Renewal of Hope

[Draeg]

The sun rose steadily over the horizon spreading its warm light across the land as the earth completed it’s ritualistic rotation around the fiery sphere. Far below in the realm of the ignorant and hapless creatures that inhabited the world life stirred as two figures made their way quickly through the remaining vestiges of wilderness of Romania, moving swiftly through the seemingly infinite number of trees that lined the forest like water in the ocean. Save for the occasional song of the early bird the only audible sound was the snapping of twigs and dried vegetation beneath padded feet, however it was enough to silence any who might be listening. For there were few lera that would stand up to the might and ferocity of a wolf, let alone two.

They moved with an unnatural grace and beauty but at the same time with purpose and vigor, padding one after the other in the traditional single file line that their species had adopted, pausing every now and then to scent the air and study their surroundings as though to make sure that they were still following the intended path they had chosen before setting off again, growing more anxious with each step as their excitement mounted with each passing moment as they drew ever nearer to the end of their journey. Eventually they stopped, having exited the forest and come upon the entrance to the familiar meadows that marked the boundary line of Ge-Rad, a meadow dwelling pack known for it‘s repudiated hunting skills and vast numbers.

The first, although a great deal leaner than his companion, was clearly the elder of the two, he carried himself in dominant fashion, holding his exceedingly long, bushy tassel high in the air like furry banner, his body was covered with thick amber fur that shone a fiery red in warm light of the rising sun and numerous scars laced his sinewy frame though a vast majority of them lay hidden beneath his lustrous pelt, like his pelt the mighty dragga’s eyes were a piercing amber that seemed to burn with the joy and exhilaration of an unspoken triumph as he silently stared out into the familiar packlands that lay before him. The once golden fields had altered in appearance with the arrival of spring, adopting a lighter, more natural hue thanks to the life giving rays of the sun and fairness of the season. All around the lera were just rousing from their nights slumber and emerging from their dens to greet the new day, some for the first time…others for the last. Nearly three moons had past since Draeg had crossed beyond the invisible borderline that marked the edge of his home, leaving behind everything he knew and loved in ordered to start his journey and begin his mission. It seemed like only yesterday he had set out on his journey and from the look of it not much had changed during his absence however the amber wolf knew better, the stench of doubt and depression that hung in the air along with his memories told him otherwise. Whether for better or worse things had changed during the pair’s absence.

Letting out a heavy sigh the elder varg turned his head and look back over at his companion, taking a brief moment to study him carefully before even considering their next move. Whereas the amber dragga was busy working on his fourth year on the material plane it was clear that the latter wolf was a great deal younger than his companion, anyone taking the time to study him probably could’ve guessed him to be about midway through his first year of life putting him somewhere in his mid-adolescent stage, like his companion an air of authority seemed to linger about him though oddly enough he carried himself in a somewhat more subdued manner than one might expect, his left ear bore a slight notch from where an arrow had grazed it moons before giving him somewhat of a more roguish appearance, although only an ears length smaller than Draeg the young wolf was considerably larger in terms of bulk and it was clear that one day he would tower the elder varg, he sported a thick pelt of grizzled gray fur that hung somewhere between silver and cloudy gray though flecks of red were noticeable amidst the sea of salt and pepper coloring.

The amber varg couldn’t help but twist his muzzle into a crooked half grin as his eyes swept across several of the pup’s more distinguishing features, a deep feeling of pride stirring within him as he noted the slight resemblance the grizzled mann bore to him, revealing his heritage and marking him as the elders firstborn son, Kop. However his smile faded upon catching sight of his offspring’s right leg, although hardly noticeable now the limb still bore an angry mark from where it had been pierced by one of man’s cruel and deadliest implements, the crude weapon had easily plowed through the thick fur and punctured the soft flesh that lay beneath, slicing through muscle and severing tendons, despite the fact that the wound had been treated it had refused to heal properly which had left Kop with a noticeable limp. Letting out a soft whine the amber varg couldn’t help but continue eying the old wound, only stopping upon realizing that Kop was watching him through cool gray eyes, so similar to the femme that had sired him that Draeg couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing.

Pinning his ears shamefully at having been caught worrying the amber veteran turned to meet his son’s gaze only to find the gray wolf watching him through hooded eyes, a sad smile set onto his muzzle as he shook his head at his fathers shame before padding over to him and bumping his head against his sire’s chest affectionately. It was obvious that he still occasionally thought about his newly acquired handicap however it seemed that the crippled dragga had come to terms with exactly what had happened to him a long time ago and decided not to let it interfere with his life or linger on the past, his injuries had been received for the sake of another so there was no reason for him to be shamed by the mutilation of his grace. Smiling warmly the elder varg returned the gesture wholeheartedly, rubbing the side of his head fondly against his son’s shoulder before giving him a playful shove.

That done both dragga returned their attention to the sight that lay before them, a stream of emotion washing over them as they stared out over the familiar meadows where they had made their home and built so many memories. Some cruel and painful while others filled both varg with an overwhelming feeling of hope and joy. For a moment they just stood there, taking it all in, finally the realization that their journey had finally come to an end seemed to sink in and both father and son threw their heads back in a joyous howl that boomed out across the mid-morning sky. With a gleeful yip and a wild bark the pair shot off into the meadow, eager to return to the ones they had left behind and see just how much they had missed in the passing moons. They were home.

((Alright, my first post in three months -howls- well this just to let you all know that I'm still around(though you probably all know that by now). A little heads up though, I'll probably only be able to post about once a week (twice if I'm lucky) Either way, its' good to be back )

[Koan]

A faint, unmistakeable stirring began in his chest today. It was strange, that after so long, so much solitude, so little of him to speak, so little to say, in fact, that Koan should feel any urge to move. It seemed to him these days that the only life he ever saw was that which was quickly ended betwixt his fangs. It saddened him, more deeply then he even knew. His body knew though, and so it had cut back, slowed his hunger, taking off the sword edge that had once been so honed in this wolf. He was more like what he had oncve been then the strong, wiry warrior he had become. A bit more timid, a great deal more quiet, a great deal more alone.

But Koan wasn't sure if he was merely ment to be this way. He knew he had been absent for a good stretch of time... but he hadn't felt as though time would wrench everything from him and scatter it, making everything strange, unfamilier and unsafe. He no longer felt quite as home as he had when he had first settled here; perhaps because he wasn't truely settled. His mind still wandered, seeking in dreams and ramblings the comfort the very presence of his father brought to the air, and the youthful, enthusastic energy of his brother. He felt like he had become an addict; so common they had been that his need for them was hardly noticable until they suddenly upped and disappeared, their presence like a few faint, barely remembered notes of wolfsong, leaving only a painful loneliness and desolation. It had struck them all hard, but perhaps he and Cwen worst of all. Cwen at least had remained, not shirked her duties as a mate and a mother, and most importantly, she remained in the pack. He had wandered off, moody and hurt, trying to find any trace of either sibling or sire, and failing to find both. Feeling like a cub returning after a brief fling of escapeing its parents, he had come back to Ge-rad. His son had greeted him happily, it was true, but the iron-blade wolf was more worried about his mate, who had yet to say a word of welcome to him. He feared irrepairable damage, but sighed, and bore it. He lost one mate, but he would not give up on the other without a fight.

He pricked up his ear as he heard a strange sound, one that was rarely heard since the Dragga and one of his sons had vanished, taking the vibrance of the world with them. It was the sound of happiness. A yip, a bark, growl, and familer scent wafted to his nose and his ears, taunting them, as if delibarately mocking his thoughts and hopes. He could not believe based on phantoms of scent and haunted strains of sound. He headed towards them, and his amber eyes thawed from the entrapping stone, to the sweet, warm, orange-gold color of fresh amber. He smiled, and shook his head. For once, it wasn't a dream, and before he could stop himself, he flung himself from the bushes, tearing towards his father, panting madly, and smiling the whole while, his lean, scarred body like a wave of quicksilver over the land.

[orin]

The day was a slightly chilled one, but the cold was slowly ceding into the shadows where some frost and rare patched of snow huddled. Within a pool of darkness, where Fenris's rays keep not penetrate through the granite and trees a she-wolf sat.

She was silent, as if trying to appear invisible to the world. Maybe she was. Her black pelt camouflaged her, the only hing truly visible were her dark amethyst eyes that followed every movement that interested her. The past days had found her such states much of the time, her mind was growing farther away from the real world. Avoiding others became a hobby, so now she slept in the day. Haunting the quiet nights. Why? She didn't know, couldn't tell.
Sighing, her breath rising into the air the black fae laid down. Resting her head across her paws and eyelids slipping shut. Soon she was lost in a dreamless slumber.

~X~X~X~

The howl was distant and faint. So familiar.
'Who's there?'
She called, her voice echoing in the serene black that veiled her like a haze. That voice, that voice! It striked some memory, so far.
'Dreag!? Dreag is that you?'
A dream, it had to be a dream. The dragga had left some time ago. Could he be back.
It must be a dream...

The call was real. Amaya opened her eyes, lifting her head to catch the howl. Without thinking she got to her paws. Run. Running. The scent seemed like a fantasy, but the amber figure that suddenly vaporized into the Ge-Rad woods was no vision. Amaya froze. What to do? She saw Koan was there already, slowly she approached, almost cautiously. Head lowered now. IT was him. And Kop, his son was there to!

"Dreag..." She murmured. "You. You are back."

[Shakó]

Steady, the white and visibly growing silver male walked the scent line of his known land. His large silver paws crunched the earth beneath them, as his pink tongue lolled out of his silver maw. The silver marks around his face, that dripped down his neck to his chest, underbelly and below were now fading back, along with spring. A time of peace, per say? Maybe. The winds changed so frequently now a days.
But for now, the male would walk the pack’s boarder, looking for any signs of an intruder. For moons, this was how his days went, as his mind often slipped from reality. The presence that never failed to warm his heart was yet to appear, or maybe he was just missing her? It wouldn’t be the first time his nose failed to catch a scent. Oh, how he wished to looking into the blue green pools of the one he loves, his mate, Yelae. It had been moons since she had last seen her, and a day didn’t go by when he wondered where she went, or what she was doing. But perhaps it was good to have their space? Shakó shook his head in disbelief of what he had just thought. No, never. Not for this long. Another guilt bubble was felt in his stomach, he hadn’t exactly gone looking for her. He had other worries on his mind. But that wasn’t an excuse, was it? No.

Still, ever since his long lost sister showed, he hadn’t been the same. And when Sarnes had breached the boarders, the skinny black fae not long behind them, it cut him even deeper. He didn’t want to believe them, his amber Dragga nor the cobalt hybrid, that she had changed. But fact was, she had, for the worst. He couldn’t imagine it, the once playful little black Varg, had grown into something worse than death it’s self. It killed him, to admit the fact that he could no longer trust her.

But something grew instead, a more overwhelming feeling to protect. That’s why, day be day, the silver and white beta mann walked the pack’s boarder lines. He had recently been ignoring the pack’s status inside, for they knew if they needed him, all’s they had to do was call. By the absence of their Dragga and his son, the pack became isolated and quiet. Their Drappa, Cwen, was the most broken of all. His twisted mind had become full of worry, one would say. She became quiet, due to the absence of her mate and son; and to the death of her recent litter. It was said that only one survived, but who knew where the whelping was now, or even if it was alive.

Their was so much sorrow, even from his heart sister, Lydair. Her mate, Koan, had left several moons ago, and returned only recently. But if the gray male was to stay, for his mate or cubs? That was another thing. He hated to see the brilliant hybrid so quiet, it almost scarred him. Remembering past events, Shakó didn’t even know if she forgave him. He caused so much pain, it was unbearable. Shakó didn’t know if he would ever be able to look the hybrid in the eyes, or ever see her smile with his presence again.

Shakó’s mind stopped in mid thought, as his silver paws halted in synchronization. White and silver auds swiveled to catch any sign of movement, as his dulling gold eyes scanned the area in front of him. Their were two track marks, left imprinted among the ground. One, rather large and strolled with perfect movement; the other was smaller, and looked like it was hurt. Their was no doubt in his mind what made the tracks, other Vargs. Shakó wondered desperately if the two had given a call, or even asked Tratto’s Blessing. His mind seemed so lost in thought at this point, that anything was possible. Franticly, Shakó scanned the area with this nose almost pressed against the cold ground, trying to catch a scent. It seemed- familiar, yet distant. Yet, he wasn’t able to pick up on the direct odor. But the tracks seemed to be rather fresh, so the boarders weren’t breeched too long ago. With an angry snarl to himself, the white and silver male darted across the lands, his auds on the intruders’ pawsteps.

What Shakó didn’t predict, however, was the gold fur that snacked his own gold eyes. He recognized the gold pelt, along with the swirled cream brown silver coat not to far behind him. He recognized them immediately, as Draeg and Kop. Shakó wasn’t the only one to see the two males, either. A frail, dull gray male also seemed to notice their Dragga’s return. It was Koan, another of Draeg’s son. Shakó hadn’t noticed how weakened his condition had become. Then again, he never exactly made it a point to see Koan first hand. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for the male, but that the mann never seemed to care for him. Shakó sighed, some scars seemed to run too deep; even if he nor his blood wasn’t directly involved with his past.
Now, a black figure caught his eyes. It was Amaya, and oh how much she had grown. A full adult now, Amaya had indeed become one of the more eye catching female, Shakó had to admit. He remember when she was just a little cub, who had got herself into some nasty business. Now, not only has she healed, but no doubly became more wiser. She was a warrior now, able to fight almost anything.

Shakó waited for a couple moments, before approaching himself. Indeed, he was happy the great Dragga was but he wanted to keep his distance, for some reason. Perhaps, not to intrude on Koan and Draeg. He padded several tail lengths behind Koan, close enough so the two could see him, and lowered his white head respectfully. Lifting his head back up, Shakó let a grin and his white tail flick, showing his appreciation for their return; along with showing them they weren’t forgotten, but missed.

[Uskiya]

There seemed to be a strring in Ge-rad once again. Something that the gray fae found electrfing . She knew too well that her Dragga had been gone for what seemed forever. And now it seemed perhaps...though she could've been dreaming . That he might have returned.

Uskiya left her post as watching the grass grow and trotted off in the direction of a faint howl. Though she barely heard it it sounded familar to her auds. Her paws picked up speed as she felt a growing excitement, it was as if she knew already that Draeg had returned. Quickly she darted through the terra, snaking her way through the trees as if there was some sort of enemy riding her heels. "Could it be you." Her breath was short.

She halted quickly, the scent of her pack mates lingered, they were gathering. her nose scented the air and she picked up on a scent that to her was warming. It was true then. Her dragga had returned! Quickly she trotted towards the voices. She could make out Draeg, Shako, Amaya, Koan and Draeg's lost son. It seemed almost impossible that every hting seemed to be fiting in so well. But there was probably more to come for the pack of Ge-rad.

Slowly Uskiya walked from the cover she had been. Her tail wagged at the sign of her dragga and she dipped her head in greeting and respect. Though she said little, the nurse felt relieved that Ge-rad had it's dragga back once again.

(((sorry, I've been wrtng research papers and I'm dead)))

[Yelæ]

"Shako..." a faint murmur was upon her lips as the Sikla of Ge-Rad stood in the distance, watching as the group of Vargs came 'round to greet their Dragga and his long lost son. Something within her wanted her to cry out in happiness and rush towards her mate, but something held her back. It was not the fact that she had lost her love for him the past moons, oh no, it was definately not that. Her heart pined for him everyday, causing her to grow frail and meek. She wanted to wash herself in his warmth and rub her neck against his own, 'til they were nothing more than a white-and-silver mass of longing, a want for neither of them to be apart. However, it was the mere fact of the question, Does he still love me...though I am the Sikla? After becoming the lowest rank of the pack, she had wondered if her Beta mate was disgraced by this fact, and thus she avoided him out of fear for that fact.

But she couldn't stay away from him any longer...

Life had been torment the past winter, and she was grateful that springtime had granted them its warmth. It filled her with hope, and renewal. Her sikly body was now back to its sleek self, and her saddened, almost always fretful blue-green eyes were calmer, and more gentle. Her breast was back to its bright red-orange hue after winter had caused it to dull, and she was back to her glory...but still something troubled her. The war has not started, though it loomed over them all throughout the long, painful months.

Sighing, she slowly trudges foward to greet her Dragga...and her mate.

[Lydair]

The pearly muzzle of the young she-wolf was tapered and short, a subtle characteristic of her domestic sire, and as she turned her head, her curved, white-tipped ears pricked forward and twitched, ensnaring the faint barks and yips that broke the eerie silence of the chilled spring morning- though the flaming sphere of Fenris hung placidly in the pristine sky, its rays beaming past the horizon and enveloping the renewed packlands in warmth. Though her stunning cyan eyes glittered brightly, their depths were empty and brusque of her previous zeal, yet as she padded gracefully forward, she still held herself proudly, her thick tassel arched over her slim back. Her sleek pelt was a deep cobalt in colour, with her fur thick, adding a thicker edge to her slender frame. Muscles stretched and knotted as her step quickened, and she quirked a brow, her leathery nares flaring, and searching for the origin of the ecstatic sounds. A thought blossomed in her mind and for a brief moment her heart quickened before she lunged forward, her lithe paws cycling steadily over the ground with the phantasmal speed and grace of the putnar. It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be. With the sudden loss of the Dragga and his son the pack had been thrown into turmoil and agony; with each passing day hope of their return faded yet still glistened on the horizon amongst the russet-streaked sea of waking dreams that the wolves lived in their hearts. The Beta’s beautiful silver Drappa was struck the hardest; in a stretch of two or three suns she had lost a mate and two sons. The pack stirred with unrest and paranoia had begun to run them down; intruder after intruder had felt the need to trespass on the guarded lands, for despite their losses the wolves had remained proud and strong; the borders were well defended, while Cwen did her best to be the majestic, powerful Drappa she always would be.
Lydair herself had become tense and quiet, not bothering to make severe social contact with any of her friends or family; yet with each passing sun she felt the sharp sting of emptiness fill her heart. She had not seen her cubs, her mate, her brothers, her sisters, her nieces or nephews…none of them. She relied on gossip to give her feinted ideas of their whereabouts…she had become a failure to whom she loved the most: her mate and cubs. When her beloved mate had first vanished, it was without a trace, and he had come back to them in a state of physical wreckage, it had seemed; he had disappeared again, yet this time, she had not made a move to search for him, yet she wanted nothing more than to enjoy the nights beside him, and feel his flank beside hers, and feel the tenderness in his amber gaze that she had first loved when they became mates. Her son Kaemon was not estranged from the cobalt hybrid, but she had not beheld his young face in moons, though she had learned Kaemon had been spending time with Koan, and for that Lydair was glad, though her sorrow wasn’t lessened. Her daughter Caoimhe, however, had become entirely alienated from the entirety of Ge-Rad, and her worry for the elder cub was far more suppressing- either parent hadn’t seen her since Kop’s disappearance, and it was known that it clouted the silver-and-brown dappled she-cub horribly, though Lydair felt she must have been with Cwen during some of these times, for the little cerulean-orbed cub was rather fond of her appointed grandmother. What manner of mother and mate neglected them so? Less than a moon ago, however, interfering wolves had spurred her to protect the borders beside her brother Shako, sister Uskiya, and dear friend Amaya. The three wolves were all very close to her heart, and she pined for their companionship as well. It frightened her, how sorrowful Ge-Rad had begun to look, how thin and melancholic its inhabitants seemed. Ribs pressed against pelts from lack of prey, and the winter was reflected in the eyes of the wolves- bitter, artic, frozen.

And now, perhaps, the former splendor of Ge-Rad would be restored. The pain would end; each and every one of the falling Vargs would begin to rise in morale. It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be. Each step grew harder and faster; her jowls opened to reveal black lips and a lolling tongue as she pushed forward, daring to believe that, perhaps, her Dragga and his son had returned.

Lydair stumbled onto the scene and stopped, lowering her tail and pulling her cobalt ears against her small skull. Here were the wolves she was afraid to see, was afraid to come to terms with. Tor, her entire pack was here. Koan, Amaya, Shako, Uskiya, Yelae… Koan. Blinking, discomfited, she approached him slowly, unsure of what to say. Always unsure of what to say, now. She could have looked for him, or at least had the damned courage to find him, find the others. Her azure eyes gleamed softly and she nuzzled him gently, her tail nervously wagging. One eye slid to the midnight form of the sleek warrioress Amaya, her amethyst eyes bewildering. She had grown into a beautiful femme, one that Ge-Rad could be proud of; that they would have to be proud of. She had fought beside the slim cobalt hybrid countless times, and had defended her mixed heritage. And Shako, her close heart-brother. His golden eyes were fixed ahead; he was her companion for the position of Beta and he, too, had fought and defended with and for her- yet it seemed that he was the only Varg in Ge-Rad that her gun-gray mate harbored abhorrence for. She couldn’t turn to greet him now; nor could she her sister, nor could she Yelae. Koan was before her; he mattered the most. But they were all frozen, their eyes wide. She turned, and her emotions surged. Loping towards them was her amber Dragga and father-in-law; beside him the grizzled form of Kop limped slightly slower. Stunned for a moment, she was paralyzed, before, with the others, she surged forward to greet them, a grin lighting her maw and a happy howl burst from her lungs. “Draeg!” She barked. “Kop! Thank Tor you’re both alright!” It was over, it could be over. Ge-Rad would be whole again…

[orin]

The next moments seemed to pass by quickly. First Shako came, Lead warrior and Beta of the G-rad. She lowered her head in respect to his ranks, and also as a silent thanks for being the teacher of many of her skills. The kindly nurse Uskiya then appeared from the thicket, though she spoke little her silence seemed to reach beyond words. The placid Sikla, and dearest friend Yelae materialized, yet seemed to hesitate. Finally Lydair bounded into sight. Emotions we flared with that wild excitement and heart warming relief to see the amber dragga and his son back and well. Amaya suddenly found her self looking up into the vast sky above.

Thank Fenris. Thank Tor. Thank all! Thank all that life has brought them back alive and well.
She returned her dark violet eyes back down to earth. Looking at everyone, so happy. Though there was some unease ans sorrow, most of it was drowned out by the love, the friendship, the care that now was emitting from every Varg of the Ge-Rad. Brothers and sisters they were today.
Though as her eyes were cast back to Dreag there seemed to be something different about him. There were new scars, yes, but something deeper seemed to have been effected. A deeper scar of maybe, guilt? Guilt of leaving his pack for so long. But Amaya didn't care that he might have been absent for these past months. No. Only that he was back. That was what truly mattered.

Suddenly she threw back her muzzle, thrusting it to wards the heavens and let loose a long howl. Coming form her very soul and heart. All of her feelings pouring from her lips and into the canopy, into the clouds. Pouring over the pack and its lands. Such joy, such glee to be reunited, to be family again!

[Cwen]

She was sick. Not only had the departure of both her mate Draeg and her son Kop, and the death of her last litter and only surviving son caused the twisted Drappa od Ge-Rad to decline rapidly in her mental stability, it had also had a terrible effect on her physical health. Her once strong and muscular build was now weak and the skin had grown saggy and loose around her neck and belly due to malnutrition. Grey-blue eyes that shone brightly in any light were now dull and held almost no life to them. Cwen now completely avoided her pack at all costs, too miserable to show her muzzle to them and simply too weak to even consider holding her dominance towards those who loathed her and who she too wished to tear apart. And now, she was ill.
As winter wore off and spring began, the snows were melting slowly as day by day the temperature rose. Though with the rising temperature and changing climate, so too came the rain. Cwen had caught a nasty cough and she felt as though her lung were fit to simply leap out of her throat every time she began to choke and splutter. It made her sides ache, and with her already decreasing appetite, it didn’t help now that she felt like throwing up her own stomach to cute her sickness.

On another spring morning, this time wet yet warm with the slowly rising sun, the grey Drappa pulled herself free from her secluded densite and sat sluggishly outside the entrance, yawning widely before getting up suddenly and coughing madly, her lips drawn back wide and she heaved her shoulders painfully into each lurch her body forced her to make. After several minutes of this, Cwen growled irritably and once again fell back on her haunches and began to whine pitifully, her auds pulling back with each outlet. But suddenly, some distant noise and disturbance broke her away from her own solemn whining and her head rose. A howl…two howls…both so familiar. Moons had it been since she’d heard either, and now the demented Drapa of Ge-Rad was beginning to think it was of her own imagination. But then the howls and calls of her packmates soared and her auds pressed forward, a light cough that was merely chesty rippled her lips and her back end was pulled up, pushing her forward into a gentle, curious lope.
Having to stop every now and then to cough up her guts was irritating to say the least, but eventually the once so proud Drappa broke free from the bracken that edged the forest line and slowed her pace on entering the open meadow. Coming to a halt, Cwen stared with disbelief at the sight that lay before her. Some distant light shone in her dull grey eyes and her tail twitched with interest. Not wanting to step or move any closer incase it was all just a cruel dream, she remained where she’d stopped, and stared on.

((Sorry it's taken so long >.< ))

[Kop]

Kop limped alongside his father as they made their way back into the home they had so desperately longed for since they had escaped man’s grasp and fled into the wild. He had spent his first winter incarcerated within the confines of man’s cruelty, having been captured after having been taken by surprise during his meeting with the Listern femme Renn and forced to serve as entertainment for his capturers. Renn. Kop often thought about the golden femme who had declared her love for him on the day of his capture early on during his incarceration, not knowing if whether she had escaped from man’s grasp or if she had even survived the ambush. The very thought that something might have happened to the golden fae was always enough to send Kop into a wild frenzy followed by a sorrowful long-lasting depression that would last for hours on end, it wasn’t until Draeg had found him and told him of Renn’s arrival at Ge-Rad that the grizzled youth had finally been able to let go of his grief over what had happened though his anger for what befallen him and his hatred for man and their servants still raged like the wildfire that had ravaged Ge-Rad and left nothing but desolation and ash in it’s wake so long ago during the reign of the pack’s previous alpha’s Talla and Brypaw.

Unconsciously Kop’s gaze flickered back towards his injured leg, a combination of time and Draeg’s rudimentary knowledge of the healing arts had worked wonders on the grizzled youths damaged limb however despite this Kop had still been left with a noticeable limp. Although still bitter over the knowledge that he would never again be as swift as he once was Kop bore no real resentment towards the gods for bestowing him with such a handicap nor his father for not being able to heal him completely, knowing that by the time the amber Dragga had managed to find and rescue him his leg had already been too far gone to save entirely. Cool gray eyes flickering sideways momentarily Kop stole a quick glance at his father who kept a constant pace so that he was running alongside his firstborn, when he had first seen the amber Dragga Kop had been held within a odd wooden structure, which he had learned to be some sort of manmade den or cage by listening to the hounds that resided in the pens next to his, and tethered by his neck to a large, sturdy beam to which sole purpose had been to prevent him from lunging forward and being able to reach his capturers during the few times they would venture to close to his kennel to feed him. Somehow the old varg had managed to free him and together they had fled into the wilderness and gradually made their way back to the lands of Transylvania where their pack resided. The grizzled youth had truly been surprised to even see his father at all, having not expected to see the amber Dragga or anyone else from Ge-Rad ever again.

It amazed him to know that Draeg hadn’t hesitated to cast aside his rank and status to the pack just to come after him when most others would’ve deemed the quest a lost cause, even more so he had done so despite Kop’s obvious resentment towards him and his decision to reject a magnanimous relationship with Cwen and take on another mate in the form of the tan hybrid Firefly. Even though Kop knew that he would never forgive his father for betraying Cwen and the rest of his family in such a way the gray wolf couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of shame at how coldly he had acted towards his father and those who had sympathized with his plight, though to be fair they had been far and few in between, part of Kop was aware of this change in himself and he often found himself wondering whether this new perspective of the amber Dragga was a sign that he was growing up…or getting soft. In either case now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things, giving his head a slight shake and casting his memories aside the grizzled youth returned his attention to the path ahead of him, focusing on what lay waiting for him beyond the lush, familiar meadows. Already images were flashing throughout his mind as he traveled further into the depths of Ge-Rad, familiar faces that he had been longing to see for these past three moons. Faces of those he thought he would never see again, those of his packmates, friends, mentors, and rivals. It wasn’t long until he began listing off names to go with each of the faces, each one seeming to spur him to go faster until Draeg was forced to speed up just to keep up with his son. “Cal, Uskiya, Yelae…” he panted. “Shako, Kairi, Amaya, Nyobe…” He continued on like this for a moment, listing off each member of the pack until he reached those which he cherished the most, his voice breaking slightly as the faces of his family appeared in his mind and the realization that he would be able to see them again finally sinking in.

First came the face of his step-brother, Koan, the grizzled gray warrior whom Kop had always looked up to since he was a pup. Next came his sister Shayla, along with the memories of their adventures and the time they had spent together, after that came his brother Trile followed by Lycaon. Finally came those of his mother, the beautiful Cwen, and only niece, Caiomhe, who Kop instinctively knew have worried about his welfare the most, more than anything Kop longed to see his family and to romp and play with them like he used to, to sit and talk senselessly of a future that would never come to pass and find out what he had missed during his absence. At the thought of play Kop’s thoughts instantly shifted over to that of his niece, recalling the last time he had been with her and how he had promised to play with her as soon as he returned from his trip with Renn. Silently he promised himself to find the young fae as quickly as possible so that he might finally be able to fulfill his promise to her.

There was a slight breeze and suddenly Kop became aware of a familiar scent filling his nostrils, activating a chain of memories and causing a smile to form on the gray youth’s muzzle as he altered his course slightly to head towards the source. Beside him Kop could see Draeg mimicking his movements as the elder varg’s amber eyes flickering with recognition at the familiar scent. Returning his gaze ahead of him Kop gave out an ecstatic bark as he caught sight of a familiar figure making its way toward them out in the distance, the varg’s patchy gray pelt was exactly as Kop remembered it with numerous scars lacing his body, marking him as Kop’s elder brother Koan. Just behind him Kop spotted Amaya running to greet the returning pair though at first Kop had barely recognized due how much she had grown during his absence, although slightly older than him Amaya had grown into an attractive young femme capable of turning the head of any unwary male that might be caught off guard. Upon catching sight of them Amaya froze and Kop noticed that she slowed her pace considerably until she approached the pair in an almost cautious manner, her head lowered respectfully to Draeg who had raised an amused brow at the fae’s actions but made no move to stop her.

Although he would never admit it Kop suspected that the amber Dragga enjoyed the respect and power given to him by the rest of the pack, and though it really couldn’t be said that he didn’t hold the same respect for everyone in Ge-Rad Kop knew that his father wasn’t about to give up the power he managed to acquire through chance. As father and son raced to greet the pair more varg began appearing brush, first was Shako, Kop’s mentor as well as the varg Draeg had chosen to take his place during his absence, behind him he could see Cal’s mate Uskiya followed by the timid Yelae trudging forward to greet them, and finally Kop’s sister through matrimony Lydair. The young dragga’s face lit up at the sight of each of them and he let out a stream of excited yips and barks before plowing headlong into Koan, exploding into an wild array of whines and whimpers as he nuzzled the varg continuously and snap at his muzzle excitedly as Draeg watched on with a somewhat amused expression before padding up to bump his head against the warriors chest affectionately.

Tearing himself away from his brother Kop turned to greet each of his packmates as they arrived on the scene one by one, greeting them each in his own individual way depending on who he found himself facing, swiping a playful paw at Yelae before going over to bump heads with Amaya and Uskiya. When he finally reached Shako Kop adopted a more solemn expression and bowed his head respectfully to his old mentor, offering him a polite word in greeting. “Master.” he growled respectfully before turning to greet Lydair, his joy at having returned once again becoming evident as he made his way over to the wolf hybrid with a bound. “I didn’t think I’d ever see any of you ever again, you don’t have any idea how much I missed all of you.” he growled as he brushed himself firmly against Lydair’s side in a show of affection, at her comment he cocked his brow slightly and tilted his head to the side roguishly, allowing a slight smirk to appear on his muzzle and his notched ear to drop limply on the side of his head. “Alright? You‘re forgetting who you‘re talking about, it‘s me we‘re talking about remember?” he growled cockily before turning to face the rest of the pack. “How’s the pack doing? And where are mother, Shayla, and Caiomhe?”

His tail wagging back and forth excitedly Kop seated himself carefully back on his haunches as he waited eagerly for a reply, taking a moment to glance at his father and see what the amber Dragga was up to. It was then that he noticed that Draeg was no longer paying any attention to any of the varg scattered around him nor did he even seem to acknowledge their presence at all, the expression on his face had become blank and vacant and there was a distant look in his eyes making it look as though he were in a daze. Confused by his father’s vacant expression Kop followed the amber varg’s golden gaze until he noticed what he was staring at, standing amidst the clearing a few yards away stood the gangly form of a ragged gray she-wolf. A slight gasp escaped Kop’s muzzle and his eyes widened in recognition as the realization of who he was facing immediately swept down upon him. “Mom.” he whined, his voice breaking at the sight of silver drappa.

For a moment all Kop could do was merely stand there alongside his father, his legs having frozen locking firmly in place as he stared up at the familiar form of the femme who sired him, the one who others had come to call the Twisted Drappa of Ge-Rad. Kop didn’t know what to do, it seemed like lifetimes had passed since he had last seen his mother, there were so many things he wanted to say to her, so many things that he had wanted to tell her since his capture. But as she stood there gazing at him through blue-gray orbs identical to his own Kop found that he could not speak, the large lump that had formed in his throat kept him from vocalizing his thoughts and feelings leaving him as utterly mute as his brother Lycaon. He was dimly aware of Draeg standing beside him, his body totally ridged as stood staring at his mate yet at the same time trying to keep his composure in front of the rest of the pack. After a moment Kop came forward with a slight whimper, brushing past his brother and fellow packmates and rushing towards Cwen as fast as his three serviceable legs could carry him. Behind him he could hear Draeg dogging his every step as he raced to beat him to Cwen, apparently having lost his composure in the flurry of emotions that had surged through him at the sight of his mate. A moment later Kop reached the silver Drappa and in an instant he was on her, licking her muzzle, brushing up against her side, and nuzzling her furiously until he finally buried his head deep into her shoulder and began sobbing brokenly into her thick pelt. After all the hardships and trials, after all the pain and suffering he had endured, his journey was finally over. He was home.

[Trile]

//it's only seven. Oh well, post as Chilaili. *prods*//

Beneath the thin swaying branches of ancient birches and oaks lay an eburnean wolf. He was young and scarcely grown, but he was cast on the ground in tedious forlorn. The smell of damp earth and fresh skies filled his nose, but no feeling of frolic came with it. To the east of him dawn had broken through twilight hours and with it was the silence of a new day. The air and the forests were wrapped in stillness as the green yellow haze bordering the far off peaks faded and the sky obtained more and more color. The beginning of this new day was almost here and so the birds took up a solemn cue and littered their songs into the air. The gamma only shifted into an even looser state, his muzzle resting on long paws. His pelt was spiked with mud and he was bony from lack of food. Nature was no nurturing mother, and it had worked its ways on his body. Slowly, despondently, he blinked over deep amber eyes, gazing into the depths of his home without pride. The name Ge-Rad could not uplift his tail, and its scent marks would never awaken joy. He stalked through the trees and killed in the meadow and sang his ballads in this territory, but it would never be a home to live and die for. Dispersion would come soon, it already had touched his mind with longing, but he felt he had a duty here to the memories of bold ones and to the future beginning to grow in the shadows of ageless trees.

Cwen slunk from her den, the look that demanded respect was absent from her movements. Her body seemed stringy, and her coat was unkempt, left alone when despair fell. Trile’s ears pricked in her direction and his eyes followed her broken body before he lowered his head and whined. She had once been a strong Drappa who had an unbendable will, but she had sunken to the edge of living, her mind dark, her spirit broken, and her body sick. She was pining away for Draeg and Kop and Trile could not stand it. His brother was far more noticeable than himself; Kop was dominant and proud, large and bold. Trile, however, was reserved and small, more timid and emotionless. His nature commanded him to hunt, and he gave himself up to it, loving how he stalked his prey. Adrenaline would rush through him when the chase began, and his soul seemed to fly before him feeling free. And than there was the kill, and when that was over he had his meal but no tainted thoughts. He hunted not for sport of it, but for survival; it was his birthright to kill what he could and no one could take it away. But that was the extent of his abilities. Trile could remember once when he fought Kop with defiance, but now he showed his neck to the large male, and he could never replace his father and brother in Cwen’s eyes. Trile whined again as he watched her slink into the forest. He had always been afraid of her temper and had respected her teeth, but seeing her horrible, pain glazed eyes made his insides writhe. He wanted to help her, to press himself to her, but she seemed half mad, and what if she forced him away? He wasn’t sure if she wanted him. Only Lydair and Chilaili had ever wanted him, because they were the only wolves he’d ever made a commitment too. He had a strong bond with Lydair, and he felt that he was the only one to protect Chilaili.

Cwen had disappeared into dead debris, and so Trile picked himself up and slithered into the trees with barely a whisper. His slim paws barely touched the ground as he followed the sounds of his mother, but his heart was so heavy in his chest he felt like dropping to the ground again. Trile was always stalking her, making sure she was safe yet to afraid to offer her company. Than he heard it, the call that pumped his heart, that filled his own throat with a suppressed howl. Trile froze to the ground, his ears quivering as the howl faded into a dying echo and than vanished, leaving ringing silence in its wake. For a moment forever was placed into one little second, but all of a sudden life and adrenaline came flowing back and he was born past Cwen faster than he had ever run, towards Kop and Draeg. He burst into the meadow like an ivory arrow, his feet barely skimming the frozen ground. He was out of control, barely realizing he had never really felt for his family and that all of a sudden lost love was welling inside. They were coming to meet him, racing almost as fast; Trile had forgotten all about Cwen. He hit Kop full on and rolled with him in joy, not caring if Draeg got entangled in the pair.

//Oh yeah, I hope you don't mind the slight godmode, and if ya do fix at will//

[Caoimhe]

The mottled paws padded lightly over the loam of the forest, over the tender shoots of emerald that were emerging bravely from the ground that had cradled each seed during the cruel winter, yet for all the joys of the coming spring, the young she-wolf held herself in a subdued manner, but the weakness that her bodice seemed to emit was not present on her visage. Her skin hung gauntly from her curved belly, and ribs pressed roughly against her dulled, lackluster pelt, but one could see the muscles that had eaten away at the layers of fat that all cubs were born with. Her features had, over the lapse of several moons, sharpened and thinned; her silken ears had begun to lose their drooping stance and began perching erectly atop her fine head. Splashes of white, chocolate, and silver patterned her face, and set strikingly were her eyes, a brilliant blue with a piercing gaze that drifted from her hybrid mother’s father. Atop her chest a unique figure crested her thick fur; it had the odd likeness of a soaring bird but with the coming of winter it had begun to blur and lose its sharpness as her shedding cycle took place. Like her dam and brother, she was a hybrid, a half-Varg, but for a paw’s count of moons she had spent resisting socialization with the remainder of her pack she had learned to hunt and survive on her own- which was more than the soft-footed cubs from other packs could say, she was sure. Her pillars were long and lithe, and her thick tassel was edged in silver, whilst the rest of its length was the gun-gray of her father, as was her underbelly and the insides of her legs.
Yet her orbs shone clearly with the haze of grief and sorrow, so well-known to Ge-Rad in the time of the Dragga’s absence- but for this particular Varg, it was not the amber Dragga, but his son, that she pined for, but to her young heart the way that he had left them was slighting whatever memories she held of them when she was younger- he had been taken whilst in his own boundaries, but had left to meet with his lover Renn, who was not so much enemy or rival as a picture of what Kop loved.

She remembered with a pang of near melancholia the words the grizzled yearling had spoken to her quickly, soothing her with promises to play with her in the manner that all cubs do, and she smiled grimly; how fickle life was. And how ironic.
I have to go now Kalli okay? You be good for your father until I get back, I promise I'll play with you as soon as I return. She smiled grimly; there’d be no cub’s play for her anymore. The gods had made sure of that…

The femme knew she would never achieve Renn’s golden beauty, and the words that Renn had thrown at her condemned her heart. She was too young to have experienced love; too ignorant, but, no, no, don’t hate ignorance, for it is bliss. Bliss! In what way was her position blissful, unless one thrived on misery? But unlike Renn, she had not felt jealousy; in a twisted way she had felt a link to the Listern Varg, though the golden fae made it clear that she wanted no other ties to her lover’s pack, and then had tried to go against the fact that she would be tied through Kop to several other Vargs, including Caoimhe herself and her family, as well as Cwen, who did not look forward to seeing Renn with each rising sun anymore than the hybrid cub did.


Yet now she was thrown into a wild run, the wind breaking across her fur and forcing her cyan eyes to blink with each pounding step as she opened her jaws and let her pink tongue loll. Stirring emotions, the primal instinct to be with the others again, forced her to continue on in a fashion that whipped branches across her muzzle and made her completely oblivious to the shallow scratches that scored it as she pulled her auds closer to her skull and continued- she had been deep into the core of Ge-Rad and the strident voices that rang throughout the land’s entirety were a ways off, but each voice was identifiable and with a jolt she had realized that Kop and Draeg’s were among them. As she ventured farther and farther, the scents that had been faint were now strong in her senses and an irritating mixture of fright, joy, and anger ignited her heart.
Unlike several of the others, she did not burst through the brush, but remained quietly at the edge of the group, smiling softly. There was her father, his scarred pelt obvious as he rushed to greet his father. There was Amaya and Shako, the wolves who would, hopefully, be a future mentor, if her father did not take the opportunity. Uskiya and Yelae came next; behind them quietly came her mother, looking quite unlike the Beta she was, and more like an apparent sickla, though she seemed to regain confidence as it dolled on. Each of the wolves rushed forward to greet the returning heroes, and she watched the procession placidly, not attempting to join the yipping, ecstatic group. For a moment all eyes were on Draeg before the group turned to greet Kop, who met first her father and from there Yelae, Amaya, Uskiya, Shako, and Lydair were all met; of course he stayed with her dam for a moment longer, brushing against her side affectionately and then turning to speak with her and the rest of the pack. Her heart quickened as he said her name and she whined under her breath, her tail thumping against the ground. As her grandmother, in all of her glory, stood silently like Caoimhe herself, the pack quieted until Kop and Draeg leapt for her, each running furiously towards her- but she realized, sadly, that Kop retained a limp for his dedication to the List femme, and the brindle-dappled cub lowered her muzzle dejectedly. Her azure eyes seemed to be pulsing with her heart, and as the grizzled mann broke down into a fit of heaving sobs the young femme was on her paws and padding slowly towards the trio, though she remained a respectful distance from her leaders and uncle she wondered what Kop’s reaction to her would be, and, of course, how soon he would be leaving in search of Renn.



(((Just wanted to let everybody know that peregrine falcons tend to migrate for the breeding season during spring and until around July, so Tarak won’t be around until summer. )))

[Cwen]

The figures of her son and mate came flowing slowly towards her; both their muzzles a picture to be saved forever in her shattered and fragmented memory. Though still, as they ran, she remained perfectly motionless, watching them with wide eyes. Frozen with shock, amazement and of course utter fear that if she moved, they would be nothing but a rippling reflection in the rain…not that it was even raining of course, but in Cwen’s mind, it was always raining.

It was not only Draeg and Kop’s disappearance that had set Cwen off into this downward spiral of depression. Neither was it the death of her previous litter. A lot of it had been surged by the feeling of a failure. Her pack were lovingly devoted to Draeg, and they either all feared her twisted rule or despised her with a hatred deeper than that of a Balkar’s. She enjoyed being hated at times yes, but when Draeg had left and it was all left down to her to take complete rule over Ge-Rad, she had simply panicked. Not only feeling that she had let down the pack, Cwen had also felt the let down in her family. Her precious son Kop had been stolen by humans and Draeg had left alone to get him back, Lycoan had simply disappeared. This had hurt Cwen deeply for she’d never gotten close to him…in fact she knew almost nothing about her muted son. But it was not only him that had become severely illusive. Trile. Her ivory pelted son whose eyes shone like his father’s. He was a lot smaller than Kop who had taken the dominant stance amongst his siblings, but his hunting skills were by far the best out of all her cubs. Though he remained illusive, his scent was always there, which confused the already bewildered Drappa. And Shayla. Her only daughter. Where the little double of herself had disappeared to she would never know. Cwen had not seen Shay since the night the Balkar and Sarnes invaded, the night her only live son from her second litter had mysteriously vanished.

The thoughts of her failing life were suddenly shoved out of her mind with the blow of her son and mate as they collided with her frozen form. Yelping out a gasp in shock, her tail suddenly stood on end as she looked back and forth from Kop to Draeg, utterly bemused at the situation. It was real? This wasn’t a dream? She could smell them…feel them…heck she could even taste them! Licking their muzzles with overly expressed affection, Cwen whined and wagged her tail joyously.
Another force hit her and the Drappa was knocked to the side as a white streak passed and collided with Kop. Gathering herself together whilst standing at Draeg’s side, Cwen looked over to see Trile. Her heart, after lying in the deepest pits of depression for moons now, now soared into the heavens where Tor and Fenris would have been amazed to see it. “Kop, Trile!” she barked before turning to look at Draeg standing by her side, a smile which had not laden on her muzzle for so long was now stuck firm. “Draeg…”

[Draeg]

The appearance of Koan came as a welcome surprise to Draeg who had not expected to see his stepson so soon after his arrival, though in truth he was sure that the gun gray warrior was more surprised to see his surrogate father and step-brother then they were to see him. Still Koan’s appearance was enough to spur Kop forward as he rushed forward to greet his brother, slowing his pace to a steady lope Draeg watched in amusement as the pup collided with elder varg and the pair greeted each other warmly, yipping excitedly and bouncing around like a pair of pups on their first day outside the den. Letting out a slight chuckle and shaking his head slightly Draeg waited a moment longer before finally interfering with the reunion, nudging Kop aside before giving Koan his full attention. Bumping his head against the warriors chest affectionately the amber varg took a quick moment to study the scarred wolf carefully, an amused smile forming on his muzzle after a minute. “Nice to see you been taking care of yourself pup.” he chuckled, his brow raising ever so slightly as he continued to eye the younger varg. “By Garm I’ve missed you, how’s that family of yours doing…and mine for that matter?”

Suddenly Kop was off again as he rushed to greet the rest of the pack who were gradually making their way out from the seclusion of the forest and into the clearing to greet their returning packmates, glancing over Koan’s shoulder Draeg quickly spotted the contrasting forms of Amaya and Shako slowly making their way over to greet him. The amber Dragga couldn’t help but raise a brow in amusement as he noticed that both varg had lowered their heads in a respectful show of submission, but whereas Shako had chosen to remain silent in his hesitant approach Amaya managed to utter out a few words drawing forth a chuckle from the brown wolf who simply motioned them both over with slight gesture of his large bushy tail. “Yes, it took a bit longer than I thought it would but we’re back.” he growled kindly. “Look at how much you’ve grown, now what happened to that scrawny little cub that Lydair brought here all those moons ago? Let me have a look at you now.” Circling the young fae the amber varg nodded his head approvingly and gave out a slight growl before stopping directly in front of Amaya and smiling down at her fondly. “You’re going to break some poor varg’s heart someday.” Draeg was turning to greet Shako when Amaya suddenly threw her muzzle back as she let out a long joyful howl which poured out into air as freely as water in a river. So joyful was the sound that Draeg couldn’t help but throw his head back and join her, his own song mingling with hers as it boomed out from the depths of his muzzle like thunder during a storm.

Nudging the young fae affectionately upon finishing Draeg turned his attention back over to Shako, motioning for the white wolf to rise and greet him as an equal rather than a subordinate. Despite the fact that he enjoyed the immense feeling of power and respect that came with being Dragga of Ge-Rad there were times Draeg still felt awkward about all the attention he received having begun life as sikla of his pack, as such the amber wolf felt there times in which he needed to remind himself of his beginnings and limit his privileges to avoid getting a swelled head. He had appointed Shako as beta due to the fact that the white wolf had been part of Ge-Rad long before either Draeg or Cwen had assumed control of the pack and because he was confident that Shako would be able to maintain the balance between Ge-Rad and its members should something ever happen to Draeg, not only was Shako a natural leader but the white wolf was well liked among his packmates save for Koan who seemed to have some sort of grudge against the white wolf that went back to before he had even been elected co-dragga. Draeg had never really bothered to look into the matter as it had yet to become a real problem however he suspected that it had something to do with Lydair due to the fact that his son seemed to grow fiercely protective of his mate whenever Shako was around.

He waited patiently for Kop to finish greeting his mentor before padding over to greet his second-in-command, dipping his head respectfully to the Ge-Radian Beta as he spoke. “Shako, enough of that. Come, rise. I am to assume that both you and Lydair have been performing your duties and helping Cwen keep everything in order during my absence?” He felt sudden a pang of longing tug at his heart as he mentioned his mate’s name and instantly the amber wolf began to think of both the stunning Drappa that had sired Kop as well as the tan hybrid, Firefly, who he had also taken as his mate many moons ago, he had missed them both with a passion and found that now that he had finally returned he was eager to see them both again. “I…I don’t take it you could tell me how my family is doing?” he ventured curiously, eager to learn how both his mates and children were fairing in his absence. He merely smiled as Uskiya and Yelae arrived on the scene followed by the packs resident healer as well as Koan’s mate Lydair who stumbled out from amidst the brush before carefully making her way over to the small procession, Draeg noted which some interest that with the possible exception of Yelae, who immediately begun making her way towards her mate, that Lydair seemed to be the only one who had yet to acknowledge or even notice either his or Kop’s presence as approached her mate as cautiously as Yelae had Shako.

Quirking his brow slightly he cast Koan a skeptical glance, carefully studying the way Lydair greeted him and trying to gauge how much strain their relationship had gone through while he was away before turning his attention back towards the packs nurse and sikla. Offering them both a warm smile he watched as Kop greeted them both warmly through more or less puppish antics, shaking his head at his son’s behavior the amber varg made to stop him only to find that he was already in process of greeting Lydair who seemed to have finally become aware of their presence. “Of course.” he growled in response to her remark, his tone and expression every bit as cocky as his son’s. “Don’t tell me you actually doubted I’d bring him back Lydair, I find your lack of faith to be quite…disturbing.” There was a slight change in the breeze and a familiar scent filled Draeg’s nose causing the amber Dragga’s chuckling to come to an abrupt end as he suddenly tore his gaze away from the small gathering and began scanning the tree line frantically, his eyes becoming distant as they fell upon the stunning form of his first mate Cwen. Although she seemed thinner and great deal older than Draeg remembered her to the amber varg she was just as beautiful as the day he had first laid eyes on her, and it was this blind love that prevented him from noticing the dead look in her once shimmering blue-gray optics or how defeated and malnourished she looked do to moons of self neglect.

As he continued staring up at Cwen from his place within the small gathering Draeg wondered how many times had he longed to see her face during his journey, how many times he had wished that she would’ve been able to discard her status as Drappa as easily as he had and accompanied him in rescuing their son so that they might never have been separated, he had thought about her nearly every waking moment and had missed her twice as much, so much that sometimes it was almost impossible to bear not being able to feel brushing against his side or caressing his muzzle with her soft, tender licks. It was enough to make Draeg give out a slight whimper of longing before suddenly streaking after Kop who had begun rushing towards the silver Drappa, the amber varg stood gazing at his mate a moment longer before sounding out a quick whine and following his son‘s example as he broke out into hard run and eagerly made his way towards his mate. They both reached Cwen at more or less the same time, with Kop only holding a slight lead over his father, at which point the commenced to shower the twisted drappa with the utmost affection, brushing up against her side and licking her muzzle lovingly. For a moment Cwen seemed to stunned to react and Draeg watched as she turned her gaze back and forth between him and their son in shock before finally coming forward to greet them, whining softly as she began caressing their muzzles with her soft pink tongue which in turn drew forth a similar whine from her mate who continued to return her affections wholeheartedly. He briefly thought he heard someone approaching the trio from behind but ignored it, wanting to revel in the moment a while longer. The next thing Draeg knew he was lying on the ground alongside Cwen, the pair having been knocked aside by an odd white form had blown passed them and collided with Kop.

Temporarily dazed by the unexpected assault and more than a little confused, Draeg gave his head a quick shake in an attempt to regain his baring before turning his gaze over to check on his son only to find him engaged in a slight wrestling match with an slightly older but considerably thinner Trile. Quickly rising to his feet the amber varg gave out a delighted yip, ecstatic at the prospect of seeing his second born son, he made to join the pair but stopped upon hearing his name spoken. Turning his attention back towards Cwen he was greeted by her smiling form standing next to him, quirking his brow smugly he cast her a crooked smile and quickly closed the gap between them so that he was pressing firmly against her side. “Hey…” he growled softly, lowering his head slightly and nuzzling her chin. “I missed you.” Draeg pulled his head back after a moment, his amber gaze locking with Cwen’s own silver optics as he stared lovingly at the beautiful fae before him. He didn’t seem to notice how thin she had become or how dull and unkempt her fur was, in his eyes she was still as beautiful as the first day he laid eyes on her in the woods so many moons ago. Leaning forward he gently brushed his nose against hers in a soft kiss, his brow furrowing slightly upon noticing how dry her snout was. “Your nose is dry.” he stated, raising his head questioningly before taking a moment to study his mate more carefully. “You’re sick!”

((And yes Lydair, I will get to work on my post for Kop right away))

[Uskiya]

(((so sorry for not posting forever))
Yelae and Lydair came from their seclusion to join the greeting. Uskiya wagged her tail when she saw her sister and smiled to Yelae. Her eyes rested upon Amaya and she smiled. Cwen seemed distant and changed. The nurse knew that she was in pain and had been for a while. Uskiya remained silent as things began to play out. Draeg and his son had returned. Thankfully alive and wit little pains. But the pack nurse looked worriedly at her Drappa, Cwen. She had been through alot. Perhaps now that Draeg had returned things would get better. Ge-rad had been so quiet since the departure of Draeg.
Suddenly Kop came bounding forward and greeted each varg. Uskiya grolwe affectionately as Kop greeted her. "It's good to have you both back."
Uskiya looked up as Trile came, she knew him to be in favor of her eldest daughter, though she didn't know that much about him. He had showed her respect and she knew he felt strongly about protecting Chilaili. She whined silently, wishing her pups were here, as well as her mate. Everything was happening so quickly Uskiya felt lost n the sea of vargs. She looked up and gave Draeg a return smile though he mainly seemed anxious to see his mate. Her appearence obviously worried him. Caoimhe appeared from the brush slowly but she appeared to be happy lke everyone else was. Uskiya sighed and smiled, another worry had slipped from her back. Her family, was mostly reunted now. If only her pups were able to be here to greet their Dragga

(((hope I didn't miss anything)))