This Must be It [Kenren]

[Heika]

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Kenren

I hope this is a good meeting thread!

Isn't it pretty to think so?

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Brier panted as she loped through the trees, uncomfortably hot as she traveled through the unfamiliar terrain. Her pelt was meant for the freezing temperatures of the White Forest, her birthplace, and not for the much warmer lands she was currently in. Having been on the move for several days now, the heat, coupled with fatigue and hunger, was nearly enough to make her give up. She wanted a good rest. She wanted a filling meal. She wanted to go home.[break][break]

But, where was home? She had left the White Forest of her own accord because there was nothing left for her there. The pack was gone, and her family dispersed to chase their own destinies. Everyone seemed to have some plan or another for the future. Everyone, that is, except her. On her own, the large prey found in the White Forest area was near impossible for her to hunt. If she had chosen to say, she would have starved.[break][break]

So, here she was, running about in lands she had never seen before chasing a ghost from her past. It had been so long since she had last seen him — four seasons at least — and most of the memories of the time they had spent together were hazy at best. But, Brier hung on to the one detail she could remember with startling clarity. He came from Shore Woods, she reminded herself as her tongue lolled out of her mouth, panting in an attempt to cool herself down. A land far to the west, by the ocean's edge.[break][break]

Still, even though she knew that, where was the ocean? She had followed the setting sun, so she knew she was headed in the right direction. But, what if she had underestimated the vastness of the land of Somerset? Brier had run in blind, and with every step into the unknown, she was regretting that choice more and more. What if she never reached Shore Woods? What if she spent the rest of her life searching for a phantom?[break][break]

Downtrodden, Brier stopped to scent the air once more. But, this time, instead of just smelling the musky odor of the trees and greenery, she noticed the tinge of another scent in the air. It was by no means unpleasant, yet, she couldn't place it either. The scent was entirely foreign, and Brier found herself intrigued by the possibilities it presented. So, walking against the breeze, Brier padded through the woods carefully, monitoring the scent as it grew stronger. After a while, her ears pricked. She could hear distant waves, and her tail wagged ever so briefly. Waves meant water, and water meant she could have a cooling drink before moving on.[break][break]

Picking up the pace, Brier weaved through the trees, moving faster still when she saw light peeking through the tightly knit trunks. Bursting through the tree line, she narrowed her eyes against the brightly invasive burst of light, but widened them again once she took in the landscape before her. What she had assumed to be a small body of water, something definite like Crowberry Lake, had far exceeded her expectations. It never seemed to have an end, stretching from horizon to horizon as it lapped rhythmically at the sandy beach, and Brier knew. This is the ocean.[break][break]

Mesmerized, she padded to the water's edge, watching it break over the sand. Leaning in, she sniffed at the water appraisingly, and even ventured a sip. But, as soon as the foul taste filled her mouth, Brier recoiled in distaste, reminded of her task at hand. As amazing as it was, the ocean wasn't going to provide her any means of survival.

ulla

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[Kenren]

joker er rai.

Sometimes beauty could be taken for granted when it was as commonplace as leaves in the forest. The shallow blue-green of the water, the gentle sound of crashing on the shore, the sparkle of light on the waves... all of it faded into the background when it was seen every day, for years, as only another peace of landscape. To be honest, Joker hardly even gave the beach more than a glance per day - the crossing from Sharktooth had been absolutely silent of late, and he was much more concerned with those that traversed into the woods rather than those that walked on the sands. But even that had been dull lately, with no one in or out for some time. To put it all quite simply, Joker was bored.

It was with a sigh that he stepped out of the shaded shelter of the trees and walked out onto the sand, paws splaying over the warm surface. The sun was nearly blinding off the water, but even then he could see the dark movement in the distance that signaled the presence of dolphins. Joker couldn't help a grimace of distaste from crossing his expression - they might be the nicer of the aquatic creatures, but that didn't mean he ever wanted to get close to one. He'd seen the damage that the inhabitants of the water could cause, evidence both in stories passed down over generations and in the injured he'd seen with his own eyes, battered bodies dead or alive washed up on his shores. He had made the crossing himself but once, and he wasn't eager to ever do it again, for all that Sharktooth had been its own little paradise. It simply wasn't worth the journey. It was part of his legacy to feel that way, really, as it was the traditional duty of his pack to warn those attempting to make the crossing of its dangers. Even if he wasn't one for tradition, he still couldn't keep his opinions quiet when speaking to the foolhardy.

Pawing idly at the sand, walking aimlessly down the beach, Joker missed at first when another wolf made their way out to the water. When he did turn around and saw the figure a bit in the distance, he half-smiled with chagrin. 'Yes, spot-on form, Jory,' he thought. Ah, well. Ever the social creature, Joker was already on his way over to the wolf when he realized there was a reason for the niggling feeling of recognition at the back of his mind. "No way," he breathed, a bright smile forming on his lips. He jogged the last few steps to her, laughing out loud when he got a good look. "Gods, Brier. It's been too long." He never even stopped to wonder why she was there. He remembered her with too much fondness to let such questions come to mind too quickly.

Heika

by neverland of adoxgraphy 2.0.

[Heika]

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Kenren

Isn't it pretty to think so?

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Too lost in thought, Brier hadn't noticed the other wolf approaching her until he had spoken. Whirling around, the fur along her spine stood on end as her lips pulled back in the beginning of a warning growl. This was unfamiliar territory, after all, and she had no idea what kinds of wolves or other enemies lurked in the shadows. But, as soon as she got a good look at the other wolf, all of Brier's defenses came crashing down.[break][break]

"Jory," she murmured, eyes wide in disbelief. Even though she had traveled so far looking for him, even though she had bet everything on possibly finding him again, she would have been lying if she had high hopes for a reunion. Somerset was a vast continent, and they were just two wolves in the middle of it. The fact that they had managed to stumble upon each other again, with no real information about where the other was, defied logic.[break][break]

Brier didn't mind the situation being a little unbelievable this time.[break][break]

Stepping closer to him, Brier closed her eyes and laid her ears flat against her head tiredly. It was an unusual show of vulnerability, and defied everything Brier's parents had taught her about survival. But, she decided that, for now, she didn't care. In this moment, she was able to forget about everything — her hunger, her exhaustion, the heat, the ocean, everything — because, finally, she had found some semblance of normalcy in the shape of a wolf from so long ago.[break][break]

"It has been a while," she admitted, looking up at Jory after she had collected herself. "I'm just glad I found you. The path from the White Forest to here has been nothing short of arduous."

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[Kenren]

joker er rai.

He couldn't help the pleased hum of affirmation when she said his name - the name hardly anyone knew, anymore, or frankly remembered he had. Funny, that - how there were more out in the whole of Somerset that knew his birth name than those who were the closest to him. This female was one of them - her voice, her eyes when they met his. It was her, standing against a backdrop of ocean - something he'd frankly never imagined. She looked the same - at least, for the most part. He was no mind reader, but it was easy to read the lines of weariness in her body, the shakiness of a sighed exhalation. A weary bird, hardly able to lift her wings after a long flight. She betrayed herself only with small signs, but he knew her just well enough to see it. He stayed quiet for the moment, taking the chance to study her after all that time while her eyes were cast down and less likely to notice it. Not that he would have minded... but she wasn't like him, had never been like him. More reserved, more serious. And yet he'd been drawn to her back then. Her mind, and perhaps even that sense of dignity that was so beyond his own.

When she did speak again, he gave her a lopsided grin, only partially hiding his surprise. "Found me, Brier? Why travel so far to... did something happen?" That would explain, at least, why she had traveled so far, and likely at speed. His grin twitched a bit downward. He knew from his inspection that she didn't seem injured. He didn't think she had any family, but really he didn't know much about her at all. "Unless you're looking to take a trip to the Island..." he mused aloud, gaze turning to gaze across the water. At the shallow path between the larger land masses, dotted by smaller islands - only the first of which being visible from his shore. He rather hoped that wasn't the case, but he'd only be able to warn her like he had all the rest.

Heika

by neverland of adoxgraphy 2.0.

[Heika]

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Kenren

Isn't it pretty to think so?

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Did something happen? Brier thought to herself with an almost cynical tone. Of course it did; the pack had crumbled and faded away. The scent markings outlining the territory had disappeared with the melting snow, along with any other signs that a pack had once considered the area home. But, at the same time, nothing cataclysmic had occurred to trigger this change. It had happened seemingly overnight; the group of wolves she had once considered her family just trickled away until she was the only one left. And then, instead of questioning that twist of fate, she had moved on as well.[break][break]

But, worrying about that now helped no one. Brier had no idea where her old friends were, and could not assist them in any case. So, pulling her mind back to the present, she admitted, "My pack is gone. I don't know where or why, but they're gone and I... I have nowhere else to go."[break][break]

Looking Jory over, she noted how he had grown. When they had first met, they were much closer in stature. But, now, after so long, he had grown to be taller than her. No matter how slight the change, Brier wouldn't have missed how she had to tip her head back just the slightest to meet his gaze. More importantly, however, she was glad that he seemed to be doing well. The cleanliness of his fur and his general health suggested that he had found somewhere to settle, and wasn't moving as a loner like she was.[break][break]

Shaking her head, Brier added, "I don't know what the Island is, but I'm not interested in traveling any more. I just..." She paused for a moment, suddenly acutely aware of what she was doing. Jory was a wolf she barely knew. He was friendly, sure, but how much of that was a ruse? And, if he truly turned out to be untrustworthy, could she defend herself against him in her current bedraggled state? The thought was enough to make her balk and take a few steps back. But, before she could convince herself to leave — even being alone was safer than venturing into a lion's den — Brier reflected upon what had pulled her out here in the first place. When she had first met him, all those months ago, there was something about him that piqued her interest. At first, she had thought it was the fact that he was a foreigner, but as she continued to spend time with him, she knew that it was something more than that. Perhaps it was how starkly contrasting their personalities were, or maybe it was because of how she could tell that under his amiable exterior lied depths of complexity she couldn't even fathom understanding. Regardless, whatever the reason, some instinct had deemed him reliable back then, so she would consider him the same way now. Emboldened by her decision, Brier said, "I'm looking for shelter. Can you help me find one?"

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[Kenren]

joker er rai.

As she spoke, Joker grimaced inwardly at his callousness. Truly, he'd just wished to know if she was... was in trouble, or something like that. But obviously it wasn't so acute a problem. Something much more chronic, leading her thick coat to dull and, he suspected, her bones to stand more starkly beneath that furred camouflage. "I'm sorry, Brier. That's not... it wasn't my place to ask." For he was not, and never would be, one to enjoy dredging up a hard past - never to pry, not if the information wasn't offered freely. Even his natural curiosity could be well satisfied with the present.

Her last words, at least, offered him a bit of redemption. He felt almost a bit sheepish, or embarrassed even, when he said: "I have a place." He paused. It was the simplest thing, or should have been, to just tell her this was his land. His pack, a safe place for her and anyone else who sought it. But it was incredibly more difficult than it should have been. She had met him as a vagabond, a lone wanderer like any other. As simple as he wished in his heart to be. Not the heir to a pack that had existed for hundreds of year, humble though its current might was. But blast it all, he couldn't just beat around the bush. Clearing his throat, he looked out across the water again. "Welcome to Shore Woods, Brier. Land of my father, and his father, and so on." He looked back to her with a small smile, gesturing with his head for her to follow him back off of the beach and into the waiting trees. It would get them out of the sun, and if it also gave him an excuse to keep from seeing her expression, it was by pure coincidence.

"Be welcome here. Rest, and hunt, and stay for as long as you wish."

Heika

by neverland of adoxgraphy 2.0.

[Heika]

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Kenren

Isn't it pretty to think so?

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When he apologized, Brier only shook her head and took a deep breath. "It's fine, Jory," she responded solemnly. "You didn't know." And, he wouldn't know for a while at least. It wasn't necessarily that Brier had anything against him, but, for now, the topic was a sore spot, one that she'd much rather avoid than aggravate any further.[break][break]

Listening closely, she felt her chest swell with hope when Jory mentioned that he knew somewhere for her. She could rest her weary paws, nurse her achy joints, fill her complaining stomach, and sleep her weakness away. In fact, she was so excited at first that she nearly missed the implication of his next statement. This land belonged to his father...? Then, that means...[break][break]

Brier's eyes widened awareness.[break][break]

She, honestly, didn't know what she had expected from Jory. But, whatever it was, it wasn't this. Jory was... a wanderer. He was a free spirit when they had first met, just making his way through Somerset at his own pace, going wherever the wind took him. To think that he was the son of a pack alpha was... unbelievable. As he turned away from her, Brier stared at him so intently it seemed as though she were trying to look past his barriers of fur, flesh, and bone, and into his very soul.[break][break]

She had thought that maybe he would know someplace for her to hunker down for the night, that he might even offer her a quick snack. But, ultimately, she thought he'd send her on her way. There was, after all, no reason to keep her around or aid her in any way. He didn't owe her anything. But, for some reason, Brier also knew that Jory wasn't that kind of wolf. He wouldn't turn away someone in need, that was the feeling she got from him. And, maybe, that was also the reason why she had come so far despite expecting so little.[break][break]

"T-Thank you," Brier stuttered when she suddenly remembered that she had yet to respond to his kind offer. "I will be forever in your debt." Getting to her feet, she moved to follow him, stumbling once when her exhausted muscles protested. However, she got her legs under control, shaking her head to clear it before padding to Jory's side. Joining him under the cover of the trees, she ventured to say, "As long as I'm here, I'll pull my own weight. Tell me what to do, and I will do it. Then, once I'm strong enough, I'll be gone and out of your way. Don't worry, I won't be a burden. I won't have you regret this."

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[Kenren]

joker er rai.

Joker paused when she spoke, ignoring her small signs of weariness as he instinctively knew she would appreciate - she was too proud to appreciate mention of it, not when it wasn't critical. As he'd thought he would, he felt incredibly embarrassed, though most wouldn't find being an alpha something to be ashamed of. Of course, Joker wasn't most. He looked over as she drew alongside, then continued slowly into the quiet part of the woods where the tree roots grew thick and the undergrowth provided both bedding and shelter. "I'm not offering you a place because I want anything in return," he said after a moment of thought, picking his way around a bramble bush. "Not," he continued, moving slowly down a small incline, "that I don't think you can or will. Just... there is no debt to be paid, really." Finally he stopped at his destination. It wasn't where the main pack bedded down, it was a little away. A good, quiet place to rest.

"No one will bother you here. Rest as long as you like, and when you wake up you can come find me. I'll have something for you to eat. A welcome present," he assured, because she probably wouldn't like to think it was charity. It wasn't, after all - it was just being part of a pack. He gave her a small smile, backing away one step, and then two. "If you'd like, we can talk duties and such then. I'd like you to feel at home here, even if you don't want to stay long." He said it with a grin, so she would know he teased. So she would know it would be her choice if she left, not something he pushed on her.

Heika

by neverland of adoxgraphy 2.0.

[Heika]

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[attr="class","fromyou1"]
Kenren

Notes

Isn't it pretty to think so?

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If Brier had been in better condition, she may have noticed Jory's little ticks and picked up on his feelings of discomfort. But, as it was, she was practically asleep on her feet, and merely dedicated her focus to navigating the forest and the tricky webs of tangled roots underfoot, especially when the undergrowth grew thicker and thicker the deeper into the woods they traveled.[break][break]

"You're too kind," Brier mumbled under her breath, just loud enough for herself to hear, when Jory explained that he had no ulterior motives. She's heard of alphas who would take advantage of every wolf they could, even those in their own packs. They would live as tyrants until someone unseated them for good. There were also those who were fair enough, but required an eye for an eye in everything; Brier believed herself to be part of that category. But, then again, she and Jory weren't exactly all that similar. And, if she was honest, it made her strangely happy to know that he was so compassionate.[break][break]

When they reached their destination, Brier wanted to do nothing more than to sleep until she couldn't be bothered to anymore, then wake up and sleep again. And, in spite of her exhaustion, she noticed the surrounding silence gratefully; she wasn't sure she could fall asleep if she was in the presence of a pack of strange wolves. As Jory addressed her, however, she forced herself to remain alert and gave him her undivided attention. When he mentioned leaving, Brier breathed in slowly, memorizing his scent so that she could track him later. Even though he had promised her protection within his lands, Brier didn't feel too comfortable with the idea of wandering around the area blind.[break][break]

Offering him a faint smile of her own — the first of which she had expressed in a long while — Brier replied, "Thank you, again. I'll be looking forward to that present."[break][break]

Although she made no comment on how soon she planned to leave, it was that thought that remained in her mind as she circled a patch of springy grass, preparing to sleep. It would be in her best interests to move on when she could; there was no reason for her to stay here, and, if she returned to the White Forest, then perhaps she could find some of the wolves of her old pack — she could return to her true home. Yet, at the same time, as she curled up tightly and closed her eyes, Brier couldn't help but think to herself that Shore Woods wasn't that bad. Sure, it was a little warmer than she was used to, but the wintry temperatures of the White Forest were more deadly than helpful. Also, there was no ocean near the White Forest. And no Jory either, Brier thought to herself, more as an afterthought than anything. After all, she couldn't base her future off a wolf she barely knew.

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