Regulus

Water. He didn’t like it. The sea expanded in front of him to an island. But he needed to fix that fear. Yeah, he admitted he was scared of it. But a good warrior pushed on anyway, right? Gulp... He put one paw in the water and shuddered. Cinder rubbed against his hock encouragingly. ”Come on, Reg, you can do it. As long as you carry me.” The Somali cat was in the late stages of kittenhood, looking more like a small adult, though her ears were still large on her head. She’d been his best friend since he’d found her in the Willows, though when he’d followed his mother and grandmother that night, she had, for once, been asleep, so had stayed with his father and sisters. Now she was inseparable from him. Regulus took another deep breath and placed his other front paw in. So far, it wasn’t as bad as he’d thought it’d be. The water was pleasantly cool. ”It’s-- hrm- He paused and cleared his throat as his voice cracked slightly, ears flicking back in irritation. His sister always teased him about the squeaks his voice randomly made. ”It’s not as bad… It feels good, actually..” Another shudder as he waded out, hind paws traipsing into the water. No backing out now. By now, he was shorter than his mother by only an inch, his legs making up most of that height. Cinder leapt onto his rump and clambered to the back of his scruff, kitten agility keeping her firmly planted on his shoulders as he set his eyes on the island and forged ahead. It was over sooner than he knew, and his belly was soon clear of the water, his legs sloshing in the surf. He bounded the last few feet, the cat jumping from his back as he shook himself thoroughly. When he was merely damp, he looked around at the jungle ahead. He could smell other wolves, though most of the scents were stale. ”What do you think? Explore, or head back?” He should go back soon. His father was still recovering, and his sister and mother were unguarded. But the cool shadows of the jungle beckoned. He hadn’t let go and just been a puppy in a long time, it seemed. Cinder brushed against his foreleg. ”It’d be fun, Reg. I see so many trees to climb. And maybe there’s prey in there that we can bring down and take home.” Regulus nodded. They could use the food. His mother wasn’t fully healed enough to help himself and Zuriel take down a deer or an elk. The fawn she’d brought home had only lasted a day. And look what she’d gone through to get it. So the pup and cat set out into the jungle. And he couldn’t help the excitement in his heart. Adventure awaited.

The young pot-child was still trying to adjust to life on the island with out her family. It hurt really bad not to have them anymore and Rainbow just wasn't the same as mother. Ganja had spent the last few weeks searching the entire island for some specimen of the plant that she had shared with her mother, one last connection she could share with the woman who was gone from her life forever.

Ganja spent a lot of time alone after she was unable to find any trace of the plant she wished for. So the girl retreated into her own mind as she coped with the loss of family. She didn't even blame the 'Imperium wolves' that had sieged her home. Dione had said Valentine was there to kill them, but she just couldn't find herself believing it. He'd been so nice when they'd lived there. Ganja was convinced she had not been given the entirety of the story.

The small green girl was sprawled out in the shade rather close to the beach, her bright green stare looking out over to the main lands. She would watch as a stranger came up onto her island, his frame was rather large and his fur a brilliant red. She was curious about this but refrained from moving or jumping to conclusions. Still she wanted to believe that this might be some relative sent to find her.

Eventually the wolf would turn towards the forest, his giant paws bringing him right to her, panicked the little girl would squeak. "OH wait don't step on me!"

Regulus

Regulus had barely turned when a voiced squealed out from under his paws. He hadn’t seen or smelled her. He jumped backward with a yelp.“Whoa!” It took him a moment to comprehend the small wolf at his feet. She was… He had to lean forward for a better look at this. Sapphire and gold necklace jingling as it hung away from his neck, he cocked his head as he took in her coloring. Tiny wasn’t quite new to him; his sisters were both little in comparison to him, though maybe not this small. No, it was her coloring that had him at a loss for words quite yet. She was black, overlaid with shades of acid green that marked her face, ears, and all over her body. Even her nose was a bright green. The only deviation from all the green was her eyes; they were a bright ruby color, almost the same red as his coat. And finally, words popped out of his mouth. “Who-hoa.. You’re green…” Not the most intelligent of announcements, and the most obvious. But at least his voice hadn’t squeaked or cracked. He remembered his manners with a little help from Cinder, who pricked his back with her claws. “I’m Regulus Anatolii Adravendi.” He offered, stepping back to give her a respectful nod. His mother would have been proud. “I’m sorry for almost stepping on you.” And then his puppy side kicked in, and he was on his belly, tail sweeping sand in all directions as he looked her over again with bright sapphire eyes. “But seriously, you are the coolest looking wolf I’ve ever met! What’s your name?”

He would stop just as she squealed, and Ganja would go with out being stepped on. The tall red boy would be taken aback, a double take he'd offer her before tilting his head and really looking her over. Bright ruby eyes would watch him silently, it had been a long time since she'd talked to a stranger and even though this wolf was only a bit older than her she was still a little timid. Her eye would catch on his jewel though, a bright blue gemstone that caught her eye and kept it. Not that she would be able to focus in silence, the boy would find his voice, easily proclaiming her color. She'd give him a 'yeah duh' face as he stumbled over his words. Eventually she'd get a name and an apology, even though he hadn't actually stepped on her. "I'm Ganja, and it's okay." she'd accept his apology and give him her own name.

Her eyes would widen as he went into a play bow, he was much closer to her height now. He became much more excited, an eager compliment on his lips. What would he say if he saw her brothers? She thought she was almost plain compared to them. "I am huh?" She'd say eagerly with a mischievous grin on her features. Now she would stand, her bright gaze watching him. "You'd probably fall over if you saw my brothers." Her grin was wide. "Do you have brothers?" She'd ask curiously.

Regulus

Regulus’ apology and introduction was met with acceptance, and her own introduction. Ganja. Hadn’t his grandmother shown him and Zuriel a plant by that name, and said never, ever to eat it? Of course, this Ganja was green enough that the wholly childish part of his brain supposed that she could be related to one, but that was silly. Plants couldn’t make babies… Though, how babies were made, he wasn’t sure. They just happened. Poof, they were there. ”Ganja’s a pretty name.” He offered honestly. ”And you are cool. I’ve never met a green wolf before.” She stood, and it seemed to hardly make a difference, and mentioned that he’d fall over if he met her brothers. ”Really? What do they look like?” His grin was wide, jaws panting happily. Her question gave him a pause. ”No. I’m the only male in my litter. I have two sisters, but my youngest sis is missing. It’s just me and Zuriel, and mother and father. Faite is the one missing… We’ll find her.” He finalized with great confidence. Cinder swatted his shoulder with a pawful of claws and he yipped. ”Ouch! Oh, sorry; and this is Cinder. She’s my friend.” Regulus amended, as the Somali kitten poked her head over the top of his skull and peered down at the ruby eyed green pup with bright sapphire eyes full of curiosity. ”Hello!” Her squirrel like fluffy cinnamon tail rose high in feline friendliness. Regulus smiled down at Ganja, tail wagging. ”So do you live out here?” So far, his voice hadn’t betrayed him with any more squeaks or cracks. However, that was unlikely to last. It never did.

Ganja might as well have been born of a plant, Dione was green enough to be one after all. But no, she had come from two wolves but had been named after the plant her mother ingested so often, the plant that she'd been forced to leave behind more than one time. She missed her garden and the high feeling the plant offered her. She missed her momma and the plants that she used to surprise her with. Ganja couldn't think about what she lost though, she got much too sad when she did that.

Luckily Regulus was easy enough to distract herself with, he'd compliment her and he was so cheery. No one could be that cheery, surely. Still he was pleasant enough, obviously so much different from her own brothers. Not that he had any of his own. "Toxin is crazy blue and Necrosis is green and blue. The both of them have nicer patterns on them than i do." She'd answer him, not that he'd ever get to meet Toxin. She didn't even know if she would see him again. "Hi Cinder," she would greet the cat on his back, Ganja had never seen such a creature. She was quite adorable. "I do, for now. Aunt Rainbow wants to make another pack and rebuild the family but.." she'd sigh, "With out mom and ad it wont be the same."

Regulus

Ganja described her brothers, and Regulus drank the information in, filing it away in the back of his mind. Maybe he’d run into them, too, someday. ”Your whole litter sounds colorful. I’m the only one in my family that looks like this, but grandmother said my color came from my great..” He paused to think a moment, before continuing. “Great.. great grandmother. My grandmas eyes ar-- were like mine. She was a great healer; best in all of Alacritia.” He stated, head lifting proudly. Even though she was gone, his grandmother would never be forgotten; not to him or his family. Ganja greeted Cinder, and the back of his head vibrated from the power of Cinders purr. Ganja answered his question, and he listened with that same intensity; the kind of intensity that could give the impression that the object it was focussed on was the only thing in the world. At the mention of her aunt wanting to make a pack, he perked up. ”My mother wants to make a pack. She’d be the boss, and I’d take it after she was too old to lead. Maybe you could visit!” Oh but he liked that idea. He didn’t have many friends beyond Cinder. It was just himself and his family. Except for his ill fated adventure to the south lands as a pup, from which he had learned the healthy thing called fear, and earned a crescent shaped scar on his left shoulder from the boar that had attacked him, he had never met another wolf outside his direct family, and Deviant Black. Then the end of her explanation caught him. ”Where are they? Your mom and dad?” Young though he might be, he still caught the sadness in her voice, instinctually quieting down and moving slightly closer. “You don’t have to talk about it, though, if you don’t want to…” However damned curious his mind might be.

Her bright ruby eyes would linger on the boy as he offered excitement at the sound of her brothers and offered the same of his litter, though he'd go on to offer her a history lesson on his family as well. Ganja would listen, it seemed like he had a lot of family where she had almost none. Her gaze would shift from him a momant as she grappled with her jealousy. Why had she been abandoned?
She couldn't linger on her thought though, Regulus was again telling her about the family he had, how his mother was going to start a pack and he was going to take over eventually. Ganja had been a princess once. "Yeah, maybe." Would she ever get off this island though?
He'd catch what she said about her parents, his direct question coming easily. Where were her parents? That was a really good question, one she'd been struggling with for some time now. Now she really couldn't look at the boy or hi cat. "I don't know." And that was the truth. They'd gone, left her like it was the easiest thing in the world. What had she done to deserve that?

Regulus’ young excitement slowed as he noticed her discomfort. She seemed sad, and a big part of him wanted to make her laugh, like with his sisters. She seemed almost dispirited in her answers, and he mulled over a growing idea. Then, it popped out of his jaws. ”You wanna be part of my family?” No leading up, no beating around the bush. It just burst out of him, and he liked the idea. He was the only odd colored wolf in his family. It’d be nice to have an honorary sister who shared his unique coloring, even if it was green, not red. And then his urge to make her at least smile took over, with him falling over sideways with a sandy thud, nearly squashing Cinder, who managed to scramble out of range. He pawed the air, while watching Ganja out of one eye, a goofy grin parting his jaws, and allowing his tongue to flop out-- Blach! Okay, so sand didn’t taste any better here than it had on the strip of land between the continents. He spat, tongue rolling as it tried to rid itself of the grains. "Talk" "You" Think

She missed her momma and dad and she even missed her snotty brothers. Ganja missed the life she once had, she missed her plats and how happy she had been with her family. They were all gone though, Rainbow was the only wolf left, and she and Ganja were going to rebuild their family from the ashes she just knew it. So when Regulus spoke she was caught off guard. ”You wanna be part of my family?” Her brilliant ruby eyes would widen, shock quite obvious on her features. Though her mind would be jolted as he flopped oer into the sand.

Ganja didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she released it, finding herself smiling at Reg's playful antics. Toxin and Necro never really played with her, really Aakil was the only one she really played with and he had left her too. "I don't know, I'd have to ask Rainbow if I could." She'd answer finally. She didn't want to leave her aunt's family, they were going to rebuild everything together. She couldn't leave the colored woman. Ganja would respond to his playfulness by pawing at a large red ear that was nestled in the sand.

Regulus

Success! He caught the smile on her jowls, and his thickly fluffy tail smacked the sand in response, his own jaws gaping in a tongue lolling grin. Her answer wasn’t quite a yes, but she didn’t run away screaming ‘Noooo’, either. “My grandmother adopted lots of wolves. I’ve only met one of them.” Her paw pinned his ear, making him wriggle, a giggle escaping his jaws. He pawed at her face, gently of course, his rear wriggling. It felt good to just be a puppy now and then, and let loose to play. He liked this tiny green pup. She was interesting, with her cool colors and markings, and her red eyes. He’d never seen red eyes. His sapphire pendant rested on his crimson chest, the gold chain links clinking from his movements as his paws waved in the air. “Wanna play tag?” He’d never been great at hide-and-seek; red fur wasn’t great for hiding. Now, tag. Tag was something everyone could be good at. And maybe they’d flush out some easy prey for him to take home.