Willow Ridge but you won't love a ghost

Clear — 46° F/8° C. The border, dusk. AW

She was slowly taking it all in.

After all the time she'd spent in what was truly a vast wilderness, to be somewhere she could someday call 'home' still sent a foreign chill through her body. And it was foreign; the willows that stood timelessly all around her were unlike the towering pine trees that covered the north like a rolling sea. Their scent was softer, sweeter, even, than what she realized she'd become accustomed to. The girl's feral gaze cast thoughtfully upon their long, thin branches as they hung above the water of the creek, glistening peacefully beneath the waning light of a setting sun. As still as she was inside and out, part of her was trembling to see her brother.

She remembered the way they had played beneath the verdant canopies of the forest, somewhere over the mountain in a place that haunted her memories. @Rowan had undeniably always been her favorite. The bond she and Cinder shared was unbreakable, sure, but before the Attaya girls had lost everything they'd ever loved, it was her brother that had been her other half. For nearly a year she'd imagined him swept away by the flood, never to be seen or touched or loved again, and to know that he was alive and well, right here...well...it made her heart flutter. It would be too easy to seek him out, too simple after all this time. If anything, she wanted their reunion to be as much a surprise to her as it would be to him. Did he know of her return? Could he smell her scent, fresh and new and strewn throughout the hills? Would it be bittersweet to see him again? As she had done, Quil would wait time and fate out, and when their paths crossed she would give him all the love she owed him. Until then, she was content to acquaint herself with the territory.

Long and lithe, her slender form slipped easily through the winding path that cut through the hills. Beneath a fiery sky, the silver tones of her fur─her father's markings─glittered like stardust against the stark black of her undercoat. Dipping her head to avoid a near-collision with a low-hanging bough, she came to a halt on the precipice of twilight descending on the land. The gold of her eyes shone as brightly as the sun as she stared it down, unabashed. She'd reached the border, and came out on the other side of, she didn't even know where; invisible strings held her in place, the way a puppet was suspended at the hands of its animator, and...for the first time in a long while...she just stayed.

(This post was last modified: Sep 19, 2014, 02:03 AM by Quil.)

hope you don't mind me jumping in! :)

Watching the sun fall from the sky and below the horizon was Greer’s favourite time of day. He was most active at night, as his coat blended effortlessly into the darkness. The long-legged prince was unlike his brothers; he preferred to be on his own and seldom spoke. His speech was broken, as he rarely used his voice, but it did not bother him. He preferred to interact with others through physical cues, or just not at all. The slender Archer also liked to practice his hunting skills with the help of the moonlight. He figured if he could master hunting at night, when his sight was limited, he would excel during the day. So, while the rest of his family slept, Greer would sneak out of the den and explore the forest.

He cared for his family – that loyalty would never disappear – he just enjoyed being alone. Confrontation was something he was not good at, nor wanted to participate in. When he was alone he was always right – and Greer didn’t like being wrong.

His thin, growing body weaved around the willow trees as he watched the fading light. These recent nights were different than the ones from the summer. It was often exceptionally warm during the day, and once the sun disappeared the temperature would drop considerably. It was this ‘fall’ thing his parents often discussed, which would then be followed by winter, whatever that was. There was so much constantly changing around him; it was hard for the young Archer to keep up. A frown creased his dark maw as he pushed forward, allowing the scents of the forest to consume him as he ventured closer to the border of the pack territory. While he was almost always exploring without the company of his parents or brothers, Greer remained respectful to them. He would stay within the Willows and dared not go any further unless he was accompanied his mother or father. Of course he was curious to what the rest of Relic Lore looked like – especially since his brother had seen some of it during his disappearance – but he did not want to cause his parents any grief.

As he reached the edge of the territory the scent of another caused his movements to slow. His body tensed immediately while he tried to decipher if this she-wolf was friend or foe. She smelt heavily of Willow Ridge, which meant that she was a pack member as his mother was not keen on strangers lurking around. But he did not recognize her scent; he did not recognize many, though. Exploring on his own left Greer isolated from his own pack, so the majority of his packmates remained strangers. He lingered at the edge of the border, his silver eyes observing the dark female as he kept the distance between them.

Yay! <33

The time passed her by in a way she didn't notice. It was peaceful here, quiet, and on the most distant horizon she could make out the ghostly forms of the mountain's peaks. They seemed faraway and almost as if they were some sort of mirage. Sitting down upon her haunches, she wondered if maybe they were all there. When she'd left Relic Lore, it was because she believed that they were gone to somewhere far from where their home had been destroyed, because why would they want to stay? It had come to her later that maybe they hadn't left at all, but had moved to somewhere safe nearby, perhaps in another forest, or in the red dunes to the east, or, maybe ─ and as she looked at them now ─ to the mountains.

Constantly, Quil questioned herself. Had she done the right thing in leaving Maksim and the others? Had she looked long and hard enough for Cinder? Had she looked long and hard enough for her parents? Here she was, beneath Elettra's guidance, protection, and rule (a woman who had ties to her father and was in a way the closest thing to him that Quil had been fortunate enough to discover), and finally somewhere where it felt safe to stick around. But she felt like staying meant giving up, and to that end, she sat on the crest of the hill with the weight of her world on her shoulders.

Unaware that she had company, she clenched her jaw, attempting to hold back the dull, quiet whine that rose from her throat as the sun slowly fell from the sky.

His legs trembled as he stood there, torn between observing the dark female and slinking back into the willows to continue his night walk. The idea of conversing and interacting with another made his stomach turn – but, he knew that he had to get acquainted with his packmates. Greer could not live and grow within the pack and only know his immediate family… we he could, but it was a stupid idea. His mother frequently exaggerated on loyalty and doing things for the pack – the other wolves of the Ridge were his kin, as well, even if they weren’t blood related.

Instead of speaking the slender pup turned his maw away from her, his pale gaze focusing on the horizon line where the sun was falling behind. The sky was a flurry of bright reds and oranges as it darkened into a mixture of blues and black; stars had begun to creep out and dot the sky above, signalling that the night had almost arrived. He could not help but glance over at the stranger as a frown creased his maw. She had not noticed him yet – was he still able to slip away without her noticing? Greer knew his brothers would tease him for refusing to interact with his packmates, but the shadow prince didn’t care. He was not a social wolf, and had no intentions of being social.

However, he remained. His voice remained held up in his throat, not daring to break the comfortable silence that engulfed the land. As he watched the sun fall away his paws itched to leap forward and explore the other territories that bordered Willow Ridge. He knew that exploring unknown territories at night was an awful idea; there were rogues out there, who did not follow the word of a pack, and would be willing to attack a puppy. He was safe here – he could venture further once the sun returned, or he had one of his parents accompanying him.

She could have lost herself then, somewhere in the fiery shades that painted the sky and lined the clouds. Maybe she could have even fallen apart, out here where no one would see and no one would care. But the tears that could have welled in her eyes and rolled down her cheek never came, and she closed her eyes just to feel the wind blow across her face.

And it told that she was not alone.

All at once, she stiffened, perking up in attention. The scent she'd caught was unmistakably young, the sort of puppy smell that clung to a cub's soft fur. Quil quickly looked over her shoulder, searching for the wolf who had managed to creep up on her when she least expected. In the sunset-kissed grasses, between the trunks of the trees and among the foliage that was bathed in a cold shadow...She was surprised, but she knew her eyes weren't playing a trick on her, and she knew someone was there, but she couldn't find whoever it was. "Who's there?" she called out plainly as she finally stood and turned around to look about.

Maybe she wasn't ready to really interact with any of her pack mates, and indeed she was caught off guard, but could manage to do whatever she had to in order to keep from making a bad impression. Besides, if it really was one of the children to have found her, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to possibly make a new friend. Her golden eyes were wide and warm as she stretched her neck to see.

The impending darkness excited the slender child – his limbs vibrated in anticipation as his silver gaze remained focused on the falling orb in the sky. Once the sun disappeared behind the horizon Greer would be in his element. His blemish-free coat was made of the deepest obsidian, allowing the Ridge prince to disappear once night fell over Relic Lore. He was able to practice his stalking without the disturbance, and distraction, of others. He was learning to move like the shadows, allowing his lean body to slink through the brush without uttering a single sound. It seemed as though his practice had paid off, as until the wind shifted the female had been completely unaware of his presence.

As her voice called out a frown creased his maw, tiny brows furrowing as he glanced in her direction. The silence that had developed between them had been comfortable; his needle-like teeth clenched at the disruption, his tongue remaining heavy as he refused to offer his own voice. He was not a social creature, even when it came to his own family, and was not sure how to converse with those who were not related to him. He knew this was a chance to get to know a member of his pack, but he was unsure of how to approach it. Greer prince observed the female as she craned her neck to search for his shadowy figure. As much as he wanted to flee he remained where he was, unmoving and silent as her golden eyes swept over the darkness.

If his brothers were in the same situation he knew they would be all over the opportunity to meet another. Greer couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps something was wrong with him… maybe he was broken. While he was satisfied with being on his own he was also curious as to why he had no desire to socialize… there had to be something wrong with him. Oddly, he was okay with that. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

He was out there, her beautiful, midnight colored child that although had been birthed from her very being, had seemed to have been formed by darkness itself, with two silver stars for eyes. Had she not scented him very near on her wondering, had she not have nearly moved directly towards his path from behind, she likely would not have caught sight of him at all. He was so very beautiful to her, as all her children were in one way or another. @Deacon reminded her of her litter-mate for which he was named after. The sibling she would forever and always find herself closest to despite the distance which now kept them apart. @Castiel was agouti - fitting in golden and creamy shades like no other that she knew of in the Archer line made of mostly gray-scale hues. He was a true resemblance of his father. @Asriel showed attraction in his saddle, a bright fiery hue that shined brilliantly over an ashy coat. @Morganna was fitting in dark black, with flecks of creamy blonde coloring over her shoulders, inside her ears and nape, her eyes of a peach which were not like any else of her kin. And of course, there was not to forget @Skoll himself, which (although they might have a bit different of body type) mimicked the exact coloration of his mother - fitting in black, silver and light tones of flecked gold. His eyes glow a bright silver to a point, a silver which @Greer held as well, whom stared into the direction of @Quil now.

It was made obvious her son was reluctant to show himself and for this she did not feel compelled to force him by thinking anything was wrong. He was independent in manners like Morganna had always been and herself even though being a Princess, Second and then Leader kept her social. At least she did not have to worry about him getting into trouble, unlike Deacon with his wondering heart for adventure. As she moved past her son, she silently places the front of her lips to his temple, allowing her to know she was there for him for support if he wished to join at any moment. Continuing on, she breaks through the brush and into the open for Quil to see. "It is I, Quil." She speaks as she continues to make her approach, arching a bit around to take the attention of Greer's direction. "I hope your doing well here...? Have you spoken to Rowan yet?"

(This post was last modified: Nov 13, 2014, 06:00 AM by Elettra.)

From the darkness of the rising night appeared a figure, her silhouette outlined in the pale glow of fresh moonlight. Quil recognized the queen immediately, and was immediately humbled. She rose to face Elettra, lowering herself to show all the right gestures one should when in the presence of royalty. Yet, in a way she didn't see Elettra as a monarch, but as a mother. At least, perhaps the closest she would ever come to having one again. Even having known little about the woman except for the images painted in her mind by the words of her father, Quil yearned to be closer to her. Kade had always spoken highly of Elettra, even in conversations between himself and other adults at times when the girl wasn't supposed to be listening. As far as she could discern, her father and her Leader had a relationship reaching back to the days when they had served together in Grizzly Hollow, and if that didn't mean something, she didn't know what did. Perhaps she had been lucky to have found her way to Elettra, even if it had initially been Asriel ─ long gone ─ who she'd sought out. What was more, her long lost brother (her favorite brother) just happened to be here, too. As lonely as she was, she knew deep down that she didn't have to be anymore.

"Elettra," she greeted, the surprise she'd had by way of the Archer's appearance subtle in her soft tone. She inquired about Quil's wellbeing, to which the girl found a moment of relief, before mentioning Rowan. In the dark, her brows drew together in sad sort of careful thought. The last thing she wanted to put out for Elettra to see was her sadness, and so she put on a brave face and answered politely. "I am doing well, thank you. I've just been...settling in." Her eyes found the woman's silver ones. "I haven't seen or spoken to Rowan yet...It's been a long time, and I don't know if I'm ready to see him again." Not to imply that she was scared, but in a way she was. "Thank you for taking me in; I wasn't sure where I was going when I got here, but, I'm glad to have found you."Her tail wagged in a slow arch behind her, and she hoped the woman could see the sincerity in her words.

(This post was last modified: Oct 22, 2014, 02:32 AM by Quil.)

Sorry for the wait guys! <3

It did not surprise him that his mother was lurking around the borders of the Ridge. Elettra was exceptionally good at her role of leading the pack – she was fiercely protective over her kin and ruled with an iron paw. The slender prince admired his mother’s qualities and hoped that he would embody the same passion that consumed her. His soft, silver pools watched her dark frame maneuver past him to greet the young female; her brief touch instantly comforted the boy, but he remained where he was. Greer was comfortable in the shadows of the trees, and would remain downwind and hidden until he felt he should show himself.

He watched his mother approach the dark stranger, observing her fluid movements as she closed the distance between her and the other wolf. Her voice was cool as it broke the silence that had engulfed the air once more, questions falling off her tongue as she stopped in front of Quil. Greer’s gaze fell onto the younger female as she responded to the Ridge queen, his brows narrowing as he studied her dark complexion. He was curious to learn more about what they were talking about, but he knew it was not his place to get involved.

As much as he wanted to make his presence know, and slither up beside his mother to greet the chocolate-speckled female, Greer was comfortable waiting in the shadows. If the conversation between the two females continued further the slender prince would make an appearance; he knew that he needed to make himself known to his pack mates even if he did not want to.

(This post was last modified: Nov 04, 2014, 05:55 AM by Greer.)

She knew the girl little, but oh, how she wanted to. Having the Attaya children here was different for Elettra Archer. It was unlike bringing in another member into her ranks, one she did not know at all. One that came from another land and wished to explore and start anew away from home. She was not just any yearling, striving to free themselves from their parent's grip out of rebellion and a since to find themselves. No. These were the children of Kade, for whom she had cared very much for which was far more then she could say her feelings for Borden were now. Elettra expected very much of the children of Kade and it pleased her to know they were here with her.

"He is determined to be a busy boy." She spoke of the youth, who had taken up guarding the borders around their home as well as taking up a close eye on other manners like caches on food and herbs. He was being great for the pack, filling a hole in Elettra that had otherwise been dug out by Asriel's absence. "There is no rush..." She admits to the girl, who seemed nervous about reuniting with the brother she had apparently not seen in quite some time. Be unknowing to Elettra, there was a rush, as Rowan's presence within her lands was already fading... She would not know what would become of the boy, only to later question if it was Quil's presence that scared him off or that he had perhaps got wiff of his father after all. Offering a wave of her tail to show her happiness in the youth. "The Attaya's are always welcome. I just wish Kade was around..." After all, though she had been told about the flooding from Rowan, she did not exactly know what had happened to the family after that. Maybe Quil knew of more?