Neverwinter Forest we can find something for you to do onstage

set for the 25th, being vague on the Ibis front. For @Mal and @Vallkyrie <3

It had been a nice couple of days, Lenny thought. Mal knowing Kyr's whereabouts had been fortunate, and the young Archer was more than excited to see her sister again. It had been months, and though she hadn't wanted to leave Torbine, being with Vallkyrie was far more important. This was the longest they'd ever been apart, and it had been painful for Len. 

The pack was called Neverwinter Forest, apparently. It smelled of evergreens and fresh air, and in the soft afternoon light Lenny could tell it was deeply shadowed. But it didn't really matter where it was or what it looked like - Valencia wanted to stay, for Vallkyrie. Her twin was the most important person, and she didn't know how she'd gone without her for so long.

And it wasn't like she had nothing to offer. Len had told Mal of her training in Torbine - she was only an inch shorter than Kyr, but about fifteen pounds heavier, and it was all lean, dense muscle. Where her sister was a hunter, Lenny was much better in sparring. 

As they approached the border, Lenny's tail started to wag furiously behind her, and her paws tapped anxiously on the ground. She could catch just the slightest hint of her sister's scent, and it took all she had in her not to sprint across the border. "Do you want to call for her?" she asked the alpha of the pack, every bit of her body spelling out eager, excited, anticipation.

From Mal's perspective, it had been a little weird -- finding Ibis again, and he'd found Kyr's sister in the process. Like what kind of luck was that? All he'd been trying to do was figure out where the deer were going... Would that happen again next time he went out too? But now here they were, back to the territory at last and Lenny seemed pretty stoked about it.

Still, there was a little prick of jealousy -- why couldn't one of his sisters show up at the borders? Why couldn't he be that lucky? By now he'd accepted that wasn't ever going to happen, but that didn't mean he couldn't dream or hope. It just meant it was very, very unlikely.

He grinned, deviously, Make it a bit of a surprise, yeah? I got it. He tipped his head skyward, calling for Vallkyrie to meet him here at the borders. Wasn't like he gave a reason, just you know, just show up! And now we wait. At least that bit should be fun.

Mal's call sounded over the evergreen trees, bouncing off of them with a haunting echo in the deep, shaded forest. The beckoning was rare for Kyr could not recall a time where Mal had called out for her specifically before. They just always had a means of running into one another whilst one was hunting, one was scouting and viscera. Vallkyrie was curious though not alarmed as the call did not sound dire. Still, the thin woman made quick work of stuffing away a small chipmunk she had caught as a snack for later and galloped off towards the border of their home. 

Maybe, she thought, the time had come for her, along with a member of Junshi and possibly one of Hydra's lot, to leave the lands and start their mission of hunting down the location of the 'attackers' which had been around here.

This was of course not the case and once Mal and the other wolf came into sight, instead of slowing her pace she went into a full sprint. She knew the scent, that stark white patch of breast hairs, from anywhere. Lenny...! She yelled out, almost breathless and in just seconds she was atop of her sister. Filled with high whines, tail waving so hard it surely could have battered Mal to death if he didn't  move out of the way,  and barks of excitement - The slimmer sister danced around her sister, licking and nipping playfully and happily as ever.

Leaving her sister to find a path of her own was the hardest decision she had ever made and now she was here.

They didn't have to wait long, and that was a good thing, because Lenny wasn't sure she was capable of waiting much longer. It had been months since she'd seen her sister, and she was almost desperate to meet her again. They hadn't changed much, she would assume - at least, Lenny hadn't. She'd trained harder, gained more muscle and learned better how to fight as an apprentice, but personality? Lenny was the same person Kyr had left.

Her own tail helicoptered about in excitement as her sister approached, and Lenny leaped forward, barreling into her twin and nuzzling into her, whining and licking and nuzzling and nipping. She smelled different now, with this new pack's fragrance on her, but underlying was the same scent that Vallkyrie had held since they were in the whelping den. 

Lenny rose onto her hind paws and laid her forelegs across Vallkyrie's back, tail swishing behind her as her moonstone eyes sought out Mal. 

"Thank you," she told the boy genuinely, nosing at her sister's ear. If the boy hadn't been so kind, there was no way she would've found her sister.

Yep, no question that they knew each other. Mal had to kind of step to the side to avoid the impact zone, in fact. It seemed like a good way to have done this in his eyes -- maybe the only way better would have been if they'd snuck up on Kyr in the first place and been like 'BOO' or something, but that was a little hard to plan unless he knew she was gonna be a particular place.

Again, he wondered, why couldn't it ever be one of his sisters? But he kept it buried as well as he could. It did leave him feeling an awful lot like a third wheel, though. He dipped his head to Lenny, then spoke to them both, If you guys just want to hang out and catch up, you don't need me in the way. I wouldn't mind just crashing somewhere for a bit. Between a ghost from his past and this happy reunion, a break from it all might be good. Up to them, though.

And yes, it was obvious her twin had grown! Vallkyrie had left just at the cusp of summer into spring, making it nearly over six months since the sisters had seen one another. They were leaving their yearling days behind them and soon within the next few months they would be full fledged adults at the age of two. Since then, Vallkyrie had not grown much in weight, if only becoming a bit taller, leaner muscle. Valencia had filled out a bit more, holding a curvier figure where Kyr was taunt angles. There would be no mistaking the pair being siblings however and the excitement was overwhelming. 

They tussled and played, the same as they had as pups shuffling about trying to gain their footing, the same as they had as toddlers learning their teeth and strengths, and as turning into yearlings looking to test their potential against one another. Having Valenica rest upper half upon her, Kyr wriggled in placement. She turned her attention to Mal, listening to her sister. So Mal had found her then? Vallkyrie couldn't have been more indebted to the molted wolf now. 

You dont have to go. Vallkyrie peeps, her jaws parting to pant from all the excitement. I understand if you dont want to stand there all awkward though. So it was really up to him. She reaches up, licking under her sister's chin and then moving back to Mal. How did you guys find each other anyway??

Brows rose in surprise when the male offered to leave, and being who she was, Lenny had already grown fond of him. That was the downfall of the shorter Archer - how quickly she became attached to others. And she was so deeply affected by emotional states, too. Empathy, she believed her mother had called it.

"Hey, no," she started, hopping off of Kyr's back and turning to face the spotted wolf fully. "You don't have to go. I mean, this is your home, man. I can't just waltz in and then make you leave. That'd make me the asshole." She offered him an encouraging smile and leaned on Kyr's side, all hard-packed muscle meeting streamlined. 

Lenny smirked then and rested her head on Vallkyrie's shoulder as she began the story. "Oh, it was quite the tale. We were like two knights saving a little princess." One mercury eye flashed shut in a wink toward Mal. "Ironically, that knight also knew you."

Most of what Mal ended up saying ended up directed towards Vallkyrie, but he kept glancing to Lenny as well, What, it's not like I'm gonna be totally gone forever -- but what, you want me here while you're going over all your escapades while you've been here? You don't think that'd be awkward? A bit more of a devilish grin there -- look, sisters gotta talk, right? If Kyr didn't make at least one comment about Mal not being into settling down with a mate or something, he'd be surprised.

But Lenny had explained roughly at least, he added on a little, Yeah one girl I knew from the pack I grew up in showed up. She was acting pretty weird, but she wasn't the one who followed me home this time. He picked his words carefully there, just to see if he could get an amusing look from Kyr about him bringing women home or what-have you. Back in reality, he might have tried a bit harder to bring the other wolf back with him if it was Okeanos, but since it was Ibis instead, it was more of a 'meh' thing in the end. Then again, Okeanos had gone back on his word too. Enough history there?

Valenica by no surprise is quick to object Mal's leave, ever more so directly then Vallkyrie. If one might think Vallkyrie happy and friendly, it was nothing compared to her sister. The much time Kyr has spent as a rogue had taught her otherwise to be more cautious of others, keeping an open mind and yet keenly aware. Valencia had always been much more forward, heart-on-a-sleeve type. Where Vallkyrie could do her best to curb her emotions to save face, Valencia's were a bit more erratic and care-free. Valencia could protect her sister better physically whilst Vallkyrie could do more so for her sister emotionally. Who knows, the overly flirty nature of both Mal and Lenny could be quite the showing. After all, Mal insisted on trying to push Vallkyrie's buttons as he mentioned their 'escapades', that familiar daring grin creeping over his features. Oh no, Kyr wasnt about to expose her sister to all that just yet! 

Vallkyrie comes to and steps forth when Valenica meets all fours again, the pair leaning to one another. Mal was baiting her now, she knew it and she wasnt going for it either. Head falls onto Kyr's shoulder and Kyr's head falls onto hers. Both liquid metal and icy glacier eyes staring at Mal with much interest. A knight hu? Well, I never ...! Vallkyrie quips, a smirk slowly widening over her features. The pair often poked and prodded at one another and now she had new fuel for the fire. And what a magnificently molted Mal he is. She adds, lifting her head and nudging into her sister playfully as she teased her Alpha a bit off of Lenny's explanation of how they had ran into one another.

Oh? Was there something going on between the two of them? Silver eyes flicked from Mal to Kyr, back and forth, with interest thoroughly piqued. That little teasing, Mal focusing more on her sister, the underhanded compliment? 

Well, they'd make pretty pups at least. 

Deciding to stay out of the middle of that mess, Lenny just let her tail wave and cleared her throat. "Well, uh, actually," she began, dark ears angling toward Mal this time. It would be his choice, after all. "If you don't mind too much, do you think I could stay here?" She was technically across the border already, having leapt to attach herself to her sister as quickly as possible. "I told you before, but I am a good fighter. I was trained for six months in advanced fighting techniques, but before that I was trained in... a little bit of everything. I don't know what Kyr's told you about Torbine, but we like to be well-rounded." Lenny shook out her long, fluffy pelt and stood up a little straighter, proud of her heritage. "I'd like to stay with my sister, and I'd work hard for you and your pack."

How dare she not play along, that wasn't very fun. He either wanted a nice little banter game or rope Lenny into heckling Kyr or maybe the other way around, something. Well fine he'd have to play another time.

Back to the subject at hand, Lenny, Yeah, we got room -- and I'm not big on ripping families apart for no reason. Kyr's been good for the pack, so if you're made of similar stuff, then you're certainly welcome to stay. We got a guy from one of the other packs coming soon to train some of our people -- you could talk to him, see if there's anything you'd want to learn. A pause, a tip of the head, And I wouldn't even have to do the tour this time -- part of what I was saying with letting you two catch up. Can't cramp your style forever. A quick grin.

Last one for Kyr!

Vallkyrie, in the mist of her and Mal spouting at one another, did not catch the obvious back and forth gaze of her sister, the wheels which were turning in her head as she watched. If so Kyr would have put an end to that prompt. Oh nonononononoooo!! That is not at all what it looks like! Vallkyrie had not known everyone which Mal had intentions of 'laying it out for' but from the conversions they did have, even if she was interested (which she wasnt!!) she was not about to be one of his numbers. 

Listening to her sister, Vallkyrie straightens herself up, her eyes now dancing between the two of them. It was true that Valencia was a good fighter. She was not a horribly large or bulky wolf, but she was swift and knew how to use her strengths to best her opponents, had a quick eye for finding their weakness. It seemed both wolves enjoyed 'the rush' but where Lenny got off on it from sparring, Kyr did with hunting. 

Surely, Kyr didnt see any reason why Mal wouldnt accept her. He had a knacked for letting in youths with no skills really, little hellions and really any who wanted a fresh start in life if it meant tossing their baggage at the door and making a new family to trust, here, with them. That and well, having some good guardians at the border was definitely something they lacked around here. Head turning to rest on Mal with those icy eyes like daggers, oh you better say yes!

...And he did! Her tail waved behind her, hitting the back of her sister's rump in the process. When Mal went on about not having to do the touring this time, Vallkyrie nearly jumped at the opportunity.  Well be off with you then Mal! Come on Lenny, let us speak of our 'escapades'.  Kyr would stick out her tongue in Mal's direction before whipping around and shoving on her sister to do the same and get a move on.

Exit Lenny - thanks for the thread <3

It wasn't necessarily that Lenny was afraid of being told no, it was just the nagging fear that something else would come in and separate herself and her sister. And how long would it be this time? Another six months? A year? Two? Len didn't blame Kyr for leaving Torbine, for that sense of adventure ran deep in her, but it had not been a pleasant time for the shorter twin. 

A wide grin broke out on her dark face when Mal confirmed that he wouldn't be separating them, and Lenny lunged forward to lick his chin in a quick show of gratitude, submissive and appreciative, as she would have done with a family member back at Torbine. "Thank you so much!" she burst out, tapping her front paws with excitement.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lenny responded in regards to the other fighter. Learning different techniques was always important, and she was excited for all that being part of Neverwinter Forest would bring. Her own tail twirled about like a helicopter as she bounded after her sister. Too excited to play along with teasing Mal, and instead focused on making up lost time with Kyr.

She licked his chin, then bounded off. So Vallkyrie had her sister, and both she and Lenny were quite stoked about it. The real question was who was gonna be the bigger problem -- Vallkyrie and Belharra or Vallkyrie and Lenny? Surely they were going to get into mischief if they were as close as they seemed to be..

And off they went to be happy. Mal was left alone again -- not forever and not truly since they were in his pack, since he'd run into them again soon enough, but for this instant, he was alone. His sisters were still gone, he still didn't have free access to his own son... Yeah, alone.