The Heartwood re-restart

Once a bright and vibrant deciduous forest, The Heartwood is now a wasteland of ash and cinders. Proud trees were consumed in a blaze that claimed the entire forest and what life flourished here has moved on to greener pastures. The fire scorched deep into the earth, ensuring that regrowth will take a great many years.

Cyclone spent the next couple of days getting as far away from her former pack as she possibly could. She stopped a few times to eat, to rest, to take a dump, but that was about it. Her legs kept moving, and she kept wandering further and further away. The general direction was back toward the creek where Addison was likely being a stuck-up bitch, but Cyclone made sure to stop well before she got anywhere near there.

Eventually, she came to a rather depressing looking place, but it did look as though it might have been (and would someday be) something quite nice. Tiny saplings were scattered everywhere, but beyond that, it was relatively barren. This definitely would not do, but she stopped here for now, deciding to see what (if anything) lay in store for her here.

It had been too long, and Loki was bitter that it had been that way. Too long since he had been in Teekon, too long that he hadn’t had right over this mind - but in the end, the snarky snake had tricked himself into the throne of the mind, and he had held firmly with an arrogant gloved grasp.

He has been in Teekon, yes, but not as long as it took for him to earn his rights to anything. He hadn’t taken a queen. He hadn’t taken a litter. He hadn’t taken disciples. He hadn’t done anything to give glory to himself, and inside, the chimera prince seethed. Kyber has been his downfall, but through downfalls, the ashes would part way to the Risen, once again. 

No longer a youthful spindle of limbs and lean tenderness of a teen’s body,  he had grown into a man. Well, as man as a wolf could be, without all the hunky dunky filling. ‘No’, he inwardly grinned to himself. He was the most charming trickster to ever lay eyes on anything and everything upon this place. There was no reason his looks alone couldn’t win him the hearts of a million subject. He walked with the air of someone who simply knew. He had the confidence of someone who simply knew. And if he didn’t?

well, they didn’t have to know that.
and he would make sure it stayed that way.

A dazzling score of gold layered adversely through a hide of ebony, making a more distinct bypass of difference as it upped the back of his crown and showed a bicolor face. One side, the miraculous shine of an incredible star, while the other was the heart of an eclipse. But between both, a pair of lovely emeralds shone, tempting through both tricks, and treats. 

Under this chimera’s coat, the man was toned, much more athletic than anything else. Not a brutish beast, nor a simpering coward, but a duo of swift and savage, should either need to be summoned. 
But his smile said it all.

Here in this empty world stood nothing. Ash and dust, snow and sodden wood roots lay under the crisp layer of winded frost and frozen sky. Flecks of it stuck to him as the voracious breaths of air themselves wrapped around his fit form. Already his coat has thickened; temperature was beneath him, as of now. Yet what had snagged him from this selfish boredom was his verdes landing over a body in the horizon. Yet this one stood, silent, and overlooking the lands. He grew interested then, his gems alighting with the prospect of something new in this place of nothingness. 

But who he was would not not be compromised for this potential.

A suave trot with only a pinch of swagger and eased into casual gait downpoured into a much more refined walk. He neared, his banner flecked to a slight quirk, a gentle curvature, while lean limbs elegantly strode him into general proximity of this lupine. 

His chin was tilted a wisp up, but angled to the side, as he opted for a friendly and inquisitive appearance. Voice, inside and out, slipped forward with curious eagerness to the dark femalia before him.

”Hello.“

Cyclone was greeted by one of the oddest looking wolves she'd ever seen (and she'd seen plenty of weirdos). She blinked at him a few times, then decided that she might as well see if he was worthy of her presence. Sup? I'm Cyclone. And just like that, the very short week—or had it been two?—that she went by her birth name was over. She was back to her usual fucking-shit-up self. Cyclone would be loyal to nobody but herself from now until the end of time. Nobody had ever given her a reason to be loyal, except perhaps Tantalus and Grayson for a short while.

She sniffed in his direction, trying to figure out if he was with a pack or not. Thankfully, she'd gotten plenty of practice recruiting while she'd been living at the glacier. It was too bad those wolves she'd sent back probably wouldn't ever see her again. Or maybe it wasn't too bad. They'd agreed to go to a barren glacier. Looking back, Cyclone wondered why she'd thought that was a good idea at all.

A dark girl with ivory knee-highs, and eyes of slate. The chimera enjoyed her plainness as he did with a many of the others. He had a think for the plain ones. But what they lacked in appearance, more often than not, they made up in attitude. He liked their spice. 

Eyeing her with his spring gaze, he nodded. “Loki,” he returned like a vocal handshake. Her voice spoke maturity, but her words themselves spoke of young girl. He didn’t know whether to cringe or respect the difference. 

“You wouldn’t have happened on any others, too, would you? “ he asked as he returned his own view across the dreary world. Were  there others out here too looking for a place to call shelter from the elements?

Can you rephrase that? she asked dumbly. Was she missing something, or was he just talking in a way she couldn't understand? The last thing she wanted was a pack full of wolves she couldn't communicate with. The glacier had been just that, and she really didn't want to be reminded of it just now. At least this guy was speaking plain ol' English, which she could understand to a degree... but something about the way Loki asked the question put her on edge. It was as if he was purposefully trying to be confusing.

She managed to spit her brain into a red cup as she wanted a repeat of what he said, but how she requested it was just...just...lazy. Oh,I know what you are, his inner glee overrode his initial impatience at the repetition he’d have to enact. She was young, acting and living off of basic words, basic savagery the voice chided almost as a coo within. She was seemingly a shallow girl, Loki assumed, ignorance prevailed over sophistication. 
Perfect for easy melding, easy ‘friending’ until he got close enough to take her over, too. 

So he’d stoop. For now. “Sorry,“ he applied with a slightly charming attempt at a sheepish grin. “I was just asking if you met anyone other than myself out here.“

The lightbulb turned on when he rephrased the question, although she still felt like he was being a bit purposefully wordy. She reminded herself not to judge so quickly, so she put on her smile and did her best to be friendly... well, as friendly as she ever got. Well... yeah... I mean, this whole wide world is pretty big. Bound to run into others on a pretty regular basis. She gave him a teasing wink. It probably wasn't the answer he was looking for, but it was the one she gave, so he'd have to deal with it (or ask better questions).

How long before this forest becomes inhabitable again, y'think? she asked idly, looking at the few saplings that were sprouting up here and there. It wasn't entirely dead, but the ground still smelled of ash and smoke in places. It wasn't a good place to settle now, but in a few years time, she could see it becoming quite nice.

The urge to spit, to just land a good blob of filth right before the filthy girl’s eyes had tarnished him internally, smoging his retort in a suffocating silence as she blinked a quick silver dime his way. It was not clear what he asked? Or was she just an imbecile? The graceless dog in him howled it so much more blatant than he worded the question, a screech of simply asked ‘Who’d you cross?!’ scalding a plain scar over his blistering temper. 
But alas, the Prince of Deceit held his tongue, his own smile whisking ivories to match her own. He felt a roll of shoulder bask the useless situation on a wave of nonchalance as he dismissed the notion, completely. It, in the end, didn’t matter. He would cross others, and only dealing with them, there would be no need to confuse blunt peons with basic conversation. 

His pride, however, interrogated him as she arose another question, expecting his answers but too fickle-minded to answer his own. Could he really tolerate such a presence for as long as he had planned to? Could he embrace a roll of friendship as he enacted his own plans?

’I’m going to have to’, his bitter voice shot acid over his porously resolved choice. 

“Well,” he began, interest gilding his features appropriately. “For it to be nice and full, id give it a few years. Perhaps 20, to seal a good green deal.“ 

In all reality, he had no damn clue. But he wasn’t going to let her know that. “However, I feel as though it’s worth investing in, now.“

Twenty years, she echoed, I don't think there's a single wolf who's ever lived that long, so I'mma say this one is out of the running. Why had he said to invest now? Who better to ask than the man himself? Why would you want to live here now? Doesn't seem like the brightest idea if it won't be good for at least another few years. She gave him a skeptical look. Why was he trying to sell her on this idea? Maybe he had a thing for another territory, so he wanted her to plant her roots somewhere else.

You trying to plant down some roots nearby or something? Don't want me getting in the way? That was the only reason she could come up with as to why he'd want her to stay here in this desolate place. Or he just didn't give a damn. Who knew?

As expected, the second an unplanned assumption goes across their way, she doubled back to test him. A bit soon, but he obliged. If anything, he only hoped her sudden inquisition was of genuine interest rather than a childish ‘well how do you know?’ measure. 

“Because fauna and flora get a healthy spring to usually unreachable nutrients from the ash. The trees grow heartier, stronger, the plants flourish, bloom with miraculous array - everything and everyone benefits from a fresh start, Cyclone,“ he grinned as though he were enjoying the lesson. “It simply takes patience before the butterfly emerges from the cocoon.“ 

Loki chuckled at her questioned accusation, his bright verdes as twinkling with as much gleam as his ivories had. “I don’t have a way, Cy. That’s what led me to you.“ Turning from her to look through what was once a reknown place of beasts and predators alike, the liar tried piecing together his next plan should this one fall through. She was already trying to pull the mask off - and of course he couldn’t let her. But what should happen should he take the mask off on his own? Ohhh, it would be tremendous and terrible. 

Shifting on long and lean limbs, the Eurasian mixed timber felt the ice ground beneath him. This could certainly be a nice place. All they needed was time. Time and a plan. Well, not ‘them’. Only ‘him’. Her plans mattered very little to him.

Whatever, weirdo, she replied flippantly to his waxing poetic about the forest, and she gave him an odd look. She'd be much happier somewhere that was already lush with life and sustenance. This place just wasn't her jam. And quite frankly, something about him kept putting her on edge. It was completely unfounded... except maybe for the fact that they just didn't seem to jive. The last thing she wanted was to pick up a bunch of followers she just didn't jive with.

He was too... serious. Or something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she wasn't going to waste her time thinking about it too much longer. Sometimes a feeling was all she needed. Well, I'll keep out of... your way? I guess? If you have one? She was still a bit confused on that one. There's packs all over the place if you're looking to join one.

thankssomuchforthis

Loki had nothing else to say. He’d wasted enough time on this filth. So rather than responding back to the degenerate swank, he simply lifted his chin and walked off. So much more could have been done in his time, and he soured at the aspect of wasting any more.

Likewise! ^__^

He huffed and he puffed and he wandered away. Good riddance, Cyclone muttered under her breath. She didn't want the likes of him anywhere nearby, and she hoped he planned on going far, far away. Snorting in his direction, she went the other way, hoping that they would never need to cross paths again.