Putain! Gitan winced, swearing under his breath as he lifted his sore leg. Up ahead the falls tumbled on, pounding and reminding him of why he originally hated them. Limping across the pack borders the man paused, left forepaw lifted in the air as he avoided putting weight on it. Bracing himself he tilted his head back calling for his family, certain that they would have returned to the pack lands by now, the storm had let up after all.
Settling himself uncomfortably upon his haunches he waited, all too aware of how he looked; dried mud caked into his untended pelt. The man sighed dropping his gaze from his searching for a moment. This was the second time in a short period of time he had disappeared on them, the guilt of that was weighing heavily upon his mind.
The call came from a voice he had been longing to hear throughout the summer and well into autumn. He hoped, prayed, longing to hear his father?s call across the lands of Threar. He was terrified to think of the alternative option, and when the call was heard it didn?t matter what he had been doing -- it was dropped immediately. He would turn, legs pumping across the lands as he broke into a full run, praying his mind wasn?t playing tricks on him as he rushed to see a man he?d not seen enough in his life; his father.
When Gitan came into view, just seeing how his father sat, told him he was in place. F?licien would give a soft whine, coming close to his father and seeing the sorry state he was in. A mess... A story told by his body that he had been injured... In the storm. F?licien would come closer, slowing, long to nuzzle him, yet worried he might hurt him further. Gaze was full of both relief yet mingling with worry. "Dad... You're home."
"Speech"
Since they had returned back to their home, still destroyed from the storm, the small girl had kept busy as much as possible. She would be the first one to try and clean out the family den, reinforce other dens with fallen debris that littered the ground. Both clearing them out of the way and making use of them. Channels were made so that flooded den may drain out, making it impossible for them to be flooded out again with holes in the rear the den but branches blocking it to act as a strainer. Her mother's healing den was a lost cause. The den's walls had been to soft and gave way with just the slightest push. It was no longer safe. But she had her brother kept busy in finding themselves a new one or gathering their stores back up before the cold season.
She might have been tired by nightfall but if her mother left the pack lands for more herbs, Cerise would say up waiting for her return. She mentally could not take losing her parents anymore. Symphony had been lost to them once, and now her father was. She wasn't sure if she could live if Symphony disappeared again. She was barely keeping herself together as it was. Outwardly she was silent and strong, inside she cried and screamed for her father. She was sick with worry, that's why she kept busy with clearing the pack lands.
A howl rang out, one she thought she'd never hear again. At once the log she had been dragging fell to the ground and her paws were skimming over the earth. She couldn't even remember when she dropped the log and started to run. She was barely aware of running. All she knew was she had to get there right now! She would not be the first to arrive but one of her twin brothers. At first fear frozen her in place, Feli's back in her view. She was almost too afraid to see what faced her on the other side of her brother. But slowly her paws pushed her onwards. Jaws dropped open at the man before them. Sure she knew it was his howl but she was afraid to believe it till she saw him. But his appearance was not comforting. His was filthy, hurt and looked like he could use a good meal and some rest. "Daddy..." Her voice broke as her eyes watered. Unable to contain herself and quickly moved forwards to nuzzle his chest and gently hug him. Finally their father was back.
