Heartleaf Creek the next chapter

She had thought she hated this place. After all she had left it. Escaped. But despite the distance her hurt and wants had not eased. Nothing had yet to fill those holes. (Aches of different kinds.) As her eyes traced over the sharp face of the mountain a sad smirk twisted her lips. She ought to be on the other side, but this was as close as she wanted to be. She could not bring herself to go back to her birthplace just yet. She was all about the baby steps. Seeing what was here. It’d be easier to change her mind that way. Besides she was not sure how badly she wanted to be tested in this snow. She was already pushing her luck being on her own. She'd not tempt fate much more.

Following the meandering of the creek, she was mindful of the world around her. She wasn't familiar with this side of the lore, but she was always on guard. A habit she couldn't quit. As she came across a large, broken path, she took it to the creek itself. She made a quick check, and then took a drink. Contemplating her next move. Food would be ideal. It was weird there were so many game trails but she'd yet to come across one of her kind. Something she wanted to brush aside, but knew better not to.

Chan didn't plan on staying off the mountain for long, but he needed to know what the other forests looked like. Did they hold the packs he'd been told about, or were they cleared of canine life as well? If anyone remained, he'd at least, hopefully, be able to get some answers about what happened and where his mother and god father were. He wouldn't be gone for long, determined to stay with Nash and as best he could fill the hole their father's death had left.

The further he traveled, however, the less hope he retained, until at last just as he was about to turn around, something crossed into his awareness. A wolfish scent, a sign of life. Chan beelined for its source. Caution only entered his movements when the other came into view, a dark black swath of fur amongst blue ice and white snow. He slowed to a stop at a distance, respectful of the stranger's space.

"Hello?"

CHAN EASTFALL

With so many trails she could likely find one animal that had something wrong with it. But unless it was hurt pretty bad there was little she could do on her own. She'd have to hunt harder, smaller game, or hope to find something already dead. The life of a scavenger did not suit her, but there were worse ways to survive she knew that too well.

Following the trail back where she'd come, was when she realized she wasn't alone. The hair along her spine spiked, as her eyes zoned in on the loner. She held back a growl since he had been nice enough to announce himself, but she didn't quite soften. Unsure about quite a few things. Another wolf wasn't all bad, and it might be in her favor to simply play nice. When she went to answer in turn no sound left her lips. She'd seen those eyes before. How many years had passed since then? She could not remember. "Chan?" It was clear she wasn't certain, but she moved closer trying to match the face of the past with the one in front of her. Had he moved over here with his family? She hadn't known if the fire had gotten to them.

The wolf turned and looked upon him with eyes that could barely be called blue, and her name stirred within his memory. Chan's ears lifted, gaze searching for a confirmation. She gave it when she spoke his name. A grin broke across his muzzle and he bounded toward her, overjoyed to be so lucky as to run into another familiar face from before.

"Lila!"

They had only crossed paths a scant few times, but she was considered a friend nonetheless. If anything, maybe she could give him answers about what happened, but he was also happy to see that someone else he had cared about was alive. He stopped with a few yards still between them, not so eager as to throw himself right into her bubble. Mismatched eyes looked her over, catching glimpses of the yearling he'd known within the curves and angles of a grown woman.

"Ha, man you're a sight for sore eyes."

He needed this pick-me-up after finding out about his father. Hopefully anything she had to say wouldn't spoil things (like 'sorry Chan, I literally watched coyotes eat your entire family and that's why everyone is gone').

CHAN EASTFALL

He was no longer an adolescent, and she was even more aware of that as he came closer. But she placed a smile on, relieved that of all the wolves to come across it was him. There was still that softness to him. After all he could have been a jerk for that time she literally ran right into him, but he hadn't. Not in the slightest. Had the world not broken him? Or was he much stronger?

"Nice to see you too," she answered truthfully, closing the distance between them. Her hair was no longer ruffled, and she hoped he could see his presence was a nice surprise. She wasn't gonna entirely beat around the bush. "But I'm worried what your eyes have seen, if you're so relieved to see me." She had a bit of a sheepish smile, that uncertainty evident. This wasn't his home, but surely he must live around here somewhere? Or had he moved on like her just to come back?

She'd never quite known a lot about him. They'd both lived on the other side of the mountain. He had been looking for his siblings the last time they'd met. That's right, because that's when her own would have been small and she imagined how she'd feel if they had went missing. It brought back the memory of charred earth, she forcefully shoved back. She wanted to ask him about his own family, and yet she did not want to know. He looked all right, like he wasn't starving or had been hurt. But pain and scars weren't just on the skin. Maybe he'd just been wandering over here and nobody had been friendly. "Is this is your first time over here?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 12, 2021, 03:26 AM by Lila.)

Noticing that she didn't appear to mind his proximity, Chan helped in eliminating those last few steps between them. Her smile affected his, initially deepening the expression across his muzzle as he realized it was his first time seeing Lila do so. She had grown to be beautiful.

He would've moved in to knock his forehead against hers amiably, a common greeting of Chan's, but she was speaking and instead the man grimaced along with his company, ears dipping slightly downward, as she hit the nail on the head. Did the astute observation come from similarly unfortunate experiences? He hoped not, but he knew her old pack to be vanished as well, and that very much did not bode well. Unless... had they relocated to this side of the mountain? She didn't smell of others, though.

"I think it is," he answered, "wishin' otherwise right now. I don't even know who all's supposed to be livin' over here."

There had been a pack in the Willows, and Roland had said there was a pack just north of that one that had attacked him, but that was about it for Chan's knowledge of the West; fairly pitiful, really.

"What the hell happened to everyone?"

It was clear in his bright eyes, even as his brows pressed together, that he hoped she had some answers.

CHAN EASTFALL

(This post was last modified: Jan 14, 2021, 07:21 PM by Chan.)

Leave it to her to put a damper on things. She wished she could have answered differently but she barely felt like she had control over her own life, let alone anything else.

"Me too" she replied, a sigh of frustration followed. She wished she'd come this way long before this. She'd just never really had a reason to. Why it was a bit disappointing they were in the same boat, it was better than where she'd been a few seconds ago. Thinking about finding a decaying carcass to eat, and searching for packs on her own who might look down their nose at her. Though when she began analyzing their chances together she wasn't really sure about that either. What would the two of them do any way? Get to know each other and try to stay alive? Hope that whatever happened didn't get them too? Maybe there were still some pack that would let two loners join them in the winter? She hadn't noticed anyone coyote trails, but that didn't mean much. It could be something worse.

She took a breath in, and tried to keep her composure at his befuddled expression. She could see he wanted assurance from her, but she had so little to give. "No idea, I was thinking maybe it was a fluke there are so many prey trails near the creek. But you haven't seen any other wolves either?" Of all times to come back and have the same uncertainty linger, but she knew she wasn't about to go back from whence she came. No, she'd just figure out another plan of action like she always did. Just one thing at a time. Nothing stayed the same, that was for certain.

"I haven't been here long, just a few days. I'm hoping there's someone over here who could tell us something. I use to know some other pups who had moved over here with their parents when I was young." She really did not want to think about the Tainn or Coho families. But the truth was she didn't want to think about the past period.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2021, 03:18 AM by Lila.)

No idea she told him, but despite his optimism he knew this had been her likely answer. Rather than appear crestfallen, he took the information - or lack thereof - in stride. Her own question earned a shake of his head 'no.' Nash and the Vuesain siblings didn't count given the context; they had only just returned as well. Chan's ears lifted as Lila said she too had been absent from the Lore.

"You left too, huh?" he asked, before focusing on the tenuous lead; "Any idea where they ended up? There's gotta be someone, it's too weird that everybody's just gone without a trace."

Chan knew of natural disasters, but they left marks upon the land. Disease had a heavy scent, and wouldn't invaders still remain rather than clearing the forests just to move on? Chan wanted answers, not just for his own peace of mind but to know that it wasn't folly to settle here so soon after whatever cataclysmic event eliminated the wolves of Relic Lore. He had to keep Nash safe.

CHAN EASTFALL

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2021, 06:01 PM by Chan.)

At least he seemed to realize why she wished she had answers, she had as much idea as he. She was caught off guard by his question, as it made her feel guilty about it all over again. "Yes," she responded a little less loudly than her other tone. Thinking, or more wishing she could let a thing or two go. But with a thoughtful face, she tried to think where over here the Tainns had been going. But she really couldn't remember if she'd even known. After they had left no one wanted to talk about them, and she hadn't pushed the issue cause it had made her mad and sad as well.

"Nope. I don't think I ever knew for sure." With her ears pressed to her head, she nodded in agreement about the someone, though continued racking her brain for answers. But, other than imaging the worse again it didn't do her much good. "So is that what you're trying to do too? Figure out what packs are here for sure and what might have happened to the others?" It went without saying that his original pack just like hers was gone or she guessed he'd be there now. He'd probably know a hell of a lot more than she did. She knew what had happened to hers, or at least she believed she did.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2021, 09:06 PM by Lila.)

Ah, well there went that idea. Chan pressed an earnest smile back upon his dark lips regardless, however, wanting to silently assure Lila that it was alright she didn't have any answers for him. It certainly wasn't her burden, and he had already faced and accepted the possibility that he might never know what became of the rest of his loved ones. At least he had some family still alive and present.

"Yeah. Me and my brother are stayin' up on the mountain, but who knows if that's even smart," he answered, the rest of his concerns evident without being spoken aloud and therefor left unsaid.

"You uh, do you know that the other side of the mountain is empty too... ?"

It only just occurred to him that she was possibly coming home from the opposite direction as him, directly headed toward the same awful experience of returning to an abandoned den site. Concern began to creep into his features once more. He didn't know that the Bend had been the first pack to fall to natural disaster, and with Lila in it.

CHAN EASTFALL