Phoenix Maplewood And some I had to leave behind

@Desdemona.

It had taken a while for everyone to settle in. Or.....more truthfully it had taken him a while to settle in and he had used the excuse that he wanted to make sure morningside merged peacefully before he would go about his business of searching for those who didn't follow and letting their allies know of the merge. His first stop had been Undersea, his second....his second was to hopefully locate Desdemona and the only idea he had was that hopefully she had returned to the Maplewood where she had vanished from before the merge happened. She hadn't been seen during the announcement nor the trip to Elysium and it had bothered him quite a bit. It was easy enough finding his way back and he was saddened but not surprised to find the scent of Morningside so stale already that it was like they were just ghosts who had passed by. 

He sniffed around the borders, walking them for a few minutes before he was able to work out that Desdemona's scent was definitely stronger than anyone else's. His heart squeezed with dispair, tail drooping at the horrible realisation that she had been here for the week and a half they had been gone, still marking the borders of Morningside like nobody had left. Immediately he lifted his muzzle and howled for her, sitting down outside the borders because in all truth she had been the only one claiming these woods and therefore she ran them now.

After his ventures in the grotto the lanky beast ventures south until the trees thicken into a formidable wood. The scent of a pack is nearby and this gives him anxiety. He feels it tighten in his chest like the heat of a small sun. But he moves along, trying to focus upon the beauty around him. The snow has gathered in the trees above and upon the earth below and it crunches beneath his large arctic paws.

Eventually he wanders perhaps a bit too close to the borders, having paid little attention to where his paws have carried him. He halts and peers forward through the trees, spying a young male not far off. A soft whine escapes him as he troubles over what to do with himself now. Eventually he decides to approach, head and body lowered in a submissive posture. His distance is enough, he thinks, to make a greeting.

"Um...Hello," the snowy male speaks, eyeing the smokey male from the sides of his blue eyes.

He waited anxiously hoping that Desdemona would answer his call, praying that he hadn't lost her. It took a while but eventually he could hear someome approaching slowly and turned his gaze, spotting the incoming wolf. He was dissapointed to find that it wasn't Desdemona but instead a tall, thin man who looked to be older than him but it was truly hard to tell. Sunny's eyes watched as the man lowered himself into a submissive posture which instinctively pleased Sunny and his tail thumped against the ground, a low rumble leaving his chest as he voiced his satisfaction before he caught himself. This was no longer his home, no longer his land. He had no right to pretend to be higher than this timid man here. "You..um...don't have to do that here. The pack...it's moved on." he said awkwardly a look of sadness darkening his expression.

A usual routine, and a usual patrol. A never-ending track that was stuck on repeat, but she didn't attempt to fix the broken record, and continued onward. Only when she heard a voice, oh-so familiar, did the record pause. She of course, immedeitly turned to run toward the familiarity, as Desdemona's heart beat wildly, and she felt an excitment that disappeared since childhood. She thought, it couldn't be, could it?

She emerged from the woods, jades giving a guarded look at the two figures, before relaxing once she realized who one of them was. Though her back bristled when one wasn't familiar, as she clearly gave a hostile appearence toward Vegas. On the other hand, Desdemona looked at Sunny and felt warm, that someone finally came back. There was no one with him, Aviana nor' any of the pups. But that was okay, she thought, she was happy that one turned back, "Sunny."

Gonna write Vegas out

The other male shied away when Sunny spoke, seeming just as embarrassed as he was. Sunny opened his mouth to say something else, maybe to try and make the other feel more comfortable but then his attention was grabbed by Desdemona who much to his surprise held herself differently. Her posture was more authoritive, like she was still asserting claim over the maplewood. He caught the hostile glance at Vegas which seemed to freak the male out and he issued an apology, leaving the scene. Sunny watched him go before turning back to Desdemona. "Des...I thought you were lost." he said softly, sounding regretful which he was. 

He sighed softly and lowered his hindquarters to the ground "Things got dangerous. We had no food, not enough members. A nearby pack offered us sanctuary if we merged and I accepted. You hadn't come back yet and we needed to go.... im so sorry that it took so long for me to come looking" he felt awful explaining the happenings of the past month to her. "I didn't want to do it but...a leader needs to worry about more than just land and legacies....if we had stayed we wouldn't last through winter. Besides....land doesn't make Morningside. Its being close to family and whats in your heart that makes Morningside live on. That being said... almost all of us are at Elysium. Aviana, Faye, Aliac, Pema. You are more than welcome to come back with me" he had a hopeful expression, that she would come to their new home with him. He was worried about her staying here, trying to keep their land claimed alone in winter with little food.

Jades were locked onto the lone wolf, occasionally glancing at Sunny, but she dare not break away from him despite looking feeble enough to cause no harm. The whole time did she guard these borders alone, and kept away the loners, that she had a fierce possesiveness over it, that no one was allowed. Even when he started to wander away, she kept a focus on, to indicate he was not welcome in the woods. She only felt at ease, when he disappeared in another direction. The upright, and hostile look had faltered, to the usual submissive look she had when Morningside was still alive and active, and looked softly at the other before her.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could muster toward her leader, and she did not blame them for leaving. Desdemona didn't draw out further on why she left, but apologized and gave a meekly bow of the head. She thought she saw him, the same look, and the same eyes from a year ago, who vanished, without a word. And like him, she left without a word, in the hope it was him, and in the hope to mutter the same words she said now, i'm sorry. But he wasn't there, and there was no scent, she only ended up chasing a ghost.

The darkened wolf listened, and nodded in an understanding. She had lived here through this winter, and knew of the struggles it was, especially alone. While she managed to keep the intrudered out, so did the prey stay out. It was a struggle, to find a rabbit, or a badger, not even a mouse came to be. Though she understood, she couldn't help but feel bitter. Not bitter about being left alone, but how they left. Everyone held a special place, for the name Morningside, and to her, the woods and the name, held a deep value with her. It held a new beginning, a new morning, and a freedom she did not have before. She felt oh so, reluctant to leave, even knowing, those who were here, moved onward to a place of comfort and salvation.

But was it the same for her?

Would it be the same?

It didn't feel the same.

Her home, feels here. She had a pause, and a saddened look toward him.

Her home, and what was her family, was here in these woods.

She apologised. He stared blankly at her, her two words repeating themselves over and over in his head. They had all left the woods and she had returned to emptiness and by herself continued to try to keep the claim on the territory of Morningside strong while Sunny and everyone else was living peacefully at Elysium....and she was sorry? He slowly exhaled and lifted his gaze to the sky, a sharp heavy weighted pain settling in his gut that he was all too aware was guilt making him feel ill. He couldn't meet her gaze, couldn't accept the fact that she was still here, still trying to keep this place and Morningside alive when he had given up entirely. When he felt less like he was going to break and start crying he lowered his gaze to hers, seeing the sadness and the refusal all at once. A lump rose in his throat and words of protest rose in his throat threatening to jump out before he swallowed once, twice and then slowly nodded. He couldn't keep Morningside alive right now but so long as one wolf held hope, he would still plan to remake it one day. "I...will come check on you again. You're still family to me. One day we'll be back, we'll start Morningside again officially. I promise Des. I won't give it up, it means everything to me" his words rang hollow in his own head, his thoughts tormenting him by saying that by leaving the maplewood he had already given up. He pushed himself up off the ground looking around the woods and yearning to cross back over the border that now only held one scent when once it held so many. He yearned to mark his scent here too, to reclaim this as his home yet.....he couldn't. He had told the Morningsiders he would watch over them and they were all back at Elysium. "I have to go again....If you need company come visit. I'll be back in a few weeks" he said softly. If she gave her goodbyes he would leave, each step feeling like he was leaving more of himself behind.

Can I get another thread set up or would you rather not?

She didn't know how he thought of her apology, but if Desdemona did, she wouldn't blame him, and only say it was her, who did it first. Out of selfiness of the past, she left without a word, and worried the rest. She knew the feeling, of wondering where they went, where could they be, and if they were okay. Could they be alive, and are they near? She held regret, that the dark fae did the same to him, and to the others. They experienced it with Aditya, after all.. Though what mattered, she thought, that all were alright.

She felt soft on him, and nodded, "I would appreciate it." She doesn't want to leave the forest, but there are days, she feels it's to empty. Desdemona sometimes saw the ghost trails of the pups and the others, but she had to remember, they moved on, but they are still alive and near. She was at least gratful, this means that they are alive and well, and perhaps even close enough for a visit. Maybe she too, should make sure that the Pack is an alright place, "I believe you." And most of all, she knows his- their desire for Morningside to come back. She would be here, waiting for that day, for them to reclaim what was lost.

"I wish you well." Desdemona didn't know how heavy he felt- for she was more relieved he was okay, but saddened, it might be a while for another reunion. She didn't think, that missing a friend would be painful. It was a new feeling- that she hated and loved.

i'd love another one!