LOCATION

Howahkan | Territory border/Main den area

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“Of course.” He said, voice softening ever so slightly. Lyall glanced over at the other wolf for a brief second before turning his gaze back to the nearing gurgle of the river. Well, he heard it before he saw it but it was there. The current swirled a bit quicker than it normally would, thanks to the recent rainfalls but the levels were still low so it wasn’t too much of a problem.

“Here, let’s get that blood washed off and then you can rest.” Lyall said, testing the waters. It was cool to the touch, but not freezing. The weather was cooling down though, and seasons would change. Soon the water would be unbearable to stand in for too long, a drastic difference between summer and winter. The dark wolf stepped down into the river, slowly shuffling to guide the other down as well. “Careful.” He said, without thinking, under his breath.




Without speaking a word herself, Ceres followed adhering obediently to her friends softly spoken commands. The walk had seemed to stretch on for ages when in reality it was five, ten minutes at most. The injured Awoo' ached with pain and was weary from her journey, her lids begged for closure. Her friend seemed concerned for her, however, and so she felt like she owed it to him to spare herself the risk of infection at the very least. She would do her best to hide the pain from the dark wolf that held most of her weight as they walked although she could hardly help a wince every now and then.

Soon the sounds of the rippling currents could be heard and within moments they parted from bushels and came to the river. His words soon brought her attention to the present once more as he led the pair into the shallows. The weather often gave hints of how the upcoming season would fare, and already the waters were turning brisk. Bearable, but enough to send shivers down ones spine.

The sudden cold touching the open wound upon her paw would cause the rust colored she-wolf to flinch. She'd sigh but a moment later before slowly submerging it and letting the water do it's magic. Staring down at the dark pool, Ceres watched as blood drifted to the surface. Still using Lyall's sturdy form for support, she held a steady gaze upon the water below. "Thank you," She said just loud enough for him to hear. "And I'm sorry.. for not being here. I should have stayed and fought beside you. You could have gotten hurt, or.. or worse. I was a fool for leaving."



“Don’t worry about me,” the dark wolf spoke, a faint hum emanating from his throat, rumbling with humour. “I have seen worse than that fight.” Lyall grimaced for a moment before straightening his face again. “What matters now is that you’re back, Ceres.” He reassured (or attempted to at least). There really wasn’t much that anyone could do now. What happened in the past will always remain history, there is no redoing it, unfortunately.

The dark wolf leaned down and sniffed at the wound again, narrowing his eyes at the open skin and flesh. It would heal, with a bit of help. “It’s no problem by the way,” Lyall raised his eyebrows. “What would I do without my fishing partner?” Lyall let the silence sink in after that, the sound of water ripples filling the gap where their voices were. A chilly breeze blew through the shallow dip of the river, causing his fur to start to stand ever so slightly. If he was cold (but only slightly) then he imagined that Ceres would be as well.

“Shall we go now?” He inquired, casting another glance at her injured paw. “Only if you don’t need to clean the wound any more.” The dark wolf said, quicker this time as if to correct himself on his first comment. “You need rest, you look like you’re going to fall asleep in the water.” He mused, jokingly.



Again Ceres would fall silent as if to let his words sink in. She was grateful for him being understanding and even trying to reassure her of all that happened, but guilt was a complex thing that had a way of lingering. Settling in the pit of her stomach, she remembered how sick she felt when she found Lyall. Happy, but the guilt ate her yet. Perhaps it was a warrior thing, she was awol went her pack needed her and that mark would follow her like a shadow.

A small smile would pull at her maw yet -more for him than anything. By instinct she'd move her paw away as he moved to sniff at it, dipping back into the fresh pool. "Mm. Probably drown, or be turned into fish food." This time a genuine smirk as she huffed and peered over at him with amusement at his reference to their first meeting. Strange how long ago that seemed, and yet it hadn't been that long at all.

Almost as if on cue, Ceres' fur bristled slightly as both a shiver and yawn coursed through her. Again she rest her head along the fur of his neck feeling the heaviness of her eyes. "Wouldn't be such a bad idea if it weren't so cold," Ceres mused in response,  "Do you mind if I stay at your place..? After my 'family reunion' it just doesn't feel the same going back." She'd inquire humming sleepily against fur.



Lyall stood stiffly for a second before relaxing his tense shoulders. He let a soft smile cross his face as he huffed indignantly at the drowning fish food comment. “True, very true.” He admitted fondly. The dark wolf breathed out a sigh as he shook his head to clear his thoughts. “It is getting colder,” he mused. “It’s not summer anymore.” The male said. It was probably unclear whether his words were joking or solemn, perhaps they were a bit of both. Winter always came with added struggles, but so did the hot season in the sanctuary.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.” Lyall answered, somewhat surprised at the suggestion but only because he hadn’t been to the crooked pine in some days. He gave an amused look at the younger wolf’s tired antics. “Alright, time to go. Sleep on dry land, not with the fish.” The male chuckled, moving to guide the other would back to the shore. The crooked pine was in the opposite direction of the river (relative to where they met). It would have been an easy trot from here, but that wasn’t very likely today. Well, better to get going now than never to get going at all.




Summer may have bid a farewell to the sanctuary, but it wasn't all a loss. The warmth was welcomed by many and the sun was loved by most. Ceres preferred the cooler weather and a bit of snow here and there. She saw the seasons as the earth's cycle of life. Summer being its most vibrant and brilliant stage; life. While winter was a time for quiet and recharge; death. Spring and fall were the inbetween stages of such, both beautiful in their own ways and just as important. She'd keep this to herself, however, a gentle nod accompanied by a soft hum.

Silver eyes glowed as her lids parted and peered up at the male once he spoke again. A single eyebrow rose at him as a sly smirk made a return, "Maybe I like sleeping with the fish, hm?" Maybe if it wasn't for the water bit and the risk of getting deathly ill from the cold. "Alright, alright. Let's go." She added quickly after, nudging her friend gently with her nose. She was tired and her body ached, but she was built for this type of endurance.

It would take them a while yet before reaching their destination. But once they did; Slumber would welcome her like an old friend.



Lyall shook his head with a faint laugh. Time to go. He guided the other wolf out of the river, still offering her his shoulder to lean on as they trekked back to the crooked pine. “Well, I believe you’re a little bit late for that, the fish have either migrated their tails out of here or they’ve buried themselves to sleep.” He laughed, watching a faint wisp of his breath disintegrate into the air. He stepped out of the water, not bothered by the feeling of mud beneath his feet. They moved slowly towards the crooked pine, wind whistling a little bit louder through the trees than in the shallow dip of the river.

“Well, we’re here.” He murmured, quirking an eyebrow. “It’s not much but it should do, I’ll sleep out here, let you have the inside den.” He gave a small laugh and the faintest hint of a smile. It was a crowded space already, but Lyall was (admittedly) too attached and sentimental for the crooked pine to find a new place to sleep now. Slowly, but surely he had gotten used to sleeping outside, underneath the pine boughs instead of in the roots.



A small nod rolled off the she-wolfs shoulders as she observed the crooked pine in silence. It was nice, quaint, even. Smaller than what she was used to, but her den had been passed down from generations before her and was used to homing large families. Still, Ceres found herself wondering more and more if that was in fact a place she could call home. It was where she and Terra grew up, but after everything those walls have witnessed.. Perhaps finding a new den would give her the peace she seeked.

A smile lit up her features as she shifted against the others weight, "It's perfect, Lyall," She hummed a clight chuckle relieving the male from the brunt of her weight. Without much of a pause she'd lean forward to press her nose to middle of his cheek. "Thank you. For everything." She whisper gratefully before pulling away and turning towards the dens entrance. A few uneasy steps were taken, her head ducking just low enough to fit smoothly inside -and then a pause as Ceres peered over her shoulder at her friend once again. "Goodnight."



Lyall nodded in return, a small smile on his face. “It’s no problem.” He murmured, moving over to rest underneath the boughs. “Goodnight, sleep well.” The dark wolf yawned, settling himself down between the roots and resting his chin on his paw. Sleep came with the turn of night and claimed him to sleep. Lyall usually had uneventful nights, but his sleep was tainted with unsettling dreams. It was nothing he could describe, and there was nothing truly terrifying about it. It just left him restless with a beating heart.

Come morning, the dark wolf opened his eyes and squinted in the light. Even with the low branches of pine that covered the ground with shade, the sun still managed to break through the needles and awake the sleeping wolf. He stifled a yawn, shook his head, and rose to his feet. Lyall padded down softly to check up on Ceres. If she was well rested they would go find an Azee immediately, if not, he would find an Azee and bring them to her. But, Ceres was not there when he awoke which alarmed the dark wolf. He tracked her scent as far as the river, but beyond that, it was gone without a trace.

2 months later..

Some months passed and the war between the marsh wolves and the nomads from the north mountains continued. He had to put Ceres to the back of his mind (much to his reluctance). There was no way for him to search for her if they were constantly wary of Na”em attacks or the diversion of a herd. He became the Tsoh of the Awoos, a rank that reminded him of her again. Her father was the Tsoh, the beta Awoo, and that is what she wanted to be as well. He felt somewhat guilty for taking the role without her here, but now was not the time.

They had lost the war. It was quite devastating and to be honest, Lyall believed he could have done more. The male patrolled more often, going by himself to watch the borders during the morning and twice in the evening. It was one of those nights that he heard a faint rustling in the wintry forest. He was not alone, but his patrol partner was far behind him. They had decided to split up and investigate a strange scent that was in the area. It was familiar but it was not at the same time. Who’s there?



We will be a family again, I promise.

Please.. I.. I need to go home.. He's probably looking for me..

I'll make things right, Gingersnap. I'm so sorry.

Wet hot tears stung her eyes as they spilled over the brims and soaked into her fur. The crisp winter air chilled her to the core as it whipped her. But at the same time she couldn't feel anything. Numb. Terrified. Confused.. Lost. Fog had filled her head making it difficult to make sense of anything -and she couldn't. At least not everything. She clung to what little she had remembered upon waking up in what felt like months. It was as though she were a zombie, nothing felt real. She didn't feel real. Was this.. All in her head?

Silver eyes narrowed to slits to shield themselves from the harsh wind. She remembered just the night before she was with Lyall, he helped her clean her paw and they had settled down for the night.. The panicked she-wolf felt a sudden rush of sickness in the pit of her stomach. What happened and how did she get all the way out here.. With her father? Nothing made sense. Lyall. Surely he noticed her gone by now and already began searching for her. What Ceres didn't know what that he had been looking for her, but that was some time ago. The young wolf had been missing for a couple months now, and time had gone on without her. Her scent had gone cold by now, only remaining in the closure of her friends den if they were lucky. She was gone. Lost to the wilderness.

Where.. am I? Dad? You came back..? Does Powaqa know?

Shh.. No, no one knows. Now go back to sleep, honey.

Consciously, she had no idea where she was going. All concept of navigation was lost on her. She only had one single goal right now: Run. Don't stop. Moments before her escape, Ceres had found something that left an everlasting imprint in her head; Her mother.. gone. Deceased. With the spirits. And him.. Her father.. What if she were next? Buried next to her mother and another much smaller grave. In a small moment of clarity she had seen her father for what he was; A monster. The wolf she had looked up to since birth was nothing more than a murderer and kidnapper.

She knew better than to underestimate him, however. He was the former Tsoh Awoo of Howahkan and as such had making skills in tracking and apprehending. Ceres was faster and rivaled her father in her ability to conceal and outsmart most.

Keep.. Going.. Don't stop.

Her breathing had become shallow and harsh the more she exerted her limited energy. She was feverish and still under the influence of some sort of sedative. Although it was wearing off, it still had lingering effects on her. With a shake of her head, the she-wolf focused herself on her task once more. Run. Heavy paws sent a mixture of snow and mud kicking backwards as she pushed herself forward. After what had felt like eons, Ceres could smell the familiar scent of the swamp. Thank the spirits; She made it.

The snowfall dispersed as she raced into the dark marsh, allowing herself to become swallowed by the looming trees. Tears seemed to spring anew as a rush of emotions overwhelmed her. Although not out of the woods, she had made it through the most difficult part. Throwing her head back a panicked howl cried out to the heavens above without faltering a single step. The fog was still hanging over her heavily and her body ached and burned all over. There was no telling the extent of her injuries. Being fed sedatives meant to keep her under control repeatedly for months had surely taken its toll on the young wolf. A few minutes passed and it seemed her answer was being answered, a short distance ahead she spotted a dark figure with glowing green eyes.. Adrenaline alone had gotten her this far, her body had endured far too much to handle her condition on its own. Those eyes.. She knew them. The ground took forever to reach her as her legs lost all will to hold her weight any longer. Darkness welcomed her holding her and comforting her just a few yards away from the new Tsoh.

Found you.



His ears locked onto the strained howl that sounded from beyond the trees. Lyall moved forwards, pushing through the branches and brambles of the forest. Clearly his patrol partner had heard it as well as Lyall saw the wolf break out of the trees. What he saw was horrifying and relieving all at the same time. It was Ceres. Well, it was a Ceres that looked as if she had been dragged through thorns, mud and spirits knows what else. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her sway and then collapse into the snow. Eyes widening, he rushed over, inspecting his friend. The wounds were still there, albeit faded and healed to some extent. There were new wounds too, ones where Lyall wasn’t even sure where they came from. He scanned the area, green eyes narrowing to find no one else in sight except for his patrol. He would come back later, investigate when Ceres was in safety.

With the help of the other wolf, they managed to bring Ceres back into the territory. He sent the wolf to find an Azee. Lyall paced back and forth, not realizing the full extent of the strain that being Beta now brought him until now. He needed to talk to the Naat’aanii about this. But he also wanted to stay with his friend to make sure she is well. And then, he needed to go back to the area and investigate. Was there something threatening the Howahkan that they didn’t know about yet? Was it her father? Where was he and what is he planning to do?



Perhaps the spirits had been watching over her or maybe it was simply dumb luck that the beta had been in the same general area as she, leading to her discovery and ultimately her safety. Either way, if the reddish pelted wolf had any recollection of this come daybreak there would be nothing but gratitude. But that would take some time yet for Ceres' body had worked itself to exhaustion. It was a wonder how she managed to get so far without collapsing sooner.. Many things were left unexplained this night, but one this was for sure; This was nothing short of a miracle.

After a while the darkness would begin to loosen its grip over the female, and eventually bring her out of her slumber. This would be the first of many throughout the night as she'd drift between the conscious and the unconscious. A small whine echoed throughout the area as pain wracked through her body. Slowly, her eyes began to open only halfway at first and then all at once widened in fear.

"Stay away!!" The cry would be aimed at no one in particular. Wild eyes darted all over searching for her invisible assailant. She was in a state of shock and panic right now and as such her mind hadn't quite caught up to everything just yet. Where she was, or who was with her.. In this brief moment she was still in the forest running from the monster that caused all of this.



Lyall opted for informing Powaqa later, when things seemed to have calmed down a little bit more. An Azee came by to look over Ceres, patching up what they could at the time before leaving to collect whatever herbs they could in such sparse times. When they returned, Lyall left to go on his evening patrol, finding no unfamiliar scents in the nearby area. He could have backtracked Ceres’ footprints to wherever she came from, but that would take too much time that he didn’t have. He would have to go another time.

The dark wolf returned to where Ceres was being treated. She was still asleep. He resigned with a sigh and sat down, allowing his eyes to close for a second. He heard the shift of his friend before he saw it. The male cracked open an eye, blinking away the drowsiness. A small whine was heard and Lyall pulled his ears back in uncertainty.

“Ceres, Ceres its okay – “

The dark wolf scrambled to his feet at the sudden outburst. A quick inhale signalled his shock but the wolf quelled his surprise easily, letting his fur lay flat on his neck again. "Ceres, it’s me, Lyall. You’re okay, you’re safe.” He said with a somewhat stern voice, it was evident that the male was stressed and worried.



The last thing Ceres wanted to do was cause any distress to her fellow packmates, and if she had any say in it she would've returned in a more graceful manner. Such wasn't the way of things, however. At least not when you were held captive by your father, your mother was discovered dead and you were being pursued by the very same wolf that inspired and once brought the best out in you. For the swamp native, this was exactly the opposite of how things were meant to be for her. To expect the unexpected was a lesson to be learned.

The beta's strained tone reached the gamma's, her rusted ears turning back and her eyes squeezing shut. It was painfully clear that she was being tortured by hallucinations and reality both trying to pull her one way or the other. It was the fever speaking for her causing the outburst.

The Azee had done much of the tedious work, but the night was still young and Ceres had a long road ahead of her before she'd be well again. Physically she'd recover, but mentally.. time was their only adversary.

Her head shook left to right before her lips parted ajar to speak, "I'm not safe, I'm not.. Not with him out there.." She responded in a hoarse whisper. He had been chasing her, she could still his step thundering not far behind her. He kept calling her name, almost concerned sounding.. The sight of her mother and the second shallow grave wouldn't leave her mind as she ran. What had he done? Why was he trying to keep her there? A once trusted and revered Howahkan Tsoh.. How did it all come to this?



With a small, near inaudible intake of breath, the male pulled his ears back, trying to calm down the younger Awoo’. Lyall had an idea of who he was, if he thought about what she had told him the months before. But now Ceres looked more distressed than ever, what exactly had her father done? Apart from the wounds he knew nothing. However, Lyall knew better than to ask such a thing at a time like this. He used to be so curious, so eager to get information right away that he didn’t care how others felt about it.

“Ceres,” he murmured, lying down in front of her, trying to look into her silver eyes. “Ceres, I won’t let anything happen to you. Just please stay in Howahkan.” He knew it wasn’t likely her idea of upping and leaving all of a sudden, but the idea of it happening again was still plausible. “I’ll protect you.” He offered, talking in a quiet voice in an attempt to soothe her. It was never something he did well. After meeting Ceres, perhaps Lyall had gotten a bit of practice with taking social cues and understanding when to comfort others and when to be strong and push them forward.

“You’re going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen to you. Not while I’m here, okay?”



"Lyall.." Her voice was quiet and barely above a whisper now as she held onto the comforting warmth of his voice. Familiarity. Heavy, glossy eyes peered into his bold green ones now as she tried her best to focus on him and his words.

Stay in Howahkan.. I'll protect you.. It was likely that she'd later feel embarrassed about her outburst even if she couldn't exactly control herself. Before meeting and befriending Lyall all Ceres had closest to a friend was her sister. After her death she was afraid to let anyone in for fear something would happen to them, too. But she had made the exception, and the new beta has more than once proved to be a better friend to her than Ceres could imagine. How many others would stick by her through all of this? Not many, she'd reckon if she could in fact reckon right about now.

Very little of this brief conversation would be remembered and what would be would feel more like a dream than actuality. Through calm words of reassurance the red-furred Howahkan native felt more at ease. Inching herself forward a bit, she'd rest her head just beside the larger wolf. "I.. I'm tired.."