~*~ Cross was back in Glaciem safe and sound, but Crusade was still having the itch to explore. So what if she'd reached the two digits. It wasn't a curse, it was an accomplishment. How many pyschos and lowlifes had threatened to chomp through her throat? Well now she'd proved them wrong. Just turned ten and still able to run her butt up and down the Alacritis coast... ... so long as she got a few breathers in between. It was while pausing for a second wind, that she stumbled upon this place of beauty. What was it called? Fern Gully? This far south, winter ended when it was supposed to. Spring was starting to leak into the world, in little pockets of land like this where there was lots of cover and plenty of warm pockets. There were so many sights and sounds and scents here. It was bringing back memories of her youth in the forests and fields of a very different land. Why was it, after everything that had happened, she could still look back on her in Starlite with a bittersweet smile? Perhaps it was the distance of age. Perhaps it was the wisedom. Being ten had to count for something right? The Timber cross pulled up short under the shades of a hundred trees. A few pay steps more and she let herself collapse onto a fallen birch encrusted with a pillow's worth of moss that smelled slightly of rosemary. Lovely. With the harmless melody of the forest playing in her fluffy ears, she started to drift into relaxation. Lids closed over one gold tinted emerald, and one empty pink socket. The only sign she was still conscious was the occasional flick of her tail at the emerging fern fronds ticking her hind paw pads. ~*~

Erani

Erani had ventured from Valhalla with the waning of winter. Spring was just around the corner. She could hardly wait to see her childrens? reactions to what Spring would bring. It also meant she would be getting older. She hadn?t thought about her age. Nova helped her feel so young and new, and her children helped put grey hairs in her pelt. Not that she actually had any grey hairs. The situation with Morgan and Evelette had made her feel old as well. She wasn?t sure how that would turn out, or what the punishment would be. She intended to demand a price for the distress her daughter had been in. She dropped her head to the trail, sniffing lightly for any new shoots of herb life. She?d heard her mother talking to her father about plants she herself had never come across. Alorek had come from a nomadic Pack of Healers, simply called The Nomads. As such, he had been to quite a few places and environments before he and her mother had been Mated at the easy age of three and half years. They had spoken of Cinnamon. Of other plants found only in hot, humid tropical areas. She crested at the rise and looked up to gaze out over a valley, large and just beginning to waken, even while snow still lay on the ground. Settling onto her haunches, she studied the lay of the land, tail curling over her haunches, deep blues content. Chrysanthe was a fine young Alpha. She was just and gentle, but had the ferocity to defend and protect her family, her pack. Erani was pleased when Cormalin had come to her to tell of his successful quest to become a Beta. It was years late in coming. They?d known about his being trained from the start to become Redwood Pack?s Beta, even while they hadn?t known that she was being trained to Lead the Pack. He would be a wonderful Beta Male. He would balance Aislyn?s quick to bite temper, as Liberty had helped settle the white female. Erani had forgiven the Female Beta for the slap against her own faith and loyalty to Valhalla. They were all growing too old to hold on to grudges and dislike. Erani chuckled, murmuring to no one in particular, ?The weak can never forgive, for Forgiveness is the Attribute of the Strong.? It was something her Birth Alpha had said often. She wondered if, in accepted wolves from Blackmoon, he had been trying to show forgiveness to the Blackmoon Alpha. It had oft been said that the two wolves had been brothers, one light and one dark. One day, she would tell her children the tale of the Alphas, the death of her Birth Pack, and the years she had wandered, lost and grieving, and at last, her arrival to Starlite now named Valhalla, and her happy years in this pack. She wanted themn to share the stories with their own children, and their grandchildren. It was one that was worth telling, she supposed. Her deep blues lifted to the sky, which held a tint of Spring in the winter grey. She wished they could have been born sooner, that they could have had more time with the Alpha that had made such an impact on her life, and taken such a hold on her heart. He who had made the family that she had become a part of. He who had not blamed her for the loss of his mate. Cairo. The gaze dropped to the earth between her paws as she forced her mind from that matter. She needed to get onto herb gathering. Rising, Erani padded from the path and delved into the forest that edged the Valley. She decided that the Valley would grow the color of emeralds when Spring came to full strength. Verdant blades would cover the earth there with the swatches of Spring colors. She liked Spring. Winter was wonderful, but there were few plants that she could use that grew in winter. A scent caught her nose and her head turned to face the breeze. It was familiar. Glaciem. In a way, it was a scent that somehow was the embodiment of the Pack. Her ears perked, and she padded toward the scent. Glaciem wolves were no threat to a Valhallan, and never to a healer. In a way, they were like Valhalla. The original Alpha had been a Valhallan wolf, hadn?t she? Crusade. When Erani had come to Starlite, Glaciem and Starlite had been on the brink of war. She was glad that they had come to be allies and not enemies. All the Glaciem wolves she had ever met had been kind, gentle, but strong. She came upon the timber female, giving her tail a wave of welcome and greeting. ?Good day, my friend. What would a wolf of Glaciem be doing so far south, where it?s warm?? A smile graced her muzzle as her deep blue gaze twinkled at the lightly teasing question. ?I am Erani, Theta or Lead Healer of Valhalla.? Her tail swayed in a wag as she sank onto her haunches.

~*~ Crusade heard the pawsteps coming her way. They were the tread of lupine, decent sized, but delicate in movement. With the bending of the wind, Crusade was given enough whiff of the wolf's scent to know she was Female. And Vallhallan to boot. For a minute Crusade considered vacating. She even lifted her chin up from the moss, but no, she was too comfortable. The old fae let her head drop back down and her eyes droop closed, collecting every bit of rest of she could get until the fae came into sight. -Which Crusade knew to occur when the pawsteps stopped. When the the old Glaciem opened her eyes (well, eye and socket) she was greeted by the sight of an alabaster she-wolf on the distant side of six, but still looking healthy enough. She had a gentleness to her face, and smelled strongly of every kind of herb Crusade had ever heard of - and probably some others. So a Valhallan healer then, well, no harm there. Crusade's relaxation was enough to keep her belly fur glued to the log, her legs training limply on the ground, and chin resting in the bark and licken. She gave a simple wag of her tail in greeting just to show she was still alive. With her fluff filled ears, Crusade harkened to the new comer. She hadn't said four words before the Timber cross decided she liked her. 'Good day'? 'Friend'? The healer was taking Crusade's usual conversation starter. The initial good impression went so far as to draw a benevolent smirk from Crusade's maw at the jab towards Glaciem's preferences. "Just because we've grown thick coats, doesn't mean we can't appreciate the more temperate climates." The fae's voice was so old and tired (mostly from laziness) that it came out in a sort of grumble, but her left eye sparkled with humor. She even rattled off a chuckle as she raised her head and popped her neck. "Well, Erani, it is a pleasure to meet you." She searched the other woman's face for a critical second. Crusade didn't feel like digging through old dirt. Maybe she ought to just give her 'penname'. There were plenty of wolves out there that knew her only as 'Sadie', and it had been a valuable identity when speaking to Valhallans or Starlites or whatever they were back in the old days. It allowed her to get to know a wolf an equal terms, and, more importantly, for them to get to know here without initially branding her butt for a traitor or exile or whatever else she was supposed to be. Of course, times had changed right? Cairo and her were good. Collision still hated her guts thanks to Guin's indoctrination, but at least he didn't openly try to kill her anymore. And, according to the news brought back with Gargoyle on his last trip to Valhalla, the current leader was someone totally alien to Crusade. A daughter of Cairo and Guin, was it? Ah, the fae felt such a strange mixture of feelings towards the offspring of such a marriage. Too strange for her to put names to. Surprise? Jealousy? Traces of Motherly instincts? And all muted by her unconscious sense of good judgement. Perhaps that was another reason why she ought to give her nickname - she could ask questions about Valhalla's ruling family without being suspected of anything other than curiosity. But Crusade had never been good at anything related to deceit. It just wasn't in her. Especially at this age. Trash it all. She'd just be her usual blunt self, who knows, the conversation might take an interesting turn. "My name's Crusade, and depending on how long you've been in Valhalla, you might know something of me and my rank already." Even if Crusade had been capable of arrogance, the statement wouldn't have held any. If anything her tones rang with a hint of reluctance. The version of the story that Erani knew would depend entirely on how close a 'Theta' was to her Alphas and at what time she'd joined the pack. "Speech." ~*~

Erani

Erani swept the earth behind her with her tail as her friendly greeting was returned by the elder female. A smile pulled at her muzzle as she took in the voice of the female. It had wisdom in it, and Erani liked the gentle gruffness to it. It reminded her of the Elders in Redwood pack, and their cracked voices as they told stories. Erani had soaked up the old stories and the new ones, and could remember every word they had said. The story of the Two Brothers was a favorite. The Glaciem female raised her head with a chuckle and eased the stiffness in her neck with a light pop, then addressed the pale healer, her words bringing another smile to Erani?s muzzle. She returned the searching gaze with that smile, wondering what the female was thinking, before the older female spoke again, and Erani?s ears perked forward at the name. So this was Crusade. Asheni had told her so much about this female. And Erani?s perceptive instinct told her all of it was true. She liked the old Chief of Glaciem already, and was even more glad that a war hadn?t been pursued with these kind wolves. Erani gave a happy wag of her tail. ?I?ve heard a lot about you. I was four when I joined Valhalla, though, it was Starlite then. While some wolves told stories about you as being an enemy, I never believed them. There is always someone that tells false tales about a pack their own is at war with. I?m glad Cairo let go of his anger toward you. It?s what makes him so great. I?ve been glad to have him as a good friend and as a Leader. And I?m honored to have met you at last. Asheni has told me so many good things about you that I?ve been wanting to meet you.? Erani smiled at Crusade, and the happiness when she said Asheni?s name said that she didn?t know of the small black and white Glaciem healer?s death.

(ooc: sorry it took so long to reply - Crusade muse a bit low)

Crusade's admission was greeted with an immediate spark of recognition. But it was happy recognition, even accompanied by a wag of the tail. She said she was a Starlite, and yet her first reaction was pleasant. She went on to explain her attitude ? glancing over a few words the period of Crusade?s life that had broken her heart like none other. The lounging she-wolf did her best not to grimance at the memory. Even the mention of Cairo ? it only added to the mixed feelings. She looked at this fae, so appreciative of the alpha. Maybe it was something in the words, but Crusade realized with a tinge of surprise that this she-wolf adored him. That look in her eyes? Crusade had had that for Cairo once.

Once.

A long time ago.

Now she didn't know what she felt for the male and frankly she didn't want to. She was glad to have the subject moving along from praise-singing for Cairo, until she heard the next name mentioned. Asheni... Crusade's ears tipped back ever so slightly. "You knew Asheni when she was in Valhalla-er-Starlite?" That seemed aages go. And it was! That was just around the time Crusade and her mother were ambushed by the white rogues and she was dragged off to the far north. The two self-proclaimed sisters learned what imprisonment under foreign wolves was like at the same time - but two very different breeds of wolves. From what Crusade learned later, Asheni's time had been a bit frightful at first, but in time she'd adjusted and even made friends there. Of course she had, that wolf would try to make friends with a wild boar. It was a memory to touch Crusade's heart. She wanted to hear of her friend, from someone who could remember those things without the recent taint of saddness.

9

Erani

Crusade inquired about her relation to Asheni. Erani smiled. ?I did. She was such a sweet heart of a wolf. A very skilled healer. She even saved Cairo once, even though she was afraid of him. She was the first one I told about my life. How I came to be in Starlite. What happened to my Birth Pack, Redwood Pack. She helped me birth my first Litter, last Summer. I asked her to be my sister.? Erani smiled warmly. Deep blues sparkled at Crusade, as her tail wagged happily. ?I suppose that in a way, that makes us sisters. She sees you as a sister.? And then it hit. The controlled sense of lingering pain in Crusade?s eyes at the mention of the black and white healer. Something was wrong. Deep blue eyes stilled, focusing on the sense. ?Something?s happened to her. Hasn?t it.? Not a question, but a statement, stated in a midnight voice. The voice of a healer readying for battle to protect or avenge a loved one.

Of course Asheni had been loved. Even as what passed for a prisoner, she was taken into the hearts of wolves and did her best to help them. She?d birthed a litter for this she-wolf? Wonders never ceased. The words of sisterhood that the Valhallan, Erani, spoke touched Crusade?s old heart. The aging she-wolf longed to speak an affirmative, a gratitude, - something ? but she found that she could not. Words had left her. It was little surprise that Erani sighted the pain in her eye, for it became harder and harder to mask as time went on; as thoughts of the sweet wolf swam through her head.

?Something has happened to her. Hasn?t it??

Crusade?s gaze sought the ground, but she was too strong to let it linger there long. ?Yes,? she murmured, and then, upon realizing how hoarse her voice had become, cleared her throat and met Erani?s eyes evenly. She couldn?t hide the pain, but then, Crusade rarely ever did. All the terrible things the she-wolf had seen and been through ? if she?d tried to bury them away somewhere inside herself, she would?ve gone mad long ago. The only way she lived, was the only way she could ? to deal, and keep moving forward. Asheni had been killed a most brutal and horrible way. Her best friend and her sister had been ripped from her life just when the two faes should?ve been happiest together, raising Crusade?s pups. But Asheni was gone, and Crusade wasn?t getting her back. Worse, her mate had nearly killed himself trying to seek answers and revenge. Worst? she was too old to do anything herself. Yet, she had come to realize that was best. Had she the freedom of youth, she would have gone ? and left her tiny pups in the care of the other, younger mothers. Had she gone, she would?ve killed herself with vengeance and or greif. All things happen for a reason. But Creator Above only knew what that could possibly be. ?It is always the best ones who go first.? That was all she wished to say on the matter. Old wounds are painful. But the ones that you were never allowed to heal are the worst.

Erani

The answer came in a hoarse voice, and Erani met the cat like gaze just as steadily. It was a shared sadness in that gaze. The next words, Erani knew, were all that Crusade wished to say. She didn?t press. ?Indeed it is.? Her voice was gentle, soft. Not just Asheni. The whole of Redwood pack were on that list of those she knew to be gone. Guinevere was there. And a plethora and army of many others. Those lost in the Eruption, and many thousands to millions more she never knew. She lifted her gaze to the sky. ?Have you ever heard the story of Redwood Pack, Crusade?? The question was asked, a gentle change to another subject. The stories of the Redwood Elders. She had memorized them all, knew them all as clearly as though the elders had just told them and no years had passed. Stories of great hunts, great battles, Heroes and Villains. Some were true stories, and others were only tales of fantasy. Of Luna the Goddess vanquishing evil. Luna was a pure white she wolf, beautiful as words could never describe well enough, with eyes of purest silver. Kind, gentle. The memories were both painful and happy. Deep blue pools returned to Crusade, ears pressed forward for a reply.