dead & gone

She movements are swift across the lands of the cedar forest, these steps traced back and forth one hundred (more even!) times before. There is a bound in her trot, a determination the same as always (if not more certain now) as she made way towards the heart of the grizzly hollow den, cutting quickly out to the right to avoid the main den and onto the infirmary in which she spent much of her time. Though it is a new day, the morning signaled by the rising of the sun just peeking over the horizon, it is clear that Elettra's decision had been made, and she was not going back on it.
As she nears, her body is rigid with worry, wonder, and irritation alike, a mixed mashing of emotions. Her hackles stand on end and, pausing at the den's opening, she begins to work. It would take more then once trip, many in fact, to gather all which she had collected and figure that she would do what she could to take the most of it and leave the rest behind. Surely, someone else might place a use to her herbs and this open den she had dug out herself. Where she would put her things and where she would live herself was still up to question but this did not stop her. Offering an irritated growl and a huff, followed even by a snort, she would tip over rilver oyster shells of their water, pushing them into piles for leave. Her 'packing' moved quickly (though not quietly) in her determination, not bothering to think of whom may be near to see...

Alexander had taken to resting again, his journey to the Thicket draining him of energy again to go much further than the Hollow boundaries. But he was fine with remaining in such confines. This was where Arlette was, and he had little interest in straying too far from her. Without being overbearing, of course. Around the backside of Elettra's den he rested, head upon his paws, ears twitching slightly as he dreamed of nothing in particular. Shortly following his ears, all of his limbs began to twitch slightly, and he seemed to be stirring out of sleep. Consciousness surfaced, though Alexander's eyes remained closed, as if he was willing his body to let sleep take over again.

However, the sound of eager shuffling caught his ear, now twisted back at the sound, and he slowly got to his paws, stretching for a long moment. With tired steps, he came around the side of the den to see the dark pelted Second of the Hollow frantically sorting her leaves. If it weren't for the way in which she was going about her business, he wouldn't have thought much of it. But her body language alerted him, and he frowned. <b style="color:#51b85f">"What happened?" Alexander questions her, ears pressed forward, brow creased with worry. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

It was quite obvious by her sudden jump and twist around towards Alexander, she had been caught off guard. Foolish of her, to think she might slip away without anyone noticing, mainly if she was going to have to take multiple trips in order to collect her things. He lived here, after all, and what was more, he slept in the same area in which she often slept it. How could he not have noticed her leave? "Nothing." She answers with a quick snap, though realizing the foolishness in her answer, corrects herself. "Everything!" Maybe a bit more dramatic then needed, but the woman in her rage of emotions could not control the feelings which bubbles out with her snarl now. Her head falls, eyes turning over the tipped over oyster shells and bundles of herbs. "I cannot stay here any longer...." It is only here where he gaze lifts, meeting his own pale eye color for the first time this breaking day. "I'm leaving the Hollow." It was as simple as that, wasn't it?

He took her snap in stride, his expression mainly blank. Perhaps the only sign of surprise was the flick of his tail tip. But the concern set in again, gray brows coming together, and he lowered his head as he sat, eyeing the items she was attempting to pack away. They lifted as she admitted her departure, and a look of slow shock appeared. Leaving? He couldn't say he knew more about her than what she'd told him on that first night, especially her situation here. What could he do? Nothing. It truly wasn't his place. Rising to his paws, <b style="color:#51b85f">"I'm sure you thought it through." He said, circling around to stand near the articles. <b style="color:#51b85f">"Let me help." He offered, looking up at her, the shock mostly dissipated. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

He would disregard her snapping at him quickly and as time passed between the pair, she became more and more aware of his ability to keep his calm amongst her anger. Even in her fit of rage, he did not quickly snap back in retaliation, but letting it slide off his pelt with ease. This, eased the woman. Amongst Alexander, she was able to release her anger without the worry of having to get into a big fight over it. She was free to be herself without any kind of curbing whats-so-ever. Steadily, he was becoming if not a well councilor in a sense, but a friend.
“Yes. ...I have.” She whispers, watching as he would come near, circling around the bits and pieces of herbs and shells here and there. Her head lowers, nudging a few of the shells into his direction to pick up. She would have to thick quickly of where they might go with them, should she not have the three-legged man hoping in circles. ”I am certain that Borden's rise to power again will not be long coming... I cannot trust that man nor feel protected under his rule after what he had done. Or, lack there of...” Her voice trails off, not bothering to go into the details of it, nor mention Vlarindara and Kiche and her feelings towards them. After all, she was no childish tattle-teller. However, if only he'd ask, she would offer it to him. She was bold in her mannerisms, with nothing to hide and no reason to fear her feelings being unaccepted by those around her. If she felt someone was worthless and no good, she would let that wolf and anyone else whom wanted to know how she felt without an ounce of 'playing nice'. Elettra was far from a two-faced creature.

The land of Relic Lore, once so peaceful seemed to have fallen into disorder. Two packs, even when turned to three, had managed to remain at peace. But now, months later, things seems disquieted, and they were no longer in their germinal stages. The fur along his haunches rose slightly at this thought, and he let out a sigh, calming himself. It was bound to happen eventually. Peace was never constant.

His head bowed, and pale eyes watched her shift her store about, until some of the shells were pushed his way. Before he picked them up, his ears tilted to listen to her. Borden. They pressed back quickly. What had he done? Alexander was merely on neutral ground with the Hollow leader...Or apparently ex-leader. <b style="color:#51b85f">"What has Borden done to wrong you, Elettra?" Alexander asked, darkly, eyes closing. Would he be given reason to make an enemy of the wolf that was once his greatest friend? <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

He questions her and for a moment, she is silent. Perhaps long enough to where it may seem as though she would not respond. Still, she stands, breathing in and out delicately as though forced, to keep herself collected during these moments before finally, she speaks. "Just before the snows fell, Borden disappeared. In fact, everyone just... disappeared..." Her breath exits heavily, her head falling, as though she was still in shock that they had. Wolves whom had pledged their loyalty to the pack, those whom Jaysyek had placed her trust in. Loyalty, Respect, Honor: it was codes which the woman had grown to fiercely live by and to come here and have it happen, only to be forgiven so easily and without being given repercussion for their actions was astonishing. Abandonment did not go by easily for the Torbine Empire.
"When winter hit, it was only I, Jaysyek and my fellow Second, Raigo who remained with the three children which remained. Borden told us after he returned nearly next season he had been looking for one of the missing children, Prosper. But he had given the pack no warning and with his leave, left the rest of the members. Half the time we went hungry, cold- our future and the pup's survival left uncertain. I was the one whom found Prosper- dead and returned him home. But with his death came soon another. One of the boys, Theodore, got bitten by a snake..." In the back of her throat, a high sound begins, forming a whine, but she cuts it off with a large gulp and fighting of tears. Her teeth grit to reveal anger to demolish her sadness.
Perhaps late, but she now makes the connection that Theodore was Alexander's own, for if Arlette was, then the lost boy was too. "With winter, my supply was so little. I gave him medication to fight the pain off and more to which is known to aid in venomous bites. But it didn't work- none of it worked..." She pauses, her silvery gaze finally turning upwards to Theodore's father, though her head remained hung in defeat. "Prosper now lies with his brother..." And here she sighs, ever so delicately as her body loosens from it's tension. "I just feel that if our leader had not abandoned us, we could have properly had a search party for Prosper. With more wolves out there, actively hunting, we might of found them. With more eyes, Theodore might not have run off and gotten bitten... I can't trust that Borden won't make the same mistake twice, and I will not go through that again..."

Silence took over for awhile, and he wondered if he'd crossed the line. But after a moment, she finally spoke, and his head dropped. He could see it and it wasn't a pretty sight. His eyes closed, hindquarters dropping as she went on. How could he do such a thing to his own family...Slowly, he looked at her as she went on, a pained look on his face, mingled with astonishment. But suddenly he realized he wasn't any better, he'd merely been given a way out. He thought his children would be better without him here. But clearly not. He should have turned back the moment he realized he'd gone astray.

A slow shaking sigh filtered through closed jaws when she said Theodore's name. He'd never really asked, but had known that his son had died. But now the reason was clear. What a terrible fate. He hadn't deserved to die in such a horrid way. He kept the emotion at bay, though inside he'd fallen apart. Perhaps the blame couldn't be put completely on Borden, but on all those that had deserted their pack. The only point Alex could think of was that Theodore was dead. <b style="color:#51b85f">"I understand...I understand completely. I'm...I'm so sorry that you and Jaysyek had to go through that." He shook his head, keeping his voice level. <b style="color:#51b85f">"Just tell me where to go." Alexander said after a moment, bending towards the shells again. <b style="color:#51b85f">"speech."

Understanding. It seemed to come more and more rare with each passing day, but here it was, offered to her without question- not an ounce of hesitance. She nods, but cannot find a smile she might have otherwise offered, given the circumstances. "Thank you." She may only whisper delicately, before her eyes would once more turn to him, watching as he would bend down towards the shells, ready to take what he could and follow off after Elettra. She sighs a moment, her head lifting to glance around her- trees and more tree, thick with the smell of cedar which lingered over her pelt as any wolf of this land. "The willows..." She finally would answer, to which her head then would dip downward, gathering a mouthful of mixed herbs and then, with a final glance to her infirmary and the main den, not far off, would begin retreating to the borderlands of her once home.