King Elk Forest their fortunes for to try

there were scents along the treeline, but they were faint. a pack had once called this home—perhaps recently—but the claim had faded. no longer did these wolves have an iron-clad hold on the woods; still, wary of anything that could bring him and his daughter into conflict, he skirted the edge of the forest, careful not to tread too far into what could be hostile territory.

aditya had invited @Brook along for a stroll; they also needed to talk. what was to come next was up to both of them. they needed to make a decision—did they keep moving, fighting through the blizzard that had already lasted far too long for his liking? or should they hunker down and wait for the first birds of spring to emerge?

his paws crunched over the fresh white snow. it seemed as if there was a new layer to replace the old every day. the wind buffeted his pelt and chilled him to the bone, for even his winter coat was still too southern-thin for this cruel season. 

he stopped to glance around, looking for his daughter.

Brook had found purpose in finding her father. Well, maybe not "purpose," but at least some kind of direction. It was easier to let him make decisions and follow orders than it had ever been trying to do it on her own. Wherever he went, she followed. She clung to him, hoping that he would bring her some sense of normalcy, and for the most part, he had done that. Whether he knew it or not, he had saved her from ending her life that day, and she had taken it as a sign that she was meant to live.

She followed him now, and when he stopped to look around, she lowered her gaze and stepped forward. Her tail swayed gently from side to side, and she licked her lips. Her time among Tortuga had conditioned her to respecting authority, and Aditya was the only authority she recognized these days.

his face lit up in a smile as she approached; she was the light of his life and he hoped she knew it. maybe he hadn't told her enough. aditya thought of going into that just now, but there was business at hand. the weather demanded an immediate response. it would be folly for him to put it off any longer.

we have a choice, he began, taking a deep, measured inhale. either we hunker down, wait for the weather to pass—or we move on and find a more permanent place to live. 

and there were no guarantees. the snow could last all winter. it would do neither of them any good to sit and wait for moons. on the other hand (paw?), they ran the risk of being stymied by the storm, stuck indefinitely in snowdrifts.

he cocked his head. what do you think we should do? aditya asked. a moment, then: what do you want to do?

despite his hatred of the season, he was ambivalent. he wanted to give his daughter the choice.

He gave her a choice, and Brook had to think a moment. She had always been a follower, so making choices wasn't exactly her strong suit. He wanted her to think for herself, and that definitely wasn't her strong suit. Okay, so maybe she did think now and again, but she had gotten so used to not speaking her thoughts when she'd lived with Tortuga, it was hard to break out of that mindset. Even when asked by the wolf who had been more of a guardian to her than anyone, it was hard to answer.

Which would make you happier? she asked. In truth, that was what she wanted. As long as he was happy, Brook was content.

he couldn't help but look amused as she turned the choice back onto him. maybe not as much like dawn as he often thought. dawn would have forged her own way and everyone else be damned; brook was much more reticent, willing to follow. trouble was, he had no idea where to lead her.

i would prefer to keep going, aditya replied, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. see if we can track the herds, wherever they are in this mess. who knows how long this will last?

it wasn't his preference—well, not on its face. the aged man would prefer to hide away his old bones from the winter. unfortunately, that tactic kept neither of them fed, not unless they happened upon a cave of rabbits somewhere. (did rabbits even live in caves? they'd likely be feasting on bats.)

he lifted his nose in the direction that he thought was north. i would like to head toward the sea, he said, voice wistful. he would like to live with his daughter beside the sea. that was the most peaceful existence he could imagine.

He noted his preference, and since Brook would continue to remain with him, she nodded. The mention of the sea caused her some worry deep down, but it would be different if Aditya was there with her, right? She would not be living among Tortuga as she once had been. They had been fierce, and they had broken her. She did not wish to revisit those memories, so she swallowed them down and put on her bravest face for her father.

Okay, she replied. Let’s go toward the sea. Her own nose pointed the same direction his did, but she would not make to move until he began to lead the way.

let's go. her willingness to move on was patently dawn, and he smiled, though it faded soon after. it wasn't fair to brook to continuously compare her to her mother, nor was it helping him heal. and with each comparison came the thought of another woman, her aunt—

and his sins against easy were even more egregious. they felt that way to him, anyway.

aditya gave her a nod. we will, he promised. then he turned toward the forest, brows knitted in cautious curiosity. though i wonder if anyone still lives here. the scents are very faint. perhaps we'll give them a call, see if they'll let us rest for a while. or go right on in, if no one was home, nor would be again.

he lifted his muzzle and howled, requesting an audience with the master of this land. he glanced at his daughter as the sound echoed out, fading away. the sea could still be very far away. they would need their strength.

We will. And so it was.

Although her father wanted to check for any signs of residents here first. She abided by that, and she sat back as he howled for an audience. The thought of meeting yet another stranger filled her with another round of mild anxiety, but she did her best to keep it together. It was possible nobody would come to greet them. This was what she hoped for, even though it seemed unlikely.

Even though she dreaded the thought of meeting somebody new, the thought of rest was enticing. They had been traveling for some time, and she was weary and ready to rest her eyes for awhile.

If they do not come, will we still rest here? she asked.

he nodded. we should get some good sleep, aditya replied. and even better if there is no one left here—we'll have the forest to ourselves. if not the protection of an established pack. but he knew from experience that most groups of wolves weren't inclined to dole out favors. 

should they meet someone here today, they would likely have to give back in some way. and he was keen to reach the sea—not so much to pledge his fealty to a pack just yet.

they waited, and no one came. smiling at his daughter, he began to make his way into the woods, flicking an ear toward her in an invitation to follow. looks like luck is on our side, he remarked, breath fogging up before him. it was nice to get out of the snow; he already felt himself relaxing, the muscles of his face easing from the near-constant squint against the stinging flakes. that was one nice thing about forests, the cover. open land was good for certain situations; not so much in a blizzard.

maybe one day, i'll take you to the maplewood, aditya said off-hand, though the casual manner of his speech was accompanied by a sharp sense of longing, tinged with regret. your mother and i loved that place. we lived there for a long time. . .we never should have left.

She was relieved that nobody arrived, though she did not speak of it. Aditya mentioned a place called Maplewood, and Brook canted her head. She did not remember much of anything about her mother. In fact, she had not remembered much of her father, either. She knew him for who he was now, not who he had been when she had been a child.

It was Aditya who had reconnected with her, not her mother. All-in-all, Brook was ambivalent about her. Tortuga had raised her, and she certainly had no love for them. They were a familiar comfort, and something she likely would have sought out again if she had been left to her own devices. Luckily for her, Aditya had stepped in at the right time.

they moved deeper into the forest, and soon came across a small clearing, with a lean-to created by a dip in the earth, an overhang above it. a den once, perhaps, but a little caved in. adi glanced at brook and smiled, heading toward the humble abode whilst shaking the last of the icy moisture from his pelt.

this should do, he remarked, and began to make tight circles, preparing himself for rest. make yourself at home, beti. we'll start our travels again when we've built up our strength. 

he eased himself down, jaws gaping wide in a cavernous yawn. he hadn't realized how tired he was until this moment. thoughts of the maplewood had lulled him into an almost trance-like state, and the edges of dreams tugged at his mind, summoning him deeper. he blinked sleepily at brook.

there was a time when i thought i'd never see you again, he murmured, taking in each line, each facet of her visage. i am glad that i was wrong. meri lakshmi. my blessing.

She did ask he asked, settling next to him. She smiled sweetly at his remark of never seeing her again, and at his words of blessing. Brook did not know what she had been missing before, but she was thankful that they had been reunited. Her life had been headed for its end, and it was he who had saved her on that fateful day. To be here, in the comfort of her father, was more than she could ever hope to ask for.

it was better that his daughter knew him now. his time with dawn. . .well, he loved her, and always would. but dawn brought out the worst in him—the reckless, the selfish, the impulsive. and he, in turn, had held her down. he hoped that grayday's daughter was happy wherever she was—and thanked her, silently and fervently, for giving him the greatest blessing of all.

sleep well, brook, aditya whispered, each word soft and delicate on his tongue. we'll go forth tomorrow.

he was beginning to slip into dreams. hopefully, they would be good ones. but even if nightmares plagued him, as they often did, he would wake next to his daughter, and that was worth its weight in gold.

the storm howled, the winds raged on, but they were safe and warm—together.

She smiled softly at his words, finding a more comfortable position before she, too, began to drift off to sleep. It was always easier to do so when Aditya was around. The sound of his breathing, although not loud over the wind outside, was enough to lull her into a slumber in no time.