safe or not?

Nearly a year had gone by since Noir’s blue and lavender gaze had fallen on the sight of Abaven. Summer kept him somewhat informed, but the two of them remained close since the eruption. The raven hadn’t been in contact with her family anymore than Noir had been in contact with his. He’d spent more time with his kin in Legion than he did thinking about Abaven. Though memories sometimes interrupted the nearly mature boy he didn’t spare Abaven or his immediate relatives a second thought. They were as good as dead, and if the rumors were true then Shaye was dead and Rhyme had gone crazy. Both results sat satisfactorily on the blue striped boy’s shoulders. Even more, it sounded like his once mentor Odysseus went down with the alpha.

Noir couldn’t think of a more fitting end for the pair.

Massive paws carried his huge form up the side of the volcano that had changed everything. Had it not erupted that day he wondered how different his life might have been in those moments. Would Shaye or Odysseus come after him had the volcano not stolen everyone’s attention? He still regretted the fact he’d been robbed of his grand exit. Maybe he’d made a surprise reappearance one day.

For not thinking about them he was doing an awful lot of thinking about them. Maybe it was the proximity. His huge head shifted and he cast his gaze down to the territories that made up Abaven’s borders. He had no idea they relocated, but he did notice the amount of activity that shifted from the rapids to the island. He couldn’t make out any details but there was an area to the south as well that picked up a pack or two. He voided large gatherings of wolves for the most part, Noir had embraced life as a loner but now that he was not only surviving but thriving Noir was experiencing boredom once more.

The yearling stumbled slightly over the rough terrain. Fire had ravaged everything. The whole world had turned black, and as Noir moved forward through the territory he too began to turn. His vibrants stripes were dulling from the mass amounts of ash in the air. No trees remained, the ground was barren of any green life, but then again in some places there was still fire burning. There was little wonder nothing but the bravest of souls made a return. Noir made the attempt to shake the ash from his pelt, but he only disturbed the substance around him to create more of a cloud. With a heavy huff the yearling moved on.

Prowling lightly the Destruction outcast made his way to a rocky outcropping, mostly devoid of ash. He was cat-like in his need for cleanliness, and even if his curiosity about the current state of the volcano wouldn’t let him leave he had to rid himself of the dust and grime. The hot springs were going to be his very first stop after he finished here.

wc: 507