He had been here before. He was sure of it. He didn't dare go any further into the plain since it was filled with the scent of the pack that resided here, but some part of his memories had brought him here. He just wasn't sure what part of them that was yet. The large male sighed as he stared out over the empty plain, wondering what he was missing... The sun gleamed off his russet pelt at he padded forward till he reached the stream that flowed through the plain, bending his head down to lap up the cool water. The air held the cool of autumn, but the sun was out in full force today so he was still plenty warm. As his sky blue gaze looked out around him once more he let his brain work again, trying to figure it out. He had remembered most of the details about his family, his siblings, and had met a sibling he hadn't met before in fact. He remembered that his father's name was Isardis, but remembered very little else about him. No, it wasn't family that drew him here, it was something else... Speech Thought Others

Finally, as autumn came around, Surreal was feeling far less.. Grumpy, hot, restless. Her male side of the family was no longer walking upwind of her on patrols, and she didn?t stare at all the males she came across that weren?t related to her. Still, with the waning of the feelings, she felt almost bereft. A part of her was missing. She hadn?t been aware of it until recently. And every time she thought of Falk, Taurig?s younger brother, her chest thundered, and she couldn?t help looking about as though the russet and timber marked male with light blue eyes would be there. In fact? Her eyes wandered the area, and she froze. Was she finally losing her pebbles? The large form meandering toward the stream, and well into Pack Territory couldn?t be there, could it? The scent hit her nose a moment later. Falk? Her head jerked up, ears perking high on her head, and she charged without a second thought. Her tail waved behind her as she barked out a delighted ?Falk!? She realized that she would collide with him if she kept her forward speed, and she forced herself to slow. A little too late. If he stayed put, misty silver chest would end up colliding with his shoulder, sending both tumbling into the water.

One moment there was complete silence around him and the next he heard the pounding of paws against the ground followed by a female voice calling his name. He looked up in surprise, his ears alert as he looked for the source of the sound. They found it a moment too late. The silver form that was barreling toward him crashed into his shoulder, making him yelp from surprise and throw him off balance. He tried to catch himself, but it was no use. He tipped over, toppling into the water and taking her with him. He spluttered and scrambled back onto his paws, coughing a bit from the water that he had accidently breathed in. Of course, with his height the water was no problem for him to stand in, but he was still drenched instantly from the tumble. His heart was racing from the shock and his blue gaze searched out whoever it was that had run into him... and had known his name. His gaze landed on her silvery, timber marked form and it made him stop. His brows pulled together as he thought hard, trying so hard to remember. He suddenly felt so frustrated with himself, felt so angry that he couldn't remember. His ears folded back against his skull and his eyes showed his confusion and frustration. He closed his eyes, gave a sharp shake of his head, and looked at her again. Then Falk's gaze met hers and something clicked. Something about her two-toned blue and gold gaze triggered something in his memory and his ears shot up once more. He padded closer, focusing so hard it hurt. "S...Surreal?" he asked uncertainly, peering down into her beautiful gaze, praying he was right. Speech Thought Others

They went into the river with a hearty Kersplash! Surreal came up with a gasp, giving her frame a heavy shake to dislodge the water from her ears, and heard spluttering and coughing from her right. Falk! He was alright, right? Her head whipped around to find him staring at her with an almost frustrated frown. Was he not happy to see her? Her still waving tail drooped slightly, and then his eyes found hers. It was like watching a beam of light pop out from around a cloud, the way his eyes seemed to light up with recognition. Recognition.. Had he forgotten her? His stammered utterance of her name swept away any growing displeasure that he could have ever forgotten her. It was almost a question, like he wasn?t quite sure if he was seeing her. She realized she was pouncing toward the male; no, that she was already starting to rear up and wrap her forelegs around his neck in a wolf hug. That she was laying into his muzzle with her tongue, covering it with delighted, whine sprinkled kisses? She didn?t much care. She was too happy to see him for caring. Finally, she got a grip of herself, remembered that she was the Beta Primary of Valhalla, and released the possibly bewildered Falk,, dropping to her fours, tail still wagging. ?I missed you, Falk!? No kidding?

He guessed he was correct in the guess of her name when she suddenly reared up and threw her forelegs around him, planting kiss after kiss on his face. A grin spread across his face and he chuckled a low, rumbling chuckle, giving her cheek a lick in return before she finally released him and stood to look at him once more. As she spoke her voice helped unlock even more of the memories that had been momentarily taken away from him. He remembered speaking with her for the first time, the spar he had shared with her, each very fond memories. "Surreal," he said fondly, giving her a warm smile. "It really is you, isn't it?" A smile stretched across his muzzle and he dipped his head down to give her muzzle a gentle lick as he looked at her fondly. Finally, it was starting to feel like all of the puzzle pieces were beginning to be put back together. Now that Surreal was back in his memories the pieces were beginning to make more sense. He remembered leaving his brother for some reason, remembered the storm that had picked up right after he set off, but he hadn't figured out what the reason till just now. He had taken off to see her. His beautiful silver friend. Falk realized they were still standing in the middle of the river and he motioned with his head toward dry land with a chuckle. He stepped out of the water, taking a moment to shake off as much of the water as he could before he turned to look at Surreal again. Every time he looked at her it made him smile. Settling down on his haunches, he explained, "I wasn't sure of who you were at first because I got hurt in a huge storm and lost my memories. I had decided to leave Taurig to make a trip to see you, but then the storm picked up and a branch hit my head. That's why I was gone for so long. I didn't know who or where I was." He smiled, leaning down to rest the side of his muzzle against hers. "I would never have left you for so long voluntarily," he said softly, his voice ringing with truth. Speech Thought Others

That chuckle of his did things to a woman. So did his voice in general saying her name. She just couldn?t sit still, particularly when he returned a lick no her muzzle. Her tail, especially, could not hold still. It battered the air behind her, a clear readout of her emotions at the moment. Her sister was back, Valhalla was strong and happy, and now Falk was here. Could it get any better? Falk gestured to the shore with his head, and she belatedly realized she was standing chest deep in the river. It hadn?t been so long ago that she would have easily drowned at this point. She gave a sheepish grin, wading out onto the shore, shaking off the water before settling next to him. His explanation had her eyes flicking over his face, trying to find some injury. His muzzle against hers as he spoke his last words brought her gaze down to meet his, and she felt soothed. ?I?m so glad you?re alright, Falk. With the earthquake, I was scared for you, as well as Valhalla. I remember that storm, too. I weathered it here in Vericona Plains with mother in her den. The rest of the pack was on Nephilim Island.? She pressed her shoulder to his. ?Oh, there is so much to tell you about, Falk.? Where to start? Maybe at the beginning.

It made Falk smile to see that just his being there seemed to make her so happy, especially since she did the same for him. Once he had explained himself he saw her looking him over carefully, he guessed looking for some sign of injury, but cut where the branch had hit him had already fully healed so she had no need to worry. Plus, now that she was back in his life his memories were more or less fully healed as well. His ears swiveled forward toward her as she spoke once again, wanting to hear every word his beautiful friend said. Another smile came easily to his muzzle when she leaned into his shoulder and he wanted nothing more than to pull her as close as possible, but he restrained himself. Instead he settled for curling his tail around behind her and placing a kiss on the top of her head. Part of him wondered what she would say if he told her right now what he had wanted to tell her originally when he had set out to see her before he got sidetracked by the storm... but it could wait. Actually, he was sure he should wait. He had only just reappeared into her life. Falk would wait till the time was right, wait till he knew more about what had happened while he was absent. "Tell me everything. I could listen to you speak all day," he replied, looking down at her with kindness and warmth in his gaze. What would he have done if something had not drawn him here? What if he had never been reunited with Surreal. He was sure that he would have felt lost forever, but now he felt like he was home. Speech Thought Others

Falk?s presence was like a fresh ray of light. She hadn?t felt like this in a long time? In fact, this particular brand of joy was new. She felt fulfilled, ready to take on the world, and maybe even Isardis himself. Of course, she wasn?t an idiot. She wouldn?t really do that. Falk?s words reminded her that she had a story to tell. So she gathered her thoughts, and sent herself back in time. How about since the last time they saw each other! That would work. ?Alright. I?ll start with after you went back to Taurig, the last time we saw each-other. Chrysanthe called a meeting, and told the pack we?d be moving to Nephilim Island. But, No one realized Mother was very ill. So, when the pack moved, I and my cousin Alsander stayed with her for a time, helping her get well again. I was scared she wouldn?t survive, but, Mother is a tougher wolf. She pulled through, and I went to the pack in time for a meeting Chrysanthe called. ?She told me to take some wolves back here, so I took my Cousins, Caerul, Cael, and Cael?s mate Imena, and my niece, Odette; Chrysanthe adopted her a while back. She?s a wonderful young wolf, full of fire and determination, but very sweet. Anyway, we made sure Mother was guarded, and Chrysanthe came along to visit, too. So I was going back and forth, doing my duties as Beta, and keeping my eye on Mother. Then the storm hit. I was okay, staying with Mother, and it didn?t really hit the plains all that hard. Nephilim Island was hit worse. We had some injuries, and I?m not quite sure, but one of our members either died or went missing? I hadn?t gotten the details on that?? She trailed off slightly, wondering if that made her a bad Beta, that she didn?t even know if one of the members she was sworn to protect was dead or alive. For a pensive moment, she pondered that, then went on. ?Mother got better, so I could go back to being at the pack full time. Alsander took up for me, but Mother could defend herself by then. And then?? Her eyes narrowed. ?One of Isardis? little pets challenged for Valhalla. Artemis won, Falk? Took Azalea?s kids, Soren and Kismet. I don?t care if Isardis is their sire. He?s no father to them. All they are is yet another trophy to pump his ego. One of our members, Seraphine, Challenged him for Glaciem, but you can guess how that went. Last I saw her, she had a blinded eye, and she acted like we were dirt.? A soft sigh whispered through her nostrils. Then on to happier subjects. ?I didn?t know what we were going to do. But Mother did. And my uncle is back! Mother? you haven?t seen my mother when she?s that pissed? She left the Battlefield, and we followed. At Nephilim Island, she called the pack, and took over control. I think she was born for this. She brought us home, and we have four territories including this one. I haven?t seen Valhalla looking so alive in a while. It really shows how strong we truly are. We can get back up from a defeat, and hold our heads high, because we survived, and we have honor.? Her mismatched blue and gold gaze turned up to him. ?What does Isardis have. A territory full of females, and too many children to possibly give attention to at once. My uncle told me he ran across one of the bastard?s members, emaciated and ill, injured in one eye. What King doesn?t check in on all of his pack, and make sure they?re all fed and cared for?? Her hackles bristled with indignation, and she rolled her shoulders to lower them, settling against Falk?s chest, listening to the steady drum of his heartbeat. ?We have three Allies. Ludicael, Ebony, and Olympus, though no one has come back to say yes or no about the alliance between us yet, so I should hold my breath. We had a Mating Ceremony. Ashtoreth and Leon, finally. I can hardly wait to see their first litter.? Her tail wagged happily. ?We have two pups already, from Friction and Eria. Oh Falk, their son is the bravest little wolf I?ve ever seen. He?s the one who broke his leg in the earthquake. When the earth opened up, he fell in, and I and Alpine went in after him. My leg was gashed, and Alpine?s ribs got cracked.? An involuntary shudder went through her at the thought of the terrifying day. ?He was so scared, and hurt, but all he could think about was us getting out of there, and he was ready to make us leave to get help if it meant we wouldn?t be hurt worse. Alpine stayed behind, and I managed to get out and get help. We got them out a day later. That is what real courage truly is. He?s going to he a great warrior when he grows up. I think I may train him as my replacement, if he shows the right potential.? She just hoped the boy kept his promising potential. He would be a fine wolf. His sister was showing interest in hunting, thank goodness.

It turned out that Surreal had plenty to tell him, more than he had imagined. Her lengthy story didn't bother him in the least however. In fact, he was riveted to her every word as she spoke. His expression changed to match whichever part of the story she was at, concern when she mentioned her missing pack mate and her sick mother, a smile for when she talked about her mother getting well and the alliances and pups that had come to Valhalla... Put the part of the story that really got to him was when she spoke of Isardis. He listened carefully, his brows pulling together with concern and his ears flattening against his head with anger. He had still yet to speak to his father, but he was sure that if he ever did the outcome would not be a pleasant one. No one should get away with the stunts he has pulled, especially since he already knew of many and there was sure to be some that he didn't know about or didn't remember. He made a promise to himself that if he ever had the chance he would make Isardis pay for all the wrongs he had done and the trouble he had caused for Surreal. His ears lifted from his head once more and he looked down at her with a small smile as she leaned into his chest, his gaze softening once more. She brought out all the best in him. One moment he was ready to hunt down his own father and the next, with just a touch from her he was calm once more and smiling. Falk gave the top of her head a gentle lick once she was done speaking, replying, "You're going to be a fantastic alpha one day. Any wolf would be lucky to be in a pack where their leadership cared so deeply for them. That's why Valhalla is thriving. It's because you and your mother both care about every member." A short silence came over him as he thought, debating quietly with himself. He finally spoke again, saying, "You already know most of what happened in my life since we last saw each other, or at least what I remember. I left to go back to Taurig and I lived there with him for a bit when he had Tortuga. Nothing too exciting happened that I remember. My memories are still kind of a blur from when I went to live with Taurig until when I had decided to leave... He hesitated, afraid of what her response would be. "I had decided to leave Tortuga and Taurig because I thought about you all the time and I wasn't happy without you. That's when I took off toward Valhalla, but I was surprised by the storm." He paused again, bringing his gaze to meet hers once more. His heart was pounding like crazy from his nervousness. He wondered if she could hear its rapid beat. It was almost funny how he would charge into battle without a second glance, but just saying one sentence to this beautiful girl gave him so much anxiety. Taking a deep breath, he leaned in closer to her, his deep voice soft and sincere. "I set out almost two seasons ago to tell you something, and now I finally get to tell you... I love you, Surreal." Speech Thought Others

Falk had always been an amazing listener. All the times she had encountered him, he?d endeared himself to her a bit more each time. While she had her family, and friends in the pack whom she could talk to about things, they already knew most of what she had just told him about. He listened with an intensity that was almost fierce. And when she was finished, he spoke, and she chuckled softly. ?Oh I?m not sure about the Alpha part. I?ve only been trained to be a Beta. There?s way more to an alpha?s training. There?s the mud trial, and oh so much to learn for that.? Her mother had told her about the training her birth alpha had given her, about how he had made Erani wear mud over her eyes, so that she couldn?t see, and until Erani could pass through the territory without faltering once, the mud was removed. Apparently, it was to help in case the Alpha was blinded in battle, and it helped one become more aware of their surroundings, and use all their senses. His words about her pack and mother filled her with giddy warmth, and a proud love for her pack. But as he fell silent, as though in thought, she leaned back slightly, looking up at him. When he spoke, she nodded, though she could bet he had a few stories about his wanderings while he?d tried to retrieve his memories. So she listened to him, ears flicking forward at his hesitation. When he continued, her eyes popped open a little wider, mismatched blue and gold gaze resting on his face. He?d been coming to live here? Her heart skipped a beat, maybe even two, and her tail wagged against the river shore. Could he hear her heart? His eyes locked with hers, and he seemed to steel himself, before he leaned forward and spoke in such an honest tone, that there was no doubt to Surreal that he meant every word of what he said. And what he said was? He loved her. He loved her! Was it possibly to fly, without moving or leaving the ground? To soar inside? Yes. Yes, it was possible. Her heart felt as though it were bursting with joy, as her eyes softened to liquid pools of warm color. She hadn?t understood why she could never seem to get him off her mind when she was at idle, or curling up in her alcove in her mothers den after a long day of patrols. Now she knew. A smile pulled at her lips, lighting her eyes with a bright sparkle. ?And I love you, Falk. I think I always have.? Her body was fairly vibrating from happiness by this time. And then it came, building like a storm before the thunder and lightning began. A high, keening squeal. And for the second time today, she launched herself at him, covering his face in kisses, tail dancing a dervish behind her. ?I love you! I love you!?

Falk felt frozen in place as he fell quiet and waited anxiously for her response. Seconds felt like ages until he saw her gaze soften and a smile come to her lips, her words lifting any weight that had been on his shoulders. He normally wasn't one for huge outward emotions, but now he couldn't help himself. A huge smile crossed his muzzle and his thick tail thumped loudly on the ground behind him. He felt like he could run for miles, felt like he could conquer the world. She leaped up onto him again, but he was more prepared for it this time around. He let her arms wrap around his shoulders and neck and he supported her weight with a laugh, his tail still going crazy behind him. His right leg came up to wrap around her in return while he enjoyed all the kisses she showered him with. He couldn't remember a time when he had been this happy. She loved him! He loved her and she felt the same! He couldn't believe it. Falk couldn't contain the joy she gave him just from her simple words. He buried his face into the fur on her neck, nuzzling her affectionately and breathing in her wonderful scent. "Oh, Surreal... You're so perfect and beautiful and I love you so, so much," he rumbled as he lifted his head once more to peer into her two-toned gaze. Every time he saw her face his heart soared and he couldn't be happier to have her back in his life. With his fractured memories it felt like he had never left. She had been his missing piece and now he was whole again. He gave her the opportunity to unwrap herself from him if she so chose, but he wouldn't mind her still clinging to him either. He was sure that whatever she did he wouldn't be leaving her side any time soon. "I guess I'll need to meet your mother now, hm?" he asked with a soft chuckle. He had heard plenty about his love's mother, both from Surreal and from his brother, but it was hard to imagine how a healer turned queen would react to him announcing his love for her daughter. Speech Thought Others

Surreal just couldn?t contain herself. His words spurred her into further face licking, nipping around his muzzle, as her tail continued to give itself quite the workout behind her, forelegs tightening around his neck in a strangle hold of love. And then, his words made her grin again, haunches lowering to the ground, tail raising mountains of river sand on either side of her rump behind her, scooping out a tiny valley. Yes! And have you told Taurig?? Playfully stern expression met his eyes, though her lips wouldn?t cooperate, and pulled into a smile. Forelegs remained wrapped around his neck and shoulders; she wasn?t quite ready to part from his frame just yet. It felt great to have him there, solidly and surely. Unbidden, images of pups someday pattering across the cave floor of her mother?s den, resembling miniature versions of herself and Falk, crossed her mind, and she smiled widely. Not yet, but definitely in the future.

Falk held her weight easily as she kept her forelegs around his shoulders and leaned into him, keeping one of his forelegs around her as well and looking down into her gaze lovingly. He couldn't help but chuckle as she asked about telling his brother and the stern look she wasn't able to keep. "I mentioned it to him before I left I think, but I haven't seen him since my memories returned." He'd have to be sure to make his next task finding his siblings and reuniting with them. He couldn't wait to tell them the news of his and Surreal's love. He knew Taurig would be happy for him and he hoped Sibelle would be excited as well. For a few moments he simply gazed at her happily, just taking in how the sunlight glinted off her silvery coat and shined in her gold and sapphire gaze. "You're so beautiful..." he rumbled quietly, placing a soft kiss on her muzzle with a smile. He wondered how he could have gotten so lucky as to have a wonderful fea like Surreal love him. His life had been a weird mess of twists and turns so far and he was sure there would be more to come, but he was excited to think that now he would get to face all of those things with her by his side. Speech Thought Others