SeraPhiel

Evening light glinted golden off the back of the grey-toned girl. The light was dull, black-on-black as the fading tones hit the ebony sands of home. She knew long before she reached the beach that it was a shell of what it had been. There was no borders against the outskirts of the territory, no familiar scent of the great, big family she had once known. Her head was bowed, and she would not see the light of the fading sun as it danced across the blue of the gently rolling waves. She had eyes only for the shadows, the length of the sandy shore, and the chill that blew through the trees of the forest beyond. If she raised her head, she would see the ghosts of things long gone, she would see the blue of her Auntie as she fished against the rock cropping that juttered out from the beach. She would see the golds of her Uncle as he watched his children play against the sands of their home.

There was no Gale in the wind of this world, no Caeli in the stars when the light faded enough for them to shine. She wanted to rage, she wanted break the shells that decorated the shore, and lash out against the ocean. She hated her father in that moment, she hated him more then the mild disdain that had made her choice to leave him. She wanted to lash out at him, to berate him for ruining all that had been brilliant, and shinny, in her world. She forced her anger inside of her her, smothering it into a cold rage, and forced herself to take another step forward. She didn't want to enter the dens of the wolves she had once known, she didn't want to find the stones of Voltage's collection – because she did not know what would be worse. Finding them, here, without him, or finding them gone like her Uncle had never existed.

She walked like a dreamer, not seeing the world before her, but seeing the past. The world was brighter in those dreams, and she paid no heed to her paws as they took her through the territory. She ducked into the cave entrance that opened up onto the cliffs she had once loved to explore. She remembered her uncles and aunties, always watching her when she took this path. They had never liked her to come here alone, and she could almost, for a breath, feel their eyes upon her again. She exhaled, and the sensation was gone. She tore through the other side of the cave, and out into the open, beating her way up the curved path to the top of the cliff. She didn't care for safety, and more then once her paws skidded on loose dirt close to the edge. She was breathing hard by the time she reached the top, and it wasn't from the exertion of the run. She stepped onto the very edge, the tips of her paws hovering over onto the other side, and tipped back her head. She howl was a roar, it was anger and pain, it was memory and loss.

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He'd been reluctant to come back here. He'd found Ricochet and lost her again somewhere along the way and for that he was angry with himself. He'd finally come in contact with one of his siblings (whom he'd previously presumed to be dead) and all over again he had no idea where she was. The fact Arsenal and Caliber were alive made him happy, but he was about as close to finding them as he was to finding Ricky. It angered him to have everything ripped out beneath him for the third time now. Why did life seem to find it so amusing to tear everything away from him as if to mock him. Was he not allowed to have family anymore? It's what it felt like and it was turning him cold and bitter. Before he knew it, his paws carried him through the familiar plains to the once comforting black sands of the beach. Donostrea's scent had faded away long ago and no recent visible remains could be seen. He was sure he could find his old den in the prairie. There he'd find the old furs and odd sticks that littered it from when he'd been a pup. If he walked even further down the beach he was even sure he'd find his old den within a crevice where he'd started collecting shells and other oddities that he could find on the beach. A mournful chuckle let him as he remembered the crab that had latched on to him and his surprise and then Voltage had came and helped him get it off. The chuckle then hitched in his throat and he forced down the lump that formed. He didn't want to think about it. The memories came flooding back and more than anything he wished he could will them into existence. He missed Ray the most and Glacier. The tall blue man had even called him a son at one point, and then they'd all turned around and vanished. Out of all of them he hadn't expected Ray to abandon him. She was supposed to be his best friend, his partner in crime, the closest thing he'd ever get to family. And then she was just gone without a whisper of where they'd headed off to and the worst thing was - they left him. And then, as if his wishing had actually made it come true, he smelled her. The thought didn't make him happy. Instead he just believed it to be a figment of his imagination. There was no way in hell that she would be back here. Still he found curiosity got the better of him and he followed the ghostly scent anyways. He'd just prove to his imagination that it was wrong and then he'd leave here as quickly as he could and never come back. He followed it through the familiar path through the cave opening. He followed it across the perilous cliff that Glacier and Voltage hadn't liked them going on alone. He was an adult now, large and strong, and his towering limbs found little trouble. It wasn't until he reached the top that he noticed the fading sunlight and the way it illuminated an equally large figure. Just then the wolf tipped back its head and let out an angry and sorrowful song telling the story of things in the past. It was then Mortar realized that it really was her - and then he grew angry. "You left me!" He cried angrily after she'd finished her howl. His tone was accusing and hurtful and he made no move to hide the angry tears that threatened to spill from his bi-colored eyes. "All of you... how you could you guys do that to me. I needed you." Walk, "Talk" Think

SeraPhiel

It was funny how grief could conquer wraiths to taunt her, memories real enough to be tangible would appear before her. Only this memory wasn't the one that had stood on her dreams, nor did he seem to match her memories. The scent of him, the first thing she noticed, was wrong. His voice was different too, deeper, more masculine. It fit the body she saw before her, this wraith had grown into his too-large paws. Not many wolves could match her in height, but this one did. She imagined if they stood shoulder to shoulder, they would see exactly into each others eyes, although there was more muscle on his frame then she had on hers. There was curves in all the right places, through she wouldn't have dreamed of calling him feminine. He looked... delicious, and it stunned her into silence.

She stood there as he accused her, all her own thoughts mirrored in his eyes, his tone, his words. She hated that this world was gone, this pack and its people... her Tar. She hand't left willingly, but Glacier had, and that had been enough. He had been an essential part of this pack, he was one part of two wholes, and she just knew that Voltage would not be here if he was gone. He had raved on about his siblings and his need to protect them, to provide structure, and he had still vanished like a drop of water to the sea, lost. He had left Tar, and through him, Ray had. But he couldn't be here, he was gone. Still, this figure before her was astonishingly detailed, more handsome then what her imagination could have supplied her with. She took a step forward, hesitant, and then stopped. “Mortar?” she asked, her voice shook. No, it could be this easy, she thought it would take her months, years, hundreds of hours of research and searching to find him again. She would have done it too, Mortar had been her world once upon a time. He had hung on her every word, taken her up on every adventure she proposed, he had been her childhood friend and the pivotal point of all her greatest memories.

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Only now that he stood there accusingly glaring at her, did he realize how much she'd grown. He knew she was younger than him, yet they stood at the same height which was nothing he wasn't used to. Ricky was very nearly his height, though they were from a special breed. Their family grew large wolves and he had seen only a few females outside his own family that were as large as himself. Most seemed to be rather tiny, but not Ray. She'd grown nearly as impressively tall as her father. At least that meant she didn't have to strain to look up at him, if she even looked at him at all. He was forced to realize how beautiful and filled out she'd gotten too. If he hadn't been upset he would have marveled over his attraction to the blue marked female. She was almost the same as when he last saw her save for her growing into her more feminine features and the height. But no... he was supposed to be angry for her. There wasn't supposed to be an easy forgiveness and just pretending everything was okay. Everything was not okay and it wouldn't just be as easy as going back to the way things used to be. Things would never be that way ever again. So he did his best to try and keep the more relieved and happy parts of him at bay. More than anything he was happy to see her. Inner parts of him rejoiced that she was back, but most of him demanded answers. He demanded justice for being abandoned once again. They were supposed to be his new family. They were supposed to take care of him and never leave him. He absolutely needed to know why he'd been left behind. He would have followed them anywhere if only they'd told him. Instead they left him like a rotten kill to fend for himself once more. “Mortar?” "The one and only." He muttered, unable to keep up the energy to match his accusatory tone from earlier. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. A soft sigh shuddered through him as he stared at her. As upset as he was her words... well they were infuriating and soothing at the same time. He'd really missed her voice... he'd missed everything about her. It was a battle inside him. Half of him fought to keep the anger and the hurt so he could easily cope with all of the emotions and hardships while the other half told him to be logical and and calmly demand a reasonable answer. Finally he managed to find his voice again. "Why did you all leave me? I searched forever for you guys and never found you..." His voice wavered as he shoved down a whimper. His tone had calmed some, but the hurt still remained. Walk, "Talk" Think

Her head titled upwards, almost imperceptibly, her whiskers twitched like a gentle breeze in response to the little intakes and outtakes of her breath as she scented him. He had no other scents on him, no pack, and no evidence that another family had taken claim to him. good a terrible, prideful, part of her hissed. Mortar was hers he had been from the moment Glacier claimed him, and she never wanted that to change. what was he doing here? she had so many questions for the boy, nay, man, she saw before her. What happened to Donostrea, did he know where any of her family was? What did they think of her and Glacier? How long had Voltage held on to this land in their absence? She wanted to move towards him, bury her head in his coat, take in the mixture of strange and familiar that his scent had become. She wanted to remember him as he had been, her partner in crime. How was she to react around this man that stood in the place of her playmate? Her thoughts where galloping a million miles an hour, and it took a lot of will power, and a calming breath, to reign them in. Her breath whistled out on her in a sigh, and the wind went out of her sails. Her pridefully held body relaxed, and her ears tucked backwards. 'Why did you all leave me? I searched forever for you guys and never found you...' what could she say? How could he understand? She didn't have answers, only questions. She opened her mouth, intent on stumbling through some excuse or another, but something else tumbles free, something she could not have anticipated. “I stood on the sandy shore of our home, and lo and behold! Pirates had taken root in our ocean. They told me, only I could lead them to a treasure they sought, and I could go with them now, right then and there, for if I turned away for even a breath they promised me they would be gone. I imagined all of the adventures that would be to come, and I thought 'think of the stories you would have to tell Tar at the end of this' and I went with them, and we traveled the seven seas” she lifted her head from the ground then, and she smiled at him, impish and childish in the expression. She didn't know if she could ever tell him the truth, but there was something familiar about filing in the gapes with fantasy in her telling to this old friend. Walk, "Talk" Think

Seraphiel was quiet for a little while and Mortar was easily growing restless. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. It'd been so long since he'd seen anyone from Donostrea. Some small part of him had been hoping to run into Glacier or Voltage so he could figure out what had happened. An even smaller part of him was more than glad he'd run into Ray, but he was unhappy that, so far, she hadn't turned up any revelations for him. Where were the explanations? There were so many questions he had and he didn't know how to begin. He answer was less than satisfactory. In fact he felt himself growing angry and his fur bristled slightly. He wanted to yell at her - scream at her and tell her this was no time for games. When had he grown up? He had used to love her stories. They used to bring him joy, even if they weren't real, and they were so child-like and fun, how could he not like them? Now though he wanted something real. He didn't want some made up fantasy for an explanation that he felt like he deserved. He needed to know what she'd actually been up to so he could forgive her and they could go back to being best friends. Now it felt like there was some rift between them as he fumbled over his own thoughts. He struggled to find the words and yet he still wanted to scream at her. He was so upset and angry he felt like crying. His emotions were definitely all over the place and he could do nothing but plant his rump to the earth as he did his best to sort it all out. "What really happened? You and Glacier disappeared and everyone left soon after. There's no way in hell you all left with pirates. I don't believe it." He said a little irritably. "Besides, if you had, I should have gone with you." He grumbled. Walk, "Talk" Think

He didn't appreciate the trip down memory lane. There was too much age in his fathomless duel-toned eyes. When had the sweet, shy Tar of her memories turned into this man? Her heart ached for the time lost between them. They should have grown up together, they should faced this world side by side. She could do nothing for the past, but the future was starting to scare her. She felt tentative approaching it, uncertain. It wasn't a familiar feeling to the head-strong girl, or at least... it hadn't been. Her courage had taken a blown in months past, and when she had made the decision to leave her broken father and travel here, she had had every intention of burying that weakness. She had covered it in her short temper, flaring up at anything that had threatened to expose it. Tar's presence defied her control, and she found she couldn't reach her anger. It left her hollow, and sad, and she dropped her gaze again, the impish smile leaving her muzzle, her expression was difficult to read, her eyes far away. “Yes” she said, the words so soft that it was debatable if they were even meant for him. “You should have been” she choked on the bitterness stirring in her chest, rising in her throat. How her hate for Glacier doubled in that moment, a rising storm inside of her. She never wanted to see the hollow silver eyes of her father again. The fact that he had let these events break him, the fact that he was nothing now, only added to her fury. He should have stood up, he should have done something. He should have blazed with determination to fix what he had broken, not left his daughter to scoop up jagged, broken pieces. “What if I didn't have an answer, Mortar? Least not one I ca-” she broke off, stirred on her paws. She didn't want to tell him that this was her fault, she didn't want to tell him of her kidnapping, of the wolves that had held her, threatened her. She didn't want to tell him that Glacier had dropped everything – Tar included – to obey their wishes, to meekly be led to the slaughter, all in her name. How could she find the words to explain? She wished he had gone along with her story of pirates. She took a steeling breath, tried to force some strength into her bones. Falling apart had never been an option, it wasn't a part of her DNA, of who she was, and she wouldn't let that poison trickle through now. “What happened never should have come to pass, and everything is gone because of it. Yet, somehow, your still here Tar. I would've traveled the world to find you, but your still here. I want to find them all, to mend bridges, to do something. I want... that is, I would appreciate it if you could find enough forgiveness to work with me on this” she finished, more pleading then she had ever intended entered her tones. She still didn't couldn't lift her eyes. Walk, "Talk" Think

Mortar's dual-toned gaze were still searching her face for answers. He watched her expression and tried to figure out if she was going to tell him another story or actually come out with the truth this time. He didn't have the patience for a game right now. As much as he pined for the old days, when they were carefree and off on their own adventures, he'd matured a lot and realized that things would never quite be the same. He'd never expected to run into Ray again, or any of them for that matter, so he was still wholly unprepared for this. He was unprepared for the flurry of emotions that barraged him like a tidal wave. She finally looked down away from his fiery gaze and yet he stared at her intently. He wanted to hear something, anything, he could use to forgive her. Her face was almost unreadable when she finally did give him an answer. It didn't make him feel any better when she agreed that he should have gone with her. If he should have then why hadn't he been invited along? He would have gone anywhere with them. They'd been his family when he'd needed them the most and then they abandoned him without a word. It left him bitter and heart broken. She almost gave him an acceptable answer. He listened as she tried to tell him that she didn't have one before she broke off and instead she paused. He was practically dying of curiosity now. He felt his anger ebbing away, it really was too hard to keep up, and it wasn't in his nature. It left him feeling exhausted and overall he just felt wounded. It was like someone had shoved something jagged inside his chest and left him to deal with the aftermath of pain. Finally she came up with some sort of explanation (though it wasn't really enough to fully satisfy him) and he listened intently. It was almost an apology as she explained that it never should have happened. He didn't fully blame her for what transpired. It'd been the adults that had left him here. They were only pups when she'd disappeared along with the rest of the pack. It wasn't like she had been the one to lead them away, right? His mind was working against itself. Half of him wanted to hold a grudge and the other half ... well the other half wanted him to forgive her and try to make up for lost time. In the end his forgiving and kind nature won over his more bitter half. "I'll forgive you on one condition. You have to promise never to leave me again and if you go on any more adventures I have to go with you." He said, almost defeated. "I'm tired of being alone." Walk, "Talk" Think

She wondered what he would think if he ever found out that it had been her fault, that it had all started wth her. She didn't dare think about it, she was holding her breath as it was at the mere possibility of having Tar back. It was a fragile thing between them now, where in the past she would have called their bond unbreakable. It was a fact of life, it was simply there, and she accepted it, the friendship between them. The naivety of youth. She knew her speech wasn't compelling, and found that she was uncertain of what Tar's reaction might be. She didn't know this wolf any more, and she had lost her hold over him. She didn't have to power to win him over with her tales and charm, and there was the very real possibility he would turn away from her, and leave her there. How could a wolf fall in love with a concept? She loved everything Tar had been to her, and she loved the idea of an adult version of the pup she had known. She loved the idea of them growing up together, best friends, doing everything side by side. Every new lesson would have been one learned together, and somewhere in the corner of her thoughts had been the unshakable little idea that Tar was hers, that eventually, they would have been together like Anais and Galcier had been together. Like Voltage and Gaia had been together. Now she had to accept reality, and the fact that this Tar before her was a stranger, not the man she should have known like the bottom of her pads. So when Tar spoke, she prepared for heartache, and received a gift. Her ears perked up first, and her tail did a hopeful little wave behind her, she raised her eyes again, matching his gaze with her own. The spark of Ray shimmered beneath her blues, and she started to smile. A tentative, slow smile, a hopeful thing. Like the sun after endless rain. “Always, Tar. I promise. I'm big enough and old enough to go and do whatever I want now, and I chose to be by your side. Always. Nothing could take me from there now” she promised him solemnly, leaning forward, bowing her head close to his, touching her nose against him. Invading his space in this small, significant way as she sealed her promise with that gentle touch of nose to nose. She closed her eyes, breathed in the scent of him. That familiar, and strange mix. He smelled like sand and sea-salt, like the wind off their special cliffs, and promises. He smelled like home. She leaned away again, and smiled up at his mischievously. Walk, "Talk" Think

Things still felt a little strained and a little strained between them. He'd decided to forgive her. That had been a hard idea that he still was wrestling with. He hated the bitter part of him and most of him wished he could go back to when things were simpler. He'd been without them for a year now - one painfully long gruesome year. It showed on his lack luster pelt, his skinnier than normal frame, and most of all on his face. He looked rugged, worn down, and most of all he felt tired. He hated being alone, he'd hated it ever since he and his siblings had lost their parents, and he'd hated it when Donostrea had abandoned him. He didn't know if he could bring himself to forgive the rest of them like he had Ray. She wanted to find them all, to bring them back together, so he certainly wouldn't be the one to halt her progress, but he'd hold a grudge. It was an evil malicious little part of him, but he still felt hurt and betrayed by it. He shoved the thought away and forced it to the back of his mind. He hadn't been able to find anyone for a year. He was content with the fact that they could cross that bridge when they got there. For now he wanted nothing more than to focus on rekindling his friendship with Ray. She'd missed his second birthday, and he'd missed her first, but he realized that she'd be turning two this coming winter. They'd missed out on an entire year of adventures, learning, and growing up together, and that fact alone made him sad. They had so much lost time to catch up on that it was quite daunting. He didn't even know where to begin. He noted the way her face perked up at his forgiveness and the way her tail lifted. He hadn't known what she expected, but he felt a small weight lift off of his shoulders. It'd been a burden he'd been carrying so long. He was still mad she'd disappeared without him, but he knew he'd get over that in time. For now he was just happy and more than ready for things to just go back to normal - whatever that was. Just as she'd accepted his forgiveness she made her own promise to be by his side and that was enough for him. If she ever left him again ... well he wasn't quite sure he could handle that. He was going to hold her to her promise forever and he hoped she knew that. She moved close and touched noses with him and he let out a soft sigh and let out all the pent up irritation and other emotions with it. He let his muscles relax and his fur flattened fully back into place as he enjoyed the brief moment. She pulled away, to his own dismay, but the mischievous grin was enough to have him raising an eyebrow curiously. He temporarily forgot about the absence of her touch and instead gave her a questioning look. "What plan is cooking in your head now?" He asked with a soft smile. Now that was a look he knew all too well. Walk, "Talk" Think

“I was just thinking what its going to be like, having my partner in crime back” she told him, the grin still tugging at the corners of her lips despite her attempts to fight it down. Tar forgave her, and he wanted her by his side. She had promised to stay there, and it had set things right in her world. She still didn't have her family back, her father was still a broken mess, and she wished she knew where her Mother and Sister where, but for now... it was a start. She bounded close to the edge of the cliff, unconcerned with safety as her paws caught in the dirt at the edge, knocking a small spray downwards to clutter against the cliff side, all the way to the bottom. She eyed the water, and remembered her fantasy that it was out to get her. “Lets explore the surrounding areas, find wolves that remember Donostrea, that have been around long enough to know when they disappeared, to get a lead on where they went, how many scattered off alone and how many of them stuck together” it was a pretty lose plan, and it would need a lot of work, but it gave them a starting point. “We could find healers and ask them if they know of Terrae, we can explore the best fishing spots in search of Locha. We can find the battle ground and see if Voltage has been there. Find cliffs that have wonderful views of the sun, moon, and stars” this was her family people she had known since her first breath of air into this world, she knew them, and she could find them, right? She looked across at Tar, and wondered if he believed in her, if this was what he wanted, too. She didn't know him well enough any more to know the answer instinctively. This adventure... it would be as much about learning every last little thing about her Tar as it was about finding her family. When his scent was as familiar as the smell of sea-salt in the morning air, and she knew his thoughts by the little flickers across his face, then maybe, maybe, she would be making progress towards the knowledge she wanted most. Walk, "Talk" Think

He grinned softly at her words, this one much more genuine than before, as he thought about all their adventures they'd had. He knew it was going to be rough at first. There was still a tiny rift between them. He wasn't the same wolf she'd know from when they were puppies and he still had a small nagging doubt in the back of his head that something was going to happen - that she was going to leave him again. It was going to take a while to get over it, but he was certainly willing to try. "I'm sure it'll be great, just like old times." Ray already had a plan in mind. Of course she does. The despair he felt was almost crushing, and yet he wouldn't burden her with it. He couldn't see the same hope she had for finding them, but he couldn't crush her spirit. It'd be too cruel of him to do so. Not to mention the fact that her plan made sense. She knew them all better than he had. She knew all the spots they liked to frequent, what their patterns where, and possibly even where they'd have gone. He could only hope, for her sake, that they found them. "Well I'll do my best to help you look. Two sets of eyes is better than one." It was all he could offer her. He also had his own plan in mind. He wanted to find his siblings. He needed to find them. Ricochet was probably his best bet to start off with. She'd set off after Caliber and Arsenal. Maybe she could lead them to his brothers? It was a sliver of hope in his heart. "I wanna find my siblings. I ran into my sister, Ricky, and she told me my two brothers are alive. I wanna find them all." Walk, "Talk" Think

He was in agreement with her, and that was all she needed, she grinned up at him, the despair of earlier rolling off her. She wasn't alone any more. Someone she had wondered if she would ever find again was standing before her. He had forgiven her, he was hers again, agreeing to her adventures. She felt more like her old self then she had since this whole thing had started, and it wasn't too difficult to remember the pup she had been, even if she would never again be that innocent. “Teamwork” Ray agreed, and stepped away from the cliff, closer to Tar's side. Her tail brushed against his rump as she moved passed him. “We could ask after your siblings at the same time, i'll help you find them” she promised him, fighting down the jealousy she felt at the mention of them. She had forgotten he had siblings, they hadn't been in the picture when she was a pup, and she had never had to share Tar. It was difficult to imagine doing so now, even after everything. All the same, he was her best friend, and if that was what he wanted, she would swollow down her feelings, and she would find them. For him. Walk, "Talk" Think

Mortar stared after her as she stepped away from the dangerous cliff edge, the same cliff they'd gotten in trouble for climbing before, and then moved past him. He turned to follow her, but she seemed to be going nowhere in particular. Instead she mentioned teamwork and he nodded. That certainly seemed to be the only way they were going to be able to do this. He was hoping her light hearted mood and hopefully attitude would leak to his own. He hated feeling like such a downer. He didn't pick up on the jealousy she felt and instead was more happy that she'd help him look for his siblings as well. He was grateful, but then again he was going to help her find her family so he supposed it was only fair. He nodded again and let out a soft sigh. He was still waiting for the moment he'd completely feel like everything would be okay again. "Are we gonna stay here?" He questioned her curiously. He sort of missed his old den down on the beach, but it also brought painful memories at the same time. He didn't mind the idea of staying though. It'd been his home for a little under a year. He couldn't quite bring himself to leave it. Either way he'd go with whatever Ray wanted to do. Walk, "Talk" Think

She was considering where to go from here. Originally she had imagined she would be alone searching these lands over and under, for a long time. Having Mortar at her side changed that image drastically. She could get use the idea, and the black mood that had hovered over her for so long was lifting. She was still angry at Glacier, and perhaps she always would be, but things weren't as hopeless as she had thought they would be. She smiled, and leaned against Tar, resting her head on his back a moment, and breathing in the scent of him. She had never been considerate of other people's personal space, through had been quick to chase people out of her own. She started moving again after that, nudging him to let him know she was moving on. She started down the path back to the hollow cave that had lead to the cliffs. Passing through the familiar terrain, she set her sights on her target and moved along the beach with Tar at her side. “I was thinking we could clear out my old den and bunk down there for a time, just until we work out what we are going to do. We can't stay in Dono- obsidian beach for long, eventually out search will take us too far afield” she spoke her thoughts aloud, posing it partly as a question, so Tar could join in with his own ideas. She had been a little more selfish as a pup, but the distance between them worried her too much to push her luck. Walk, "Talk" Think

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tar allowed himself to lean into her touch as she rested her head on his back and he did the same to her. He enjoyed the feel of her fur on his chin and he sighed softly to himself as he relished the moment. All the anger had faded and instead he could feel nothing but joy as realization flooded over him. He had his best friend back. They were still homeless, they didn't have a pack anymore, but they had each other and he was okay with that. Even if they didn't find his siblings, or her family, he was going to be okay so long as she was around. He felt a nudge and he lifted his head. She pulled away from him and the moment of relief was gone. Instead he turned and picked his way down the cliff as she explained what she wanted to do. She left room for his own input and he mulled over her plan. Of course they couldn't stay here forever. They couldn't very well search for both of their families if they lived on the beach, but he wasn't opposed to staying in her den so he nodded (mostly to himself.) "Yeah, that sounds good to me. We can clear out your den for tonight and start searching for leads in the morning." "Speech"