Think. Her heart pounded in her chest and her head throbbed. Her blue eyes glimmered as she scanned the area and her small steps were brisk, furtive. Her tail quivered behind her as she zipped through the terrain. Think. Think! Her mind was actually frozen with the thought; her soul so desperate to know that she skipped over reason. Where could they be? She was so frantic to find them. She was spinning, trembling, running from place to place… She had searched everywhere she thought they could be. She had scoured the den they had taken shelter in; the remaining area, tried to find a scent. Snow seemed to wipe every trace of her dear siblings away. Wouldn’t there be at least a foot trail? No. It had snowed ever-more, covering the tracks… It was as if they were never there. Vanished.

Her heart was palpitating. She was out of options. She had picked a direction and went with it; hoping vainly. It was all she had left. She could stay there, where they had once been. She knew intuitively that it would be best to stay there and so she had for several days… But what if they were hurt? She was certain now that she had to leave. Her fur stood on end as she wandered father in the snow. It was not snowing now but she had to move her light body through piles of it. Were it not for her blue eyes, for the black charcoal of her ears and face, she would be lost in the white snow. It was cold on her limbs and flanks but she pressed on through the deep miserable weather. If only… If only she had some clue. Something. She had a sinking feeling that somewhere along the way she had lost them; that as each day went by it was only more improbable to find them. Her nightmares had returned with vicious fervor; and she witnessed murder again in her sleep, but it was not her parents this time. No. It was her precious siblings, the last family she had in the world, ripped from her. She swallowed a lump in her throat and pressed on. She scanned from place to place; eyes searching so quick for living bodies that she was oblivious to the redwood trees; to the sun that had disappeared into a cloud of gray, soon to snow again.

The snow hued male had no where to go and nothing to do other than to wander. There had been the temptations of joining a pack, but something held him back from doing so again and again. Perhaps because he wasn't certain he'd remain within the lands for long and did not wish to get the hopes of others up too high only to disappoint them by leaving.

Which had his paws dragging evermore as he but wandered. Crossing paths only from time to time with other wolves. Who he had only the tiniest acquaintance with. As yet he'd not truly made any lasting friendships even if he believed it possible to find those he'd already met again to continue what meager relationship had been begun in hopes of befriending them. For he had neither friend nor family member with whom to share his life with.

As he entered the Red Forest he caught a scent. Ever so familiar in one sense, but not one he could easily place. It reminded him of his birthland, of his siblings and his parents. Yet the scent was not of his sire Surge, his dam Salian, his brothers Skylard, Shard, or Kris, nor of his sister Tanakanaka. Yet he was drawn to the scent like a bee to honey.

He followed what trail there was and called out, "Am I dreaming or do I detect a Kringle?" Maybe he was going insane due to wishfulness.

A voice interrupted the silence of the forest. She paused mid-step and her heart thudded at the sound behind her, “Am I dreaming or do I detect a Kringle?” Her whole being froze save for the tremble of black lips and she turned ever so slowly to face him. The furs along her back rose and she snapped, “How would you know?” It didn’t make sense. She had one horrifying thought; what if he… What if he was responsible for her missing siblings? Her hackles rose as she faced him and although he was much larger, she puffed out her chest and let her tail raise a little. She would not be intimidated. She had said little since her retort but sized him up with her blue eyes. He was much larger than her. If he had taken her siblings; she would be no match to rescue them… But what did he want? She tilted her head and through gritted teeth asked, “Well… Who are you?” He had to go first; since it seemed he already knew her. At least in some respect.

Amber-golden eyes with flecks of green blinked at the hostility he believed he'd detected in the young she-wolf's tone. "How could you not realize by the very scent I carry? Is not the scent of the offspring of Surge Kringle and Salian Tristokuvitch Kringle noticeable even a little?" He cocked his head a little to the side as he inquired.

His tail swayed behind him despite her posture. "Well, my name is Noel Kringle. However we've never met so I doubt you'll know who I am at all. Perhaps never even heard of me. But... that you exist means my parents, our parents must have reunited." That brought a small comfort to him after what had transpired before he'd had to leave.

His rebuke had her blood running hot through her veins; the mention of her parents cutting her to the core. He meant to inform her but her body shook and blue eyes met his amber. His scent had a familiar perfume; but one she had not wanted to think about. It was her parents that gave birth to her and her litter-mates. She had vowed to protect them, to honor her parents… She shuddered. The man before her was snow-white and seemed relaxed; head tilted to the side and tail swaying behind him. He was much larger than she. She listened to his voice with critical ears. Was that curiosity… Relief, happiness she heard in his tone? Or was it something sinister - the musings of a madman?

She let him continue. Our parents. The term was new and awkward. He spoke it with ease though and she let her own tail fall a little. Her eyes widened a sliver at the mention of his name. Noel. Yes… The older siblings. He was her brother after all. Her left ear flicked and she studied her paws, embarrassed. But who could blame her? How could she trust him? “Well,” she spoke through nervous teeth, “I am Meep Kringle… You are right.” A shadow crossed her visage. It was family that had murdered her parents. How could she even trust him? But perhaps she should tell him. Surely he would show some sign - of loss, grievance, or satisfaction that would give way to his mind-set. She hated to do this, but had to. “Noel,” she began, her voice soft. “Our parents are dead… They were murdered.” She let the word hang on the air and took a tentative step forward. “By our cousin… I… I am taking care of Squee and Nyan Kringle, but t-they’re gone… Perhaps you’ve seen them?” her gaze was urgent. She had to find them. “No one’s safe,” she added, as if that would change whether he had seen them or not. She had to find them - before some monster did.

His ears fell down upon his crown as he heard the horrid news. That his parents had fallen. "I thought they were already dead, until you came along. Father's cousin attacked before and we had to scatter. I was with Kris for a time until an earthquake separated us. I stayed awhile but thought he too had died." His voice had a low cracking quality as grief struck him once more in a long while. He'd thought all his family had been lost.

"It was Phayte, wasn't it?" he growled, wishing he could tear apart that monster for all that he had done to the family. "He wanted to eradicate Sangesh Kringle's lineage, the brother of his own sire Dëmyn Kringle. Dëmyn tried to kill Sangesh. But Sangesh killed him first in self defense. But Sangesh fell as well." He lowered his head and shook it. "Why can't the family feud end? Why must there be death after death."

He looked up and shook his head. "I'm afraid I've not had the pleasure of running into any other Kringle's. I miss my litter mates. I miss our parents. If I had known they were yet alive I would have tried to return to their side. If only I'd been there for the second onslaught maybe... maybe they'd still be alive and you'd not have lost them." Little did he know that all his siblings were still alive and had scattered once more with their mates and families.

Her blue eyes blinked unshed tears away and her ears, too, folded. She felt shame course through her, seeing the sadness he beared at the news. It was clear now that she could trust him. His heart broke in the same ways her did... But it was so wrong. She wished that she could have brought him better news; better days. Her ears perked at mention of Kris; a sibling she had known before. Intuitively she stepped to his older form and brushed against his cheek, but his growl startled her and she jumped away. She had seen it all...

But it shook her to know that this was not the first time... If only she had known it was coming; maybe she could have stopped it... No. Don't be ridiculous. "Y-yes, it was P-phayte," she stumbled. The name vile on her tongue. Her eyes were wide as she learned the whole story. One she had not known... She had lived oblivious for so long; until it was too late. But she was so young. Could she have stopped it? Similar thoughts seemed to run through his mind and she murmured gently, "No... I w-was t-there... No one could have stopped him..." A tear began to form in her eye and she blinked it away. He hadn't found their siblings, either...

She blinked. She hardly knew him. But his scent was strong and he was in fact her brother. Noel Kringle. He was older, larger, and although he seemed sad; she believed stronger. But it did not fix the fact that Squee and Nyan were missing, in danger. "Um, Noel..." she began. "I know it is our first time meeting... But... I would be honored to stay with you. To be safe together... Would you help me look for Squee and Nyan?" It was a bold question but she couldn't walk away without asking. She would have to look for them. She couldn't sleep knowing they could be hurt. But it was her burden to bear, not his. Yet it would be nice to have family again... What was left of their shattered lineage.

With a grimace at the horrid news the younger wolf brought, a female who was young enough to have even been his own pup, but was instead his sister. "I see. I know not what possessed him, but his sire I heard was no better for he killed his own brother. Something is very wrong with that side of the family." He gave his head a shake. "I wish it were not so. They give the Kringle family a horrid name." He hoped that Phayte would be defeated one day, or even killed for his treachery.

He blinked at her question. "You are my sister. I would be happy to have you with me on my travels. And if possible perhaps together we can find Squee and Nyan whom I'd like to meet as well. Family is important. Family is everything." It was what his parents had taught him. Yet Phayte and his sire were the rotten ones out of all the Kringles and he hoped that any of Phayte's offspring were not the same yet he had never met a single one of them did they exist at all.

She shuddered. It sickened her to know that there was more. That there was a tangled web of Phaytes, a lineage of mad killers out there somewhere. It sickened her moreso to know that they shared the same name. She swallowed the bile in her throat, nodding at him. She forced the frown to leave her lips for a moment and said assuringly, "You don't give the Kringles a horrid name." It was meant to be a compliment but she wondered if it was ill-timed.

It seemed he had already made a decision before her question was asked; for he chose with ease. The word sister still seemed odd; for her whole life it had been spoken from Squee and Nyan's little voices, or the elder siblings. Yet he was new to her. She couldn't deny that he was regal, and something about his tone made her glad to have him as a brother. "And you my brother," she added. Her blue eyes blinked as he spoke, and it seemed they had more than one thing in common. She hoped that they would not be the only ones left. That she could find her dear litter-mates in good spirits and save the family name. "Where should we... Start?" she asked. "The last time I saw them was a few day's behind me... I'm not sure exactly which path they may have taken." It was hard to explain how she had lost them in the first place. How she was a complete utter failure. But perhaps he would have an idea? It seemed now that only blind luck and faith would return her to Squee and Nyan.

To hear her words was but a relief. After all he'd not gone back, believing his family to be already dead. Save for Kris until the earthquake that they'd run into on their journeys. Kris whom he'd not been able to find and so had had to continue without him. "Thank you. I only hope the monster has not followed surviving members of our family." That was a horrid thought that had him shudder at the very idea. "If Phayte is anywhere in these lands and I find him, his life will be forfeit. I wont consider it murder, but self defense, because I know he will not stop trying to wipe out our side of the family if he yet lives."

He did not wish to speak over long of that horrid cousin. Searching for the lost members of their family however was something he was quite willing to begin as soon as possible.

"Let us find food and shelter and begin afresh tomorrow with the search. We will begin the farthest North we can possibly go and then head South. We will search all the lands until we have exhausted every possible location." After that he had no idea what they'd do. He could only hope that they found them eventually otherwise it would be sad as well as worrisome with Phayte still out there on the hunt to assassinate Surge and Salian's offspring and any offspring they might in turn have had.

She stared at him for a moment. "Me, too." It was what scared her the most. What if he was the one who took Squee and Nyan from her? She nodded. His intentions were good. But she couldn't deny a tingle in her fur, the hot boil of her blood, and narrow of her blue eyes. So would she kill him. But would hers be murder, or self-defense? She knew it would be murder. An eye for an eye. Her heart was darkened from the stain Phayte had put on it; and so she came to know this. But when she looked at Noel's amber eyes all that left her maw was "I would, too."

She was hesitant to not run off right now in search of them; feeling that every moment ticking away was a moment lost. But he spoke reason and she heeded. She would be little use with no food. She nodded. Of course, while they searched every location; so could their siblings, and end up in some sort of dance where neither party found each other. But that was unlikely. Surely they would find someone who knew them. She blinked up at Noel, feeling relief for the first time in months. She had someone who could take the lead. It was not all on her shoulders anymore. "Thank-you," she murmured, staring up at him for a moment before she turned to go find some food.

Exit Meep.