The man was finally home. He almost couldn't believe that he had been re-accepted, though it was Cairo who had come to the boarder when he came asking for forgiveness. His sister was leaving and both Rum and Pepper had left Valhalla so technically there was nothing left for him here. If you asked anyone but him they would probably tell you that he no longer belonged here...but if you did ask him he would tell you the opposite. The ones who left were only family by blood, the ones that stayed weren't blood but they were still his family in his eyes. Even his sister felt the same but he knew the reason she was leaving.

What Luke needed now was a family of his own. The one he had died when the pack left Ciroc, the disease took them from him before it even had a chance to flourish. He would never forget it, but he was going to try to move on. For the first time since Mystic got sick and died the creamy colored male had cleaned up and gotten his normal happy self back. Though the hyper had pretty much left him he still had it when he wanted it...but that wasn't often.

Many new wolves had joined Valhalla since he had gone and returned. He wondered if one of those wolves would be his future. A smile crossed his face at the thought, though he wasn't going to just fall for the first girl he met...or was he.

The boy's gray tipped tail waved slowly and casually in the auras he stood in the layer if snow. He looked around and wondered what to do. A small sigh escaped his maw; he knew his father was out on one if his pack duties. But he hadn't seen his mother in a while. And his siblings were out and about as he was as well. Usually when their father left their mother kept a close eye on them...but now? What about today? Ryker knew he had to cooperate with his daddy off and away for a while. But with his mother off and away he just couldn't. A small whimper escaped the boy's maw as he stood there. He missed his mother; he missed his father. Ryker even missed his brother and sister. A sudden wave of longing and emotion overcame the pup. He curled himself into a ball with his tail covering his nose and letting his eyes leek out from over it. As he lay there curled up in a ball a small cough racked his body. Howling would it be until this long cold finally went away? Maybe come spring it would disappear. And come Autumn would he and his siblings be yearlings! Then he could go with his father and mother outside the pack borders! Then he could explore more places with his brother and sister! Until general realization hit the boy...he was only three months old now..his father was out on a duty...his siblings were out and about...and his mother was the stars know where... Another soft whine as whimper escaped the pup's maw as he peeked out from over his tail. Maybe his mother would come like she used to. Like when he first became sickly with this long cold. She had wrapped herself around him like a protective, warm, and comforting blanket. She would scold him for being out here when she shouldn't then worry about him. Ryker missed his mother but maybe soon today or tomorrow he would see her again. Maybe...maybe...just maybe... With that he still lay there with his aqua blue gaze with a green flint in each peeking out over his tail. Ryker waited for someone he knew or someone else he didn't know to cheer him up. A small tear fell down the boy's face as he lay there curled up in a ball. And as fast as that first tear had appeared many more followed as a tiny muffled sob racked the pup's tiny body. He felt so alone today...and it was so overwhelming... Speech,

A sound hit the mans ears and pulled him from his thoughts immediately. The sound of a single whimper had cot his attention and held it. He looked around the area to see if the one it came from was within view, but he or she was no where to be found. Several moments passed but it remained silent. Finally he guessed who ever it was had probably slipped on the ice and scared themselves. So, he continued to walk only now he was more aware of his surroundings than he had been.

Not long after he had started walking again, the whimper came again and again Luke's ears perked in the direction it came from. Apparently he had gotten closer to who ever it was coming from because it was louder this time. So he continued to walk in that very direction. It was good he was too, because a few moments later the sound of sobbing filled his ears.

The man quickly picked up his pace in fear that one of his pack mates had been injured. Then he saw the boy. The small black and white pup was unknown to him, he didn't smell of another pack either, yet he was alone and curled up in the snow crying. Carefully he walked up to the boy with concern on his face. His emerald green eyes met the aqua blue ones that looked out at him from behind his tail. "Are you ok little one?" his deep, rough voice filled the air and though deep and rough it was a caring tone he used.

The boy may there until a wolf came up that he did not know. For a moment his fur bristled along his back wondering if this stranger was friendly or not. But as it settled the boy remembered that he couldn't judge one right away right? So he waited for him to speak. And speak did he do; the man asked him if he was ok. It was in almost of a soothing rumble to his ears. The boy noted the caring tone that fell from his maw. White lines ears perked up once more as he looked up at the wolf and unfurled himself. The boy rubbed the tears from his face with a paw before answering.

He nodded before speaking.

"Yes...thank you mister...I think I just felt a bit overwhelmed is all. I haven't seen my mudder(mother) in a day or so and I kind of miss her. And my fadder(father) is out on a pack duty thingy. Would you have happened to come across either of them in your travels sir?" he asked eagerly as his gray tipped tail wagged once in anticipation for the answer.

Ryker averted his aqua blue gaze with a green flint in each back to the sky. Then looking back to the male before him he spoke once more.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. My name is Ryker Tsarev...what may yours be? And I'm sure you can't quite answer my question without knowing who my parents are. They're Ookami and Thane Tsarev. " he said as he started to recover more.

The pup looked up at the male with wonder. Ryker wondered how he would look when he's older. Certainty the dark gray star underneath his right eye would stand out even better when his puppy fur grows out. And maybe the X's down his back too! The boy was a perfect mix of his mother and father; then again he sometimes wished he could look like his sister with her pelt that looked like stars in the night sky. Or like his brother with his pelt the closest to their mother's. Eother or he was happy in his pelt and was proud of it. So he patiently waited for a reply.

The man stood and watched as the boys fur stood on end and then lay back down. As white lined ears perked up and he stood wiping tears from his eyes as he nodded. With a nod he felt slightly less conserned but the tears the boy wiped away told him otherwise. It was only with his words did the concern leave his expression and remain only under the surface and barely there.

The eagerness in the boys voice made him smile even though he couldn't answer his question due to the fact that he didn't know the child. He saw the boys eyes shoot to the sky and then back to him onlyseconds before more slipped from his maw. So...he was one of Ookami and Thane's boys. He did intact know the two wolves one he had met a few years ago and became friends with. [color/green]"I'm Luke, its nice to meat you Ruler. As for your question I do know your mother but I haven't seen her in a while and I don't recall ever have a full conversation with your father but I know who he is."[/color] Luke wasn't sure if the answer he gave to him was the one he was looking for...but it was the only one he had.