Even though the threat from Glaciem had pretty much died, fate still didn't think that the cobalt titan had been through enough. An unknown and uncalled for illness had struck the giant; hard. Taurig didn't know what kind of illness had struck him so in an effort to keep his family and friends safe, he had migrated away to one of the farther islands to isolate himself. It had been a terrible time being away from family. He hadn't told anyone, not even his darling wife Maija, where he was going or what was going on with him. He felt rather guilty, knowing that everyone was probably worried sick about him, looking for him and probably coming up empty pawed. He had fought with all he had to get through the illness. There had been points where it had almost gotten the better of him, but he wasn't one to be taken down so easily. After weeks of fighting, the once-King was making a full recovery. He was all but healthy now and ready to return to his family. Powerful limbs would pull the man from the ocean, the water clinging to his pelt desperately as his paws touched down on the shore of his island. Torn audits would rotate this way and that way, milky white eyes reflexively scanning the area though they could no longer see anything but darkness. Marred nostrils would flare, tasting the familiar scents of his pack and home. They were still here and he wanted them to come to him. He had missed his family too much. Dark crown would rear towards the heavens, ebony lips coming together as a summoning call burst from his voice box, booming over the treetops as he called his wife and family to him. After a moment he would drop his muzzle, ears standing to attention, dark plume resting easy between his hocks, waiting to see if anyone would respond to his call. Talk like this

She never thought she would return to the island after her brothers disappearance along with his wife and kids. She had traveled to the mainland and stayed there, spending her time alone or with Aeron. She had grown closer to the monochromed ever since the earthquake and he had helped heal her injuries. Today she lingered along the coast, tempted to venture the island, to see if maybe, just maybe, she would be reunited with her family. It was a useless hope but they had all left her, without so much as a word.

A howl echoed in her skull, it so familiar it hurt. She didn't want to believe it was real. The russet woman ignored it until silence surrounded her again. Limbs would stir, flailing beneath her as she rushed the ocean waters. Her russet form plunged into the waters, legs propelling her forward. Her muscles burned as she swam towards the shore.

The the time she reached it, she was tired, nearly exhausted. She would pull herself from the waters, racing across the beach until she brothers familiar cobalt form came into her sights. She would slide to a stop, water still dripping off her pelt. The queen said nothing, merely staring at her brother. She didn't even know if he was real. Could her mind be playing tricks on her? Could her longing for family be so strong that she was now hallucinating?

SPEAK

He should've known that Sibelle would be the first one to show up. She was always close around, especially when it had to do with family affairs. He had expected any of his family to come from the island, so he was surprised to hear water splashing at a distance. His head would immediately turn in the direction of the splashing, tattered ears swiveling in the same direction. Nostrils would flare, tasting the salty air around him, the faint scent of Sibelle teasing his nasal passages. Was it really his little sister? The splashing was quickly replaced by the sound of paws drumming against the sand. The faint scent of Sibelle became stronger until there was no doubt in his mind that it was his little Red that was barreling towards him. He half expected her to come barreling into his side, but to his surprise she stopped at a distance. A look of confusion crossed his features, furrowing his dark brow, ears flattening against his skull as he turned to face Sibelle. Little Red? He called out quietly, his voice tentative. Did his sister even recognize him anymore? Was she upset with him? A million questions fired through his mind all at once but all he could do was stand there quietly, waiting to hear his sister's voice. Did she even want to see him anymore? Did any of his family want him? Talk like this

Verdant gaze would rest on her brother, watching the confusion roll over his scarred features. His torn ears fell back against his skull, her nickname rolling softly off his tongue. For a moment she said nothing. Her weight would shift to her hind legs, muscles propelling her forward. Her russet form would collide with her brother, possibly with enough force to knock him over if he was caught off guard. She would bury her face in his neck, inhaling his scent.

Audits fell back against her skull, eyes narrowing, though she knew her brother couldn't see her expression. Lips curled back slightly, exposing the tips of her fangs. A growl vibrated deep in her throat as she pulled back to glare at her brother. "What is wrong with you?" Words were laced with anger, cracking like a whip. If she had knocked her brother, she would not let him up just yet, nor would she let him speak. "You disappeared with so much as a word!"

Anger and hurt seeped from her pores, verdant pools flickering like fire. Her fur threatened to bristle, chin tucked against her throat as she glared down at her brother.

SPEAK

The silence that stretched out between them was nearly deafening. Taurig wasn't sure how much longer he could stand it. Sibelle had never been this quiet around him before; had something changed? He dearly hoped not. He'd been gone for a few weeks, but not long enough to evoke hatred from his family? As he had expected from the beginning, though not in that moment, his sister tackled him. She caught him off guard, since he'd been expecting her to tackle him from the beginning, so down the titan went. His massive cobalt body folded beneath the smaller mass of his sister, his spine sinking in the soft sand as Sib landed on top of him, her muzzle burying itself in his neck. He almost sighed in relief. There was the Sibelle he knew and loved. But the tender moment only lasted for a moment. What is wrong with you? You disappeared with so much as a word! The words hit him with a physical weight, his chin coming to tuck against his throat, his expression ashamed. His gaze would drop his paws and he would say nothing, feeling the anger coming off his sister in waves. He hadn't met to upset her or anyone and it killed him that he'd done that to her. Taurig would remain silent as he lied on his back, waiting to see if there was more that his sister had to get off her chest before he could explain himself. Hopefully he would understand that what he'd done was to protect her. He would never leave her or their family without a good explanation. She had to know that. Talk like this

Her brother would tumble beneath her, the titan falling onto his back. For a moment she saw relief, and then it was gone, quickly replaced by shame. Her brother stayed silent, his gaze dropping to avoid hers. For a moment she remained still, simply watching her brother. The russet woman would then let him up, stepping away from him. She remained silent, pinning him with her gaze.

Much to her surprise, no one else had arrived yet. She imagined that Maija and the kids would be rushing to be reunited with Taurig. Perhaps they felt the same as she? He had vanished without a trace, disappearing form their lives without a word. He was gone for weeks, easily presumed dead or gone forever. But as before, he never left without a good reason, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive him until she understood why he had abandoned them, left her without a place to call him, nearly forcing her into their fathers grasp.

SPEAK

And then she was retreating her figure coming off of his as she allowed him space to get up. Taurig would comply easily enough, rolling himself onto his belly before pushing himself up onto his limbs, giving himself a quick shake to rid the sand from his pelt. He would then turn himself to face Sibelle, raising his milky white gaze to where he hoped to meet her verdant one, his ears still half folded against his skull as he began to speak. I know you're mad and you have every right to be. I didn't tell you or Maija or anyone else that I was leaving, but there a reason for that. Do you remember the last time I got sick? Well it happened again, only this time it was twice as worse as the first time. I was on the verge of death more than a few times in the weeks I was gone. I was afraid that if I stayed here, it would spread and infect the rest of the pack and I didn't want to you and everyone else in danger. So I left to one of the other islands to wait out the illness, hoping that I would recover soon so I could return. And miraculously I did. He would pause for a moment, taking a breath as his posture relaxed, wondering if he had made any kind of impact on Sibelle's mood. Even after knowing what you know, if you still want to be mad at me, I get it. I won't hold it against you. But I just want you to know that it was agony for me to be away from the island; from you and the pack. I missed you so much little Red and I was scared I wouldn't be able to come back and see you again, much less Maija and the pack... A bit of emotion would strangle his last few words, his throat seizing up as flashes of the weeks gone by replayed in his mind. They were the worst few weeks of his life and he hoped that it would never happen again. Talk like this

Freya hadn?t been angry at her father; it simply wasn?t in her nature. She had missed him, grieved his disappearance and hoped every day for his return but there was no anger, no resentment. They had stayed on the island, the former pack slowly fading around them as if the only thing that had kept them together had been her dad. The call reached her and she almost thought she was dreaming, surely she had dozed off in the tangle of roots she had claimed for the day. But no, it was still echoing off the trees around her. She lay where she was for a moment still not really believing. Golden tail began to beat against the roots around her, and jaw parted to allow her tongue to loll out as she swiftly bound to her paws. She would hop in place for a moment too excited to even get herself together enough to get going. Then she was off, shooting towards the shore line. Stopped just as ground gave away to sand, hoping from paw to paw for a moment as she watched. Her aunt Sibelle?s russet pelt unmistakable, standing before him. Without another moment?s hesitation she bound forwards. "Daddy!" She exclaimed as she threw herself at his leg, still much to tiny to do more than bump into him harmlessly. "Speech"

Eon had fallen lonely as of late. Wondering where his father had gone off to, wondering why there had been less and less activity about the island. Although the island wasn't a huge one, it was still rather big for a kid of his stature to traverse. Occasionally he had found the scent trails of his other siblings, though the one he had been looking for was that of his father. It was as he was making his way towards the place where one of his sisters liked to hang out that he heard a sound he had not heard for a while. Excitement suddenly began to brew within him, and without hesitation he ran headlong to close the distance between him and his sister's chosen spot. He arrived in a flurry of excited yips as he crashed through the tangle of roots. "Freya! Didja hear--?!" Teeth snapped shut when he realized she was not there, and knew that perhaps she would be down at the beach already. He barreled towards the shores, following the tracks his sister had left behind just moments before. Upon breaking through the tree line, he skidded in the sand as he gazed wildly about for the one he had been searching for, and sure enough there he was. "Dad!!!" He cried out as he made a beeline straight for him. Sand sprayed up around him as he got closer, his aunt Sibelle and his sister already in the presence of his father, though for the moment he didn't care. He missed his dad, and that was all that mattered. He did not cease his pace, instead careening into a heap of fur and sand, the earth sprating every which way as he scrambled up to eagerly attempt to reach his fathers face to dress him in excited licks, but to no avail. Instead, his tongue would only reach his fathers chest, but it did not keep him from trying, however. Talk like this

Time had frozen when Taurig disappeared. He didn't give an explanation before he left and he sure as hell didn't leave hints, either. It had hurt Pandora's heart, causing her to remain in a timeframe that wouldn't expand. She had slowly grown in size, but mentally, she was still craving the love that was absent from her father. Maija had provided as much affection and love as she could, but it wasn't enough for the young pup. She was more stubborn than her mother and that was something Maija hadn't planned on. As Pandora walked across the shallow tide pools, she looked at all the creatures in the water. Silently, she wondered if her father would like to see them, too. A sigh escaped her lips as a familiar howl escaped the air. Looking up, she felt her heart beat fast and her tail move quickly behind her. She stumbled in her abrupt take off from the pools, her right hind paw stepping into an unoccupied puddle. Being wet didn't bother her and her little feet carried her to the scene on the beach. Her teal eyes sparkled with nostalgia and she wanted to cry so bad! Instead, she sniffed out her mother's scent, realized she was nearby, then called out, "Amintirea mamei, vino repede! Vino repede! El e acasă!" Without waiting for her mother to appear, Pandora raced towards the small crowd and immediately bowled between Eon and Freya. Even though she was slightly bigger than her sister and smaller than her brother, she still packed a wallop. Her form leaped onto her father's left shoulder and she climbed across his back until she felt comfortable between his shoulder blades. Little nose nuzzled his neck and she deeply breathed in his scent, more than happy to have him back. "Daddy..." she whispered loudly, tears leaking from closed eyelids, "Don't ever leave again!" Her voice broke and she started to cry, even after promising herself that she wouldn't. Talk like this

She would listen, her russet face void of emotion. He had been sick, deathly so. A frown pulled at her russet features, he had nearly died and still hadn't told anyone. She shook her head, looking at her brother with disapproval. But her expression would soften as he went on. A sad smile pulled at her lips. The queen would rise, moving towards her brother, bumping her nose to his shoulder. "I could never be mad at you for long, Im just happy you're alright."

High pitched voices invaded her ears, causing her look around. The sloppy sounds of pups running quickly followed and it would not take long for her nieces and nephews to come tearing down the beach. She would laugh softly to her self before stepping back and out of harms way. The would come barreling into their father Freya first, then Eon and Pandora. There was no doubt that the rest would follow. Russet haunches dipped into the sand, a smile curling her lips as she watched her family reunite.


SPEAK

It was a long shot. He knew that all too well. But, none of the less, he had to try. This island was the last place he remembered seeing any of his family before the incident that caused him to lose his memories. He paused on the beach across the stretch of ocean, ignorant to the fact that his dear sister had been standing in this same spot not long before. With a sigh he walked out into the water to begin the swim across the cold water to Inu Island. He pulled his large form onto the shore, immediately freezing when he heard voices in the distance and he caught familiar scents on the air through the thick scent of salt. He blinked with surprise, not quite believing that finding his family would be that easy. Hesitantly he padded forward, heading toward the scents and sounds that had gotten his attention. Sure enough, as he got closer he spotted the unmistakable cobalt and russet forms of his brother and sister along with several pups who he guessed were Taurig's children. A wide smile spread across his face and he called out to them, "Sibelle! Taurig!" He ran toward them excitedly, the thought that his sister would be mad at him not even crossing his mind. It was hard for him to remember sometimes that the time between his last old memories and his oldest new memories was several months instead of a few days. He loped to a halt by his sister, his tail waving softly behind him and giving her a huge grin. He glanced at Taurig, seeing that he was surrounded by his children, making him chuckle. He pressed his muzzle into his sister's shoulder, saying, "I missed you so much, Sib." Speech Thought Others

He could feel the air around himself and his sister become more relaxed and Taurig breathed a sigh of relief, her words confirming what he felt. She wasn't mad at him. If that was one thing about his sister, she couldn't be upset with him for very long, if at all. But despite that, it didn't mean he wanted her to be upset with him at all in the first place. He would try to keep from letting this happen again, but as always, the future was never certain. Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the high pitched squeals of little voices. The titan's organ began to thump unevenly in his chest as he heard the first voice. Daddy! Freya! His little freya! Her scent invaded his nostrils as her tiny golden body came barreling into his leg, a stupid grin curling his inky jowls. Oh Freya, my little darling! How I've missed you! He wouldn't bother hiding his excitement at seeing his daughter, limbs folding as the behemoth lowered himself to the sand so that he was eye level with his daughter, dark plume wagging a mile a minute. Quickly after the familiar voice of his biggest son Eon would ring in his ears and then another furry body would be added to the pile, Taurig laughing in earnest joy as he fawned over his children. And then little Pandora joined the group, her voice breaking as it was choked by tears. Come here my little one, don't cry. I promise you I won't leave you again. He would wait until she had come into his embrace before affectionately licking at her tiny face, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Where is your sister Bella? And your brother Fakira? Are they with your mother? Is she around? He wasn't expecting a solid answer from any of his children, but he hoped they would have an inkling as to where everyone else was. Sibelle! Taurig! Another familiar voice would momentarily take his attention from his children, crown lifting in the direction that Sibelle was standing, nostrils catching the scent of his younger brother Falk. Falk! Brother, it gladdens me to hear your voice. It has been far too long. He would call out to his russet brother, tattered ears on the alert as he waited to see if the rest of his children and his wife would show up. Did Maija hold a grudge against him for having left so suddenly? He surely hoped not, he had missed his golden treasure more than words could ever explain. Talk like this

Nearly six months old, the boy was growing up. It was clear that he would not be the largest of his siblings, but Fakira was quickly filling out his big puppy ears and paws. He and his siblings would look like adults soon enough - but despite their obvious change in appearances they were still very much children. Which is why his father's disappearance had hit the boy hard. He had wandered just like his siblings, wondering where he could have gone, wondering where all of the wolves that had been there when they were first born had run off to as well. Only the children and their mother - who was surely crestfallen with the loss of her husband, were left on the island.

When he heard his call, he didn't believe it at first - it must have been a mistake, some foreigner wanting to see what was on the island, or his own ears playing tricks on him. Yet he would turn toward the source of the sound, staring off into the distance, frowning. His ears twitched, and the boy sighed, trotting off toward the call - if it wasn't his father then... maybe it was some other bit of family that had wandered this way. Who knew, maybe Eon had gotten his big boy howl. Snickering to himself he would quicken his pace, hoping that his siblings had decided to see who had come to the island as well.

As he drew closer he heard talking, and it would seem that he was one of the last ones to arrive - because he could smell and hear his siblings as well as his aunt on the shore. The boy's brows would furrow, and he jumped, hearing Pandora's Romanian tongue - and she raced past him toward... "Daddy?" Fakira could barely believe it - and stood rooted to where he stood. "Te-ai ?ntors?" 'You're back?' Tears welled in the boy's eyes, but he would look down and let the others properly greet Taurig. He was not angry with the male, but his emotions on the matter were a bit jumbled. He was glad to have him back - but the dark brute had gone and left them...

Take a step further back to where you belong Take a look at your life what have you become Large paws splashed about in the shallows of a shoal not far off from the shores of the island. She had grown accustomed to exploring, since her father had vanished and her siblings practically unknown to her. Higinia had grown to become a solitary creature, but usually within the company of the marine animals that lived on and around the shores of their island. This place was all she knew, and she often dreamed about exploring what was on the other side...someday. She laughed, a splash of water falling over her as the dolphin that had come to visit laughed and clapped. She barked at it, lowering her front half whilst her rump rose in the air, tail wagging madly behind her. Deep blue eyes danced merrily, the shifting blue tones of them always changing like the tides of the ocean before her. She readied herself to let loose an eager and playful bark, and just as she was about to, a sound not of her own sounded in the wind. Head turned immediately, ears lifting to catch the sound that had been carried by the wind. A tilt of her head would bring forth a sense of disbelief, before curiosity dragged at her. Another splash pulled her from her state of mindless zoning, her blue eyes turned towards the dolphin with the mischievous glint in its eyes as it urged her forth. Without hesitation, she burst from a standstill towards the sands that she called home. Silken fur swept by the winds of the sea as she giggled during her race. Alongside in the waters, the dolphin followed. It would not take her long to reach the part of the beach where her family would begin to gather, first she noted the reddish pelt of her aunt Sibelle, and then her siblings seemed to be climbing all over something. How unfair! They were playing without her! She put on another burst of speed, and as she drew near she began to realize that they had not found a new toy, but rather their father! "Dad! Daddy!" She laughed as she neared, finally barreling into everyone and adding onto the dog pile. Eagerly she would ravage Taurig's face with excited licks, tail wagging like a windshield wiper. I never had the chance to explain myself [Higinia]

She had been deprived of the cobalt giant for so long. The mere absence of her husband was enough to drive her into another breakdown, but her sanity wasn't pushed. Instead, her five beautiful babies had reassured her that life would be all right and they would be there for comfort. Maija was not used to showing emotions without calculating placement for them. When they kept her sane, however, she couldn't help but fawn over each pup with kisses and nuzzles in the safety of their den. Isolation was something Maija knew very well, considering that she had travelled alone when Dragomir disappeared. Even though she had grown accustomed to it before joining Tortuga, she didn't want her children to feel the same way about being alone. Emotions had begun to tear at her inner core once again, for she wanted to stay on the island and wait for Taurig. With each day, however, her hope softly dwindled away, one bright ember at a time. She thought of her children and how their futures would be shaped by her choices for them. The new mother was still undecided. Maija Artenie was walking near the front of their den, enjoying the colors of the trees that surrounded the entrance. She was always proud of the location Taurig had chosen with her, but the mere thought of him being vacant made her appreciate the sight of fall even less. As her thoughts swirled around the fading cobalt form, she heard the howl that made her ears swivel too fast. She winced from the pain, but tolerated the following throb from both audits. Slowly, she turned and walked from their home to the beach. Pandora's call to her with her Romanian tongue made her realize that it was actually all real. As her beautiful daughter raced across the sand to meet her fellow siblings, she watched with a wary expression evident in her leaf green eyes. Four of her babies had reached the familiar blue mass that was now sprawled across the beach, meeting them with licks and laughs of his own. Her gaze moved from the happy sight to Fakira's lone form. Once again, her paws retained a slow movement as she approached her handsome son. "Fakira," she said in soft tones. "I am just as confused as you, my dear." Romanian accent lightly danced across her tongue. "We will find out together where he had been and why." She gave him a hint of a smile and with a lick to his forehead, she nodded in the direction of Taurig's reunion as an invite for him to accompany her. She took a few grown up steps before she felt Fakira's frame next to hers. As the cool autumn wind swept around the two, she looked up from admiring her son and back to the claimed beach. Her eyes met Sibelle's and then Falk's, but words didn't have to be said between the in-laws. When Fakira found his place beside her hind legs, Maija watched the warm spectacle of her babies and their father. Leaf green eyes remained slightly hardened - as usual - with a hint of surprise noted in her gaze. It was then that she cleared her throat and perked both ears forward. "Taurig," she said, tones quiet with the thick Romanian accent evident again. There was really nothing else she could say in front of her children and in-laws except, "What has kept you from us for so long?" Talk like this

Freya had hardly even been aware her brother was there, so great was her excitement and need to see her father again. But he was here and now she was with him again! The girl was overjoyed, tiny body shaking as she rubbed against her father?s leg. "I missed you too Daddy!" She exclaimed as he flopped to the ground and she pushed into his side, nearly swallowed up by his thick coat. Then they were joined by Eon and only a bit after that Pandora arrived. Her father comforted her crying sister before asking them a few questions. Freya had been about to answer when one of them was answered by the appearance of her often absent sister. The golden girl wasn?t even aware of the other grownups until her mother spoke. Tail beating a mile a minute the girl pulled away from her father?s side to look up at her mom. "Momma momma!" She called bounding happily towards the woman, "Look! Daddy?s back!" Of course Maija could see that but the girl was having a hard time containing her excitement and so blurted out the obvious. Freya quickly rushed up to her mother and brushed against her leg before turning around again and barrelling into her father again. "Speech"