Firestone Hot Springs Tired mechanical heart beats till the song disappears.

@Aglæca
There's no posting order, feel dree to post when you want. No need to wait. c:

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Cry knew how long of a journey it had been, the days weaning more strength from the pair than what they should have been accustomed to. Despite it being summer though, the breeze was high, billowing arounf the two lupines in a near effort to either freeze the duo or to send them flying. Quite windy, indeed. However, another rest-rise session, and the next day proved them a comepletely different view. Beautiful, a bit chilled, but gorgeous, nontheless.

Cry had risen from the makeshift den, stretched, and made a note of the ache in his pads. Qute sore, but nothing new to him. He would be able to get over it, but the strain would probably split his soles if he traveled as much now as he did previously with her. The rests were short, and they did little to heal.

"Aglæca, are you up?" he called out.

it had been long since she had travelled with another, had to adapt her pace to suit another. but travel was travel, and her lean, well-built form was muscled in all the right places to ensure travelling was swift and relatively effortless. she could keep up a swift lope for days on end, it was what she was built for. 

she had slept out in the open, tucked neatly into a lump that kept her warm, until the increasing frenzy of the summer breeze chilled her just enough to wake her. she had woken silently and carefully, unfolding her stiff form and observing their surroundings. a couple days travel had brought them here, north, and she felt that if they went any further, they might just reach the sea. she remembered it well from her travels with Chusi, but Cry had said they headed West. She doubted they would travel north enough to reach the sea.

his voice reached her then, and slipping to her paws languidly, she replied with a simple " Yes. Do we keep moving?" she did not know the extent of their travel, or where, exactly, they would meet the others; but she had no qualms.

Cry chuffed an affirmation to her, shaking his pelt free of any settled stiffness within the hairs. Once the dark sheathed man was free of debris and sleep, he padded forward.

"We're going to rest a bit at the spring. You already bested me at the Ranger sect of life, but this is just so soon," he scantly jested.

Cry began making his way towards the bubbling liquids, steam rushing from the tops of the mineral waters.
It was then he heard the familiar sounds of a voice throwing itself near them, and he let out a short howl to reveal his position.

His sister was on her way.

a smirk was offered, and she padded forward, wordlessly moving to the closest pool and allowing the warmth to lap over her forelimbs. the mist coiled around her, like a living thing, enticing her to move a little further into the shallow pool, until the mist surrounded her and the warm water lapped at all four limbs.

she might have gone further, had a call not stilled her, given pause to her movements. her gaze turned to Cry as his own howl joined the other. question in her gaze, she quirked a brow at him, then turned toward the source of the call, wondering who might be at the other end.

Inviting @Makaro too

---

Leila perked her ears to the familiar voice in the beacon, and the fae quickened her graceful steps to where the two dwelled. Appeared a tall but leaning on willowy, a girl bracing womanhood well gaited within the view of the two wolves. One she remembered and loved, her adopted brother Cry, and the other being a newer face. Immediately, Leila warmed to the girl, despite her being a complete stranger.

She bound elegantly to her older brother and rubbed against him affectionately. Then the nordic girl turned a warming mint colored gaze to the newest face.

"Hello! I am Leila, daughter of Slade, and sister of Cry."
 
The tone of her voice was friendly, and she even offered sweet tail wags to the counterpart company of Cry.

it was not long before a woman bound into view, Aglæca quickly guessing her to be about a year of age, at least- perhaps two, maybe three. She appeared to be a woman, yet something about her gait, and her voice, when she spoke, reminded her of something distinctly girlish. She introduced herself as Cry's sister, but the suddenness and prancing entrance she made, coupled with the woman's inclination to forget manners, had her pause a few moments before supplying her own name. "Aglæca " she offered a quick glance to Cry once more, still within the pool, and a little off-put by the girl's entrance, yet excelling at not showing it.

Cry seemed to be a bit flexed by her slight rambunciousness, so she toned it down a bit. As allowing as he was of her, her being energetic occasionally was not something he took to too well. She noted his splayed ears, a clear indication she had irritated him, so she calmed herself. Now she took on the illustration of a more matured wolfess, a canted head studying the company in a gentle but nonintrusive manner.

"That is a really interesting name. It suits you, miss."

Leila believed names were important to every wolf, as in part, they described the parts of a wolf they weren't too keen on immediately sharing. The belle didn't really know what hers meant, or even if it revealed anything, but she was enthusiastic about the future revealation, regardless. Just an all around optimistic girl.

She turned her stare back to Cry, who he saw dip his own lower half in the heated waters of the springs.
Leila was a northern girl, and the heat wasn't good for her. She was grateful for the breeze today, keeping her thick fur from overheating her, but being by the springs was just too much. The steam had already began to make her stomach queasy. So it seemed she would have to make this bit quick.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aglæca. I do hope we get to see eachother soon. I have to go for now- it's kind of bad for me to be in immense heat. Be seeing you!"

With that, the lithe femme sped off, back to where she remembered @Redmoon to be foraging in the fields of Wild Berry Pasture.

He was glad she too in the visual cue because just as fond as he was of his little sister, she sure irritated him when she was playful. He couldn't fault her for the playfulness, as she didn't really have a childhood that gave he rthe time to romp around with other wolves, but sweet Sithis, she got under his fur when she was all over the place. It was almost like Redmoon was a good babysitter, at this point.

After the fluffy of mysterious white and black disapeared, Cry turned back to Aglæca. "Yea....yea that's her."

she was silent, watching with a kind of bemused air the girl. she was odd, in energy and in markings, and was quick to speed off with something about disliking the heat. gaze returned to Cry, who she took to seem distinctly irritated and a kind of resolute. grin bit at the edge of her muzzle at his words, still unsettled by the whirlwind of a girl, who seemed distinctly opposite Cry. "Your sister? She is certainly...unique." a beat, but she soon asked once more, "Who is Slade?" she asked, moving deeper into the pool. unlike the girl, she rather enjoyed the warmth.

He prefered the cool breeze of winter too, but he wasn't really into the frigid temperatures his sister was enthused of. Sinking in the warm and bubbling waters with her, Cry huffed his contentment.

"Leila is...well, she's going to be our healer once we establish everything. Slade adopted her after I left him. She healed his wounds and even as a pup, she had a knack for it. She's usually calm and well tempered, but she must be amped from being with her boyfriend," he snorted briefly.

"As for Slade, he's technically my adoptive father, though I considered him more of an uncle since we weren't too close. But it seems she and me are siblings under him, so guess I have to stop that point of view."

Truly taking the time to properly answer the question, Cry gave a sideways glance to her, and murmured, "Slad eis who is going to be our Alpha. He trained both me and Leila,  and apparently he's taken a new pupil under his paw. The next Nightmare's Child, or something of that sort. Slade is a good guy, for the most part, but he, just as all of us, had a pretty shitty past. He's gotten over it for the most part though, as far as I know of."

Cry han't expected to ramble on his 'Godfather', but he was more of a elongated story than a short one. The assassin wished he could have shortened it, but some things, uch as who Slade was, once was, and is now, simply couldn't be summarized.

He did turn to her though, just to gauge her reaction

a healer, then. his snort seemed to express displeasure, though with Leila or her "boyfriend" she did not know. her attention was on him as he told part of his story, and while finding herself interested, did not ask more. it was up to the individual to tell their own story, and poking around tended to simply irritate others rather than supply information. his information on Slade, the supposed alpha, was interesting, though - " Nightmare's child is quite the title" she quipped, grin turning up the corners of her maw.  

"hmm"   she mused, a clipped sigh. "We could start a shitty past club, then." "adopted" usually signally some semblance of a shitty past, as she well knew. while she wasn't about the go poking into Cry's business, or disclose her own full Tragic Backstory™, her remark hinted at the fact that her own past had not been all sunshine and rainbows. "When do I get to meet him?" she asked, glancing to Cry, curious, now. she slipped deeper into the pool, up to her shoulder, and her face relazed into a semblance of pleasure.

It had been so short what he had wit Aglæca, but it felt like she knew pieces of him that it took people several tries to really learn before he had to cut them in to little pieces and send them on their way. Instead of poking around like nosey wretch, she minded what he gave her, and asked nothing that would send him to return to the enclosed beast he had made himself to be. That only made him appreciate her presence more, and he relaxed something deep in his chest.

"Title, indeed. But it was worth it, the way he described it. He ran this pack called The Nightmare Elm, and apparently it was known to be like that pack called Blackfeather, or something like that. It was more brutish though, not slinking around in the shadows or whatever. Was made up of assassins and whatever, but it was good while it lasted. Apparently his broad cheated on him with the beta and he slaughtered them both."

Cry shrugged like it was just an everyday thing saying someone killed their girl and their bestfriend in one go, but stuff happened.

"He was, and still labels himself as The Nightmare King despite leaving them behind years ago. Alpha complex hasn't left him since. He's mellowed out, as far as 'in public for fun' killings go. Guessing old age or the fun's worn off."

Cry wasn't prepared for her to be ask about the date for meeting him, and he restrained himself from fully turning to the woman.

"Hell, if he's stop playing 'stick to the shadows', we would be able to see him. He's massive, like almost unnaturally so. Mackenzie's aren't a breed to be fucked with, but he takes the cake. I would call for him, but he told me to ensure any member I picked up along the way were established with the llands, or whatever. But I didn't think I'd meet a girl who'd pass me in my own run." 

Though he didn't laugh, a smirk was cleanly seen on his dark lips, a slice of mischevious gleam in his wintery eyes.

Quite the exchange...

               ...this back and forth just kept going and going. The Papa Slade fan girl club... Makaro easily overheard the trio's banter and came to call upon it. Well he came to listen after crawling in and laying down a short distance away. None of them were on guard and instead spoke free of charge. Had Slade actually been around Makaro just knew the older wolf would "educate" the lot. After just a few words Leila sped off releaving Makaro's senses having been in heat and swelling the air with enough distraction. So much so that it was soon learned Cry wasn't a female but a male. 

Embarrasing if miss read aloud...

"Now ya see..." He was kinda annoyed by this now, "...it's talk like this that irrtates the old man."
Makaro stood his head up with ears peaked and eyes narrow. Nevermind the fact that it gave away his position as Makaro knew he could manage the situation well enough with one wolf neck deep in erotic moisture and the other full of... himself. "When one says "ensure" it more then likely means "hey don't bark my life to a stranger." but.... hey. You do you boo and show how you handle trust freely given."

By now Makaro was on all fours staring down on the pair, "Hi.... -I'm another sad story. Glad we all met."
Not really...

Cry was rarely snuck up upon, so when Makaro came upon them, he initially thought this was Redmoon. A glance was turned in the direction of the voice and the assasin realized it was indeed not the redwolf. An average and rather insensible wolf would spring to their fours and snarl up a fury at the uninvited guest. Cry was everything but. Just as quick as he was open to the femme, his cold shell returned with haste.
Glacials froze everything they touched, and their ire only glistened with a light but fully intent sneer, portrayed only by voice.

"So you wasted your breath to tell us something that you don't have a clue about. Congrats, stupid, you won the 'brat' award."

It seemed this was the wolf Slade chose to Sire next, but apparently the old man truly was waning in his teaching, as this one was a wreck with disrespect. Cry didn't really take kindly to smartass youths. Especially if they hadn't had their teeth knocked from their mouths for telling someone who was older and more used to their own mentor, how to do their own job.

"Anger!"

          ...."Yes, that is the right answer!" Makaro practically leap up to his feet with a twisted grin. The moment the tale signs of Cry turning over his tone and tail for a face befitting intimidation. "Get mean and angry, By Sithis I love it!"

His ears fell just a bit as the air turned stale between the pair. Obviously the egos could fly from Makaro and Cry but where was the fun in this? Prolonge a hot air exchange of pride? Please... The true game was in keeping cool and calculated with a fare bit of sass. Makaro stepped to his flank circling the male wolf but never once putting his rear to the pool. "...-and I must admit it's cute on you..."

like a pretty red bow...

While Makaro began his slow circle looking Cry from paw to maw...
...It must have began to formulate in Cry's mind now... This was Makaro or that Nightmare's Child he spoke of so freely about before. It was that same irrational disrespect of Slade that Cry revealed that mirred a similar disrespect for Makaro voiced to another wolf. Hear say has obviously rotted the older wolf's mind if he thought he could judge anyone with half handed information or side line opinions. What even was a title such as Nightmare's Child to him if not a pretty little red bow? Roots seeded in the ears had grown into Cry's brain if he thought to soil wisdom with his own flailing tongue so Makaro had a... duty? Yes, a duty to remind Cry that Makaro was indeed Slade's sire... Makaro was indeed Cry's replacement. The son he never was...

"So what other awards do you offer? Hear your in the lead for Longest running span with a stick up their ass, is that platinum or gold?"

her brow furrowed as this story was told, openly and plainly. a murderous alpha, then - but she could hardly claim innocence in the subject. a smirk echoed his in his last few words, and a "correct" slipped from her maw, mirth glinting again. she knew these lands, knew them well, for the most part. 

next came a youth, obviously with opinions on just how great he was, tone arrogant and snarky. she could deal with this better than she could the girl, however, and when Cry and the male had their little exchange, she turned towards the shore and slipped into shallower waters. "Who are you, boy? Or should I simply call you Sad Story?" came her voice, a fake kind of thoughtful, tempered tone. He was young, and obviously cocky, so she had been quick to label him as the Nightmare child. But she would be damned should she call the boy thus, the lofty title serving to flame his cocky ego.

Seemed he wasn't the only annoyed by this whelp, and Cry held back a bark of laughter at Aglæca's own interjection. One ear flattened while the other swiveled away from the barking bastard. The epitome of 'Why are you even breathing?' face was given to Makaro in a way Cry could only label as unimpressed.

"I'm wondering what gave you the belief of me being angry. But can't ask for much from a baby wolf. Put an egg in your paw, and beat it, brat."

The assassin knew responding back was pointless, but it was an urge the usually cool and collected wolf never had. It wasn't to show off in front of Aglæca, but this wolf was...he couldn't put a claw on it. Glacials simmered on the white-teared pupil of Slade, still trying to figure what the hell spurned him on.
And why the hell Slade was capable of keeping his temper around such a pompous zit.

Oh that's right...

...the female... -Makaro lazily glanced her was reading her expression. Slade played mental games enough with the young pup named his sure. So much so it was unclear as to what had been a sweet little lie or the blunt truth. Honestly the brash sense of pride, disgust, and tail jerking hate was more true then a smile. So as the girl asked the question it would be no surprise as to his answer, "no one to you."

She didn't care about Makaro, why would she? Just another sweet little lie. Asking for a name simply opened a door Makaro agreed should be closed unless he opened it.

Back to Cry now as he stunned the younger wolf whole heatedly. Makaro snuffed then lost his composure. "Eggs and beat em? Ah-ha!" Cry wasn't just angry he was so nettled it placed his mind. -and Makaro was the kid here. That's just fine, no really it was good to see his wit was still sharp enough to see that this wolf had nothing more then Makaro. "Want me gone huh? That's fine cuz you'll have to deal with me at some point."

Just not today it would seem...

A coy smirk more evil then inviting crossed his face as the wolf gave a nod before going, "may the Night shadow you."

she snorted, quietly, almost inaudible. the woman couldn't help it, this boy attempting to be menacing and mysterious had a comical effect. "Sweetie, you're going to have to work on you "mysterious and menacing" aspect. It's a little cliche."  it was different from her normal bluntness, the directness with which she spoke. her face was a mask, hardly allowing herself to be truly angry since that seemed the end goal of the boy. besides, it was hard to take him seriously, not with all his bluster and immaturity.

but her mask broke once more, briefly, a glint of amusement at the boy's little (threat? farewell? blessing? she wasn't quite sure.) he was overdoing it on the dramatics, perhaps begging for some sort of attention he wasn't getting enough of, obviously. he certainly was a little brat, she decided, and if this was a supposed "Nightmare Child", the title was a bit of an over exaggeration.

He was either up to something, or he just wanted to set a faux stage. Cry knew something was entirely gilded in this kid, but he just couldn't put it into perspective just yet. Everyne had their special quirk when it came to being trained under Slade; Leila had her blackouts when she had to protect something or someone, turning into an absolute nightmarish beserker once the mentality was triggered, Cry was unyielding in protecting lands, managing almost omnipercipience anywhere his borders were along, with his apathy. What was Makaro's quirk?

The glacials narrowed in their thought, him going over what he had learned of the boy so far. With Slade's influence, surely he didn't keep fair with irritating children. those were either killed or reprimanded harshly, so what of this kid? Was he just showing off since Slade wasn't here? Or was he something completely different?

It didn't matter. If they were to be Family, then he had to respect him. But tha didn't mean he had to like him. So the parting words were only acknowledged with a curt nod as Cry slipped back into the warm waters.