Moonspear In all the good times, I find myself longing for change.

Forward-dating this a few days. @Mahler, @Elke and @Dirge plz  <3

Had the circumstances been different, Nyx figured she would've enjoyed the venture with her family to Moonspear. Although they'd covered some ground in relocating Sagtannet in the Summertime, Dirge's mountain proved much farther than the lioness anticipated. Whenever she looked upon the disappointed faces of her children, however, she could not ignore the weight of dread that settled in her gut each time.

She hoped she had not made a mistake in removing them from Nova Peak. She hoped she had not brought one baby to ruin in her effort to protect the other.

Moonspear was a giant, its higher slopes lost among cloud when they carried on to complete the final stretch of their journey that morning. As they neared, Nyx canted her muzzle upward to send out an announcement for her brother - sure that he would recognise her voice, and her pleading request for him to meet them on arrival.

-crashes in- plz to not mind me

Ears pricked at the sound of a voice held dear, drawing the rise of a silvered head from her snack, movement suspended as if frozen in time. She hadn't heard it in years and yet it was one she never forget; from babes, to adolescents, to adults, Keres knew the voice of her sister as well as she knew her own. Almost as if her sister had known that she had been contriving plans to visit, here she was, calling for Dirge.

And though she had not been beckoned, the half eaten squirrel was long forgotten, paws carrying her down, down, down the mountain to the reunion that had come much sooner than expected. She did not know if Dirge would beat her there and for this, Keres had no care, sending her own voice in ecstatic answer. I'm here. I'm here.

As if the valkyrie had been blessed with wings, she was not slowed by the falter of feet as she made her descent, soon reaching flatter land whereupon her strides lengthened and carried her to the small band of wolves. Though she slowed, Keres did not stop as she closed that final distance, gently colliding with her sister. Nose buried in the fur of her neck, the woman crooned a happy note before stepping back to take in the face of one that she had missed so dearly.

She did not know the sadness that followed them, the nervousness that plagued Nyx's heart. She did not see the solemn looks or the sorry way their shoulders carried. If she had, there was no doubt her greeting would have been much more subdued.

The year was proving to hold more surprises in store for their pack, though namely him. In fairness, Keres turning up was something he had not expected at any rate—hearing Nyx’s voice rise with the wind provoked a very similar response. He had thought his sister also long lost to whatever the wilderness had to offer her, presuming that either Mahler’s pack had held her heart’s desires or had released her back to whatever path she chose to follow.

Much in the same way the world had done to him, of course.

He had been lounging with @Hydra and their youngest children when the call arose and detached him from their conversation mid-sentence. There were but a handful of things that would jar him so, even less that would distract him from his wife, but the matters of family were often reason enough for him to rise and depart. Altair naturally protested something behind him but was cowed by her swiftly, and Dirge offered a parting glance back almost apologetically. Hydra would come if she saw fit, no doubt if she were to it would be after she had squared the children away.

Even now, neither of them trusted the borders entirely. There was the matter of the wolf who Osiris had fended off, and the wolves who they pieced information together about to hunt for another sport; even the nearby neighbors were reasons to be wary, though albeit in his eyes. So for Nyx to call, to be there now, he could only imagine why.

Laying eyes on her only told so much—Keres had beat him by a longshot. But past his sisters he saw the pale child and the stalwart form of Mahler. Discomfort pitted and made itself known in his stomach, but he swallowed whatever reservations he had to smoothly join the group and embody whatever unfettered expression he could pull. The surprise was still there, but interest rode close behind as he surveyed them all. While the excitement of Keres seemed to override everything, he did not mistake the tension that stirred in the air. Not hostile, but certainly not comfortable.

“You could let her breathe a little,” he remarked to Keres, only to add as he settled his gaze on Nyx with a snippet of a smile, “though after a famine and a flood both I suppose there’s naught that would keep you down. It’s been a while. You look well.” His attention drew past her to Mahler, then the child where it lingered briefly. Young, but perhaps no more younger or older than his own. Interesting. The pieces would come together later, he decided.

Business causal would have to do.

“If you’re here to see Hydra, she may be a minute,” he said to Mahler.

"not this time, thank you." mahler spoke in answer to the observant man who he took to be hydra's mate. for once he did not wish to see the jetfurred regal. not today. there was a great shame in him, reverberating through limbs and stitching uncomfortably into the lining of his throat.
unsure of what nyx had told the children in regards to their trip here. the silverscale woman who had rushed forth first added a note of warmth to an otherwise somber meet. mahler turned back to elke and ciri, assured that by now they would be hungry and tired.
his own body had grown more worn, though he supposed it was through anticipation of how his daughters might react as they were told sagtannet was no longer their home.
no words clutching up through his thickened throat; mahler only spoke light, quieter nonsense about the pretty nature of moonspear as he waited for nyx to lead their meet.

The little northern girl couldnt remember ever being this tired before. Not even when she had left the rocky slopes of her birth summit and onto the peaks of Nova. Now, she were at another mountain, the third since her livelihood to live amongst her mother's side of the family for awhile. She still thought this to be a temporary visit. Still thought her father would be staying. 

The first to arrive was a woman bathed in grayscale tones with beautiful pine green eyes. Her weariness and tiredness from her venture pushed back if only by her interest of the new woman. The woman who rushed to her mother so suddenly that it caused Elke to jump back, hackles raised in alarm. She greeted her mother however with warm affection, which caused the girl to ease up a bit. Who was this woman??  

Then another. This one a man, tall and lean and colored in earthy tones. She didnt think him to be bigger then her dad, however. Her dad's lessons then reminded her that she must be cautious of those she does not know until she learns of them, gets to know them to which then she could let her guard down. So for now she looked to them both silently, shyly and found herself pressing against her father for comfort.

Although the concept of a trip beyond Sagrannet's claim had at first filled her with excited anticipation, Ciri had come to feel a myriad of things as those hours extended into days: exhaustion, wearied paws, frustration, sorrow. Although her mother allowed ample opportunities to rest when she and her sister required such, it did not come easy for her. Sleep was difficult in each strange place they found to settle, despite the comfort that her parents' proximity provided.

Nyx' call was regarded with a disinterested flick of a sable lobe as they carried on across the flatlands toward the spires that reached up into the clouds. The little blackbird blinked up at the clouds that masked its peak, at the pallid cap of snow that reminded her of the frost she'd seen in recent mornings on her father's mountain. 

A mountain that was far, far behind them.

She lifted her dark muzzle to seek Mahler's grim features, but before her gaze coukd reach him she spotted a streak of silver as it tore across the plain and in their direction. Panic rose in Ciri's gullet as she veered instinctively aside, closer to the gargoyle and wary of the stranger as she moved to intercept her dam. Only when she recognised her approach as a friendly one did the youngster slacken, and she blinked her curious yellow stare toward the sterling wolfess to observe the interaction that would follow.

Another arrived, with tawny furs that better resembled those of Nyx, an adult who radiated a sense of calm as he too acknowledged the lioness. His attention swept over Ciri and Elke only briefly, before focus lingered on stoic Mahler. Her gaze followed, curious, before she looked to her mother in silent yearning for an explanation.

Her howl tapered, faded. Lean muzzle lowered to point over a peppered shoulder so yellow gaze could search for the faces of her young daughters. Exhaustion showed on each of them and, while she felt quiet concern for Mahler, she found herself unable to look upon him for longer than a glance. Soon, after all this time and despite the fondness she held in her heart for him, the part he played in her journey through life was about to come to an end.

Emotion brought forth the furrow of her earthen brow, and the lioness turned her head away in the hope that her companion would fail to notice the swell of her sorrow.

Nyx' focus returned to the glen stretched out before them, and she breathed a sigh. Somewhere up ahead she saw movement, a flash of grey between the foliage, and her sable ears thrust forward. A voice followed, feminine and familiar, but... how? Quickening her stride, the tawny Ostrega loped forward to meet her sister with an excited sway to her dense tail and joy in her bark.

"Grey!" Nyx cried with enthusiasm as distance closed between herself and a sister she'd never expected to see again, until their bodies collided. Nostrils flared as she buried her nose among the other wolfess' fur, Nyx drank deep the strong scent that she associated with home, with family, before she released their hold and looked for Grey's pine stare, "what are you doing here?"

Before there could be room for a response, Dirge arrived on the scene. Nyx blinked up at him, her expression softened on him as she attempted to compose herself. "It's so good to see you," she smiled at her brother, and flit her gaze toward their littermate to include her, "both of you."

Making up for long lost time, however, would need to wait. Nyx shifted her weight, pointed her snout toward Mahler and their cubs. She first regarded the palest of the two: "this is Elke," then the darker, "and Ciri." Lifting her chin a little, she hoped to silently communicate with them that she was content with these wolves' proximity - that they were safe. "My daughters. Girls," she turned once more to her siblings to complete her introduction: "this is my brother and sister. Your uncle Dirge and aunt Grey." She beamed proudly at the duo, unaware of the latter's new moniker.

Dirge's arrival was swift, noted in her mind as he made a gentle, joking comment towards her greeting of their sibling. Grey, Keres, did not respond to him with much more than a grin and a soft headbutt to his sister's cheek. I could ask the same of you, She murmured before allowing the distance between them to stretch just slightly. There would be more time to assault her with love and affection her later on, even were she only here for a visit.

Green eyes swept over the children as a smile grew broad on her face. Hello. I'm so pleased to meet the both of you. She offered them, not yet correcting the name. Briefly, her attention moved to the male that hung back, now taking a moment to pay attention to his expression and the way he seemed to exude reluctance and... something else. The valkyrie could not quite lay a paw on what it was and so looked to Nyx, the question asked in a silent gaze.

Unlike the last time he had seen her, she seemed… happy. It had been a long time since he had seen that emotion cross her features, certain the last time he had seen such a thing had been when they had first set foot in region with fresh eyes and dreams. It was enough to soften his features, though he also took note of the dark babe that moved against the darker coat of Mahler. Nyx wasted no time in introductions and it confirmed the budding wonder he had.

He took note of the fact that this did not seem to be a social call, however. From what Hydra had described of Mahler, he had anticipated someone more regal and smooth; this wolf before him seemed hollow, aplomb with conflicting emotion that eked its way out. The children carried doubt, seeming to shy away. It contrasted against the bright glimmer of happiness he found in Nyx.

The discomfort remained low in his stomach.

The cogs turned, mashing his thoughts like errant fingers too close to the machine.

He found himself asking his sister: “So what’s brought you out this way?”

a year before, mahler had cultivated himself as the vision of strength before all whose eyes might behold him. it had been a poor foundation, to build upon perceptions and projections; the past months had grueled him into a towering haggard creature — and he knew it.
but mahler knew it would be both unfair and illogical of him to clutch for the barest hint of moonspear's regard outside of his title and his mannerliness. his daughters crowded close, and mahler felt a sob constricting his throat. he motioned his lioncubs forward with a smile that attempted to be encouraging, relieved in some way by nyx and her connections of family here.
in her ability to keep them safe he had no doubt; in hydra's domain, they would be fiercely protected. and there would be no lingering specter in the lioness' mind of their place. 
he had not been able to do that for her.
mahler looked aside from the meeting to the green forestcloak moonspear wore about its shoulders. a proud, ancient place, with a history that for all his efforts he had not managed to bestow. not in diaspora, not in sagtannet, and now not within the taiga.
such a birthright for his children. he glanced at both of them in turn now, unable to muster more than a muted observation of their acceptance.

Her siblings, her mother would explain as she introduced both them to her siblings and her siblings to the two children at the borders of the forested mountain foothills. Elke's pale flowered eyes looked up at them, knowing them, by her mother's word, that these two should not be regarded as simply strangers at all. They were family. Elke's tail waved but she was hesitant to approach. After all, they had 'family' back on Nova Peak, a half-sister who thought as little of them as did the mother to Nyx. 

Hello... Elke spoke back to what she knew now to be her 'Aunt Gray'. Thanks... Pale eyes swept over her l features, the various gray hues from which she was named for, the bright green of her eyes. Then Elke very so obviously turned to Dirge who, well, didnt say a single think to the two adolescence. He was either not very friendly, rude, or didnt like children- maybe all three? Either way, Elke figured she would just stay clear of him, then. Was he the new 'Wylla'? Unknowingly, he was leader here. Elke and her sister shared not the blood of one Alpha, but two, both reigning over the mountains. 

The little princess would turn back then to her father and he says nothing. His face, stonic, forlorn. Sad, but why? If they were visiting, maybe father had to go back, to protect their home...but she would see him again soon, wouldnt she?

So sorry for this awful delay, I'm the worst! @Dirge @Keres @Mahler @Elke, I'm happy to conclude this asap.

While her mother was clearly content in the presence of these new wolves, Ciri did not share in her enthusiasm. She lingered quietly, uncertain, for despite the lioness' joy at a reunion with her family, she felt so aware of her father's despair at losing his.

She felt all eyes on her suddenly, and dark lobes splayed backward at the awkwardness that bloomed in her chest. To the ashen she-wolf who regarded her kindly, Aunt Grey as her dam had called her, she offered a timid little smile and twitch of her tail, but did not feel confident enough to step away from Mahler's flank.

She had hoped to prolong the joy at her reunion with siblings, but Dirge seemed eager to carry on with business. Nyx' smile was quick to dwindle at his question; while she was keen to leave all the stresses of Sagtannet behind her, she knew her daughters felt differently. To uproot them so suddenly had pained her, and the guilt of placing so much distance between them and their father rose up within her once more.

Her gaze lingered on her brother's face, a glimmer of anxiety in her yellow irises as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I'm sorry we've come so sudden, but..." she stalled, to steal a fleeting glance at young Ciri to remind herself to be strong, "we hoped that there might be a place for us here."

Please don't make me say why, her eyes pleaded.

And they certainly would not make her explain, Dirge accepting her and her children into the ranks, allowing Keres to lead them into the territory while he wrapped up whatever business there was with the silent male, their sorrowful good byes made before they would take their leave of the men.

Fade