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@Derg

As she sat by Kaito's grave, Arlette wondered how much hardship a wolf could endure before one would break down. She had waited for death after that cougar attack. Her wounds - although severe - had not killed her. She had been left behind while her mate and pups had been taken from her. It was a pain that still raged inside of her. But then to add more deaths on top of that felt just like life was far too cruel. Her aunt, her younger brother, and - even though she wasn't sure Oryx died - she was pretty sure that was the outcome of her friend. She didn't seem the type to abandon her.

The strange thing was that even though the deaths had fueled the pain inside of her, there was less anger than before. Perhaps the reason was that she was feeling so much that it all felt numb. She didn't understand how Clay was taken at such a young age. In these moments, it did her well to be outside of Easthollow borders, away from her family where she was starting to feel less at home. She felt disconnected from them. Arlette perhaps should just pack her bags and leave. To find Oryx or just to find herself again. However, as she looked down in the stream she saw a reflection of what stopped her. How would anyone not be afraid of her with one side of her face mauled the way it was?

She felt unloved and alone.

He wandered away from Easthollow, dwelling on their words.
A lot was said, and he needed time to figure it all out for himself.

He found himself is a quiet glade. Peace and warmth encircled him here.
He felt like this place was full of fae folk that blessed travellers ith gifts, but of course, that was all just tales for children.
He hadn't seen, so he couldn't believe.

But as he cleared his thoughts away by shoving them in a box and throwing it to the back of his mind so he could appreciate this place, his eyes settled on a wolf, seeming mournful and distant, staring into the water.
He paused midstep, then continued towards her with a soft chuff.
She didn't look too good, and not because of her battle scars.

Arlette looked up when she heard a chuff. She noticed there was a male before her. Not someone that she had seen before. She was surprised that his face was much like hers. She had never seen someone that had as much scaring as her, perhaps even more. She quickly pushed herself to her feet. She felt a bit caught. No one really followed her when she went to mourn.

She tried to hide the one side of her face a bit. "I.. My mate died and some times it is... tough," she admitted to this total stranger. She took in a shaky sigh and then looked at the male. "I'm sorry," Arlette spoke and shook her head. She looked a bit guilty at the male. She felt a bit stupid, just blabbing her own troubles, like the male would care.

She seemed startled by his presence and he stopped letting her work things out. He wasn't about to force his presence upon her, but he wanted to help her.
He didn't want to leave another like this.

She tilted her head and started talking.
His eyes widened in sympathy, his brows knitting together in concern.
Poor, poor soul.
He moved closer, softly and ready to leave her personal space should she wish him too; with words or fangs.
"I know the feeling," he sympathised with her. He'd lost Keen and Rusalka. 
He got a better look at her scars. Deep slashed crossing her body, and that was only the left side she'd allowed him to see.
"You don't need to be sorry," he smiled softly, his heart feeling for her. If he knew her at all, he might try and comfort her better, but h was pretty useless at comforting others as it was.

The male moved in closer to her. She side eyed at him but he seemed friendly so she relaxed. The girl turned her face towards him a bit more. "It is horrible. I don't wish it on anyone," she whispered then and shook her head. It was all she could say about it. Well, she could say more about it but it was painful. The female nodded slowly as reply that she shouldn't be sorry.

"Does it become better? So it doesn't hurt every time you think of them?," she asked him, mostly out of curiosity. She wanted to remember Kaito, she wanted to remember her pups, but it hurt every time that she was left behind. "It also doesn't help that I have such a visual reminder of what happened," she added and shook her head and looked at her paws.

He nodded. She seemed to be such a gentle soul.
How any creature could do this to her...he didn't know.
He sighed softly, expelling his sinking thoughts from his mind to try and steer hers into a brighter light.

"It does."
He almost wished it didn't. He wanted it to hurt, he wanted the fact that he lost his favourite people in this world to hurt. Keen and Ronnie...oh what could they be doing now?
He tilted his head to her. Yeah, he had that too.
"My face was ripped open protecting my Alpha."
He wondered where Raleska was now...if she was safe too. Probably. She was a strong-willed girl.

"I don't know where my former pack are now...if they're alive at all."
He wondered if they had gone back to the sound and had been swept away by another wave of destruction.
He looked to her, a sadness in his eyes. He missed Rusalka.

She let out a soft relieved sigh when the other said that it would be better eventually. Her red eyes battered up at him, at the scars. They were very visual, like hers. She looked at them, really looked at them. "Do you hate your scars?," she asked, which was a rather bold question for her to ask someone. She looked back down to her paws. "I hate mine. They remind me of what I lost," she admitted to him.

She frowned. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Don't you want to find them? Keep that hope?," she ended in a whisper. "I would do anything to have any hope of my mate and pups being alive but I know they are not." She had been with them for days after they passed, until their body turned cold and stiff. She shuddered, that had not been pretty.

In truth, Derg didn't think about them. But they were on his face so he didn't see them all the time. But his eye was affected a bit. The soft blur in it was a reminder.
"No, but I don't think that yours make you look bad."
He didn't want to tell her she looked good because well...he liked men to be completely honest. But he doubted he'd ever admit it to anyone except those who clearly did want to smash....his little secret.

"They tell your story, and you'll never forget it."
It was bad to forget. He never would want to.
He smiled, hoping his words were something she needed to hear.

She asked about finding them.
He didn't know how to respond to that.
He looked yes...but found no trace of them. Maybe he was just a poor tracker.
"I'm scared of what I'll find."
He confessed. He'd never said so before, not even to Donovan in his breakdown.
His eyes flicked away from her.
He had dreams of finding them dead in the Sound...Keen, Raleska, Erzuile.

He doubted he'd go back.

"You will find others to love, and I'm sure there are some who love you." He smiled kindly, his eyes resting on her again.

She looked up, surprised. Because she felt that they looked pretty bad. Then again, a wolf didn't have a mirror and each time she did saw them it was in a reflection of a puddle. She also felt them. The breeze on her new scarred skin, the pull when she turned her head, her tight scarred skin not as flexible as before. He had thought of it that way, that they told her story. Kaito had been part of her life, so had been her pups. "That... If you think of it that way they might not be so bad," she admitted quietly.

Arlette looked at him with compassion in her eyes. She wanted to help him. "What are their names? What was the pack's name?," she asked. "Maybe by chance I run into them, and I can come tell you as a thank you for your kindness." It was feeble hope, but perhaps that was what she could give the other in return for his compassion, hope.

He nodded, letting her think for a moment about herself.
His words seemed to help, and he was glad for it.
He didn't like to see others in distress.

Then she seemed to...light up.
Like a switch clicked and she wanted to help him too. He smiled, glad to see her perk up so.
"My ward, Keen, was with them. I left my pack Rusalka to find my...friend Ronnie." He didn't find him and lost his pack and ward in the process.
"Thank you," he murmured. He'd never really had anyone offer to help him....Donovan gave him a home and Erzuile helped with his wounds. But that was it really. Or so he thinks, someone may have to correct him if he was wrong.

Arlette's world stopped for a moment when he mentioned the name of his ward. She looked surprised. "Keen?," she breathed in disbelief. "My sister's name was Keen. Was your ward chocolate in color? Stark blue eyes?," she asked. "I lost my sister... she never returned home." It was almost too good to be true that Keen had found a home with someone like ... She didn't even know his name! But he did seem like a nice fellow.

"Was the alpha of Rusalka the one you tried to protect?," she asked, her voice still quiet. She didn't want to bring him any bad memories. The female figured that the male left the pack but also wasn't able to find this... Ronnie. Arlette dipped her head. "You are welcome. I'm Arlette by the way," she returned.

Oh.
In some clarity of events, he'd stumbled upon Keen's family who they'd never found.
He smiled softly. Now he needed to find Keen again and bring her home.

"Exactly so," yeah, definitely the same wolf.
"We tried to find you, her family, but never did. Then when we were visiting another pack, she was attacked on the way home. She has scars like you."
He wondered if this would further comfort her, or distress her. "She is well, and was in Rusalka when I left."
He was sure she would still be fine even if she did leave Rusalka too. She had bravery and heart.

"Yeah, it was Raleska at the time, but now I believe it is Aningan." He hoped the polar male was well too. He was a good leader.
"I'm Derg."

GOSH and now I found out that Aningan is an Apaata! It is all connected

Arlette's heart beat faster, as fast as it had in months. Keen was alive! That was great news. Now she didn't want to find Rusalka for Derg but also for herself. She would love to see her sister again, see in to the woman she had grown today. Arlette slowly nodded when she heard about the attack. If she lived a sheltered life in Easthollow and ended up with these scars it was only logical that Keen would suffer some injuries as well. "Then we have something physical in common now," she returned, as she had looking nothing like her sister coloring-wise.

"Thank you for taking care of her. You should talk to my mother Valette. She would be thankful for taking care of her," Arlette mentioned. "What... what was she like with you?," she dared to ask. She wanted to know more about her, if the male would tell her. She was definitely in debt to him now, Arlette had decided. "I will keep an ear out for those names," she returned to him. "I don't know how to thank you, Derg."

Us figuring out all the connections. He also knows Wintersbane loool

He nodded with a chuckle.
Yeah, he'd never have guessed they were related, but at least she was happier now.
Then she told him of Valette. Well, he'd already met her!
Again, he laughed, fuller this time.
"You'd never guess, but I've already spoken to Valette trying to find my sister!" He was almost full of himself.
Gods, no one else knew anyone he did until now.

"I'll have to speak to her again sometime, with you there too."
For the protection of course.
Ah Keen, though. What was she like.
"She was shy when I found her, but then I kept with her, fed her, and she really opened up. She's fun, loves to explore." He smiled, shaking his head, "she found a skull once and kept it for some unknown reason."​ He chuckled again. Arlette was proving to be quite the character, like Keen he supposed. 

His head tilted, looking at her bathed in a shaft of sunlight.
Maybe he would think of her as pretty.
He did, in fact.
He felt his cheek heat up and glanced to the bubbling water.
This was a lot to take in.

I can't imagine there are more though xD

Arlette's ears swiveled forward when he chuckled. It was a warm sound, one that she liked to hear. The girl couldn't deny that talking to Derg made her feel a lot better. It made her realize that perhaps she should get out of Easthollow and just meet other wolves. Maybe now it was her time to leave the nest, perhaps she would even find Keen. Not for her mother, but for her. Merrit had returned as well, it was nice to see her brother again.

"You are looking for your sister, as well?,' she asked, concerned. It seemed Derg had lost a lot of wolves as well. It was inspiring that he was so full of life. She had been moping around compared to him. Arlette nodded quietly when he suggested that he should meet his mother once more with her there. She was not sure if it would benefit him since she was not on good terms with her mother lately. That was mostly from her side though. Her mother was trying to fix things.

"That sounds like her," she revealed a tiny smile in her memory. The girl then realized that this was her first smile in months. "I'm glad to hear about her. You kind of inspired me today, Derg," she admitted to him, big red eyes battered with a soft gaze at him. "Where are you located? You know, when I come and bring you good news?," she then asked him, kind of taking his his breath of fresh air. She didn't feel like she was suffocating anymore.

He liked the light that was in her eyes now.
It made her seem so much more alive.
"Yeah, Grezig."
He wondered if she knew of her too.

He beamed at her, his right lip not lifting fully because of his ruined skin.
He didn't mind though.
His eyes held his emotions better than his face ever could though.

"I'm glad you feel better," he didn't miss the hint of a smile.
"I live in a canyon over in the mountains there," he gestured towards the Sunspires.
"A lake runs into it."
She'd find the water easier than the sand.
He paused before continuing. "I wan to see you again anyway," a smile. She was good company. Fun even, even if a bit slow to get her warmed up.

Arlette squinted her eyes in thought, but the name didn't ring a bell. The female shook her head, to let him know that she didn't know her. She had lived a sheltered life so it was surprising to her that they had some wolves in common. He beamed at her, it almost reminded of her old self. The happy Arlette she was before the attack.

Arlette followed his gaze. "I think I went past it once when trying to find Kaistleoki." She had been going past a canyon, but maybe it was not the same. She looked up with a surprised expression when he admitted so candidly he wanted to see her again. She felt that she could use his positivity and kindness. "I feel the same way," she admitted. "I really hope you find your sister. Are you heading into a particular direction to look for her?"

Sorry for the wait!

He nodded. She'd find it easily enough.
If she entered the mountains from this end it won't take long for her to find him.
He was sad though, that Grezig wasn't recognised.
He'd really hoped so.

He didn't know of Kaistleoki, but expected it to be close to the mountains.
Perhaps they were part of the so-called Avengers Kynareth keeps banging on about.

But the words she uttered back to him made his heart lurch and blood run cold. Shit, he'd never had any sort of meaningful reconnection before...unless you discount Keen of course.
Gods, he hoped the chocolate girl was safe.
He smiled naturally, "I think I'm going home now, it's been a while."
Maybe not right now, depends on if she wanted to do something, like a hunt.
Spend more time together whilst they have the chance.

Arlette's eyes turned to the mountains when the male said of going home. She then looked over her shoulder. Easthollow had nothing to offer her. The family pack they so-called themselves felt like a lie. She needed a break from her mother, and she still wanted to find Oryx. She turned back to Derg. "Would you mind if I travel with you. I want to look for my friend as well, Oryx."

She looked down at her toes before looking up again. "It is safer going through the mountains together than alone," she muttered then. Maybe she was thinking too much into this, but then again, the male had said he wanted to see her again. So, he perhaps wouldn't mind her traveling with him. It felt strange though, going into the mountains again. The last time she went there she got stuck with Kaito in a cave and that had changed her whole life...

No worries at all!

We could have another backdated thread in the mountains, then have her leave for EH at the end of it so it fits with him looking for her later lol <3

She tilted her gaze towards the mountains. The peaks didn't look so distant from here.
He wondered why.
But her question surprised him but was greeted with a smile all the same.
"Of course you can." He wouldn't miss the opportunity for anything.
He hadn't heard of Oryx, but Kynareth may have. He travelled more than Derg did.

He felt for Arlette then. She didn't feel safe travelling alone, but more so with who was essentially a stranger? Easthollow wolves were ready to trust, it may seem. Or perhaps Arlette and Keen were very alike.
​"I'll make sure to look after you," he smiled brighter this time. She seemed uncertain. Maybe a little down. What had happened the last time she entered the mountains?
"Do you want to tell anyone we're going?"
Well, where she'd going. He didn't want to be classed as her kidnapper or something crazy.

I'd LOVE that!! Feel free to make a new thread then I will wrap this one up.

Arlette showed a hint of a smile when he agreed to taking her along. She was in a way relieved, it confirmed even more to her that the male had not been lying to her. He wanted to spend more time with her, and Arlette realized she wanted to spend more time with him as well. He had been so calm, and kind to her. She responded well to it.

For Arlette there was no question that this male could be trusted, otherwise he wouldn't have stopped when he saw her looking so down. Plus he had told her about taking on a ward, which was her sister. That had won her over as well. She dipped her head in thank you. She would need to work on defending herself or at least be more confident at avoiding attacks.

She looked over her shoulder to Easthollow. Arlette was pretty sure they didn't really care. She let out a quick howl that she left. "All done," she commented. She was ready to go, not real sentiment to leaving her pack. She did look to Kaito's grave for a brief moment before getting up and trotted into the directions of the mountains.

Will do! Closing this one out then

She let out a howl.
No sentiment there then.
Only here...with this place that reminded her of her mate. Perhaps he was buried here.

And with that, the pair made off towards the mountains, ready to start their own hunts for friends and family alike.
They might come up with nothing. But at least they'd have each other. Or so Derg felt.