The river curled, cutting across the vast plain of aspens. Dusk followed it. The antlered fae had no real destination in mind. She was simply out and about, walking while deep in thought. Dusk was almost two years old. She was maturing quickly and her frame was a testament to that. Long, silken fur of deep obsidian clung to lengthy limbs and womanly hips. The young woman's tail stretched out behind her, snaking through the grass with a soft hiss. Was the hiss the result of her tail though? Or was it the long, chained blades that lay resting within that tail?

Above, the sun was nestled behind a thick blanket of cloud cover. That suited Dusk just fine. With a pelt as dark as hers, sunlight quickly became unbearable. A gentle breeze sifted through the long grass and rustled the leaves above. All seemed to be fairly quiet, though she could hear the sounds of the many beavers up ahead. She would likely see them soon enough.

"Dusk Carpathius"

I was steadily getting older, but I felt like my life had slipped entirely through my paws. All I’ve to show for my six years is searching, loss, and confusion. A thick blanket of melancholy draped over my shoulders, making them slump. Bright eyes slightly dulled. Fur unkempt. I was a mess. A shadow of my mother and father, a sliver of what their names are worth.

Unacceptable, really.

But as I walked, it didn’t go unnoticed that another scent crept up on the wind’s carry. Eyes shifted, body slightly tensed, and when I saw the young lady - I paused. She was an abyssal pitch, that sort of unfathomable black that could be mistaken for obsidian. She fashioned small antlers. A sight to see, so my head canted to the side slightly.
"Pardon me, miss,"
Baritones began, approaching with a confident stride but void of all threat.
"Have a moment?"
Thunderous tones drawled, bright eyes connecting with hers. I hoped she’d entertain me for the moment - I had much to discover.

The musty scent of waterlogged timber mixed in with the acrid scent of the beavers masked a lot of the other scents and so, when the man spoke, Dusk hadn't entirely been prepared. Fire opal eyes widened just barely and she turned her attention to the man. He was swathed in shades of grey and he looked... tired. His demeanor was polite though and so Dusk nodded. Strangers weren't much of an issue for her anymore. Not with her level of skill with Whisper. She could remove the mans head before he even got within biting range if he decided that he felt froggy.

"I am Dusk Carpathius," she gave her name. Both lynx-tipped ears shifted forward. "What can I help you with?" Her head tilted slightly. If he proved to be a decent sort, she might very well offer to take him back to The Hallows with her.


"Dusk Carpathius"

Dusk was kind, decent. The type that mother would like to interact with. A corpulent skull dipped and in a greeting.
"Theseus Timber, a pleasure."
Baritones drawled, and when she asked if she could help me, I took a step forward - hope blossoming within the pit of my belly.
"Yes, actually…I wondered if you happen to know of Resin?"
When i was a boy, her last name was Timber, the same as my father. Who knows what happened after our separation.
"I remember her bright yellow eye, and…"
I wavered. It hurt my heart to talk about her. So I stopped, unsure how to speak any further. Golden eyes fell to the ground as I withdrew a long inhale to steady myself.

Confusion struck as the man asked after Resin. Dusks brow creased lightly and an eyebrow lifted. The antlered fae shook her head. Never had she even heard of another wolf named Resin. Not that it was impossible, but it was very unlikely that he was speaking of someone else.

"How do you know my grandmother?" The dark lady motioned back the way she'd come. "My family rules The Hallows. Resin created the pack." Then the young lady's brows drew together hard. If he was looking for Resin, then he didn't know. "Who... was Resin to you, Theseus?" Was she about to turn his world upside down?

"Dusk Carpathius"

Those same golden eyes did widen as she mentioned her grandmother. Grandmother? My head slowly raised. My eyes locked with Dusk but I didn’t mean it aggressively. Brows knitted and my bottom lip quivered slightly.
"Grandmother?"
Resin had moved on, created a pack, an entire life for herself. Of course she would, how could I expect her not to? Did she think of me? Did she look for me? My heart was beginning to accelerate, my stomach churned, my eyes burned.
"She’s my mother,"
Baritones gave it softly, but even with the heartache the hope of seeing her again was within reach. I could almost smell her.
"Is she here? Does she still reign?"
I took another step, the same quivering lips threatened a smile.

This... was difficult. The man admitted that Resin was his mother, thus making him her uncle. Rather than some happy reunion, she was about to cause the man real pain. The miasma of emotions shifting across the brute's face... Dusk didn't know how he would react, but she was ready if he reacted violently.

"I'm sorry, Theseus..." Dusk gave her head a soft shake. "She died before even I was born." It was hard news to deliver, but at least he could come back with her. Come back to family.

"Will you come back to the castle with me?" Again Dusk looked back towards Hallowed lands. "The castle is full of Carpathians," she assured him. Then her eyes went wide. "Oh! You must know Iolaire!"

"Dusk Carpathius"

Dead. Resin was dead.

Golden eyes searched Dusk’s face. Tears began to well up and spill.
"Dead,"
I confirmed, deep vocals riddled with pain. A pain I didn’t know I would be feeling. It felt like each of my bones had been snapped, my arteries burst, and my heart had been swollen with frigid agony.

Dusk offered me to come back. I supposed the Carpathians were the last name of his mother, the remnants of her legacy. She built an empire. A long lost prince. Forgotten? Mentioned? Asked for? It felt like daggers had been shoved deep into my soul.
"Lead the way,"
I summed up. My mission was over now. My mother was dead so my search is now over with. Father…unknown. So what else did I have to lose? Rationality suggested I had much to gain, but the pain and misery overwhelmed all the other senses at the moment.

An ear perked forward and I sniffed at mention of Iolaire, an older half sister I hadn’t seen since I was very little.
"I know of her, is she well at least?"
I wasn’t sure how much more loss I could take.

Tears. The brute began to well up with tears and cry. Dusk wasn't good with tears and she wasn't good at being comforting, but she had to try. He was family, right? "Again, I'm sorry, Theseus. I hope that coming back and being among family will help to ease your sorrow." Perhaps Io would be able to help him. He admitted that he knew of her.

Together they made their way back in the direction of the castle. Theseus asked after Iolaire. "Haha, nothing can bring Iolaire down. She's something else." Everyone loved her brusque, crochety aunt. She wasn't acting like that to be mean, she was just a no-nonsense kind of lady.

"I'm sure that my father will allow you to stay with us for as long as you wish. The Hallows is a place of healing; a place of sanctuary." Dusk offered her uncle a hopeful smile. "You'll see when we get there."

"Dusk Carpathius"