Wolf RPG

When they reached the coast, which stretched out endlessly in both directions, it seemed to help bring him back to life. Something about the salty air and the endless different smells that could be found along the shoreline made both his heart and his brain happy. So, when the travelling trio of Bronco, @Fennec and @Figment came to find the landbridge over to the island, he led them across. 

Previously, the island had been inhabited; he'd brought Meerkat to meet a friend here and it wasn't until he stepped into the shade of the trees along the island's beach that he remembered something. 

This was where his youngest siblings had been born, too- and where his mother had died. 

It changed his mood a bit, but also gave him some peace to know that she now slept, quietly, and at least somewhat at peace beneath the soft sands. No longer able to hurt him or anyone else, and gracefully buried with dignity thanks to Mou and Maegi. 

He liked the idea of living on an island, though this place felt as though it ought to be someone else's birthright, not his. While they visited, though, he thought it worth hit time to wander along the shores, in hopes of finding Fennec another coconut.

Somewhere, sometime, it had come out in the wash that a) Bronco and company were indeed headed to the island, and b) that company included the dark man who had been watching the stags. These developments, particularly the latter, came as a welcome surprise, and though she kept her distance, Blueberry followed.

There were no words in any language to describe the absolute thrill she felt upon setting foot on the frozen sands. The murmur of the sea in her ears once more; the great mountain towering over the isle; the endless ocean spanning over and beyond the horizon.

Blueberry let out a yip and began to gallop through the surf, kicking up water, heedless of the cold.

Plenty of time to search for Vesper (though she hadn't picked up her scent yet). For now, she would relish her return home—home! Her first true home, and the only one she'd ever cherished.

Fennec had never been on anything remotely like an island before. Without the others to describe it, she wouldn't have even known it was there. She'd have assumed the water was all that existed out here. How many other places like this were there?

She was excited to explore the place, but she was a bit glad that Bronco didn't seem too set on it. Maybe she'd eventually have adjusted to the land bridge but the idea of it made her fur stand on edge in a way things usually didn't. Something about the water on either side had freaked her out more than usual, though she had kept it pretty well hidden on the trip out.

Haunted forest? Sure. Yawning ocean depths? Pass.

She'd explored a bit already and now was (ironically) looking for something that had gotten caught as an idea a while back. It was harder with the cold settling in but there seemed to be more birds here than there had been on other legs of the trip, so maybe she could rummage up a feather or two. Bet there aren't any owls here, though. Too bad, that'd be ideal.

She poked along the shore and stopped to explore a piece of driftwood. It was twisted in a pretty interesting shape, but probably wouldn't be worth carrying. She didn't lift her head when she heard Blueberry's voice off somewhere nearby, but her ears did prick up. Who was she with, Fig or Bronco?

He was startled by the sound that Blueberry made, and chuffed. She was streaking across the beach and he thought maybe she'd been nipped by a crab or something- but there was too much joy on her features as she galloped along, so he huffed, and lowered his head so he could keep snuffling along. She was old enough to be fine on her own. They were on an island, and he'd thought that he'd simply feel his anxiety drift away like a leaf on the water- but he was wrong. There was something that felt...Just a bit off, about the island. 

Logically, the island would be a safe place so long as there was nothing dangerous already on it. Of course, just because the land bridge smelled only of salt water didn't mean that dangerous things hadn't crossed it before the last tide had gone out. He lifted his head after a moment of consideration. "Not-" He called out, though immediately, he felt guilty and fell silent. His impulse had been to shout not too far. Blueberry wasn't a child; and she wasn't even his own child. He shouldn't be trying to tell her what to do but still. His voice faltered, and he failed to commit to the request. Besides- she looked happy. And she wanted to go off and find her sister....His sister. 

Back along the beach, he could see Fennec roving along. This far away, and with a swell of light mist from the ocean, he felt his heart twinge at the sight of her blonde fur. He pondered for a moment, before he moved back along the beach toward her.  He had to wonder- "Hey, Fenn..." He queried. He paused; what a ridiculous request. Yet again, he felt stupid for his own thoughts, and bailed on what he'd intended to ask. "Nevermind." He said.

While Bronco and Fennec discussed. . .well, whatever they were going to discuss, Blueberry returned to the shore and thus began her search in earnest. She started with the fringes of the territory first, then moved inland, slowly, meticulously. Sniffing around every nook and cranny of the place.

It would take time, but she would leave no stone unturned in her search for Vesper. Until there was absolutely no evidence that her sister had come here.

And then. . .she would wait. For as long as she could stand it—the loneliness, the frustration, the betrayal.

They were parting ways, apparently, as only one set of steps came towards her. She recognized Bronco as he drew closer, just before he spoke, and straightened up from her inspection. It didn't matter if he knew what she was doing, really, but a part of the fun was the surprise of it.

Nevermind? She asked, with a playfully questioning look, directed (mostly) in his direction. If he actually wanted to drop it, cool, but that sounded like an invitation to dig if she'd ever heard one. He didn't usually hesitate to say shit to her unless they were already in a fight. Something had to be bugging him.

He caught a wave of Blueberry's tail in the corner of his eye before she disappeared from sight, tracking. Obviously, she felt confident searching on her own, so he'd let her be. 

Fennec, meanwhile, didn't seem keen on letting his odd request trail off like Blueberry had. Had she been a bit more pushy and fished for an explanation with more aggression he might've dropped it entirely. However, she sounded genuinely interested, curious. Having not been prodded too roughly, he submitted to her request. 

"S'just...Somewhere, here," He said, and trailed off as he stared along the coast. He swallowed. "Y'know." Somewhere here, his mother was buried. He figured Fennec might catch his drift. He considered the pack that had once lived here, but now no longer existed. He'd strongly considered trying to ply Fennec into accepting the island as their next potential home, as it seemed like the safest option, guarded by the waves. He was surprised by how much his perspective had shifted once they'd come across. "D'you get a weird feeling from this place?" He asked.

What Bronco said didn't have any real meaning at first. It wasn't specific. Something about the tone that he said it in, though, and the way he halted made her pause. It took her wondering what possible problem Bronco could have with a place way out here for her to remember. Fuck, right.

It was too easy for her to forget... and Fennec knew that was shitty of her. She'd actually held more respect for his mom than even Bronco had, at least for a while, and valued her as a mentor. Hearing about her death should have upset Fennec more than it did, but seeing how much everything had destroyed her dad had closed that door. She still wasn't sure how she felt, even now.

However confused she felt, Bronco must have been feeling it on overdrive. It's weirdly empty. I don't know if it's the water all around, or the feeling like I couldn't just leave if I wanted to. But yeah, I'm not a fan.

She knew he wasn't talking about that. She came with them. Blueberry might know where, if you wanted to know. She could tell, from the way he refused to say it outright, that dancing around the language was what he was aiming for. It was delightfully cryptic.

It sounded like Fennec disliked the idea of living on an island for other reasons- reasons which he figured made a lot of sense. Fennec liked having an escape route, a way to get away. She wasn't a wolf to be caged, either by her environment or her relationships. Which was why he was still quite flattered she'd chosen him, to be her mate. 

He frowned. "You think so?" He asked. He hadn't thought that Blueberry might know where Niamh's grave was...He was quiet, before he shrugged. "I...I mean, even if she does, I dunno necessarily if I'd wanna...Y'know." And he felt guilty about it. He'd fought Elfie once, for having taken flowers off his father's gravesite and now here he was, not even willing to visit his mother's.

She could hear the undercurrent, but Fennec didn't think there was anything wrong (or even strange) about not wanting to see it. Maybe if Niamh's ghost was here she'd mind, but no one else would. She figured that wasn't really the kind of joke to make right now either.

That's fair. I'd go with you, if you did, but I don't think it's something you need to do for her sake. If he didn't need it for closure, the spot could stay a mystery.

Fennec waited a beat, then fluffed her fur up a bit against the wind coming off of the sea. They hadn't actually really talked about this yet, and even if she said the wrong thing, at least it would give Bronco the chance.

I don't really understand why she came out here. I hate what it did to my dad, but if she felt anything like I did, with Killdeer.... She breathed out a laugh, knowingly. Later. After I was done freaking out. Bronco would doubtless remember how much of an idiot she'd been. She had to think she was doing the right thing.

She wanted to say more, but she wasn't sure what. Bronco's relationship with his mom had been so tense and so weird, with good reason. Fennec had admired the hell out of Niamh's ability to not pull punches, but she couldn't imagine going that hard on her own son... not even on her worst days. She'd fought him to the point of frustration, but never to the point of fear. She had no clue in hell if she'd be proud of who Bronco was now; honestly, probably not. Doesn't matter. You try to haunt him, I'll send you somewhere real nice.