She was lost. She knew that. Her home was gone, it had been gone for a long time now. At first she had been sad about it, but she was not new to the life of a loner. Roaming around by herself was something she had done even before she had joined Talis, so she had easily slipped back into that life once again. She had taken her time to explore the lands a bit, but she couldn’t help but wonder if Kharnage was okay. She hadn’t seen him in seasons, and same with Dragon. She silently shook her head, trying to clear her head as she would continue on her walk through the redwoods. It was peaceful and quiet here, and she felt like she could stay here forever. Though that probably wouldn’t be ideal because wolves probably traveled through here all the time. Faine could never take a pack on by herself, and she had no desire to. She had always been a follower, but now, what was she to do? Walk, "Talk" Think

He had decided to take a walk in the nearby woods today. His companions remained at the pines watching over his two new charges. He was still in some disbelief over the fact he had kids, but he didn't mind. He had always wanted to be a father, and he didn't think it would happen since he had gone blind. But now he had that chance, even if they were from someone who didn't want them. He couldn't quite remember that day in detail. Whatever, accidents happened every day to everyone right? He was grateful for these kids. They gave him a new sense of purpose. As he walked beneath the redwoods, he soon caught the scent of someone nearby. Or at least, he assumed they were nearby. He paused to sniff the air, and that's when the recognition hit. Faine? He hadn't seen her around for a long time, her lack of presence even before Talis had been taken had been noticed, but he assumed she and Kharnage had gone off to be alone. He was eager to reunite with someone he once knew, so he sought her out. Nose to the ground, he sniffed out her scent in an attempt to find her. "Faine? Is that you?" He called out, hoping she heard him so he didn't have to wander around blindly trying to track her down. It was also a question that didn't need to be asked, he knew it was her. "Dragon"||Kimahri||Shiva

The woman could hear somebody approaching and she stopped for a moment. Her eyes scanning the redwoods for a moment as she stood her ground. She wasn’t a confrontational creature, and she didn’t like to fight, she didn’t even know how. If she had to leave, she would make a run for it. Yet, a rather familiar called out and her ears shifted forward. “Dragon?” she asked softly, and finally his scent entered her nares. A small smile appeared on the woman’s lips as she would begin to move. Finally she saw him, and her tail wagged lightly behind her lithe form. She couldn’t deny that she was happy to see him. She looked up to him, and she had been close to Kharnage at some point too. “You’re okay,” she said, approaching as she could see the look in his emerald gaze. There were scars on his face, and his ear messed up too. As a healer, she knew almost right away that he couldn’t see and she felt a little guilty. Could she had possibly prevented this if she had been around? She gently pressed her nose to his shoulder though, as a friendly greeting. Other than what she could see, he still seemed pretty healthy and still himself. She was grateful for that though because apart of her thought that maybe she would never see her friends again. Walk, "Talk" Think

Ah, there she was! He could hear her footsteps as she got closer, her scent grew stronger too. Before he knew it, he felt her touch on his shoulder and his tail set to wagging. He reached out to return the gesture upon her own shoulder with a grin. "Yeah, I'm alright. And you are too I hope?" He had always cared about his pack members, even if he wasn't an alpha right now, he would still care about them. How could he not? When he was living with them and got to know them (or tried to), he got easily attached and connected. He couldn't just not care. "Wow, it's been a long time huh? I never thought I'd see you again," Actually, there were quite a few members he hadn't seen for a long time, and he didn't think he'd see a lot of them either, if at all. But he was glad that he ran into her today, he had so many things on his mind and so many things to talk about. Of course, he wouldn't try to talk her ear off, but he was quite excited to see her! "How've you been? Everything's well I hope?" Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

She couldn’t help but grin when he returned the gesture. She was glad that he was at least happy to see her too, because apart of her wondered that maybe he’d be upset with her for being so distant and ultimately sort of disappearing. Yet, he didn’t seem to really worry about that as of now. Instead, he asked if she was okay too. “Yes, I’m alright,” she said, nodding a little bit and assuring him that she was fine too. Perhaps it was just a little luck on her side though, as she had been surviving on her own. He mentioned that it had been a long time, and he added that he thought he’d never see her again. She did feel a little bad about that, but at least they were seeing each other now, right? “Yeah, I sort of thought the same thing,” she admitted. He asked how she was though, “I’ve been well,” she said, “Perhaps a little lonely,” she added softly, she always told herself that she could get used to the solitude but that just wasn’t the case. “But what about you?” she asked him then, she wanted to ask about Kharnage but maybe just hopefully he would mention him from her first question. Walk, "Talk" Think

"Yes, I'm alright," He sat back on his haunches with a smile, well that was good to hear. He didn't know how the former members of Talis were doing after they all went their own way, but he was happy to hear that she didn't seem to be struggling. And if she was, well...that's not something he would know. Not unless she said as much. She answered the rest of his questions, the earthen male nodding to each one. His ears did fall back slightly when she mentioned being lonely. Yeah...he could definitely relate to that. "Sorry it's been so lonely, I know how you feel." He grew quiet for a moment as his minded drifted to Iskra. But that moment came and went rather quickly as he raised his head up to speak again. "Things have been...difficult, but manageable. As far as I know, most of the pack went their own way after the challenge. Some of my family and I have been around here in the North, and the others well...I'm not sure. I found my brother Gryphon down South recently, though I understand why he has been there. His fur isn't as thick as most of the families." He paused for a moment, wondering if he was talking too much. But decided that it probably didn't matter, did it? "I haven't seen Kharnage since the challenge, I don't know where he is or what he's up to. I thought he might've been with you but..." It was obvious from her scent that Kharnage wasn't with her either. Where had he gotten to? He wanted to ask if she'd seen him, but seeing as how she didn't mention him yet, then it was safe to assume she hadn't seen him lately either. Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

The brute would apologize about her being a bit lonely, but he also added that he knew what it felt like. She nodded slightly to herself, at least now she wasn’t all that alone now that he was here. Yet, he still didn’t really have a pack. Were they to go their separate ways after this? She guessed she could always just simply ask. She was a little curious to know if he was up to anything recently, because she never really gave herself any big plans or anything. The whole reason as to why she had joined Talis was so she could be useful, and so that she could do some good for others around her. He continued on though. He began by saying that things have been a little difficult, and her ears shifted forward slightly, obviously wondering why. He said that most of the pack had been on their own ways, some of his family have been here in the North. He had found his brother Gryphon within the South too. Her eyes brightened a little when he mentioned Kharnage, but she couldn’t help but feel her stomach drop when he then said he hadn’t seen his brother. She looked down at her paws, a soft sigh leaving her lungs. “I was hoping he just tagged along with you,” she said, obvious concern lacing her tone of voice. Her gaze looked up at Dragon though, “I’m sure he’s okay though,” she said, she wanted to say that he knew how to handle himself but sometimes he did seem to just speak his mind a lot of the time. All she could do though was hope that he was okay and safe because she had no idea where he could have gone. “I haven’t explored much of the North before,” she said, she didn’t want to forget Kharn, in fact, she couldn’t help but worry. Yet, what else could they do? They could search for him, but where would they even start? “What draws you here?” she asked, curious as to why he chose this region considering it was quite far from where Talis used to be settled. She would slowly allow herself to take a seat then, trying to relax beneath the towering redwoods. Walk, "Talk" Think

"I was hoping he just tagged along with you," He heard the concern in her voice and sighed, shaking his head a bit. "No..." He said that more to himself than to her. He had hoped his brother would have been with her, but now...where had he gone off to? "I'm sure he's okay though." His head lifted as he looked in her direction, tattered ear lifting to better catch her words. She seemed hopeful about his brother, and he had to wonder why he was even so worried. Sure his brother wasn't completely blind, he was certainly able to take care of himself. But still, Dragon worried about him. He was his brother, after all. "Yeah, while I don't expect him to stay out of trouble, I do know he can take care of himself." At least, he hoped that his brother's mouth didn't get him into too much trouble, anyway. He chuckled a bit when she said she hadn't explored the North much, he supposed it was expected. When they lived in Auster, he was pretty sure that's where most of everyone lingered. But him? He knew the northlands like the back of his paw. While he wasn't born here, his family had lived here before Auster. "I decided it was safer to settle in the North as opposed to Auster, especially after the challenge. I...didn't think it was safe to stick around so close to two Abraxas packs..." Truth be told, he didn't know if he would have been a target afterward. He wasn't exactly sure what their plans were, but better safe than sorry. "I haven't yet decided if I will lead again here in the North, or reclaim the lands that we called home in Auster. I suppose I'd leave it up to vote when the time comes, assuming anyone is willing to follow someone like me." By that he meant that he wasn't sure if others were willing to follow a blind wolf. But he had proven himself capable before, and he'd keep proving himself if he had to. Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

Dragon confirmed that he had not been with Kharnage, but he did agree that Kharnage could take care of himself. Faine did try to teach the brute at least something about herbs when she had been out and about with him. Her companion then continued on to say that the North was safer then the lands of Auster, especially after the challenge. She nodded, and she could understand that. They were now far far away from those Abraxas wolves. She only remembered running into Pyralis, but she was unsure of those wolves. At least she had been able to steer clear of them for now though. He then said that he hadn’t decided if he would lead again within these regions or try to go back to the lands within Auster. A small smile appeared on her face, her tail thumped against the ground a few times at the thought of Dragon creating a home again. “Well I would happy to follow you again Dragon,” she told him, and that was the truth. She enjoyed his personality, his charisma, and he was quite intelligent. It seemed like now he had sort of adjusted to the whole blind thing, and if anything, he could always choose somebody to help him lead, right? Her ears then pinned against her head though, what would she do in the meantime though? “I mean, if you want, I could always hang around too?” she asked, her tone was soft but she always wanted to help. “I can offer some aid to your family, I can gather herbs… It’s not like I have much else to do,” she explained to him. If he strictly wanted to just stay with his family, then she would completely understand and she’d be on her way. But she didn’t see any harm in perhaps asking at least. Walk, "Talk" Think

"Well I would be happy to follow you again Dragon." He heard the something thumping lightly against the ground, and he smiled when he realized it must be her tail on the ground. Well, he certainly felt more confident now. It was definitely comforting to know he still had support for his endeavors. Comforting to know that those who followed him before, were willing to do it again. It made him feel like he could do this, and he didn't want to let them down again. "Thank you Faine, that means a lot. To be honest, I was unsure if anyone would want to stand by me considering I can't see anymore. But it seems I have more support than I thought," A sigh of relief escaped him, his body suddenly feeling lighter as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Besides, I can still do everything that everyone else can. Besides seeing, of course. But I'm sure I'm not the first or last blind wolf to lead a pack." Or handicapped one for that matter. He was pretty sure that somewhere out there, there was a three-legged alpha, or maybe a deaf one. Maybe even an old decrepit geezer collecting dust on his fur! When she asked if she could stick around, he nodded. "Of course you can! You're always welcome among us, Faine. Don't think for a minute that you're not. I know we weren't really close before, but you were still part of our pack. And that in a way, make you a part of our family." He smiled at her, and this time his own tail thumped against the cold ground. Sure they weren't blood-related, but he believed that the pack was in essence, an extended family of sorts. He would be glad to have her around, she was certainly good company, and he adored her personality. He knew if Kharnage liked her enough to want to hang around her, then she was someone worth keeping. Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

The brute thanked her, and he explained briefly that he had been unsure about the whole leading thing again since he was blind. He added that it probably couldn’t be that hard anyways, he couldn’t see but he could still do basically everything else that any other wolf could do. She smiled at that and nodded, she believed him to be quite a good leader when she had been around within Talis. She was sure he would do just fine again if he did try and build a home once again. He then said that she could stick around with him and his family, and her eyes brightened a little bit at that. She was glad that she could stick around now, she would be surrounded by wolves that she could socialize with and grow bonds with. It was something that she had missed ever since Talis, so she was quite happy that she was sort of accepted back into what seemed to be the rebuilding of it. “Thank you Dragon,” she said in a soft tone, she would slowly get up to her feet. He had been alone so she was sure that he had some sort of camp or some other area that they had been staying within or something. The brute couldn’t see, but she was sure he could still find his way back, right? “Where have you been staying?” she asked, “I’m going to have to get used to the North,” she said then, a grin on her face. It was quite different than Auster, but she was alright with that, it was much more peaceful to her anyways. Walk, "Talk" Think

"Thank you Dragon," He dipped his head to her, his smile never faltering. He didn't think he needed to be thanked for anything, he was just doing what came naturally to him. But he kept that thought to himself. "I'm staying over in the pines not far from here. It's pretty quiet, usually. And there's plenty of den space, so you'll be able to find one you like if you want." Of course, she wasn't obligated to stay there, either. She was a loner, as was he. But he stayed there when he wasn't off trying to find the remnants of his family. It would be nice to try and get everyone together again, and that was another goal of his. "Oh, just so you're aware... there are a few new faces you'll see as well. Another healer by the name of Riva is sticking around. She's made it her personal mission to...well, I guess the simplest way to put it is I'm under observation." He shrugged and chuckled a bit as he remembered the first encounter with the yearling, "Something about my eyes being an enigma," He got up and shook off any snow and debris that clung to his fur, then turned in the direction of the pines. "And uh...Greed also brought someone with him. Her name is Acapella, she's blind too. And then there's..." His voice faltered, unsure of how to really bring it up. His jaws remained open for a moment before he shut them. My kids. He wanted to say. But he was still trying to process that fact himself. "Ah...I guess you'll see whenever we get there." Walk, "Talk" Think "Kimahri" Shiva

Dragon said that he had been staying within some pines not that weren’t very far, in fact it was rather quiet. He added that there was plenty of den space and she smiled and nodded, “Alright,” she said, glad that it seemed rather peaceful. Auster had been rather interesting but she remembered how it got hot during the winter months and cold during the summer months. It had thrown her off and it was quite strange, but luckily she didn’t really have to deal with that here. Her ears flicked when he said that there were a few new faces, yet there was another healer who had taken interest to his eyes, her name was Riva. “I’ll have to meet her soon then, I haven’t really spoken with many healers before,” she said. Other then her mother basically teaching her everything she had known, she was self taught. The brute would get up to his paws and began to move, and she would quickly follow. She wondered if he needed any help navigating, but so far he didn’t ask. She supposed if he was headed for something that was in his way she would just simply let him know. He added that Greed had found somebody by the name of Acapella, and how she was blind as well. He continued on but seemed to get a little off track, saying that she would just have to see for herself. Walk, "Talk" Think