Greatwater Lake And I risk it all for this life we choose
The Gentleman
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"Mountains and valleys, and all that will come in between
Desert and ocean
You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream
Always in motion
So I risk it all just to be with you
And I risk it all for this life we choose"


Sebastian could not remember much of what happened after the war. He wanted to know about the time after, the time he spent with Andalusia. After Towhee told him that the day she found him in their home territory that Andalusia had been there. But he was certain he'd seen her. Wasn't it true then? Had he all been imagining it? He didn't want to think he had gone crazy. That he had seen a ghost. Or perhaps not a ghost at all.

Sebastian had to retrace his steps but it was difficult with the blackouts. Perhaps there was some hope that he would catch her scent somewhere. Sebastian limped forward. He had a quick wobbly trot so he could put minimal pressure on his shoulder. Though at times he just continued on three legs when he got frustrated he hadn't gotten that far yet. On day two being away from the Caldera he reached the lake. He could remember being by a river.

Sebastian pressed on. He found the location he had been going in and out of consciousness. He sniffed the ground. Faintly, he could smell his own scent. His own blood. He continued to sniff the ground. There! Andalusia. He found a tuft of her fur. His heart sank. Sebastian's body followed, tired and upset. He nosed the pluck of fur. "Anda, where are you?," Sebastian whispered. Like the hair was going to guide him to her. He wished.

Jaclyn introduced me to this song and I cannot stop listening.
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Lovely song.

The banks and surrounding area of Greatwater lake had proven to be a wonderful place for an aspiring Birdcatcher to practice. Even with temperatures as low as they were now, there were waterfowl in the unfrozen parts of the lake, sometimes choosing to rest on the icy cover, sometimes settling on the solid surface away from water. This Wraen could easily tell from the myriad of footprints criscrossing the area, of course, the occasional bird-droppings, smelling of phosphorus and uric acid and feathers as well. She had also been lucky to find several abandoned nests in the reeds and walk to a small island within the lake, which was yet another bird-equivalent of many apartment building. 

After busy hours, Wraen had lied down to take a little rest, before returning to Sunspire. And it was then that a grayscale form of a wolf caught her attention. Had it not been for the odd tail, she would have turned around and left, but the odd sight rang of something familiar. Could it really be that grumpy old friend of Osprey's? This far away? She got up and drew nearer to investigate, however, still being too far away to make her presence known by a verbal greeting.
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Sebastian's full attention was on the tuft of hair while lying down on the ground. His docked tail was healing better than the wound on his shoulder. He kept his tail from wagging as he hadn't found Andalusia yet. He slowly sat up watching the tuft of hair. It made the male wonder how she lost that fur. Was there a fight? Or did something else happen while he passed out? Why hadn't she returned with him? Sebastian couldn't understand that Andalusia would abandon him. Unless...

Sebastian frowned and shook his head. No. She couldn't be dead. She wouldn't. She couldn't die— though his mind told him that she could. She was a mere mortal like him. Now he had her scent, Sebastian slowly pushed himself to his feet. He limped forward as he didn't want to put too much pressure on his shoulder. His nose low to the ground. Perhaps he could track where she went! He didn't even notice the female a bit further away from him. He was so obsessed with finding Andalusia.

Thank you and thanks for joining <3
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The man did not notice Wraen, however, when he began to move a gust of wind brought his smell. It was entirely foreign from what she recalled from her meeting with Burke, tinged with the odour of old and healing wounds (she knew this one in all it's variations and whole spectrum, since Terance was very prone to getting physical injuries that required a lot of time to patch up) and a whiff of caldera. He was also limping - and she recalled that the man from her encounter had also been stiff. 

She hesitated, wondering, if she should approach or leave him be, deciding for the first option and basing it off the fact that, even if it turned out to be the wrong person, and be a grumpy and evil one instead, she could outrun it any time. "Hey!" she called out to the man. "Wait!" Then she ran towards him.
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Sebastian wanted to continue his path but was startled by a sudden voice calling out for him. Sebastian turned to the voice with a start, almost toppling over as his balance on three legs was different than on fours. Was it Andalusia!? His eyes fell on the female in grey that approached him. Sebastian blinked, of course, it wasn't her. Her voice was different. Though his heart had leaped and for a moment there was hope.

The male might have looked a bit disappointed when he noticed he didn't know this female. Sebastian's pale eyes scanned her body and took in her scent but it was clear that he didn't know her. "Um.. Yes?," he asked. He now looked a bit hesitant as he wasn't sure what the female wanted of him. Though she didn't look like she was out to hurt him so that calmed him a bit.
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The man stopped and, once Wraen had caught up with him, she could have a better look at the supposedly-Burke. The likeness was striking, as if someone had taken the old man with the faded fur, added colors, where it was necessary and intensified the effect. Yet he was not the same, for he did not know her and unfortunately she had no idea, why this guy was so, so similar to the other one back in Tindome.

"Oh, hi," she said, feeling a little embarrassed now and looking for words to say. "I thought, I thought you were someone I knew. You do look very alike another wolf I have met before. I am Wraen, by the way. What is your name?"
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Sebastian perked up his ears. The slowly put his leg down though he didn't put full pressure on it yet. He didn't want the big gash on his shoulder to open up again. Sebastian wondered if she met his father. It would be highly unlikely, right? Plus, then she wouldn't be so excited to see him? Unless? "Hi Wraen. I'm Sebastian," he returned. He glanced at her for a moment. "Perhaps you met my father, Burke. Though I don't believe he is in this area?," he questioned with a frown. Maybe he was in this area? Perhaps he heard of Blackfeather being attacked and that was why he returned? He hadn't scented his father while he was there though.
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"Burke - that's the fellow," Wraen's face lit up, when the stranger mentioned the old grumpy wolf and admitted that they were related. That explained a lot. And a closer examination revealed the reasons behind the limping and the odd smell. He had been injured some time ago. 

"Oh, no - I wandered as far as... well, I don't really know, where I ended up, but it was somewhere south behind that mountain range," she said, beckoning to the mountains on her left. "That few moons ago. He was a friend of my mother's and a an inspiration for my childhood hero stories. What about you - did you live with him there? Did you both come here?"
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Sebastian frowned lightly. She seemed so excited that he knew Burke. Were they talking about the same wolf? Sebastian felt as if she met a different Burke than he did. She explained that she had traveled far more south. Sebastian followed her glance to the mountain range. He never went over that mountain range as far as he could remember. "Inspiration for your childhood stories?," he let out in disbelieve and looked at her with a questioning expression.

"He left us. Then he came here. When I was old enough I went to look for him. Let's just say we never had the same opinion on things. We went our separate ways, really," he shortly explained. There were far too many details and then he would have to explain their relationship even more. "But your mother was his friend? I thought Burke couldn't have friends. Weird," Sebastian frowned. "How come you seem to like him so much?"
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"Well, I guess even villains are capable of having the most unusal friendships," Wraen concluded, because she really did not know that much about Burke's life story or how he and Osprey had become acquainted. She had not elaborated on the matter too much and had given an impression that this was something that had not been widely known then and it was nothing she wanted others to know too much about now. Therefore their story would always be a mystery for Wraen.

"I think I liked the stories my mom created based on this particular friend, but I doubt that aside from looks and some character traits there was much else true to the original," she explained. "So - I can't say that I like him "so much" - rather that he was grumpy, but amusing, when I met him many moons ago," she said. "Mind if I ask, who did this to you?" she asked pointing out to the injuries this man had suffered.
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Sebastian thought about her words and slowly nodded. Perhaps she was right. If Burke managed to make a friend in life means that he did better his life. Though he just couldn't see his father having friends. Maybe because it was so unlikely it was true. He just dipped his head to let her know that he agreed.

"I see. Well, it is interesting to hear that my father was a character in your mother's stories," he then spoke. "That sounds like him," Sebastian then smiled lightly. Always the grump. "Was my son there too? Mato?," he asked with a hopeful tone. He wondered how his son was doing more so than Burke.

"Oh this?,' he spoke with a sigh while glancing down at his shoulder. "I was in the war against Blackfeather. I fought for my pack while I didn't want to fight nor am a fighter. So I got injured badly," he muttered. "I also lost my tail which made me look even more like my father unfortunately," he groaned.
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"In fact he did," Wraen had not thought much about Burke's grandchild, but now that Sebastian had mentioned him, she recalled the offer to give a good word to the boy, in case she ever needed a new home. Now that the man was very likely to be dead and buried, she did not think that this voucher was valid anymore. "I did not meet the guy though - so I can't tell you much about him."

"Oh," she had heard rumours about a war taking place between Redhawk caldera/Drageda and Blackfeather that had been circulating inside Moonspear around the time Galaxy had died. After that other news had taken place and this was conveniently forgotten. "That must hurt," she winced and cast a glance at her own tail. Once - a very long time ago Sarah had bitten her there just a little too hard to cause a lot of pain for a week to come. 

"But - if that makes you feel any better - you are anything but ordinary now," she said with a good-natured grin. "You have advanced from the gray and dull crowd to an entirely new level."
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Sebastian looked a bit more cheered up when she mentioned Mato. Though, then she admitted to not having seen him. Oh, that was too bad. "Oh well, at least it sounds like he was okay then," he spoke. But Burke mentioning him was enough for Sebastian for now. At least, it gave him the feeling that he was looking out for Mato in his own special way.

Then the conversation moved to his wounds. It hardly could be avoided. Sebastian didn't mind talking about it, though it still left a bitter taste in his mouth. "It does,' he spoke with a sigh. "My advice, make sure you are never in a war," he groaned. He wasn't going to fight in a war again, that was for certain. "I kind of liked being ordinary though," he admitted. "I don't feel like dealing with the enemies my father made," he sighed.
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"Advice taken and memorized," Wraen replied with a good-natured smile. Though great battles and solitary fights sounded exciting and amazing in the stories, reality - as she had learned from her brother's numerous wounds and now this - was very different. Rather than emerging victorious with a golden nimbus above your crown, even the winners' road back home was slow and painful and took a lot of time to lick one's wounds and have them healed. 

"Aren't they all dead by now? Your father was pretty old and was already very set on dying, when I met him back in winter," she asked curiously. Even his friends - her mom, for example - was already an aged wolf.
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Sebastian returned a firm nod back to her. Glad that she would remember his advice. He had an idea why Burke liked her. There was something about this girl that was curious and fun at the same time. Sebastian had relaxed more and went to sit down to relief his non-wounded leg and shoulder. "He kind of made enemies with the whole of Blackfeather. Young and Old, I'm afraid," he spoke.

"Plus this war thing and me being in Redhawk Caldera made Blackfeather even more of a personal enemy," he admitted. Sebastian was surprised to hear that his father was so set on dying. "Burke? Set on dying? Well, he really must have changed then. It always seemed he wanted to be invincible forever." Then again, Sebastian could imagine that Burke would want to die if he wasn't as strong and invincible as he was before.
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"They seem to know, how to hold grudges. Up to the seventh generation..." Wraen noted to herself, referring to legends about horrible curses that haunted families for several hundred years. Yet it seemed very odd that these - young and old - would take out their revenge not on Burke, but his son. Plus - how did they know that this was the guy that had to pay for his father's sins? Looks could be deceiving, after all.

"Really? That sounds more like that hero I was telling you about earlier," she said with an excited glint in her eyes. " Not today, old man - said the old man and turned his back to Death himself," she quoted in a gruff voice.
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Sebastian could only agree with her, which was a bit hypocritical because he could also hold a grudge against people who hurt him in the past. He was not the forgiving type either. So he technically couldn't complain that he had enemies. But he kept that more to himself instead of telling that to the female.

"Don't give him too much credit," Sebastian spoke. He had never been too much of a fan of his father. Now he wondered if Burke had lost the fight to the death or if he was going to live through another summer. "Have you seen him recently then?," he wondered. "Now I wonder how alive he is still."
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"I met him many moons ago," Wraen replied, pausing briefly to count, how many exactly - furrowed brow and focused gaze an all. Though - no matter the exact number - there had been plenty of weeks and events between to make the memories of meeting Burke a little faded and tattered along the edges. 

"He did look very old, was quite stiff - so it is possible that years caught up with him, even if his heart was still young," she shrugged. It was possible that due to the location of the pack, she would never find out Burke's fate. 

"Given your state - does your honour and pride allow some nurturing?" she asked with a good-natured smile.
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Sebastian could only tell from her 'many moons ago' that it was probably during winter. "Perhaps so, either way, I am not willing to figure it out," he admitted. He didn't think Burke would be happy to see him anyhow. So they both wouldn't be happy with the situation. Sebastian had peace with it. He accepted that his father and he didn't have a good relationship and never would have.

"I think I can swallow some pride," he admitted with a tiny smile. "What were you thinking of?," he wondered. He couldn't help her hunt or something like that. Though perhaps she was a healer as well and could help him with his shoulder. Sebastian was always ready to learn something about herbs and medicine.
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"That is lovely," Wraen replied happy that Sebastian had complied. "I am inviting you for a lunch - and since you already agreed - I can tell you that an offer of mine is equal to royalty's" This was said with a playful smile. 

"Let's go this way," she beckoned in the direction to a place, where she had earlier spotted a flock of mallards resting in the snow. Taking one down should not be that hard. Maybe two, if she was very, very lucky. "Ever tasted ducks? Best bone and feather configuration you can get."
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Sebastian never expected that he would get a meal out of meeting this stranger. The male was happy to believe that her offer was equal to royalties. The male quirked up his lips. "Alright," he agreed, docked tail wiggling a bit. Sebastian followed her with a limp in his walk. After a few steps, he just switched to three legs and hopped on.

"I did. I had a pack at Broken Antler Fen, it was a territory with lots of waterways," he explained. "I cannot argue with you on that," he smiled, already in better spirits. "I wish I could help you with catching them," he admitted with a sigh.
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"I might have heard about the place," Wraen replied, though she was not very sure, where and when, and by whom. Maybe Burke had mentioned it, maybe she mistook this name for another location with a similar title. But that was all irrelevant, because now that she had spent more time in Sebastian's company, she found that she liked him better and better. He was not similar to his father in his manner and maybe this difference was that, which appealed to her. 

"Well, I asked you out - I have heard that it is usually the other way round," she shot him an impish glance and grinned. "But in my limited experience I have found out that it is a lot easier to ask people you fancy to lunch yourself than wait, until they do it themselves," another grin. "So - with me being the impudent one - I say that you don't have to feel bad for not being able to hunt."
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Cue awkward Seb :'D

Sebastian looked surprised that she knew it. He kind of missed the territory. "It is a beautiful territory," he spoke, thinking about his life then and how different it was now. The male limped next to her but almost stumbled as his attention snapped to her when she said she 'asked him out'. She didn't mean in a romantic way... right? Sebastian was quick to regain his balance. He probably misheard.

But then the female continued and spoke about people she fancied. "Uhhh... So this is a date?," he let out and looked quite awkward. "I thought... I mean.. I thought... this was like a friendship thing... I could be your dad! In fact... you are as old as my daughters," he mumbled and looked so confused and embarrassed at the same time. "I mean... I'm flattered, I think??"
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Wraen was first a little confused and then amused by the older man's sudden awkwardness. Hadn't she been told that girls used to overthink things too much and that men were more direct types, who did not seek double meanings and subtexts were there were none?

"Well, I did not ask you to marry me," she said chuckling and refraining from adding "just yet" , because in that case it would be very likely that Sebastian would run for the hills. "And I did not ask you to be my boyfriend either," she decided that for the sake of her companion's peace of mind she should nip any other ideas at the root.

"A man friend though would be nice," she added.
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Sebastian slightly frowned, no she hadn't asked him to marry her but still. It felt weird to have a girl be so forward. She continued that she also didn't ask about him being her boyfriend. That would be a no, he was certain. But she didn't deny that this was a date. "Manfriend?,' he asked. "I don't know that term. Is that something new?," he asked.

Sebastian went back to his awkward ways very since Pearl left him. It made him rather insecure though he rather not admit it. The male had kept to himself. He had been too busy with minding his kids and with them leaving him to even think of anyone else romantically. Though there had been one... Even though he might not have realized this himself.