It was in the dead of night that Bane awoke and crawled into the comfortable night air, the summer season not quite there yet. These past few days had been tumultuous in the thoughts and reasons the elder had wrestled with. A pack should have been a source of safety. But all he had seen were his sons being dragged off and returning miserable looking from a meeting. He loved Nako and Jakart equally, as did his mate along with their other children, but seeing them downcast and frustrated when they came back to their den site was painful to watch. To know that he had made a decision to stay after Riasa had left was a serious mistake. He felt that his marriage suffered for it. His family's happiness above all else.

The elder closed his one good eye. His fight with Tahlia. How he wished he could take it all back and erase those days they spent separated from one another. And there was nobody besides his sons to teach. He doubted anybody would be interested in what the old wolf had to say. The role of Eir was empty for him as he lazed the days away watching his family come and go. There was simply nothing in Ebony that was worth being apart of anymore. They had a good thing by the river last summer, and his eldest offspring were more than capable of of helping them survive out in rogue territory.

Kailos and Lior could walk on their own too. And so Bane would retire into his den where his mate lay and nudged her awake. If she had questions they would have to wait as the old male went over and roused his children all situated in a den to themselves. They were along the edge of the territory, the entrances to their dens shielded by mountainside trees and an easily traversed slope down to the side of the cliff just below the lake. Nako, Jakart, and Kailos were all silent when they followed their father as their family returned to the wilds once more. But Bane had honor, and he wasn't going to just leave. It would be improper, and so his head would tilt back in a raspy howl to summon the alpha to them. Hopefully see them off without incident.

Walk | Talk | Think The russet woman's peaceful slumber was disturbed with the reentry of her husband into their den, feeling his muzzle nudge against her and pull her from sleep. She blinked and at first saw nothing, her left eye needing a moment as it adjusted and she turned her head to better catch what faint light was afforded to her from the den's entrance. Her brow furrowing - why had Bane woken her? - she rose somewhat slowly and went to the front of the den to watch him do the same within the other den their children occupied. It all felt familiar to her, almost to the point that she thought she might still have been dreaming. But none of her dreams were this vivid, none of them went like this. This was really happening, Bane was really rousing his family from sleep and drawing them from their dens. He was moving them again. She did not need to ask to know; the pattern was there even though it had only happened once before. But unlike before there was less complacency within Tahlia this time. She had thought they were doing well here, the older boys spending their days training, Anais and Kailos with her learning what she could teach about hunting, and Lior with the healers. But Bane... She realized then what she had failed to notice before, how little he had on his plate to keep him busy. How did he spend his time during the days, when not even the boys, who she considered his multiple shadows, trailed after him? It hurt her heart to know that not all of them were happy here, and it showed within the saddened frown that manifested itself upon her brow. Without argument, she moved to stand beside him, listening as he called for Katja and then rubbing her forehead against his shoulder as she took a seat. As much as she wished not to be, Tahlia was worried. Bane was not as young as he had been when they had lived in the wilds before, even if the children were older now. Would he not have been more comfortable here, within borders that were protected and safe? "You are sure of this?" she asked softly, for his ears alone. There was no need to clarify what he intended by waking them, and though she did not entirely wish to leave the life she had started to grow comfortable with her place was still at his side, wherever he might be.

The girl would open her faded-blue eyes, blinking as she was roused with the rest of her siblings by their father. Where... Where were they going? Her heart would sink, wanting to tell him she didn?t want to go... That she wanted to stay in Ebony. She was happy... Getting ready to learn more about herbs... She had made some friends... She didn?t want to leave! There was such a miserable look on the girl?s face as she dragged herself after her family, gaze downcast. This wasn?t fair... But... She didn?t want to just abandon her family either. Her heart felt terribly torn.

The girl would sit slightly away from them all, fighting the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Would Adelaide and Elijah miss her? She had come to truly care for the woman... And she really liked Katja too. The viking lady was stern but she found her a capable leader. A depressed sigh would leave the girl, shaking her head.

When Katja heard one of Ebony's members, a male she knew little of other than he had joined during Raisa's reign, call from the border, she had a feeling. The older wolf had shown no interest in the pack since she'd taken it, had contributed little past the family he had led there. That feeling solidified to certainty when she appeared out of the night to see his whole family gathered there. The boys, two of whom should have been far enough in their training to have been made thegn had they not shown such reluctance to take part in the pack, Lior who was training as a healer, Anais who had been showing much promise as a hunter, and Tahlia who she had tentatively identified to take over as herse. Not all looked pleased - Lior looked like she was on the edge of tears. Her silver eyes surveyed them all silently before she spoke, stating the obvious with a voice as impassive and cold as her expression. She was not pleased about this and would pretend no such thing. "You are leaving, then. All of you? Why?" Her gaze swept them once more questioningly. If any spoke up wishing to stay she would keep them there with no questions asked, even fight for them, but if they would all follow this elderly male into his foolish self-imposed exile unquestioningly she would be washing her hands of the whole family. She could understand the importance of family more than most in this soft land, but to drag a family into the wilds was folly bordering on senility. "

Bane watched Tahlia as she came to his side, noting the confusion in her single eye, his own gaze mirroring a certain flavor of reluctance and sadness. She sat down and brought her head against his shoulder, Bane leaning into her press. He knew this would be hard for their family. But it had to be done. Not too much was happening in his life at Ebony. Watching his daughters go off to their lessons, and his sons. Nako, Jakart, the two eldest sons coming home from meetings and lessons in various states of misery. And his duty as Eir carried no weight in Ebony as their was nobody coming to him for advice or knowledge. He found himself questioning the rank in its entirety. What was a rank of there was no constant action? Bane might as well have been nothing.

And so it had led to his decision of leaving. "I am sure of this. There is nothing for us in a dying pack. There. I felt no purpose here than what we could do outside of rule." Bane thought to say more, but Katja had arrived in a timely manner after his summon. Her questions were standard. The old wolf's answers were standard. "Yes. There isn't much for us here as far as I can see. Nothing that can't be taught by me or my mate. I'm growing older and grayer by the day. I can feel it in my bones and I wish time for with my family. That is all." Bane shuffled on his paws, not pleased with the situation that he had to summon a leader in order to leave, but he would suck it up for his family.

Walk | Talk | Think The woman's gold and cloudy eyes closed softly as she listened to Bane answer her question, her worries and suspicions confirmed. It hurt her to know that in her inattention, while she had been finding a place and involving herself in the daily pack activities, that her husband had been feeling so neglected, so useless. It had been her hope that they might all settle in well there in Ebony, that what they once had within Seracia could be returned to them once more, a stable home and a stable future. But even then Bane had been about doing things his way, independent and unafraid of causing a stir. It should have been less surprising that this was where they were destined to go. He was cut off by the arrival of their leader Katja, and as Tahlia lifted her head from her husband's shoulder she noted immediately the coldness behind the woman's stare. Of course she would be angry. Ebony had already suffered through a few losses and though it had been out of her hands she had seen how few their numbers were, how much of a challenge was going to be placed on those with rank enough to train and teach and lead. But already having decided her place to be at her husband's side she could not see a way that she could make this new loss any easier on the woman she had grown to respect. Katja's tone was frosty and direct, and feeling that weighty stare skip her way the black and russet wolf lowered her gaze and allowed Bane to speak for them though she was not entirely in agreement. Ebony still felt like the better choice for them, a safe home with others to defend the borders, hard work that the family could take pride in, experienced healers who might be able to alleviate any pains that Bane developed as he progressed further in age. If not for her wish that he should be happy she might have argued the point, but she stayed quiet instead. A glance was cast toward her youngest daughter, her heart aching as she finally noticed the tears that seemed to collect in the young girl's eyes. Somehow they would need to make this work. Somehow they would need to find something in this move to give them a purpose, a new fight to struggle for. She only hoped the family could adjust as well during this move as they had the last.

The male, Bane, spoke of his intention to leave, hardly any surprise. Katja allowed her lip to curl in derision. A dying pack? Nothing there that he and his mate could not teach them? Had Bane magically become a healer then, or Tahlia? Did he know so little of his children to assume they would all wish to be warriors or hunters? And was he to provide for them, protect them, with his deteriorating body until they knew enough to provide for themselves and their younger siblings? For that matter, he'd been too old to continue as a warrior in the pack, so how was he even fit enough to teach them? "You are an old fool, Bane," she spoke icily, her head and tail raising in regal dominance. She remained where she was, though, showing no overt aggression toward him. "You, who would be patriarch to your family, yet have no true care for them, and would drag them into darkness and uncertainty for weak, selfish reasonings. I can no blame your mate and children for following you there to protect you from your own impulsive idiocy, for family is important, but you?" She gave a single sharp shake of her head, dismissing him and turning her attention to his family in one motion. "You are any of you welcomed to stay in Ebony if it be your wish. I will neither hold you responsible for his deficiencies nor allow harassment for you choosing such." Her eyes lingered on the gathered family, allowing the opportunity for Bane's mate or pups to choose to stay in Ebony rather than follow him into self-imposed exile. "

Katja's words were accusing. And they stung with the half truths they carried. But Bane firmly believed in the truths even if the meaning of his reasons for leaving stretched the very meaning of the word. Packs died. It was a fact of life as powers shifted amidst the hierarchy even it wasn't involving an usurp by a aspiring wolf. All it needed was time. All the packs in the land would eventually die and change to adapt to it's leader. Chaos followed as everything reshuffled, and Bane was tired. So tired of the shifting powers and order of packs. Tired of holding an empty rank. Was this foolish thinking or was the old desire of wanderlust calling to him again? It now involved his family. He had already lost them once, and he wasn't about to again even as Katja spoke that anyone who was willing in his family could stay in Ebony. A dying pack. As they all were. All it took was time.

A milky sapphire eye was slowly blinked at her words. "I... I thank you Katja for your acceptance of my family during our stay despite Raisa's sudden departure. But I am leaving with my family. And should it be their wish that when they come of age they can go about joining Ebony or whomever pack they fancy. I do care for their interests. But I wish to be with them with what time I have left. However long that may be..." Bane panted as he touched his nose to Tahlia's shoulder. His gaze went to where the border was and back around to each of his sons and Tahlia. Katja was given a glance one final time before the old wolf turned and began to go forward with his family to a land of shifting balances and danger. But also where one could be free.

-Exit Bane-

Her father would speak for them, voicing the desire to have them all leave Ebony and go out into the wilderness. How she didn?t want to go. Ebony was her home... All she had known. All she really wanted to know. Yet her love for her family her duty to them, would keep the girl from making the selfish decision to abandon them. She swallowed hard, looking up at the Drottning as she finished speaking. The gray girl would rise, the tears finally spilling down her cheeks.

?I want with all my heart to stay, Miss Katja. Ebony has been my home... I have learned so much here already and made wonderful friends... I wanted to stay here... And learn to be a wonderful healer...? The girl?s voice trailed off as she lowered her gaze. ?I?m really sorry we have to leave... But I want to thank you for the things you have helped us with, and for giving me the opportunity to learn among the rest of the healers of Ebony, even only for this short time. From the bottom of my heart... Thank you.?

The girl lifted her gaze, wanting to meet Katja?s once more, to show the sincerity of her words. She would miss Ebony and the wolves that lived within. It was, in her mind, and always would be her true home.