"Rita! Where are you, you big dumb dog?"

The Starreaver walked through these woods a thousand times before without issue, but today his step had a wobbly, meandering quality to it. He braced himself on trees and he carried a sickly sweet scent on his tongue; Rita, of all wolves, would recognize his inebriation upon contact, but maybe she wouldn't smell the sugars in his breath over the stench of the poultice his injured hand marinaded in. It was a well-deserved drunk. He had dealt with too much lately, more than he wanted to in his retirement, and a previously well-hidden misery surfaced once it had eaten through his defenses like acid. This wasn't supposed to be Gaven. Gaven was supposed to be able to deal with anything...but, well, sometimes he couldn't. Like then.

At least he was still doing his work, like making sure Gemini's prisoner wasn't dead.

"Heh, at least you're not in a pit, right? What is-what is that smell?"

He crinkled his nose at the stinging scent of canine manure. The closer he got to the den the worst the smell, to the point where even in his drunken state he could easily follow it to his destination. When he came upon the site of piles and piles of feces he choked, spat on the ground, and held his breath for a moment. Was this from all those puppies? Hadn't she taught her children to not empty their bowls in camp?

"Fenedhis lasa," he choked. "Rita, where in the Void are you? This is disgusting."

He stumbled back a few steps to the point where he could breath well enough to spit on the ground without feeling like the rank air was assaulting the insides of his mouth. Even in his brain fog he surmised that the wolf must not have felt comfortable leaving the den, especially when she viewed herself as surrounded by enemies. Fair enough. He knew from experience the wolves liked their own smell, but somehow this had to be unpleasant even for her. Maybe he should suggest she bury it? At least the air quality would be better.

"Anyway! Just came to check in on you!" Gaven shouted. He didn't particularly care that an angry Shark was nearby. "Also apparently to tell you that you can stop hiding behind your shit wall any time you'd like.'

It wasn't as hard as he'd thought it'd be to leave the old willow tree. The small plot of land his parents guarded had been all Romulus had ever known — and yet after kissing his mother goodbye and promising to visit with tales of his adventures... The spotted boy hadn't felt any urge to turn back or even cast a final glance over his shoulder. 

It was nearly the easiest thing he'd ever done. Choosing which of his belongings to take along was harder than leaving — but even stress of choosing his favorite trinkets eased at the prospect of the for adventure now on the horizon. New things to see and trinkets to find! New people to meet and joke around with and play pranks on!! "I think this was a good decision, Remus." The boy chattered happily as the duo walked. "We're gonna find so many cool things!! And maybe learn some new things, maybe  new song for Momma. But like... songs and stories and stuff are like... imaginary things. I think real things are better, don't you Rem? Maybe a new kind of flower for her to grow. Yeah! We'll visit and bring flower seeds, whaddya think?" Wispy tail wagged as he spoke, bumping his shoulder (and bag full of knickknacks) against his twin. 

"Man it's hot here." The air was heavy with humidity, and the heat was foreign to the speckled dire mix — but along the moisture hanging in the air was an array of strange and unfamiliar scents. A toothy grin stretched across Romulus's features as once more he expressed his utter excitement to his likely exasperated twin. 

But the youth slowed to a sudden stop, tall ears flicking forward and nose noisily sniffing the air. "Hey, Rem... Does that smell like Bean to ya? Bean's been here!! That's definitely her! Maybe a day or two old but that's gotta be Bean! C'mon Rem!!" With a grin, Romulus would suddenly break into a run, sprinting through the dense forest (and likely ignoring any of Remus's warnings to slow down or stop). 

A joyous laugh burst from the boy's chest as he ran, enjoying the feel of the wind through his coat and soft foliage beneath his paws until — WHAM.

He's crash gracelessly into an unfortunate stranger.  

Do you know the way? Where to go? You left, without a plan, without a word, and still you continue on. She banished those thoughts though, they'd ebb back to her shores another day, the darkling girl knew all too well. Gemini had not been a place for her, and so perhaps the wilds just might. In this world were broken things existed without reason or purpose anymore, she traveled aimlessly. The forgotten child, the mistake. But purpose can always be reborn, and it was when she came along.

The forest was quiet, gripped with winter's chill. Indigo knew if they didn't want to feel the cold, then they'd better keep moving, but something had caught her attention. Nostrils flaring to a familiar scent that picked away at her brain, and she staggered to a complete halt. Bi-colored eyes widened as the nostalgia came in waves like an old forgotten memory. Something calling to her, her legs moved before she could even stop herself, ears perking to a voice only she could hear. That voice, I know that voice. "That voice, do you hear it? Do you, Kas?" Deep bluish fur, brushed against reddish brown, and for the first time since their meeting Indy pulled away.

The forest remained silent, but as the treeline opened up to a frost coated field, the soldier stepped out into the open gingerly. There was a fog along the horizon, a strange glow in the sky as the sun glowed in a hazy sky. Rabbits scattered back into their brier patches as the pair passed them by. And then! Her paws hesitated in their movements as a pheasant panicked in the grass a little bit ahead of her and took flight, the thrumming of her own heartbeat deafening in her own ears.

She watched as it fluttered and soared out of view and when she looked back down to the ground that's when she saw it. Bright among the frosty grass, brows knit together. "A poppy? But it's nearly winter." She mumbled to herself. Perhaps it was the last one of the season? The red of the petals pulled her down to the grass, cradling it. Memories dancing across her thoughtful eyes. Saboro. Almost forgetting the female that followed after her, vision snapping upward to show the other the flower. "We had these flowers where I came from, there was a whole field of them. I liked that field." But she remembered how it looked like a sea of blood at times.

The marketplace was a sure fire way for her to run into Roc Itai, he seemed to be patrolling it more and more each day, and everyday it was the same of him shooting her menacing looks. She never stayed long enough for him to actually walk up to her, and the one time that she did, he threatened to have her attacked for loitering.

Padme decided from then on it was better to avoid that sort of situation all together.

Instead today she'd find herself in the more shaded areas of the mainlands, safely out of the view of any Rocs (hopefully). The sound of birds filling the mid morning air, ear flicked idly as she laid upon a crumbling rock, it appeared to be a torn down slab of temple wall from the intricate carvings and how the moss literally covered every nook and cranny. The crumbling structure itself surrounded a rather large pond.

Large elephant ear plants shaded her from the bright rays of the warm sun as a paw dragged back and forth in the water, scaring any fish that swam too close. Pale amber eyes focusing on the ripples left behind, her mind lulling into itself. Moments when she was alone like this it was so easy for her to slip into that little world of her's. There she was safe from everything, it shielded her like a blanket. The sparrow would waste her life away just by dreaming. A loud splash from a fish pulled her back and she blinked once, twice, three times.

Her senses jarred for a moment as her eyes rested on someone close by, how long had they been here? "Hello, nice day, right?" The dappled youth began to sit up, pushing the large leaves behind her, a warm smile pulling her lips upward.

He'd been stalling.

Of course he'd been stalling; it was as plain as day from the moment he'd arrived that there was much more baggage that would need unpacking than he was ready to handle at the time.

He didn't know what to make of that first night in Nardir; being summoned to a grand council where the members all gasped and stared at him like a ghost having returned from the grave. But, he wasn't a ghost- he was Tobie. He was, as far as he knew, just a crazed wolf with strange dreams. The rest of this council had thought otherwise.

It was the old wolf Hakan who had broken through to him through constant reminding that the black wolf that stood with mouth open and shock on her face was not some stranger but in fact his sister. Alexander wasn't entirely sure that was true, but then again the old man hadn't been wrong thus far so anything was possible.

There was something about meeting Mercury- meeting her properly and alone- that intimidated him. Perhaps it was her stare? Perhaps it was her genuine silence that first night. Or rather, perhaps it had been that he had spent the last few weeks wandering the pack and barely seeing her save for a brief moment here or there. Words were never exchanged in those fleeting moments, and Alexander couldn't even tell if she'd noticed his presence when they came and fluttered by. Yet the boy knew that if he was going to ever figure himself out properly, it would involve having to meet with her. Alone. It was something Alexander dreaded.

It wasn't even the fact that he would need to speak with her at some point, it was simply the mere fact that he knew that she knew that he was an imposter. It had to have been the only explanation; she knew that he was not this long lost Prince of Nardir but instead a false prophet returned from a land that never existed. If they were siblings, truly siblings, there would not have been this long of a distance between them. The thought of her giving him space was something that would never have crossed his mind.

If he was to be found out, of course, it would need to be soon. Alexander had come to like Nardir and the wolves within its walls, but deep down he knew that if he was going to stay, this was going to have to be properly taken care of. It was this that rose him from a light slumber early one dreary morning; the weather matched his mood and the thought of the proverbial suicide mission he was about to undertake. The world around him was grey and dreary; a light humidity hanging in the air as thunder rolled across the mountain tops. There were storms and rain coming, but they still seemed to be far enough off that the golden male found no reason to worry as he made his way towards the castle.

He would sit outside and wait for her to begin her day if need be, but, Alexander knew if nothing else this was something that needed to be put to rest if for no other reason than his own sanity.

Blah, blah, blah, blahddy fuckin blah blah....

UGH!

All he wanted ta do was keep his head down and just wander the borders and freak people out with his size, maybe bug Akutan and Ticon some but noooooooooooooooooooooo..... Some crazy fuckin Crimson Demon was the Big Boss Bitch now and well... She wanted to talk to the massive mutt. Bah! Whatever.

So there he was, minding his own business, just kind making his way down from the more harsh terrain of the borders, lazily moving back toward the heart of Nardir.... Except....

“Fuckin hell, I gotta pee....”

He made his way over to a nice looking tree and sniffed it up like the good tree it was. He leaned away some, hiking his legs and....

“Fuuuuuuuck yeeeeeeah.....”

He sighed out with a grin and just look of hazy relief as he emptied his bladder upon the poor tree.... This was his tree now... Yup. He took a half hop forward, stretching out that leg that had been hiked then the one that had supported a bit of his weight, in turn his back and.... Oh yeah, that shake-out felt hella good, sent a bit of dust off his thick coat too!

“Now if I was the Big Boss Bitch-Bear where th'fuck would I be chillin?”

He said to himself, jaws parting in a lazy yawn as he wandered about. Should he try calling the fire-crotch like a cat? Might be worth a shot? Maybe. Fuck. How was a bright-ass red wolf so fuckin hard to find??

Sycon made it to Moonstone lake and well.... He took a galloping start, leaping into the water with a huge S P L A S H!!! Sycon stayed under for a good bit before surfacing with a big ol gulp of air, splash swimming about now to kill some extra energy. Yup.... Big ol puppy playin in the water.... Wait... What was he supposed to be doing again?

ooc

Obsidians, dull, ugly, small, and foul tempered. If it were up to Itai they would've been wiped clean out as soon as the first one was born, lucky for them however because it most certainly wasn't up to him. While Crystallines stood perfect and untarnished, all the other bloodlines seemed to suffer under the heel of their own inbreeding. In fact, Itai had been writing a thesis on this very topic! Riverines were often sickly and riddled with health problems, Obsidians were genetically stunted from birth and their brains were under developed causing them to constantly be angry, and Sapphires and Sanguines were genetically designed to self destruct, not understand proper hygiene, and bring shame upon themselves! All astute assessments by, soon to be Councilman Itai.

Though he was in need of a little extra information, this thesis would come in handy, he was very sure of it. To help nip certain problems in the bud, and hopefully better his people as a whole. It was a new dawn, a new day, with the smell of change on the winds. Peering outside of his cluttered alcove, the afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky. "Ah! That time already?" Lips curled into a self satisfied smile as he swept up his satchel, paper, quills, and all.

The Roc would descend into the market, bright eyes scanning over magpies that hesitated under his keen eye before shifting back into the motions of work, they'd rather avoid a long winded lecture and the potential write up. Besides, they were all who he wasn't looking for. Riverines, Sanguines, and a rare Sapphire (he always made an effort to make it extremely difficult on a Sapphire who wished to join his ranks).

It didn't take long, sifting through the marketplace for the hellion's eyes to catch sight of those dull feathers, the blueish grey hues, and the short stature. Brows rose and lips curled into the crooked smile. Obsidian. "Moxie!" He called, head raising so that when he did approach the male, he was simply towering over him. If his memory served him correctly (which it always did), this one was a jay. What fool made him a jay? What a laugh!!! "Excuse me, Moxie. I've some questions, if you're willing to sit through an interview. Simple, routine stuff, a survey of sorts!" He came to sit and balance on his haunches, already digging through his satchel for paper and charcoal.

Panic. Anger. Doubt. Frustration.

Words Angus knew of but had never experienced before in his life. Was this just anxiety? Or was it something more. The pup had found himself pacing back and forth in the fields just south of the castle where his friend Eli had once shown him. He liked it there- there was something about the ancient structure that kept his mind curious and busy while he'd waited for Ivaylo to get better. He wasn't allowed to visit her- that point had been made clear by that one boy that seemed to like Ivaylo a lot. Deep down, there was a sense of resentment towards that chocolate colored wolf that came in and stole the spotlight when the pup had first arrived to Gemini. Was that jealousy? Angus wasn't sure but the sting of being kept away from his injured friend had left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had had no one here except her, and she was keen to follow the rules of this pack by pushing Angus away.

That was his view point at any rate. Sure, he'd been kept away from visiting, but he'd noticed how well Ivaylo was getting on with the rest of the pack while she healed. He saw from a distance how she seemed more or less happier with him out of her life. It was an anger that panged at him when he went to bed alone at night, under the stars with no den to curl up in to. Ivaylo was here in Gemini, but she didn't seem to remember that he was even there.

And it was true that it couldn't be wholly said as a fact, and the pup knew it. She had found him at the border helping another pup that was lost, and her chummy attitude had the boy reeling. Who was she to think that he would be happy and excited to see her after she forged new friendships with other adults her age, while he was left to toil alone and go to another pack only to make no friends there either?

The boy stomped back and forth as his mind raged with the thoughts of her and how she acted recently towards him. It had been almost a month with no leads on his family, and it felt like since his arrival, Ivaylo was nothing short of unavailable for him. Sure, she had her own life to live, but she'd also made promises to him about finding his family and Gemini. And granted; he'd abandoned her to find Gemini himself, but he had only planned to find Hyperion and then have the three of them go to Gemini together. He didn't realize she would have found her own way and made new friends along the way.

Perhaps he was just upset at the thought of being an afterthought in her mind. Perhaps it was the stress of finding Gemini and then watching as his first and only friend collapsed half dead in front of him at the gates of what was supposed to be their haven from the rest of the world. Maybe it was the lack of closure of that incident and the demands made by the rest of the adults in the room that left Angus's heart and blood boiling as he paced in a circle.

He liked Gemini, he really did.

He just...wasn't sure how to handle the sudden re-introduction of someone that clearly had spent the better part of a month ignoring his existence.

He didn't know how to feel abandoned again.