Fall had just started to roll in, though you'd never know it from the warm weather in the southern plains. Coran returned home, or at least as home as he could get for the time being. The Vericona Plains had thankfully been left unclaimed and even his old den was in decent shape once he evicted a rather angry badger. There were plenty of abandoned dens, it could find somewhere else to be. Of course, in all his wandering, Coran had learned that home was where his family was. The only problem was that he wasn't entirely sure where any of them were. He knew Ardyn and Tel had gone in search of her family, wherever that was, and there'd been discussions of a band, wherever that was located now he didn't know. Coran had separated to do his own thing.

Shoveling out the loose dirt, Coran went about tidying up the old den. He figured sooner or later someone was going to return to the old Valhalla lands and he could catch up with them then. In the mean time he'd make himself comfortable and get started on a few projects.

Once the den was cleaned out he got a fire going outside, near some stones. It was time to get some hide glue going to repair and adjust his armor. Coran unwrapped his hide bundle to reveal fresh scraps of deer hide. These were odds and ends from his skinning earlier in the day. He started chewing the hide pieces into smaller pieces and then setting them out on some hot stones to dry. He worked his jaws quickly through the hide, not worrying about perfection. He intended to make hide glue after all.

Ardyn Adravendi

It had been far, far too long since he’d looked upon the walls of home. They still stood, even if the pack scent borders Valhalla had been marked out by were gone. Ardyn drew in a deep breath, then padded forward, passing through the western gateway of the wall. Autumn was soon settling in over Boreas. Was his mother… He bent, breathing in the scents, nose wrinkling as the traces of loners stung his nose, wolves that didn’t belong here, but luckily, it seemed they hadn’t stayed long. But there, he was utterly relieved to find, were very recent traces of his mother, and, more surprisingly, Coran. His cream and brindle-painted brother had been among those who had all but abandoned the pack toward the end when Ardyn had finally put his paw down and decided that if the pack could not behave as a pack, then there would be no pack, no home at all. His head rising, Ardyn set off at a brisk trot, paws retracing old paths in a way that felt so familiar, and so right after so long. He and Tel had traveled far in their search for her kin, if any even survived. They retraced as much of the path she could remember taking when she was lost, up until they had met at the Field and had their first spar. And, by the grace of all the Gods, they were successful. Not just that, but several of Tel’s kin and homeland-folk had decided to come to Boreas, though when they would arrive, he was unsure. Her birth land, and her birth-folk were fascinating. He and she fit in among them, hardly looking out of place. After so long among her birth people, it would be strange to see naturally colored and marked wolves again. His ears perked at the sounds of digging, and his steps slowed as he spotted his brother, becoming almost catlike and silent. As much as he had begun to resent Coran for all but vanishing, the maverick, playful urge to prank his smaller brother was a force to be reckoned with. He lay in wait as Coran tidied his old den, then set about working a hide into strips. Glue maybe? He waited until Coran seemed pretty deep in his task before he pushed off with his hind paws in a leap, aiming to land squarely on Coran, ideally straddling him between all four paws. _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

Coran let the fire burn good and hot and waited for it to burn down into coals. While he waited he picked up a ceramic bowl in his mouth and trotted over to a nearby stream. Bending his head he scooped water into the bowl and then trotted back to the fire. He set the bowl down then added in the scraps of hide and gave it a good stir. Next he used a deer antler to gently lift the bowl and place it on the coals. Now was time to watch. He set the antler down and settled down near the fire so he could keep an eye on it. He wanted the water to get hot and stay hot but he didn't want it to be boiling. He took a stick and gave the mixture another good stir.

While he worked he noticed the birds fall quiet and that sensation of being watched loomed over him.  His last encounter with a lion had put him on alert. The red marks on the side of his face healing but still raw.

Coran rolled suddenly to the side as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, not caring if he looked like an idiot. He scrambled to his feet, hackles raised, only for his mouth to drop open in surprise. "Ardyn?!" He gaped for a second more before springing toward his brother, tail wagging. "It's so good to see you! How was your journey? Were you successful? Have you seen any of our other siblings?" He couldn't stop the questions from pouring out in a rush.

Ardyn Adravendi

Coran’s senses were sharp, and his brother had rolled to one side as Ardyn’s paws landed around empty ground. He regarded his littermate with mixed emotions and a lopsided smile twitching at his features until Coran recognized him and bounded toward him with a flood of questions. The reserved posture in Ardyn’s shoulders relaxed and he chuckled softly, head shaking as he reached out and sought to drag his brother in for a hug by the scruff. “It was a good journey, and we found them. An entire plethora of them. Tel’s birth-folk have a fascinating culture, and she and I could be missed in a crowd there. I met her father, and she has a twin brother.” He stepped back, haunches dropping to the ground as he added, “I’ve only just returned, so I haven’t had a chance to track anyone down, but I smelled mother on my way in. Eramaya and Legacy’s scents are fresh, too. No doubt Eramaya’s at her hut.” He regarded the project his brother had been working on, eyes flicking to glance at Coran as he asked, “Are you making glue or hide stew?” He wasn’t ready to broach the subject of Coran’s second absence yet, unless his littermate brought it up himself. He hated the feeling of resenting his own brother; any of his family, really. _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

Coran fell into the hug awkwardly, trying to return it. It had been awhile since anyone had embraced him in such a way, certainly not while he'd been off wandering and he felt that stab of regret in his stomach. He had so much he wanted to say and not a clear way on how to say it. Instead he sat back to listen as Ardyn patiently addressed his questions. He was pleased to hear that the'd found a number of Tel's family and that he'd only recently arrived back, catching the scents of their mother as well as Eramaya and Legacy.

“Are you making glue or hide stew?”

"Ahh, hide glue. I've got a list of projects I need some for. I've really taken to hunting since…" Coran sighed heavily, giving the gluey mixture another stir while he collected his thoughts. "Ardyn, I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I won't waste your ears on excuses. I confess I took Valhalla for granted. It seemed like something that would always be there and for whatever reason I needed to find out who I was apart from it."

Coran averted his gaze for a moment, watching as a gooey film started to form on the surface of his project, a sign that it was almost ready. "I didn't know what I had until it was gone. I realized how much I missed everything and decided I'd rather learn to be a hunter, to provide for our family, our pack than be a wandering scout."

Coran picked up a ceramic ladle he'd made that had holes in the bottom. He began to fish out the hide scraps. Once all the hide was removed he waited to let it cool. Hours later when it finally cooled he would pour the glue into a glass container to store it for later use. "I received your raven, about the dissolution of Valhalla. I wonder if there are others that felt the way I do. That have maybe come to a new understanding about pack life. All that said… I wonder if its wise to jump right into pack life again. I've been thinking of trying to start a band, rounding up former Valhalla wolves and loners looking for a place to stay while they consider their future plans. Easing back into group life in preparation for the time when Valhalla begins anew." He looked up at Ardyn, having bared his soul and waited for a response.

Ardyn Adravendi

Ardyn peered into the pot, nodding at Coran’s explanation and quipping, “Hey, hunting’s fun.” It seemed Coran had a lot on his mind, and Ardyn, ever the patient one, sat back, letting the cream-brindled man gather himself. He listened to Coran’s words, ears intensely focused in that way of making the speaker the most important thing in the area. He was glad to hear that his brother felt as he did. He doubted Coran was the only one that had taken Valhalla for granted. No doubt Caelia was chief among those that took the pack and her place in it for granted, given her lack of real ambition all these years. She had been given many chances by his mother, chances by himself to make something of herself. She had taken none of them, and he doubted he would be willing to accept her back once the pack was refounded-- and he did intend to found it again. Valhalla was forever, even if it took brief respites. He nodded as he listened to Coran’s thoughts; it had been one of his plans, something he had entrusted to Tyto, but it seemed that hadn’t unfolded as they’d planned. The ravens Lyr had entrusted to carry messages and updates to and fro had returned with no sound of a band led by Tyto. Finally, he nodded. “I had entrusted Tyto to form a band as you’d like to do, however it seems that didn’t happen. If you are sure you’re up to the task, then I will entrust it to you in his stead. I won’t be joining, necessarily, since I plan to remain here to watch over our parents, until I know what all has changed in the lands, and what my course forward will be. If you can gather any information on the bands’ travels, and relay it to me, I’ll be deeply appreciative.” He smiled, this time with true warmth as he added, “I know you’d like to leave the scout life behind, but in this case, you can do both hunting and scouting until Valhalla’s reborn. At that point, if you wish to return, I’d like to see you work for a high rank and lead many hunts.” His mismatched fire and ice eyes twinkled suddenly as he leaned in and added, “And you better come to my wedding in the Summer, or I’ll be deeply hurt.” _____________________________________________________________________ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ----  "Hear" ---- Think

It was an incredible weight off his chest to speak his mind, though there were still nerves twitching in his stomach as to how his words would be received. Either way, he was glad to have said them and gotten his state of mind out in the open. Ardyn was a patient listener and when he spoke he started by explaining that he had entrusted Tyto to form a band. Coran's ears perked up but it seemed no such band had been started. In some ways that was a relief to him for Coran felt very strongly about this path forward. It would've been a damper on his fire to find that someone was already leading a pack of Vallhalan wolves.

Ardyn explained that he would not be joining for he wished to stay and look over their parents. Coran nodded in understanding, but wished to offer a potential option. "I completely understand, though if you and our parents wished to join for a few season's you'd be more than welcome. I plan to keep the band around our home lands. Staying first here in the plains then moving to the moor, perhaps the estuary but never very far. Even so, I will be happy to send my buzzard with frequent updates." Coran had to admit he was rather hoping his parents would join him but he also understood the bond that they had to these lands. Either way, a key point of his return was to spend more time with his family, he didn't intend to wander far.

Coran nodded. "Of course, I don't intend for the band to be permanent. When Valhalla rises again the band will either be passed on to another or disbanded and I would of course join." He grinned. "You are looking at your future Lead Hunter." Coran had learned much and he had every intention of matching his brother's skill in hunting if not surpassing it.

And you better come to my wedding in the Summer, or I’ll be deeply hurt.

Coran blinked for a moment as he processed his brother's last sentence. "Wedding?! You… what… you're getting married? To who? Goodness, Ardyn, we apparently have more to catch up on than I thought."