Strangers When We Meet

Azure · 07-20-2021, 05:02 PM

It had felt like years since Az had stepped paw in Boreas, and more than once he had taken the wrong path home and needed Diablo to redirect him south east. He’d never been a strong navigator, that job was always left up to his mother and even to Hana. Even thinking her name was painful, and the direwolf swallowed the train of thought with a hard grimace. How long had he been gone? Long enough, he supposed.

The anxiety building in his chest burned hotter and swelled as he approached familiarity. Did the Armada even remain? Had his father moved their home in search for his missing family? It was Az’s job to protect Zee, perhaps Sirius had too much faith in his abilities. They’d come at night, set the world around them ablaze and stolen her before Az could get his bearings. One-on-one combat he’d might have had a chance at, but navigating a raging forest fire was well beyond his capabilities. Hunting however, for that he’d been brilliantly trained. Following the captor’s trail was easy enough, though the path was long and slow when walked upon singed paws. When he’d eventually found them he knew he was no match. Infiltrating a pack was beyond anything he’d ever considered learning. Spy work, not soldier work. Work that Hana - no. He swallowed it down again, this time with a soft growl.

When he’d imagined coming home, the son in him pictured only his father. He’d run to the border and eventually into Sirius’ embrace, allowing himself to relax for the first time in seasons and accepting the safety of the warlord’s presence. If only life was that easy. Az paused beneath the willows, feeling their hanging foliage tickle across his back and drawing comfort from the camouflage and shade. Sirius would blame him for this. He knew his relationship with his father would never be the same. Az willed himself further but his paws would not advance, and it wasn’t until the sun began to set that he forced himself from the cover of the brush and towards the plains.

Whatever was left of his pride kept his head high, and he only hesitated for a fleeting moment before he forced himself past the border. This was his home, and he tried to force away the feeling that he was a stranger here, unwelcome, and requiring introduction.

“Diablo, go find my father.” The bat gave his master a glance, the worry clear in his eyes. Sirius was not an evenly-mannered warlord, who knew what he’d do upon seeing his lost son’s companion. Disbelief? Anger? Murderous? Likely the latter. Az did not acknowledge the bat’s worries with words, nor did he turn to meet his companions’ fearful expression. After a quiet moment, Diablo spread his wings and took to the skies to find the towering behemoth who had claimed the land.

Az stopped to wait, stepping up atop a rock to see clearer across the plain. Lilith remained at his side, full grown as Az now was. Patches of her fur were growing unevenly - she’d spent too long in the flames in pursuit of Zee. The cat bristled and turned, squinting through the tall grass for danger and occasionally rumbling a warning. Az’s senses were heightened too - who knew what new wolves had been accepted into the Empire and how they’d react to his presence.

"Speech"
"Thinking"
"You."

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Strangers When We Meet

Sirius

Azure