian wolf might believe, their littlest brother was so certain that they would give him a clue. They had always given him an answer; surely a little snow wouldn't have deterred them.

i’m still haunted by the memory

(This post was last modified: Jan 19, 2017, 02:50 AM by Rook.)

Still kinda not certain about the date other than after January 23rd >.<

Renier Lyall
don't worry about me the heart is suppose to bleed

The night would close in after some time, but the rogue pushed himself to go a little faster. He wanted to break the news as quickly as possible. The sooner done, the sooner he could go back to the Ridge. He was adamant about looking after those left. More so now then ever. They needed their tiny spark of hope to get them through the winter.

The familiar trees came into sight, and a bit of the pain he was carrying eased. The rich scent invading his nostrils. He slowed his pace, catching his breath. He wouldn't deny it was nice to take a short leave, and walk this forest. There weren't memories here that hurt as bad as the new ones that had formed. For moment he took it all in steadily. He had a reason for coming, and continued forward. The Lyall only hoped since meeting Veho the Hollow hadn't had its own misfortunes.

Quiet filled his ears, and he knew the path he could take. How much farther until the borders. Even with the moderate snow taking over the trails. Instead he was pulled to another place. One he hadn't visited in a very long time.

White began to take over his coat, as mindfully he picked his way to the site. There was somewhere in front of the boulders with their head bowed. No one here could know....

His steps faltered, and he stared. Almost certain it was a ghost, a spirit. Logic came next. Ghosts could not be sprinkled with snow. So could it be? "Rook?"

"Rook?"

The voice, though somewhat familiar, caught him off-guard and he spun around to meet the brother he had not seen for nearly two years. The last time they had seen one another, Rook had come to Willow Ridge to collect Quil from his aunt and uncle's domain. He had only been a meager yearling then, foolhardy and overwhelmingly naive. Now was a chance to see if time apart had changed them at all. The thoughts of cubs and the warmer months were all cast aside, tucked away for another lonely hour.

"Renier?" he really shouldn't have needed to question the other male. That trademark mask and deep gold eyes... Their similar builds and physique. Rook only had one living brother who shared with him Borden's telltale characteristics. He sat back down, allowing the snowflakes to gather along his shoulders again. His mismatched eyes studied that tawny coat and what else Renier's body language could give away without words, his nose twitching for anything that might have told Rook that his siblings required aid (and that the Willow wolves truly couldn't be trusted). Nothing immediately jumped out at him in alarm. Once collected, his tone was hushed and even, laced only with a hint of curiosity, "What brings you here?"

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.

Renier Lyall
don't worry about me the heart is suppose to bleed

Please don't run, he thought. He couldn't stand to think what he would do if he did. The wolf wheeled around, seeming just as surprised to see a wolf of the same blood. Yes, it had been a long time. Too long.

He managed to nod his head, very aware of his posture. Still afraid he'd some how chase his brother away. After a moment of consideration he took a seat, asking a simple question. His knee jerk response would have been quipping back shouldn't he be the one asking that. Angered by fact this was all his brother could say. Renier really wasn't mad, they had to start some where. He had reason for being this way.

His shoulders sunk, as he plodded closer. He wished to press his nose into his brother's tawny coat, but held back. If he did that he would not be able to talk, and he needed to talk.

"I've fixed the break between Willow Ridge and Grizzly Hollow not long ago, and I was going to inform Veho that....." A knot caught in his throat, and seemed even harder to swallow as he stared into those mismatched eyes. Ones like their mother. Eyes in a mask considerably like their father's. His own eyes clouded, pain tightening his chest."Elettra and Angier have passed away."

Clearly oblivious to Renier's fears, Rook's attentiveness told the older male that he was open to conversation. Where once was a skittish yearling with a want-all, devil-may-care outlook on life, a cautious man now sat. Their little face-off from a couple years ago had never truly left Rook's mind but enough time had passed now for him to shift back to neutral. It was funny how that all had played out... but gone, too, were the days when he regretted spitting on the Archer-Lyalls of Willow Ridge and wistfully wished that @Elettra and Angier had helped in the healing of Borden's sickness. As Renier drew closer, Rook could feel his guard hairs tingle. If he could have ran, he might have but, at this late in the game, there was no more energy left in him to flee. However, this was nothing even close to surrender; Rook was never one to believe he owed Willow Ridge an apology. They were family and family, he believed, ought to stick together.

The last-born stared at his brother's paws as he heard that the rift between Willow Ridge and Grizzly Hollow had been mended. Rook wasn't surprised. In those early days of establishing their parents' fallen domain, his plans were impulsive (they still were, if he had to admit it to himself) and, more often than not, his plans yielded a result that was he opposite of what he expected. To this, he quietly nodded and when he thought to thank Renier, the sentence carried on that Renier had meant to inform Veho that Elettra and Angier, the Leaders of Willow Ridge, had gone.

Rook grit his teeth. He had been so caught up in so many things over the past two years that he had forgotten what he had meant to do (and, we'll admit, here, that Grey, herself, had also actually forgotten): he was supposed to deliver a peace offering of his own to his aunt and uncle, a genuine apology in the form of herbs and heartfelt words. Now the day had come in which it was much too late...

When he met Renier's gaze, he winced, brows nearly touching as they furrowed. "I'm sorry for your loss," he whispered, ears lowering as he ducked his head. He meant it. All those times Borden had requested to see Angier one last time, Rook denied it - at least now the brothers were united in spirit after so many years apart. "I know Dad has been patiently waiting; he's probably glad for the company." He tilted his head upward as if to steal a glance to his sibling's face. Death was surely a dour, heart-breaking thing, but his spiritual lessons from Renegades Reach had taught him otherwise. Paired with Veho's own aspects of the other side, he couldn't help but try to shed a little light on this tidbit of news.

Chances are I have a BEN WHISHAW gif for that.