Then they went on to say the pearly gates

Brandr had been avoided it. He'd been avoided going back to Abaven for ages, for fear of not only what he might find there but what might happen to him if the Abraxas caught him snooping around the old pack land. However, he was starting to grow bolder. His children were older now and his scent was now distinctly that of a loner. Brandr slunk carefully toward the border of the thicket, one of the more unusual places for loners to be greeted, at least when he'd lived there. But then it seemed like a life time ago, was his memory even accurate?

Brandr's nostrils flared. He picked through the cool autumn air, searching for scents only to find that the ones he was looking for weren't there. They weren't there at all. Brandr froze as he was hit by joy and fear. Joy to find that the scents of the Abraxas were all but faded but fear to realize that he didn't catch Sparrow's scent either. What the hell had happened? There were a number of new and unfamiliar scents that made up the border markings. Brandr hesitated. Was it possible that someone else had overthrown the Abraxas rule and taken Abaven for themselves? Could they have banished the former leader Sparrow to protect their rule? Or was it something else?

Throwing caution to the winds Brandr tipped back his head and howled. He hadn't travelled this far to return with no answers.

had such elegant graffiti

The howl of a stranger sounded at the border, interrupting her meal. Not that she minded in truth, she liked how lively Abaven was becoming under her and Rhyme’s care. Alliances where being build, training sessions where a common enough occurrence. They were building Abaven back into something, and she loved every moment of it.

She carried the rabbit with her, only partly chewed on, and deposited it in the kill pile. She could come back for it later or catch something new if another bet her to it. It was only a short detour, and she was bounding towards the border in moments. Her feather tickled against her ear, and her long legs carried her with a grace that was surprising in a wolf as large as she.

She fell into an easy stroll as she approached, and stopped at the border of her pack to greet the lovely fawn wolf who waited for her there. The orange tipped coats and occasional ruffle of lighter tones through her coat was nothing like that of a Destruction. Perhaps a part of her still hoped that more members of her family would hear of Abaven’s revival and come to her borders. No matter. She offered the stranger a pleasant smile. “I’m Shaye Destruction, the leader of Abaven. What can I do for you?”

Following the Tides and Carried by the Wind

Brandr tried to wait patiently but he couldn't help but fidget. The uncertainty was killing him. When his call was answered it was by an unfamiliar woman about twice his age and nearly equal to his height. Nothing about her was familiar but she didn't approach in an aggressive fashion and was in fact polite. Though the last name 'destruction' didn't exactly put him at ease. She confirmed though that she was now the leader of Abaven. Brandr cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry to trouble you. I was a former member of Abaven and I… I noticed that the scent of the Abraxas are all but gone. As is that of my former alphess Sparrow. Could you tell me what happened to them?" He hoped that Shaye had beaten the Abraxas over lord and sent him packing and that Sparrow had simply decided to leave, perhaps to seek her family.


"Talk"

The man was quick to get to business, explaining that he had been a former member of Abaven. Shaye didn’t recognise him, but then she had been gone a long time - and when she had been in Abaven, she had been young and her time and thoughts hadn’t really been pack related.

She gave a troubled frown when the man asked for information on Sparrow and the Abraxas. Well, he wasn’t the first wolf who had made his way to her borders looking for information. Even now, thoughts of her Cousin could send a little twist through her insides. So much time, wasted, so much time away from her family. It was like Sparrow represented everything she had lost.

Shaye took a seat, and a breath, regarding the male for a moment before she spoke. “I’m sorry, but Sparrow has passed on. There was an accident well she was gathering herbs, and she gave her life for another member of this pack.” That was who Sparrow had been, and it reflected in her death. “With her death, the Abraxas wolf who resided here decided to disband Abaven and move on, instead, I stepped up and took over leadership here.” she would explain. It wasn’t a happy story, and her eyes where compassionate as she looked at this man, who likely had sought out a happier tale, but instead only found Shaye and what she had to say. “I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t know what your plans are, but your welcome to spend some time in Abaven if you wish.” he had lived here, and Shaye was more than happy to give him a place, and some space, to grief if he so desired.

Following the Tides and Carried by the Wind

Shaye didn't pull any punches with her information. She got right to the point and Brandr felt like a boulder had settled in his stomach when he'd heard the news that Sparrow was dead. He felt suddenly numb and dizzy and for a moment he couldn't find the words. He supposed in some ways he was relieved that she had died while caring for her pack and that she hadn't been murdered at the paws of their Abraxas over lord. He kept silent as Shaye continued to speak and he nodded numbly as he took in the information. He found it strange and interesting that Archon had disbanded the pack and moved on rather than insinuating himself further into the pack and taking it over entirely. Had he simply grown bored of toying with them? Either way he was glad that it was now in the paws of Shaye. She seemed a sturdy, reliable and compassionate leader.

"Thank you, Shaye. I appreciate the information and I'm sure Abaven will flourish under your rule. As to your offer perhaps some day I will take you up on it but for now my wife and I are currently well settled in the west. When our pups are older we hope to teach them the traditions of a nomadic life style as our forefathers lived. Til then I am in the service of Celestial."

He couldn't quite bring himself to move his limbs, still processing the information and so he sought to distract himself with more conversation. Besides, her last name had been picking at him. "Shaye, I don't mean to pry but you said your last name was Destruction? Did you happen to know Bass Destruction?"


"Talk"

She could see the negative impact the news had had on this wolf, and Shaye watched him with compassionate eyes, giving him a moment to come to terms with what he had heard. The last two wolves she had told about Sparrow had only known her by name and hadn’t felt the blow as this wolf clearly did. Shaye kept her silence, pulling back her own sadness at the memory of what had happened to her cousin.

He got control of himself after a moment, and thanked her for her offer, she included her head in response and listened to what he had to say. “Of course, and Celestial is a good pack, we have an alliance with them, in fact. The offer is always open, if you ever wish to enter Abaven for memories sake, just let me know at the border.” she said kindly to the man. Sounded joining would never be on the table, and well she was always on the lookout for new members, she respected that completely.

He still looked a little shell shocked by the news she had dropped on him. Perhaps she could have been more subtle, but she was practical and honest. Still, she was sorry that she didn’t have better news for him. She gladly would have had Sparrow return, and mourned the time Shaye had spent away from her and the rest of her family.

“Yes, in fact he was my Uncle, making Sparrow my cousin. I’m the daughter of Motif.” she would add, since this wolf seemed familiar with a lot of the names of her family. She almost almost asked if this wolf had any news on members of her family, but it was clear that he had come here seeking answers himself. No, the fate of her parents, her Uncle, and all who where gone, would still be unknown to her.

Following the Tides and Carried by the Wind

"Thank you, Shaye." He appreciated the offer to return to Abaven for memories sake but he doubted he'd pass this way again. He and Corentine were set to begin journeying with their children soon and in some ways he couldn't help but find it appropriate that all his ties to this land seemed to be severing. It was a sign to move on. "I see. I had wondered, he was the alpha of Abaven when I'd first joined what seems like a lifetime ago. Anyway, I'd best be going. My wife will be wondering where I am. I appreciate the information and wish you the best with the pack. Take care." He dipped his head and turned to leave.

-exit-

"Talk"