The kids were occupied for the moment so he took the chance to explore their latest landing spot for a bit. He had hoped to have them settled in a pack by now, but the cards just hadn't fallen in their favor yet. He was sure the kids were enjoying this adventure since he had tried his best to keep it light hearted and fun for them. He was in no hurry to get them anywhere so he was letting them explore as they went to give them something to do. The sun was high in the sky, lighting up the world around him and warming his fur. He paused and looked up between the trees at the sky with a sigh. He let his eyes close and he just soaked in the sunlight for a moment. Sometimes he got caught up in his new role as a dad and he forgot about even the simplest things like his love for nature and the sun. He felt a little bit of the stress in his shoulders fall away, but he didn't know if he would ever completely relax again. Speak Thought Others

Her slender, petite frame wandered in circles. Her steps were anxious and brisk as she wandered back to the red woods, her path familiar and easy. The reverse of her travel before. She was coming back to where it all started, where she had lain eyes on her eldest brother; the white Kringle Noel. She hadn't really expected to find any relations here except... Except the siblings she pined after. What if they were taken? Her black ears swiveled in circles as she explored the red forest, her heart skipping a desperate beat. Her ocean-blue eyes scanning, searching for signs, her nostrils flared... Perhaps she had missed something here, lost in conversation with Noel, that would lead to their discovery...

But time was slipping away from her. It was more and more evident that she would not find them. She searched the woods in circles. They weren't here. They hadn't been here. She found an unfamiliar sting in her eye. It was so frustrating. She had to let go, and she knew at the bottom of her heart that she did, but she couldn't... She hated the idea of giving up on them. It was a new kind of grief all over; the shattering pain she had suffered at the murder of her parents. But this time it was different. They had slipped away from her, she had no idea if they were out there, needing her. A deep sigh left the young woman's soul and she was about to lie under a tree when a scent stirred her nostrils. She was not alone.

The furs along her back stood up and she straightened her spine, eyes scanning the area. "Hello?" She called out, her voice defensive. Her hackles were raised and her muscles tensed until she spot him. An older male coated in the sun's brilliant yellow, his eyes a fiery red. Black charcoal coated him as well. She studied his elegant frame for a moment and then lead her ocean blue to his red eyes. She could not trust him. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice still a warning. She was smaller. Her only strength could be in her projection; in her pretense of strength, her promise to defend herself if need be. It was written all over the woman's body: She had been broken before. She would not let it happen again.


OOC: Sorry for the wait! Just found it (:

"Hello?" The slightly echoed voice caught his ears and made them twitch. His eyes blinked open and he brought his gaze down from the sky just in time to see a mostly pale, ivory woman come into view. She had darker markings as well that weren't too unlike the ones on his own face and ears. She was a small, slender thing, but he could tell that she was tougher than her frame wanted to lead him to believe. He realized that she looked extremely on edge, which was probably a smart reaction to finding a stranger in the middle of the woods. Especially a larger stranger that was also male. He couldn't blame her for that. Normally he probably wouldn't have risked bothering her anymore and went on his way, but she was honestly the only wolf he had seen in these lands besides Ash since he returned. He didn't smell a pack on her so it wouldn't help his goal of finding a new home for him and his kids, but... he would love to have a conversation with someone that didn't require him to decipher pup speak and answer a thousand questions. "I'm Solaris," he replied, giving the woman a small, polite dip of his head. "I'm sorry, did I cross into your territory? I didn't mean to cause trouble. I found a den for my pups to take a nap in back there, but we won't stay long." Speak Thought Others

Her narrowed eyes remained on his form but he replied with a polite dip of his head. I’m Solaris. It was his body language, his nonverbal cues that she noted more than his language. His posture was relaxed and his voice was a calm baritone in her ear. His mannerisms echoed that of another male she had met recently… Noel. Her own flesh and blood. Solaris had the same quality; one she hadn’t trusted at first but her gut told her to do so. Yes, he had the same aura, it was… Regal. He was regal; they were regal. She wondered how Noel’s white form would look against this sunset male’s. Her tail and hackles remained where they were; her body prepared to jump into action should this be deception. But she allowed her ears to fall to their normal position and the ivory furs along her back to flatten. Her narrowed eyes softened and this was her cue; I trust you - but don’t hurt me.

She waited a beat, appraising him and considering. Her tail finally moved behind her in a gentle sway, the black tip sweeping from the left to the right with the breeze. Pups. It was something that caught her off-gaurd and made her heart still. Squee and Nyan… Yes, almost all grown now, in fact one was grown… But they would always be her children. Her siblings she had raised since the horrible death of her parents. Someone had to fill the empty space of her mother. She swallowed a dry lump and said quietly, “No… Don’t worry.” She didn’t have territory here. But if she had, her answer would be the same. Her heart went out to his pups and her missing siblings. It was almost inaudible; a wheeze of breath. A quiet hitch of her soul. She had sighed in a tiny way before she tilted her head up at him. “H-have you seen… Two loners? One around my age, the other younger… Squee and Nyan?” Her eyes were hopeful but she had a feeling of what his answer would be. She asked for one simple reason; she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t.


OOC: I had fun writing this :D Her transition from tough-guy to cute mannerisms is funny to me xP

ooc: xD She's adorable A small smile touched his lips when he saw that she started to relax a bit. She had nothing to fear from him and he certainly hoped she could sense that. It did make him feel a bit better to hear that he hadn't accidently crossed into some kind of claimed territory. He had been on the lookout for pack borders, but with three kids to chase after he wouldn't have been surprised if he had missed something. When she asked about two wolves and if he had seen them he genuinely wished he had some kind of lead or answer for her. He knew all too well what it was like to miss someone. He hadn't seen any of his family in ages and wouldn't have the slightest idea of where to look for them. He regretfully shook his head to tell her "no", replying, "I'm afraid not. You're really the first wolf I've run into since I returned to this area." He was sure they had passed many others in their journey to get this far, but none had actively spoken to him and none had gotten close enough for him to notice. He loved his children as he thought a father should, but he did feel a bit lonely ever since Lillian passed away. "What's your name? If you don't mind me asking." He hoped she wouldn't leave right away. Even if she was nothing more than a passing acquaintance it was nice to chat with someone for a short while. Speak Thought Others

His answer was solemn but to the point and she responded with a dip of her maw. She knew they hadn't been here. The more time that passes; the more ice begins to form around her heart and it scares her. She's scared to hurt every day for them; to become weakened by grief... But she's scared to let go, to stop feeling that heart-wrenching grief that roots her love to them. But the woman is forced to let go, to let the ice grab another shard of her heart for now, to look into the red eyes of the man in front of her. They were not here. Grieving would not change that fact; but not-grieving would allow her heart to be stolen by this forsaken ice. Another piece gone.

His voice was gentle, not prying. A polite question tossed her way, a hint of his own intrigue and motives. He was the sun indeed. His warm physique and aura touching her from afar, slowly melting away her frigid heart... Not the blasted piece held for her family; but caressing it, taking away some of her cold loneliness. Her blue eyes blinked up at him and she decided to tell. "Meep Kringle," she said simply. She didn't move closer but for the first time in a while a little smile formed upon her lips. "Where are your children?" she asked, curious. Perhaps they were hungry.

Solaris could tell that his reply was disappointing to the smaller woman. He hadn't really expected anything less, but it still saddened him to see her worried and disappointed like this. He hardly knew this woman, but he was all too familiar with heartache and sadness. Solaris had been through his fair share in the past few years. First his twin's disappearance and then the rest of his family, Serefina's death, Lillian's death... He had been through just about as much heartache as he could stand. He felt a bit better though when he noticed the small smile that touched her face. Perhaps he could brighten her day a bit then and distract her from the worries that were bothering her for a while. It seemed like they both needed a bit of company. To her question he motioned with his muzzle to the direction off to his right where he had just come from. "Over that direction a short ways. They're napping so I figured it was as good a time as any to explore this area a bit and catch my breath." It was hard to describe how tiring it was to keep up with three pups on his own. He had always been very much the introvert, keeping to himself and spending lots of time with his own thoughts. Having a mate and children to spend all of his time with had never been something he had really considered doing until it happened. Now he had three voices constantly around and crowding out his own thoughts. Speak Thought Others

Her smile had spread; an infectious light upon his lips and she sensed he wanted a reason to smile. Perhaps that was why he had been so kind to her. She was but a stranger to him, and he a stranger to her. Her eyes followed the motion of his muzzle and she nodded. They weren't far then. The thought of little pups napping was bittersweet. She smiled at the thought of their little chests rising and falling, and imagined picturesque versions of Solaris; little yellow suns. But she wished she had that chance. To be sleeping somewhere while her parents wandered off... Her childhood had been changed dramatically. She was the one looking after her siblings.

Still, the image was more sweet than bittersweet. She didn't harbour much jealousy for the happy family, but rather joy. Awe. She wanted to see them in spite of herself. And here he was, finally getting a break. She released a soft breath of air and blinked at him. She should let him have that break. "Ah, okay," She answered to acknowledge him. She glanced around them, thinking again. Wait... Surely he had a mate? Her heart pounded in her chest. What was she doing here, alone with him? Shouldn't he be with their mother? Her blue eyes stared up at him, seeking answers. How could she ask...? She wondered what pain could hide behind those red eyes and decided against it. "Are you guys... Alone?" she asked instead. A similar question; but not as direct. "Would you like some fresh kill?" She would offer to hunt with him if he so desired. It was easier to hunt with two than with one; and his pups would need some nourishment. If he truly was alone he must be living a hard life. She hoped it was not as tragic as her own.

OOC: Sorry for the wait! Been busy lately

Solaris gave a small, solemn nod of his head when she asked if they were alone. He supposed it would be natural for her to assume that his children would have a mother with them. "Their mother passed away unfortunately," he replied quietly as a simple explanation to her question. His gaze flicked down to the ground between them for a moment with a soft sigh. He had kept his mourning and loss at arms length so far and he'd prefer to keep it that way so he quickly brushed away the thoughts that tried to creep in of Lillian and the memories of watching her pass before his eyes. His orange gaze was pulled back up to her face when she offered a hunt and he gave her a small, grateful smile. That would certainly kill two birds with one stone. A good distraction and a good meal for them and the pups. "Yes, that would be great. Thank you for offering." He had really only been able to get himself and the pups smaller prey since he wasn't the strongest hunter around and he didn't want to risk hurting himself trying to take down a larger animal on his own. The last thing he needed was three pups left without food because he foolishly injured himself. "Have you seen any herds or such around here?" Speak Thought Others

Her blue eyes stayed on his, pensive, curious. Should she have asked? There was a distinct quiver in the woman's limbs she watched him. Her empathetic nature had begun to ooze out of her, sympathy in her gaze. But when he spoke it was glib and quick; acknowledgement of her question but as if reminded of pain. The name on his lips was tender and spoken with love lost; stolen from death. She had to take in a breath, seeing the grief written in his golden body. It was a horrid thing to go through; trying to breathe life into the loved ones that should be there. Ones that would have stayed if death did not take them first. She should nod, she should let him forget; but she didn't. She took a step towards him. She didn't touch him but stared up at him, innocence and caring in her eyes. This was something he didn't want to talk about. Something she shouldn't prolong. Yet... "My parents were murdered when I was young," she murmured softly. "I'm sorry. She must have been someone special." She didn't want to skim over the past he had lived; the woman he had loved. She wanted to know this Lillian, the woman that borne him children. But why did she care? She shook her head, stepping back softly, feeling awkward. "Sorry... I-I h-haven't sp-spoken to anyone in a long time," she admitted. There was Noel. But he was her brother and she held him at arm's length. Her face was aflame with guilt over how close she was edging to this stranger. The grieving father. How dare she seek to comfort him, and to take comfort?

There was a smile on his face and he accepted her offer. She was almost surprised. "No problem," she answered, her voice still quiet from before. "It would be good to hunt, to stay in shape." She would loose her touch if she hunted alone forever. She paused, in thought. "I have not seen any, but... I noticed there was some bark stripped over here..." She turned and began to lead the way, checking once to see if he would follow. It would bring him farther from his children, but she hoped not too far. Her nostrils parted and her ears perked, listening for signs of life. She was attentive. Focused. In this she felt confident; strong, able. She would track prey for his family, and perhaps find some for herself, too. She could do this.