i heard the church bells from afar It was alone that Novella had originally slipped away from the shrine, venturing to the borders of the Springs to observe any news from Sawtooth and of course determine the weather there. It certainly seemed better now and they had made it through the worst of the storm with no trouble and so perhaps it was time to take the trip back home as well. She had returned to her pack and made such an announcement and the next morning their journey back home had begun. Now she stood home once more. The water from the falls still pooled out over the banks of the river, the healers den still flooded with no traces at all of the herb stores that Symphony and Sorrel had worked so hard to gather. Even where there had been no flood at all the lands were sodden, soft mud that made it impossible for anyone to keep clean even with the rain that still insisted upon falling although certainly far lighter showers than before. How on earth the skies had any water left to rain was a mystery and yet the steady downpour continued. Overall the place was a mess, most of the pack's scent had been washed away by the heavy rains but they would properly claim their lands once more, they were here. "Home." we found each other in the dark

Relief and excitement pulsed through her body. Going home was something she couldn't wait for, but her home was not exactly how she had expected it to look like. The storm had decided to leave a little gift behind, with creeks, streams and dens still flooded. The rain obviously did not understand "go away and come again another day". She had to admit, storms were quite persistent. As the pup confidently emerged into the territory, she heard awkward splashing noises coming from her paws. Her gaze would quickly look before finding her clean and flawless ivory dress caked in filthy and sticky mud. Eww! She hated getting herself dirty. Oh why did it have to be mud? Anything but! Struggling to shake it off, she would leap about like a blind duck, looking for a patch of grass that wasn't muddy. With each leap she would splash the thick brown muck, finding herself even more covered in mud. The pup couldn't be even more annoyed right now. She officially did not like mud. "Speech" Thoughts

Aslan would keep close to his family as they made their way home. Aside from the storm, the journey had been quite exciting, the chance to explore new lands with his family had been wonderful. They had been somewhat wary however and therefore the boy hadn't gotten the chance to venture out as much as he would have quite liked. Something told him as they set their sights upon the falls once more that this caution was only going to continue. The weather was certainly better but it was by no means perfect. He would glance upwards as his mother declared they were home though Varda would soon steal his attention, the girl was wriggling away though not with excitement, even as she began to bound around through the mud it still wasn't out of play but something entirely different. Not quite as bothered as his sister by the mud, nor did it show up so well on his darker fur he would give chase after her without a thought. "Not that eager to get away from everyone are you?" He would enquire as he soon drew level with his sister. Sorrel was the one that would probably revel in the isolation, even Aslan had noticed that his cousin hadn't stuck around with everyone else quite so much.

He had stayed with the rest of the pack as Novella had wandered back to their home. He hadn?t been completely happy with the idea of her traveling by herself, but she seemed confident about it so he would not protest too much. She?d returned safely, her beautiful form returning safe and sound to announce that they would be free to return to their home. As he was sure everyone was ready to be back in the more familiar lands. He?d enjoyed his time at the shrine with his wife, and it gave their children an opportunity to see more of the world than just their home territory. They would travel back, this time everyone was on their own feet. Fire and ice gaze would lay upon the destruction before them. Perpetual mud would be their home for a time, as Varda was soon realizing. "Varda, be careful where you leap." She was coming awful close to the high waters of the falls behind her. He?d keep his eye on his distressed daughter as his form moved beside Novella, his nose nuzzling into her pristine fur. "We?ve much work to be done." He?d start as he thought of their crystal palace and the possible damage that could have been done to it. "Speech"

They were able to return. Their home was not in the greatest shape, but it was home, and the worst of the storms had gone. There was a bit of happiness at being able to return home, but still worry as well. F?licien would give a soft whine, looking around. Mud all around... and still a certain wolf had not come to them. Bi-colored gaze searched desperately, his heart aching. His father... had he... his mind would reel, and he'd take a few steps deeper into the territory, the mud squishing between his toes with each step. There were parts of the lands still flooded, including the dens where his family spent much of their time. Was he really gone? F?licien was praying against all odds that he wasn't, but the young male was losing hope. Ears lay against his skull, turning his attention to Novella, hoping against odds she might have heard something, anything, and just forgotten to tell them. "Is there still no word on my dad...?" "Speech"

Legend would seek out the tracks or his sister, that of which he had not reunited with. He had stayed in Sawtooth for most of the summer, not really understanding the significance of two packs merging to one. He didn't really know that storms had pretty much destroyed Threar lands or that there were two packs to begin with. But he could sense the leaving of most the pack he had stayed in. He had followed the scents of Novella and a few others, walking over borders not able to tell there was any anyway. The rain and mud and lack of the pack members had driven the lines almost completely away. He had spotted his sister up a ways, some children were with her and he observed the way she reacted with them. He had eyed the surrounds, feeling the destruction of the place. But then he would start his way approaching. Soft steps filled with splashes of mud would try and sneak their way to Novella, gently making his voice known maybe a little too close to her. "I hope you don't mind me... Intruding." He would make a grin, waiting for her reaction. "Talk"Think

She had stuck close to her children no matter how bad she wanted to look for Gitan, she had to stay with her children. Sorrel had been knocked out during the storm, but was doing okay now, if only to have a lump on his head and headaches to deal with in the aftermath. Cerise had been oddly silent and very mature during the whole thing and Feli was worried sick over their father. She kept her worries on lock so as not to farther distress the three of them. Part of her knew Gitan was okay, he was safe. Maybe it was the bond she had with her mate or because she knew him well enough. But whatever it was she believed he was fine and would return to them when he could. Much like she herself had returned back after the earthquake. She would not lose faith in him. But she still could not help but worry, what if he was trapped? She would wait till they returned home to decide what to do if he still did not show. The time to go back home was upon them and she was not sure if she was ready to see the destruction left behind. She would carry Atlas again, his wing still in mending. He would not be flying for some time to come. What greeted them was worse than what she could imagine. Her den was still flooded, not a scrape of herbs left, the ground was nothing but mud and the falls were still flooded over their banks. Her expression could only be described as lost and in shock. But her son's voice broke her from the trace only to have her heart break. "He'll be okay. After all he was a lone adventurer when I first me him. He's smart and knows how to stay out of trouble." She replied and nuzzled him. Her eyes drifted over to her sister, a look of desperation for her words to be true glistened. But quickly her look turned into surprise and shock as a familiar figure joined them. Her younger brother, he looked well and healthy, more than she could ask for."Legend!" She bounded over to him and nuzzled him. "Speech"

Home. That word had never sounded so good. Once more they could retreat to some sense of privacy rather than all pooling together in one cramped den area. Unfortunately however Sorrel had come to realise it would be awfully tricky to actually have any real sense of privacy again with the damn owl that still chose to stalk him. Ellingham would venture off for hunting trips, a chance to stretch his wings but for the most part the owl had developed an attachment to the grumpy boy. How he had managed it was a mystery, Sorrel offering him no such return of bond. Ellingham had flown overhead on the trip here, giving Sorrel some peace though the owl would settle now on a nearby tree to the group. One heavy looking branch lay at the floor and in a nasty wish, Sorrel wished Ellingham's perch would also give way to cause the bird to find another tree further away from the group. Silently he would pay no attention to the bird and instead remain with his family listening to the exchange between his twin and their mother. The conversation came to a swift halt however at the arrival of another wolf. Sorrel could vaguely recall him, though the name only came to mind as the others around him reacted. Legend. Yet more wolves. He had dealt with a larger pack once before and at least he could avoid his aunts, uncles and cousins as he pleased not like Ellingham who still insisted on following him around like a lost lamb. As if on cue the bird would move closer now, settling upon the ground at Sorrel's side. "Who is that?" The bird would enquire curiously. "An uncle." Sorrel would explain simply. The answer would surely suffice, Ellingham didn't need to know any more than that, surely by now he would be able to return to whatever life it was he had before, no need to bother Sorrel or any of the other Threar wolves.

i heard the church bells from afar The pack would begin to gather, Varda and Aslan scampering off across the mud and Frith stepping forwards to give them words of caution. It was a somewhat sorrowful state and she knew that Symphony and Sorrel would likely not be too pleased by the healer's den upon glancing at it. Novella felt bad for them, all that hard work and efforts gathering useful herbs for the pack one glance at Symphony's face would prove her fears right, shock and horror spreading across it. She would do what she could to help replenish stocks, perhaps now would be a good time for her to take the children out to gather new plants, learning and helping. F?licien would soon speak up, enquiring about Gitan. Like Symphony he hadn't be found in the lands when the pack had moved nor had he appeared later within Threar, Sawtooth or even with the group gathered at the Shrine. Novella would worry slightly for the man, it after all had not been pleasant weather though if he had been off taking a holiday somewhere else away from the storms, she would not be too pleased with the man. It after all wasn't the first occasion he had left his family for a period of time, it wasn't all that long ago that he had last returned from one such trip. Gitan would soon be cast aside from her own mind however as a familiar voice would call out to her a name called out confirming her thoughts as she would turn and set eyes upon her brother. A smile would spread across her features and she would move forwards to nuzzle the man in greeting. "Where have you been?" She would enquire, he had missed so much, Ludicael separating and most importantly the birth of more nieces and nephews, her own three children of course included. we found each other in the dark

There was obviously no hesitation to his presence within the group of wolves. Symphony as first to lash out, giving him tiny sister kisses, and he was just as happy to see her. Novella would then also turn, giving the same reaction. If he were worried about rejection, he would sure be glad that none of the energy was negative around here. Well at least about him because there were some sad faces hanging around. He reached his nose out, poking at the sides of both his sister's muzzles and looking through the crowd that may or may not have acknowledged all the commotion. He was sure to eye all of them, including his nephew who seemed to be friends with a bird. But he would take a step back, looking first to Symphony and then to Novella, the pleased grin still held to his maw. "I could not find Howl or Story." A strong voice was kept, trying not to show his disappointment through his grin. "I've tracked them here but have lost their scents a while back." He was suggesting that he was searching for them. And since he had found Song and now Symphony, his two older brothers were sure to show up, missing or not. But instead of lingering on what was hurting him, he would roll his eyes around as if to "notice" the damage done to the land, even though he knew it was here the minute he stepped paw into the falls. "I'm here to help in any way that I can." He would offer, brotherly and friendly to those that may have not known who he was, or the same for him. "Talk"Think

Novella would not answer him, but instead it would be his mother that was the voice of reason. F?licien would turn his gaze to her. He would press himself gently into her, giving a small nod. "He'll find a way back to us then... he will..." He could feel her want, her need for it to be true. For Gitan to come home to them suddenly, despite being gone for the majority of the summer. It was possible, it had to be. His mother disappeared too, when he was a child. She was gone a long time... due to a natural disaster. But somewhere in his heart F?licien felt that, just like his mother, someday, somehow, his father would make his return. Symphony would be distracted by his uncle, but F?li was still struggling. He would step off to the side, away from the others. He would close his eyes, ears lowered. There was much to think about. "Speech"

Fortunately, the light rain would wash away the mud staining her precious fur. But unfortunately, she just caused herself to be the centre of attention. She did like being the one that stood out from the rest but not in this situation. Aslan had caught up to her, followed by her father's warning. She turned her head to look at him briefly. "I'll be careful, father." At this point she had slowed her pace into a walk, keeping by her brother's side. Many wolves had arrived from the Shrine, and they were all her family members. It was a brown wolf that caught her focus. Her family knew who this was, calling him by the name of Legend. Now that she got a closer look at him, he did have markings that only Destructions had. Another family member? It seemed so. "Speech"

i heard the church bells from afar Novella hoped that upon leaving Ludicael Legend and Howl would have stuck together, apparently though they had left at scattered moments, and not succeeded in finding one and other or Story for that matter. Myth had made it back to them all alright in the end, she could only assume (or wish and hope) that Howl and Story would eventually return to the family. "I'm sure they'll appear in time. You came back all on your own." Novella pointed out. At his offer to help she would take another glance around the mess. "I'm not really sure what there will be to do. Most of the dens haven't been too damaged by the storms though I know the healers one is still flooded and has no stores left. I'm sure Symphony would appreciate some extra hands gathering what she can." She would glance back to her sister now, that was completely her call though she was free to rely upon the rest of the pack as much as she needed. we found each other in the dark