Hide and Seek
Torin didn't exactly feel great about leaving the island in Eir's care but he knew he needed to the the first to go out looking, it was the only thing that would staunch his guilt. He's padded through the pack lands, unable to pick up any trails, though that had more to do with the extreme temperatures and layer of ash coating the packlands since the evacuation. So he'd turned to the next most obvious place to look, if any of the pack members had been seeking shelter the caverns just beyond the borders would be an obvious choice. Torin gently poked his head in, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim light. He kept his ears perked, listening for movement or breathing then slowly brought himself into the tunnel. He summoned his voice, feeling it bounce around him too loud... "Hello?" |
She laid beside her father who was lying beside their eldest healer...the pair weren't doing too great since the eruption, and she wondered when they'd be able to make it home. Last she checked though, the pack had evacuated but she wasn't sure which way they had gone. The layers of ash and smoke had covered up their scents entirely, so she resorted to the next best thing. Taking shelter here until the elders were strong enough to travel. She listened to their raspy breathing as they slept, but she was wide awake. She missed her brother. She missed Holland. Did he miss her? She took in a deep breath, debating on whether or not to go out looking but decided against it. The inhalation of smoke and ash had weakened her aging father, and although he wouldn't admit it, he was in no condition to fight if he needed to. So that's why she was here. In a cave. With them. She wanted to protect them should anything happen...
"Hello?" Her ears perked at the voice. Though for a moment, she thought it was her imagination. But as the voice echoed and bounced off the walls, her head lifted and her heart pounded against her chest. "Torin?" She rose to her paws and hurried down the cavern trails, all too eager to find her brother and hoped it really was him and not just her imagination. Luckily for her, he was real. Her tail wagged the moment she spotted him, and she practically raced towards him until she could practically throw her dirtied body at his. "Torin you found us! Oh it's so good to see you! I was so worried! How are you? How's the pack?" How is Holland? she wanted to ask but didn't. Not yet. She stepped back, looking worse for wear. Her fur was dirty and coated with ash that she couldn't quite get out. |
Torin strained his ears and eyes, a voice echoing towards him from the dim tunnel. Torin felt hope rise in his chest for the first time since the volcano had errupted. Kairi errupted from the darkness and as she rushed him Torin found himself doing the same until he was trying to wrap his sister up in an embrace, uncaring how unkempt she was. All that mattered was that she was alive, and from the scent on her pelt was with their father and Kestrel. Kairia innundated him with questions and Torin chuckled. "I'm safe, the pack is safe... they're fine. I took them to Emerald Island." Then the guilt washed over him. "Kairi, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to leave you behind, but my kids..." He faltered, it wasn't an appology, not really, he was making excuses. "I'm sorry." |