Spectral Woods As much as i think about you

OTB borders

It had taken her three days to travel from the heights, her nose to the ground hoping to find any trace of her wayward brother. Guilt and worry gnawed at her stomach like the ever increasing hunger that came with being on your own. Only assuaged by scavenged carrion, when she was lucky enough to find it. She was tired and worn around the edges or she might have already recognised the familiar trees looming. As it was she only came to a halt as the scent became too overpowering to ignore. Tired eyes finally looked at the mist shrouded forest around her. It looked so different when it wasn't buried in snow.

Jaw ever so slightly agape, she drew a deep breath, there were familar scents here, and strange ones, but as of yet no trace of Reiko or Sahalie. But that wasn't to say her sister wouldn't know, she still remembered when it seemed like @Aponi knew everything there was to be known. Worry turned the corner of her mouth down for just a moment before she extended her neck to howl a greeting to the wolves that walked the land on which she was born. Here, surrounded by familar sights and scents a wave of nostalgia washed over her and just a small part of her heart pined for the life she had had here, once.

Guardian 1/3

He had been slowly pacing the borders when the call came. He was too tired to hunt—it was getting more and more common. Not every day, not even every other, but every fifth, if he had spent the four previous ones hunting, his body refused to. His muscles were sore. His joints ached. He couldn't cram enough power into his stride to actually take anything down.

So on those fifth days, he patrolled. The blue-tinted fog of his home swirled around him as he moved, a ghost among the oak trees. He still thought Triell and Marsh had picked the best spot. The little clearing in front of the oak tree was usually sun-soaked, and it burned the dreary mists away. Otherwise, he wasn't sure he would stand it. It would be the same, day after day. Summer, autumn, winter, spring—every day coated in a blue veil.

The call was both familiar and unfamiliar. It spoke of having been here, yet was not a voice he recognized—young, he thought from the pitch of it. His own deeper voice cut through the swirling fog, the lower notes mingling with the lighter ones in a ghostly harmony. He didn't know who she was, but he was coming to greet her. Not much more needed to be said.

He didn't think much as he loped towards her. He couldn't sprint, but the dull ache of his worn muscles was bearable, as was the impact rattling up from his paws into his thick legs. He wasn't sure he liked growing old, but he couldn't do much about it.

She materialized out of the fog, dangerously close to the border, but not threatening it. His pale ears swept forward, tail up and proud, lips covering his fangs and silver eyes kind. There were gray hairs on his muzzle, coarser than the white ones, barely visible. Age wasn't obvious on him, unless you had seen him in his youth, when he was bulky and wide. He was still bulky and wide, but his back wasn't as full as it had been.

Ice hadn't spent much time with Triell's children—one and a half month, before they had gone with Naira in the dead of night. She was older now, of course. It had been half a year since he'd seen her, but the kids of your friends.. they stick in your memory. He quickly sampled the air. She was alone. He frowned as he stopped in front of her. "Treyah," he said. She looked ragged and worn, on the brink of exhaustion. "What's wrong?"

let the stars above shine in your soul

I tried to be like Grace Kelly

Treyah Tainn

An answer came swiftly and she allowed herself to sag with relief. While she may now appear a stranger, fully-grown where once she had been all legs and ears, the note in the answering song was a familiar one. Not @Aponi or @Serach, but someone that had been here before they left so suddenly. She was mindful to lower her tail and dip her head as the large white wolf approached, had it been any other she may have had to consider buckling her joints to make sure she didn't loom over them. When her name was spoken her tail waved to acknowledge that it was indeed, her. "Ice," the response was almost a rumble, her voice growing hoarse from disuse over the previous week. What's wrong?

The words were like a physical blow and she recoiled as the worry washed over her in waves. She managed a bitter grin at her dramatic response but found herself needing to shake out her coat to fight back the stinging prick behind her eyes. "Reiko's missing, dad's sick," mother is losing her mind... she managed to keep the latter to herself with a small shrug. "I don't suppose you've seen my brother? Or Sahalie?" Her nose had already told her they weren't here, but perhaps either of them had been by with word on where they planned to go? "Figure if she's around I should probably let her know..."

hope you don't mind me jumping in here @Treyah and @Ice !

The pups were about a month old now, hard to believe that time was passing so quickly and so slowly at the same time. It seemed like just yesterday she was welcoming into the world and now they were spending time outside of the den. In fact, they were now old enough that Aponi could leave for a couple hours of alone time as long as one of the other pack members were around to watch them. It was a welcome change for the mother, the confines of the den were beginning to drive her a little stir crazy. Sharing the space with just Lila has been much easier than sharing it with this years triplets.

She had been hunting small game just over the pack boundaries when a familiar voice broke the silence, startling away the pheasant she had been stalking. Growling in frustration, as always she was starving the silver wolf squinted her eyes at the fowl’s retreating form. Still, she could not be too angry at hearing that Treyah had finally returned to the Bend. Aponi doubted that she would be here to stay and had reservations about what this visit would entail but she tried to be open-minded.

Quite the change from the wolf that had once tossed her enemies off of mountains huh?

The promise that she had made Kyna still rung through her mind clear as day. Aponi would build her daughter a family. She had failed at doing so for the blonde wolf who was now an adult in her own right, but she was hopefully succeeding for Lila and the newborns. Sure, it wasn’t always the two parents and all the offspring, but a cousin and an adoptive father and grandfather would have to do. And, now apparently the occasional visit from a wayward aunt.

Coming upon the scene that Ice had beat her to Aponi smiled as warmly as possible. She was still getting the hang of being ‘friendly’, especially given that she hardly recognized Treyah. She looked more like Naira than herself now that she was older. Still, the smile faded away the second she caught the tail end of the conversation, ”Sahalie left with Spieden the same time you did. Saw her around a couple of weeks ago, said she was making a pack south of here.” The words were emotionless, she didn’t blame Sahalie for leaving with Spieden but perhaps she harboured some resentment that the dark girl would come back to the Vale and set up shop so close to them. First she left their pack half empty and now she returned just a stones throw away just to gloat.

You are most welcome, Ghost! Guardian 2/3

"Ice," the rugged girl responded in a gravelly voice, disused and harsh—a strange counterpoint to the (relieved?) wag of her tail. She must've come very far, very fast, and not stopped for idle chitchat along the road. When was the last time she had eaten? Was she in a state to catch anything? Could he get away with feeding her from a cache, if he really put his weight into filling it up once his body had taken its demanded rest day..? She was Triell's daughter, and that made her family, but he wasn't sure Serach would see it that way. He wasn't sure if Serach still nurtured his grudge or not...

A frown threaded its way across his forehead when she recoiled from his words, and without meaning to he took a step towards her, tail faltering and ears going back. What was wrong? Had something happened? Was Triell alright? Naira? She needed a moment, but then the answers spilled from her mouth. "Reiko's missing, dad's sick," and Ice felt his heart go cold. Triell—sick, and said in a way that made it sound like it wasn't just some sneezes. Triell can't be sick he wanted to say, he's younger than me, he can't be ill, but he was forced to shake his head in silence.

”Sahalie left with Spieden the same time you did. Saw her around a couple of weeks ago, said she was making a pack south of here,” an arriving Aponi filled in, smiling. Ice let his tail droop and ducked his head, still not entirely sure what to make of her. "Down in the Copse, I've heard," he added quietly. "I've seen neither her, nor your brother. But what ails Triell..?"

let the stars above shine in your soul

@Aponi and @Ice thank you! forgets where this sits on the timeline so probably fudges something up

'Cause nobody can save me

Treyah Tainn

Treyah had been so focused on Ice that she hadn't noticed Aponi approach until she spoke. Her head dipped and her tail waved even harder, a low whine of greeting offered to her sister making it obvious that she had no hard feelings about all that had transpired. She moved closer to nudge Aponi's chin, if nothing else she was going to make sure she did the right thing. As far as she knew her sister was still the leader here and even if she wasn't, she would still outrank the yearling Tainn.

She listened as she spoke of seeing Sahalie recently, a small nod was offered to show she had tucked the information away, but it was followed with a sigh. She really wanted to get back as soon as possible, but at least if she was nearby... well, it wasn't like it'd take her another week to get back home. Her attention turned back to Ice as he added a more concrete direction. Chances were high she'd get lost in the fog but she'd try her darndest to get there. "His shoulder again mostly, but probably also exhausted. They had three pups, two boys and a girl, and the other two adults, Kerberos and Maera had a pup too. They almost outnumber us." She tried to sound upbeat, but there was no hiding the strain in her voice. "Ma's... not so great either... You remember how she used to space out? Well now it's like she... time travels or something, she doesn't even remember who I am half the time, and she gets even more moody that usual. She kicked Leotie out just before I left." She offered a shrug, the world was falling down around her ears and all she could do was watch.

7/12 overall posts

 

As she arrived the alpha pressed her shoulder against Ice’s in a silent greeting, never one to waste words. His words answered a question that had been brewing in her mind. Triell was sick, that was why her sister looked worse for wear and was over here looking for Sahalie. Accepting her sister’s chin bump the silver wolf licked the yearling’s crown in reciprocation, she had no ill will for the Tainn. It had not been her fault that her parents had ripped her out of her home in the middle of the night after all.

Treyah offered further explanation as to what was happening with her home since they had left the Bend. Aponi couldn’t help but feel a small thrill of validation at hearing that everything had gone to shit since they abandoned the pack but the leader held her composure. Triell’s shoulder had once again become a problem, there were almost more pups than members and their mother was crazier than ever. Typical. Naira was always choosing the worst possible times to fall apart and then when things were better she would reappear as normal. Carrying herself around like nothing had ever happened.

Glancing at Ice to gauge his reaction to the news, he knew Triell better than she and would likely be more affected. Then a wary smile came over her muzzle, she had always been fond of Treyah and it pulled at her maternal instincts that she had come all this way alone. If she didn’t have pups of her own to care for she would have marched back herself and put Naira back in her place for once again shirking her responsibilities onto her children. Stepping to the side to clear a path into the territory she nudged Treyah’s ear, ”Come on, let’s get you something to eat and I’ll get you some herbs to give to your dad. I’m sure mother is in no state to be trying to heal him.” Judgement filled her last sentence but she held back the eye roll that almost accompanied it.

 

Guardian 3/3

He was biased, and he knew it, but he was pleased nonetheless to see Aponi accept Treyah's presence—welcome it, even. It made him feel less like a traitor, and a tension he hadn't been aware of left his spine. He wasn't entirely relaxed, however; the yearling's state and message saw to that. It ate at his gut until he wanted to shake the news from her forcibly.

A small scowl threaded its way across his pale features? Three pups, and one from the other pair of adults? Part of him thought of course with a kind of irritated sigh, that's what you get for being lax with certain rules, but at the same time—Triell's kindness had always been something he admired, even when it confused him. He couldn't fathom why the black wolf had fallen for Naira, and that was probably why no one had told him about it for a long, long time.

The news of Naira were disturbing, too, though hit less close to home. Ice, simply, did not care as much about her these days. Once a friend, then an enemy, and now—a memory, the loved one of a dear friend. He let out a low, strangled sigh, morbidly glad that Triell was probably only bothered by a bad shoulder and exhaustion while Naira had almost gone off the deep end.

Aponi had the situation well in hand, inviting Treyah in. With a grunt and a swish of his tail, Ice stepped to the side. "You tell Triell to get better," he said, firm but with a hint of a joke around his voice. Clearly, he intended to remain by the border and let the two sisters go find a cache together, and catch up.

let the stars above shine in your soul

One more from @Aponi to archive?

i carried compassion to the point of self destruction
and learned that too, could be a sin

Treyah Tainn

The girl could finally let it all go, the final bit of tension in her shoulders slipping away with her sisters invitation and Ice's message for her father. She allowed her tail to wave, "Aw, c'mon, we both know it'll take more than that to keep him down." But she graciously slipped forward, with a lowered head and another wave of her tail to move alongside Aponi. "That'd be great, I didn't know where else to go. We were getting on okay with the willows and one of their subordinates was spending a lot of time at ours but then mother started getting worse and talking about how 'it was just like last time' and she suspected someone from the Ridge murdered her mate, then she started going off about how wolves at the lake stole her children and how she doesn't owe anyone anything. She took exception to Leotie trying to make alliances for us, you know, the usual." She'd given up trying to fathom her mother's thought processes long ago. "So how have things been here?"

We need 2 more posts so Ice can get his skill points, so one more post for each of you @Treyah @Ice ?

 

The alpha was not sure what to make of the tension that fell from Ice’s shoulders but she knew better than to ask about it. The man was quiet, and fairly private and Aponi hardly knew her father-in-law. Other wolves might be uncomfortable with that but the Donata didn’t mind, he was a good role model for Lila and he provided for the pack and that was enough for her. Family ties had never been set in stone to the silver wolf, her mother had made sure of that.

Her own spine stiffened slightly as Treyah expanded on what her mother was saying, but she quickly dismissed it. Shaking her head she muttered, ”She has no idea who killed my dad. She took the kids and left him behind.” But, the information buried itself in the back of her mind like a little worm, digging a hole before she could get it out. Someone in the Willows.

If she was a younger wolf she would have left that night and found the Willows and demanded to find out anything that they knew. She was not a younger wolf. She had responsibilities and a pack and she couldn’t run off on every single one of her mother’s crazy whims. Not anymore.Picking up the pace Aponi draped her tail protectively over her younger sister’s haunches.