Surreal Adravendi

Surreal padded along the old border, eyes alert, ears turning and listening, her nose to the wind. Ever moving, ever active. If she sat still for any long period of time, she could feel her body pulsing; one point in particular, and it was driving her up the wall. She found it easier to avoid Falk than to be around him, and by now, it wasn’t even because of the whole thing about Amalia and he possibly creating a litter together. She had made the decision not to have another litter, but she wasn’t sure she could keep to that decision if she was within touching distance of her mate. She had been sure to assure him that this time it wasn’t because she was pissed at him. She still slept mostly in Alsander’s old den, on nights when the urges got too vicious. On the nights she did sleep in the alcove of Erani’s old den with the rest of her family, she put her younger two between herself and Falk as a buffer. Touches from her children didn’t set her on fire, and smelling Falk only affected her enough to make her dreams very… saucy. Soaking in the streams had issued some relief. Sometimes the only relief to be found. She was determined to patrol, however, and ensure that Liar Walker and Sin Armada’s scents weren’t anywhere they shouldn’t, in her mind, be. So far, no more fresh spores. That was perfectly fine with her. As she came to the point where the stream flowed over the border, she wasted no time in sliding into the water until it covered all but her head. The pulsing eased slightly as the jolt of the cool water reached her skin through her fur. She ducked under the water briefly, shaking her head to sling water from her ears before forging to the other side of the stream and continuing along the border, feeling a bit better. She supposed she ought to explore further, find likely wolves to fill in the numbers of Celestial once she started it. Out of those she had, Tornach and Regulus were the strongest. Zuriel came in at a third. Surreal had made sure her healer daughter knew plenty of defensive and offensive fight to protect herself until Surreal or Regulus could get there. Falk was the most at risk in the family, and Baine was still at the phase where everyone was a friend. They needed more strong wolves who could help defend, feed, and guard the pack, or hell, even now. She paused at a deer spore, lowering her head to take a long sniff. Hm. This deer smelled as though it were recently injured. And as she followed the track a little further, she found a few drops of blood. She’d have to keep note of this. Their last kill was nearly depleted. She and Regulus would have to bring down another soon. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He'd finally managed to get all the sand out of his pelt. No longer was he finding tiny granules lodged in places he'd long since cleaned. It was helpful now that he was out of the desert. He'd been there for who knows how long, he'd lost track, and when he finally saw the hint of green on the horizon he was beyond overjoyed. He definitely hadn't been lacking energy by the time he'd reached the edge of the Vericona plains. He briefly remembered that an old pack had resided here, Valhalla (or so he thought), but to his surprise no trace of it remained on the wind. Its borders seemed scentless save for the stench of loners, but they were of no concern to him. It was obvious some wolves hung around this area due to the fresher scents, but he'd avoid those. No use stepping on another wolf's toes when there was plenty of space. It hadn't taken him long to sniff out the fresh scent of water. For once, since his desert trek, it wasn't a false river either. No evaporated puddle or dried up stream. No for once it was actual water he could swim in! It didn't take him long, a running leap, and he was in the water floundering around like a pup's first swim. A look of glee remained plastered on his face as he dove his head under the water fulling submerging himself before coming up again. After he felt clean, and fully hydrated, he exited the water and shook himself until he wasn't dripping wet. Much like Crusade, he looked like a walking poof-ball as his fur dried, but to his knowledge there was no one around so he felt safe. That was until he caught the scent of a female. He pushed his nose to the ground picking up the scent of a strangely familiar scent that triggered in his brain, but whomever it was he couldn't quite bring them to mind. She was also in heat, that much was quite noticeable, but he tried to ignore it chastising himself for being so... well male. Instead he tried to focus on the why the scent seemed so familiar. There was something off about it, perhaps because she smelled like loner, but it still felt like someone he should know so he decided to follow it. He traveled at a quick trot hoping to overtake the female with a bit of speed. He was keen on finding out who it was. She seemed to be following a border, which was odd since there wasn't a pack here, but nonetheless he followed her. It wasn't long before the scent of an injured deer filtered through his scent glands as well. Was she hunting? She didn't seem to be hiding herself so that seemed out of the question. He pressed forward with his ears pricked forward and nose to the ground as he followed her scent. It wasn't long before a gray form caught his attention and he let out a soft woof to let her know he was there. At least he'd found his target! Now to find out if he knew her or not. Walk, "Talk" Think

Surreal Adravendi

She’d tracked the deer a ways, just to ensure that it was still in the area. Perhaps she’d gather Regulus tonight and… The heavy tread of paws a ways behind her brought her attention to the present with a bump. As she turned, whomever it was gave a woof of greeting. The voice wasn’t familiar in the slightest. But the face. He was familiar. Mismatched gold and blue gaze ran over the heavily furred male, tracing the tear like black streaks beneath his eyes, which shone a blue-ish green. It took only a moment to click. She hadn’t seen him since he was a growing pup. “C-Creed?” Her uniquely accented voice was damnably hesitant. The shock of looking into an old friend’s face was just enough to knock her off balance, as it were. She took a couple steps toward the male, head cocked, almost warily. If he’d been fluffy the last time she’d seen him, it was nothing to how fluffy he was now. He must be roasting in that fur coat of his. Her eyes dropped to his paws. Even his paws were fluffy. “Gods, it really is you.” There was a bit of wonder in her tone, but her tail was beginning to wave behind her. Then it hit her that she wasn’t catching his scent on the breeze; she was upwind of him. Directly upwind. She shifted a bit to one side, hoping to spare him any more of having her scent, and the seasonal aroma that came with it in Summer, blasting up his nostrils. But she didn’t stop looking him over, taking in everything of the face she hadn’t seen in literal years. She hadn’t even been a yearling the last time they’d met. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem any taller than she was, though he could have been hiding a few extra inches under all that fur. Her eyes settled on his face again, a grin finally gracing her features as her tail began beating the air. “Gods, it’s been years, Creed. I haven’t seen you since we were pups! How have you been?” The memories were flooding back to her. He really had been good at playing tussle. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He seemed to have surprised the lass a bit. Teal eyes watched closely for her reaction as she stopped and turned to look at him. He first searched for any hostile notions or anger, but there was none. He felt his muscles relax a bit as he came to the realization that she wasn't going to be angry about his presence. It seemed his interruption was okay for the time being. A look of surprise worked its way into his eyebrows and eyes. They knitted together as he tried to recall where he'd seen her face before as she called out his name in her own surprised tone. He couldn't help but mimic her cocked head as he tried to remember where exactly he'd met the gray toned fae. It wasn't she stared at his paws that he could remember where exactly he'd met her. A grin slowly pulled at his muzzle and her flashed her his teeth in response to her words. He did remember her, but he hadn't expected her to grow into such a fine woman! "Aye Lass." His fluffy tailed waved eagerly in response to finally recognizing her. "Ah was jest a wee lad when we lest met." He said, the toothy grin remaining. His eyes were quick to drink in all of the changes that had occurred since they'd last met. She was just as tall as himself which wasn't a very big surprise to him. He'd known some larger females as his own mother had been larger than himself. She'd taken on that beautiful lilting form that most females took when they grew older. She had the delicate and slim looks of a female and yet he could detect a hint of ferocity underneath that graceful composure. To put it short? Well she'd grown up, as had he, and he was very pleased to see her. She did him the honor of shifting her position so she was no longer directly up wind of him. It wasn't much help, he could still smell her, but it was better than before. He no longer had the blood tingling scent slamming into his face. “Gods, it’s been years, Creed. I haven’t seen you since we were pups! How have you been?” He pondered the thought. It had been at least 4 to five years since they'd seen each other. He'd lost track of the time so it was only an estimate after all, but years were years and they'd both obviously grown. "Ah've been well, lass. Jest travelin' mos'ly wi' my family efter Isardis took over Glaciem. How abou' ya? Wha' have I missed?" Walk, "Talk" Think

Surreal Adravendi

As his recognition clicked at last Surreal’s tail began to pick up speed, though her head cocked in mild surprise as he spoke in a highly pronounced accent that she hadn’t recalled him having when they were children. It sounded like an undiluted version of her cousins’ accents, but with slightly different inflections. Some of the wording was interesting, too, but she understood Creed perfectly. A teasing grin flashed over her face, ears pulling back slightly, an enhancement of the expression as she announced “You weren’t that little of a lad.” Her warm smile had a reminiscent note to it. He’d been an absolute fluff ball as a pup. The fur had proportioned itself to his frame now, but he was still fluffy as ever. His answer to her question was received with a smile. But oh, he had missed so much. “Gods, where do I even start?” Her eyes dropped to the ground as she thought back. Should she give the long version, or the short version? Her haunches lowered as she made her decision and lifted her eyes to meet his. “I guess I could start with… Well, Isardis Armada started a war with Valhalla. It was over something absolutely foolish, too. One of our members, a female our age, Liberty, had wandered, and he had encountered her. He ended up wanting her, and when she ran back here to get away, he came to try to take her from us.” A sour note left on the words that followed as her eyes turned distant, remembering. “Apparently, He fancied himself a king, and he couldn’t stand being told ‘No’. So he threw a tantrum, Challenging for Liberty. He lost the first time, and his cronies took Chrysanthe’s mate, because one of our members didn’t obey the command that only five other Valhallans may come to that challenge.” Her tail tapped the ground as she gathered her thoughts and memories. “That siege was awful. Two wolves died. One of them from Isardis’s side, and the other a rogue that used to be a Valhallan member from what Mother told me. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they murdered him. They also took my uncle, Cormalin, and a member from Seracia that had been sent to help us fight; Bronze, I believe his name was. They took them prisoner, but we got two prisoners as well.” She didn’t exactly relish the thought, but there was a feeling of satisfaction that they had at least managed to take from Galciem. And both females had been his daughters. A sigh brushed past her jaws. “Unfortunately, we lost the siege, but we didn’t lose our lands. Chrysanthe lost an eye, and I got these scars.” She dipped her muzzle slightly, a slight gesture to bring the four slashes on her muzzle to attention before she continued. “Isardis challenged for Liberty again, but this time he won. We never saw her again, but I hear she ended up turning into quite the little Glaciem member. I can recall hearing her voice challenging for ranks, rather than her own freedom. Sometimes I do wonder if we ever should have fought to keep her home. Chrysanthe moved Valhalla to an Island on the southern edge of the continent. It really didn’t feel like home, though.” A slight frown brought her brow points together for the briefest moment before she went on. “Mother fell deathly ill during that time, and didn’t make the trek with the pack, and I and my cousin Alsander stayed behind to bring her back to health. She did get better though. With my uncle gone, I was made the Beta of Valhalla.” There was a note of pride in her voice; pride that she had been trusted with such a high rank and the care of the pack. The pleasure quickly faded as she went on. “Unfortunately, Valhalla’s troubles weren’t over. A yearling from Glaciem challenged for Valhalla, and unfortunately, she beat Chrysanthe. So… Mother took over. She revived the pack again, not even two hours after it fell, and she moved Valhalla back to these lands. We lived happily here for a year? maybe a year and a half. She named me her Heir, and then a plague swept across Alacritia. I was one of those affected. A female…” And here her voice turned frigid and sour, “Viridiana Sovari, brought the cure, then no sooner had that been done, then she turned right around and challenged my mother for Valhalla. Mother was old, by this time. Eight or nine. And she was tired from hardly sleeping while trying to cure her wolves, and burying the dead. She lost. So, I took her to an island where she could recuperate.” Her ears had fallen back against her skull in remembered pain, the image of her mother falling on the field still fresh on her mind. The memory of the anger, and fear. But she pushed on, determined to continue the story. “While we were away, these lands were tossed from paws to paws, until Arcanum held them.” Her expression didn’t lighten as she continued speaking, tone dark. “If ever there was a worse pack than Isardis’ version of Glaciem ,then it was Arcanum. When we got back, we settled in the Whistling Willows; to the north of here. I found my mate, Falk, and we had a litter. And not long after our first children were born, Arcanum kidnapped his sister. When her mate went to challenge for her return, Falk ran off to be there. He didn’t think about the fact that his children might be left fatherless if he were killed or taken. And he got taken.” There was a bitter note to her voice, an exasperated sigh. She’d forgiven her mate for it, but it still irritated her at times. “They held him captive for several months, and before they released him, they maimed him. He’s blind now. Completely.” A slow shake of her head brought her eyes to meet Creed’s. “It wasn’t apparent at first, and I was too furious at him for putting himself in that situation where his children had to wonder where their papa went. He still had his eyesight when he got back to us. A little while later though… It was Mother’s time. She had wanted to take her final rest here on these lands, beside Cairo. But… Arcanum was still squatting here. So I took her to the island we had taken refuge on after her defeat. I didn’t realize my eldest born had snuck after us until it was too late to turn back.” Her eyes dropped back to gazing at the ground. “On our way back, a storm swept in, and we were swept out to sea. We washed ashore on the southern continent, and we were lost for a good while; a whole season. When we got back, finally, Falk was completely blind, and my youngest daughter had gone missing, and my second born, Zuriel, was struggling to keep Falk alive while he was trying to let himself waste away, instead of staying alive for his daughter.” Okay, that still pissed her off a bit. She let out a huff, dispelling the irritation with a bit of good news. “But while we were gone, maybe just before we found our way home, Arcanum was sieged by a pack known as Ebony. They were crushed.” And there was satisfaction in her voice there as she looked around at the surroundings. “I was pregnant with our second litter, and close to birthing when I reclaimed these lands. The bastards slept in my mother’s den. In her alcove. But no matter. They are gone, now. I intend to revive Valhalla again, under a different name. Celestial.” Her eyes landed on Creed’s again, fierce and bright with determination. She had been planning this for so long. Ever since coming back from Atlantis Island once her mother was well enough to come back. There was no stopping her now. She sat straighter, head cocking, a smile tugging at her maw. “So, now that you’ve had your history lesson, what all did you experience in your years of travel?” The playful note was back in her voice, and her tail was sweeping the ground, her ears perking to catch whatever stories he might be willing to give. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

If his tail was anything to go by, Creed was in a wonderful mood. The soft swishing of his tail was just a testament to how pleased he was to have run into an old friend. Even if they hadn't run into each other very often when they were younger, all his memories of her with fond ones and no one would find him complaining about it. He'd expected to return and not recognize a single wolf. After all that had happened, and with all the years that had gone by, who would expect any different? “You weren’t that little of a lad.” He snorted softly shaking his head with a bemused look. Perhaps he hadn't been so little, he'd been a rather large pup, but even then he'd been quite little compared to how he was now. He'd filled out a lot and grown into the large paws and the mass amount of fluff he'd had as a child. Of course that was nothing compared to how much she'd grown. It had been expected he'd get quite large, but after looking at her, he would have never suspected she'd grow to his height as well. It was a pleasant surprise. Teal eyes took note of the exuberant mood she displayed when he asked what all he'd missed. His lips pulled back in a soft grin as he amused himself with her excitement for a moment before he settled on his own haunches ready for a story. Thickly furred ears flicked forward to listen as she began to speak trying to find the exact words to start off with. At the mention of Isardis' name the corners of his lips tugged into a frown but he said nothing. He'd known the male was chaotic in nature, but he'd never viewed it for himself. His family had cleared out after the two usurpers of the Adravendi line, Eos and Syrinx, had overthrown Gargoyle. He hadn't actually left the lands of Alacritia until he'd heard the rumors of everything being tossed into turmoil. He'd had no idea they'd gone after Valhalla though. The thought left an acrid taste in his mouth and he shifted the weight on his front paws anxiously, ready to hear what had happened. So he listened intently as she explained the siege over something as silly as wanting a she-wolf, and the continuing of the battle for prisoners. All of it left a bitter feeling as he listened as he felt somewhat guilty he'd been gone by that point. Glaciem may not have been his home at that point, but he could still remember the vow he'd made to himself. That one day he'd come back and reclaim Glaciem for his family. It'd been a pup's dream, but it didn't keep him from feeling rather guilty about it. He didn't dwell on it though. Instead he was more interested on the tale of the fight. He remembered Seracia vaguely and was just trying to remember if he had ever met a wolf named Bronze, when she mentioned Valhalla had taken prisoners. He raised an eyebrow in confusion but didn't dare interrupt her. Instead the thought was thrown to the wind, taken as nothing more than what had been necessary at the time, and he continued to listen. When she dipped her snout for him to look at he eyed it more closely. He'd already noticed them earlier, but he was curious enough to study them a bit better before she pressed onward with her remembrance of past events. She told of how Valhalla lost the siege and how the girl they'd been fighting for had stayed with Glaciem. His face flickered with irritation at the thought of betrayal from the girl that Valhalla had suffered so much for, but he kept his teeth clamped shut and instead was surprised to hear that Valhalla had moved. She spoke of her mother, illness, and then becoming a Beta for Valhalla. He didn't miss her note of pride and he smiled softly, proud of her achievement. The pride in her voice disappeared as she recalled yet another challenge for Valhalla. He was pleased to hear that had been reborn once more, but his pleasure didn't last long as she spoke of a plague. He soon realized how fortunate he'd been in avoiding all of this, but his heart lay heavy. He would have liked to have helped Surreal and her family. To hear Valhalla had fallen again to a female made his chest tighten. He hadn't ever lived in Valhalla, but to him it had been associated to Glaciem before it had fallen to ill paws. It had been his last link to home in his mind. He was surprised to hear she'd taken a mate. He stored the name, Falk, into his memory for later so that he would remember the wolf if he ever ran into him. He cringed to hear the rest of her story, of how her mate had been blinded when he made a reckless decision. He felt sympathy for the friend before him though. Blindness was not an easy thing to deal with and to be a mother as well as having to take care of her mate... he could imagine it was a patience-testing time. She reached the final pats of her story and he grinned softly at her pleasure in telling him that Arcanum had been crushed by another pack. So that explained why there were no longer any pack scents here. Other than Surreal's scent and other loners the place was pretty vacant. His eyes made contact with hers and he smiled softly, wagging his tail with the gesture, as she told him she intended on reviving Valhalla under a different name, Celestial. But now it seemed it was his turn, as she expected him to recount his past few years. He grinned softly and looked up, as though it would help him recount old memories. He shifted his weight once more and curled his tail around his side before looking back at her. "My tale isn' grand to be honest. For th' most part it was jest a lot a' travelin'. Ma an' Pa were old an' it took a toll on Ma th' most as she was older than Pa. We Became Tortugans for a while. Gargoyle continued to lead us for a time. For a time everythin' was peaceful. Moun' Volkan wasn' like Glaciem, but it was home. It took a toll on my Pa though. Due to th' old eruption at Moun' Animi he came down wi' ptsd an' Ah knew it killed him to reside so close to another volcano. My brother's Cross an' Crucible, well ah dunno know wha' happened to Crucible, but Cross an' Ah traveled wi' each other for a time efter our parents passed. We moved awa' from th' chaos of Alacritia, though Ah'm beginnin' to wish Ah hadn'. It seems Ah coulda been around to help if Ah had been here." He finished rather bitterly, upset that he hadn't been around to help. Walk, "Talk" Think

Surreal Adravendi

Compared to her own narrative of the past several years, Creed’s was short, but she listened to every word without fail, ears up and pressed forward to catch the story of her friend’s life. At the mention of his parents passing, her head dipped automatically in a silent gesture of respect. It made her feel somehow better that he too had missing siblings. She wasn’t alone in that respect. When he spoke his last, she shook her head gently. “I don’t know that it would have made any difference in the outcome; Isardis and his lady each had more than one opponent against them, and yet they still came out on top. We didn’t train hard enough, didn’t fight hard enough, in some cases. My cousin Alsander managed to take out one of them, though.” She smiled faintly. Where was her older cousin now? Would there be miniature ‘Sanders coming to her borders someday, searching for the rest of the family? Cross. She remembered the silent male that had been with Orica the day Erani had intercepted the young healer and her cousin. He’d been quiet, solemn, but had given her a butterfly. That was the only time they’d met. “I remember Cross. He and Orica came to Valhalla’s borders once; well, Orica saw a plant she couldn’t resist and crossed the borders. Luckily, it was my mother and I who intercepted them.” She smiled at Creed, a glint of remembered amusement sparking in her eyes. “I’m sure you don’t need to be told what happens when two healers meets, especially when one is learning, and the other is a master of her knowledge.” Healers… Related by their Craft, even when there was no blood relation existing. Two strangers could become fast friends if they were healers. Share a tidbit of knowledge, and the conversation was running in high gear within seconds. She straightened slightly, head erect, ears up, regarding him closely. “I’m so close to my goal I can taste it. I just hope Celestial will be everything I hoped for. A safe haven for my family, and other families, but everyone must work hard for their keep. Even my Heir, Regulus, is going to work hard to keep his place and earn his throne.” There was a sure tone to her words, a hopeful pride in the way she spoke of her son. She had no doubts that Regulus would work hard to earn his place at the head of the pack when she was ready to step down. There would be no whispers that he was Heir only because he was first born, and her son. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Creed nodded softly as he mused over Surreal's words. Isardis had sounded far worse than Eos and her strange sibling. He hadn't been a part of the fight, but if they managed to still beat Valhallans in a fight, even outnumbered, then they must have been quite formidable. It still made him inwardly cringe that he hadn't been there to help. He and his family had been off doing who knows what while the chaos had erupted everywhere. He supposed he had an excuse though. Mother and father had been old and battle was no place for either them or he and his siblings. He could still remember Crucible had been sickly and he and Cross barely past the stage of pup-hood. They wouldn't have been much help. Still it was a saddening thought to remember he still hadn't had his revenge. "Well Ah hope tha' they go' th' hell tha' they deserved. They ruined far too many lives." He said with a rumble. His sour mood didn't stay for long though as Surreal recalled her encounter with his cousin and brother. He couldn't help but smile softly at the thought of Surreal's mother meeting them. Orica had always been more drawn to the healing skill, even as pups, and it was nice to know that she'd met a renowned healer such as Erani. In fact it brought a chuckle from his maw as he pictured the two meeting. He was sure it was quite the encounter indeed. One that Surreal didn't need to explain for him to understand. It wasn't long before his interest was piqued as she spoke of Celestial. Ears pricked forward as he listened to the pride in her voice. His tail waved softly at the thought of another pack like Valhalla. He still pined for his home in Glaciem, but he was aware that that was in another time and wouldn't ever likely be home again. Instead he focused on the fact that maybe, just maybe, he'd have something else to look forward too. It'd been a long time since he'd been in a pack. Perhaps Celestial would be something he could help Surreal work towards? "Well ah know it's a work in progress, but ah would be honored if ye woul' allow me to join ye and help ye build yer pack." Walk, "Talk" Think