as he had promised peregrine, lasher had set out early the following morning after their discussion in the direction of the mountain range where hawkeye had gone. though he traveled swiftly, stopping only for water and the small bit of meat a young coney provided, it was after twilight when he arrived, bedraggled from the journey. yet he wasted no time in sending up a call for a sunspire wolf to attend him, as he had worried the entirety of the trek over what had happened to tytonidae, and stood restless at the borders, awaiting his summons to be met.
The days were growing shorter, and yet for the Ostrega, they seemed to begin to stretch on and on in an endless haze. He was quickly coming to realize that his medication's side effects were growing more and more unpleasantly intense. It was to the point that he wanted to quit, but whenever he felt the drugs release his system, his emotions and his mental state went into overdrive down the dark, polluted paths through his veins. He couldn't stand to be without it, and yet he was finding himself quickly becoming more and more unable to stand being with it.
This hadn't impeded the boy's drive to keep busy at his tasks, though. His first birthday was nearing and with it, his entrance into the adult ranks. Summer knew his position in the pack would depend upon more than just his longevity and loyalty--his dedication and skill as a wolf would be tested as well. He was determined to earn his first trade by the time that day came when he would finally rise within the pack, and so he kept working at it, even when his awareness of what was happening was at its lowest points.
Fortunately, when he came upon the Plateau wolf, he was in that good place between intoxication and sobriety where he felt his most normal. It would be brief, he knew, for as time passed and he fell more and more into the opiate's pit, those moments were growing shorter and shorter. But, it was with clear eyes that he looked upon the lanky wolf whose call he had heeded, albeit still a slightly slow mental function.
Summer eyed the wolf without a word, trusting in the dominance and command of his posture to ask the question unspoken from his lips.
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it was not long before he was joined by a sunspire creature, and lasher drew himself up with a direct flare of his murkwater gaze into the other's eyes. does hawkeye still reside here?
he asked in an urgent tone. usually a beast given to propriety and the conversation it demanded, taltos wanted no such thing this eve
this man was not a leader; he did not carry himself as such. it was his ruler whom the plateau's gamma sought, but if this wolf could fulfill his inquiries, he would be satisfied.
"Hawkeye is no longer with us," the Ostrega responded slowly, watching the stranger's face for his reaction, "We think she went after the man she'd come here for after he disappeared. Whatever the case, she said not a word to us and we have seen nothing of her since." Much like many I've known... he added silently in his head.
Surfacing from her efforts in building stocks to the howl's summon, she glided with confident grace onto the scene a handful of paces behind Summer. Her ears quivered forward to catch the chocolate-coated Plateau wolf's words, curious to hear that it was Hawkeye he was interested in. Summer answered well as she sidled up beside him with a quick nod to reaffirm it all. He is correct,
she confirmed.
Her presence here was fleeting at best.
Amekaze had not known her, even. Jace had at least shared a conversation with her, she knew, and it was Ferdie that had brought her here at all -- although she did not know how close they were, exactly. The other circumstances involved were out of her reach.
![[Image: 5ifpFkc.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/5ifpFkc.png?1)
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
lasher's jaw tensed as frustration swept over him; hawkeye was not easily found, and it seemed she had disappeared from the teekon wilds altogether. his lips parted to answer the man, but the lithe shadow of a more commanding presence swept onto the scene, and he lowered his ears briefly in deference.
her daughter, tytonidae, has gone missing from the plateau. as we believed her mother was here, i had come to see if she had followed."
taltos did not quip that he realized this was no longer the case, but glanced between the two of them to see if the girl's named meted any recognition.
Ty was missing. Summer's eyes widened before he could compose his himself--a tiny give away, but one not likely to go unnoticed by the stranger even as he forced himself to not react any further. He would not show weakness in front of a complete stranger, particularly not one who--as far as Summer knew--bowed their heads to the fire-pelted fool from the Creek.
"She was here," Summer responded slowly, not taking his eyes from the stranger even though he knew Ame's eyes likely were shifting to him as he'd never told her about this before, "She was upset about her family. I tried to comfort her, but she fled." He held his tongue then, not wanting to say more. Especially not about her prior visit where he'd taken her within their pack boundaries to search for Hawkeye, nor about the wolf from the Creek who he had driven off just before speaking to Ty on that day she'd ran from him.
She sensed his subtle frustration and was accordingly keened. They were the bearers of bad news, after all, but she knew little of Plateau wolves beyond that they had adopted Fox as their problem and Alpha just after her leave from the Creek. That alone made her opinion of them not exactly the highest, although she had met a few wolves from there that were not bad by any stretch of reality (and she realized then that she smelled next to nothing suggesting Fox on him), but she had little beyond neutrality to regard them with. She just doubted that their leadership was the most stellar, however this remained only an assumption on her end. They were a long-standing pack so evidently something was getting done right, though.
Amekaze's ears offered a small twitch as she took in this piece of information in silence. Hawkeye having a daughter was news in itself. Let alone her being missing and having been here at one point. She wondered if Ferdie and Jace knew about that, for she found it difficult to believe that Ferdie would have suggested she come here minus her daughter.. considering the way he had behaved regarding Erika's whelps. He would have been the last wolf she would suspect to suggest a family to split itself apart, at least not without very good reason. Which, again, while she did not know the details, she had never been too thrilled about Hawkeye's move here just to presumably be closer to Ferdie -- she had made no effort to acquaint herself with the rest of the pack and the wolves that were already near to him.
She peered at Summer as he answered and guessed that the Plateau wolf may have more questions, especially of a vein similar to what she wondered. How long ago was that?
she asked then to the male, curious if it was particularly recent so that she may be able to pick up a scent as familiar. However she did not plan to go scoping the lands for Hawkeye's daughter and instead wondered if she may turn up here again sometime.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
tytonidae was a name the young man knew, and lasher swung his muzzle to regard him closely. the woman drew his attention again, however, and he straightened. as junior and saena had not yet confided the details of their quarrel in him, he did not know exactly when tytonidae had gone. yet he would not tell the sunspire wolves this.
four days,
was the length of time on which he decided quickly; it was not so short as to suggest an overbearing attitude toward youthful wanderings, and not too long as to insinuate a wolf not yet at one year of age would go unnoticed for weeks upon end.
the thought that peregrine should be here, standing in his place, or offering to accompany him, struck taltos, and a bolt of resentment thudded dully into his heart, but he pressed through the emotion, eyes fixed upon the dark female.
Four days? The yearling peered curiously at him, not quite sure what to make of this news. It had been nearly a month since he'd last seen the cobalt girl. Had she returned to the Plateau after all, and only recently left again? Or was he trying to hide something from them? Summer's thoughts began to swirl in his head--a chaotic flurry of doubt and reassurance at war with each other in his already fuzzy mind. He allowed a sigh to escape from his lips as he forced his way past them to look upon the stranger again.
"Perhaps she will return here," Summer said after a moment of quiet, "If so, we can let her know of your concern, ...I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?" He paused thoughtfully, turning to look upon Ame to see what her words would be on the subject. He had been on the verge of assuring the wolf that they'd send someone to the Plateau to inform them, but realized quickly that it was not his place to promise the time of the Sunspire wolves to another pack. And were it not for the affection he felt towards Ty, he likely would not have considered doing so at all. They owed the Plateau nothing, after all, and with Winter coming, their efforts were far better spent preparing for their pack's survival, not sending words of comfort to neighbors who could potentially threaten that survival.
She sensed Summer's interest and therefore his involvement in this was leagues deeper than her own. This did inspire her more than it would have otherwise considering her fondness for the Ostrega almost-yearling and perhaps, it may lay foundation for some vaguely amicable terms between the packs instead of the wariness she harbored now.
The Plateau wolf answered and she made her appropriate mental note. We will certainly keep an eye out,
she added after Summer suggested she may return here. And I can send word, if we do find her returning to us. Or better, send her your way if possible..
she mentioned after she awaited his name. She has a few good messengers in mind if Summer himself did not find himself suited to the task. This did lead her to wonder of the girl's other parent, assuming she had one. He had not claimed the girl in that way but was he her father figure? Or simply an involved packmate acting on reasonable concerns? All this only made her more perplexed by Hawkeye and by his association with the entire situation, Ferdie. It all did little to paint the dark woman in an overly favorable light.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
the boy's gentle prod for his name caused lasher to flush beneath his dark fur — in his haste, he had gravely overlooked the sense of propriety that must be observed during visits such as these. i am lasher, also called taltos,
he told the two.
lasher did not explain in what capacity he cared for saena — he determined it did not matter in the current circumstance. he did not know if he could ask them to send an outrider to the plateau, in the event ty did return, and so he settled for, i will come back in some time, if that is all right, to see if she has revisited your lands.
Summer dipped his muzzle in silent reply to Lasher's request to be permitted to return again in search of her. He held his tongue in respect to Amekaze, to whom belonged the final decision on what would be allowed. She seemed to desire to give this wolf an amiable impression, so he assumed that she too would be fine with a return visit. But still, it was not his place to accept or decline, so he remained quiet and steadfast at her side.
As she could not predict the juvenile's feelings towards returning home, Amekaze could not guarantee that they would be simply shipping her for home if she did appear here, but it would be worth a mention should she actually turn up. Of course it was the ideal to send her right there, but with many unknowns at play, she had stuck with leaving it a possibility.
If the youth was adamantly against it for sound reasons, it was hardly her place to force it. She would ensure the girl knew her pack mates (and family?) were worried for her, though. There was at least that.
That works,
she answered and took note of his names. They would be here for whenever he decided to return, good news to be had or otherwise. As I said, we will keep a lookout for her,
the dark alpha reaffirmed and hoped they would not have to bear him worse news than this in days to come. Ah, and I am Ame,
she added. A silence for Summer to fill in his blank, if he wished, followed. It at least seemed right to offer that. He had been amicable and straight to the point with them; she could at least offer her name in return should he ever need it.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」
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ame. he had not received the boy's name, but it was not expected. the requisit information had been exchanged, and lasher nodded to the pair before turning and departing their territory, loping in the direction of his home. his heart brimmed with hope that tytonidae would return, either to the plateau or to the sunspire. it made no difference to him.
If not, he was ready to return to his den and call it a day. There was far too much fretting going on in his mind and he needed to quiet it with solitude and poppies.
Matters here came to a close with all her words shared and Amekaze nodded silently to his departure. She offered Summer a passing nudge on the shoulder as she turned and picked up a lope, heading off to churn away the miles on the borderlands in contemplation. There was always something to be done, anyway, so she would see where the hours took her.
i want to bleed in the 「r a i n」