Stone Circle capture me with your legends of old

He's just outside, on neutral ground (:

This wasn’t the first pack Iovan had found since striking North, but it was another, and he wouldn't have stopped if the aesthetic hadn't made him pause, paw hovered in mid-stride. Sparse grass poked through the snow here and there, but he could imagine the place in the summer, when the breeze would dance through the long grass and conjure up smells and memories they'd remember through fall. This was a place that heroes would come from, and he danced a giddy gaze along the hills. Imagine, if a warrior of old would come rushing down to greet him now! He would bow his lowest bow - which he partially sank into already - for what was he, to stand before a legend?

Somewhere down the meadow, a herd of bison grazed about, but even here, the ground practically oozed of their scent. Thankfully, the pack wolves seemed to keep this place well-marked. With a flare of his nares (he stifled a grin), Iovan could distinguish the scent of the locals without a hitch. Plenty lived here - and though he could already tell Zenith wasn't among them, he tipped back his head and called out a greeting to those who lived within. Perhaps among them he would find a hero - or some kind of clue to where his sister might be.

Illecebra heard the howl of greeting and tensed up. It wasn't a summoning really more like a howl to say "hello! I know y'all are here!" and it struck her as odd. Curiously she stood up from her den and wandered into the chilly air, breeze ruffling her fur which was beginning to fill out beautifully now. 


She moved at a quicker pace and paused just behind the borders, remaining at the edge of their territory and staring at the male with a curious but stern gaze. "Did you need anything, sir?" She asked politely without being formal and greeting him first, her one good ear peering up. It sucked not to be able to use her tail to posture but she did the best she could,standing tall and allowing her hackles to rise in the slightest to display her unease with the stranger.

Company met him in good time and he sunk to the ground before she reached him, greeting her with a low bow and exposed neck - the only way proper for a stranger to posture at the feet of an unfamiliar pack. He made quick work to assess the woman through the corner of his eye. She commanded respect, and certainly carried herself like a matron of the land - severed tail, missing ear, and all.

“Good morning, m’lady,” his voice bounced along, lively and spry. Her appearance delighted and unnerved him the same - curious for the battles it told, yet pained for the horrors she must have suffered. He decided to ask on none of this. “Do pardon my interruption. I was merely passing by when I caught wind of your pack, and couldn’t help but wonder to the company who lived here.” He grinned then, albeit the smile felt a touch contorted with his face so pressed to the ground. “M’name’s Iovan, by the way. Iovan Theyn, ranger and scout.”

The position he took displayed respect and submission which immediately delighted and soothed her. She was by no means whatsoever the alpha here but she was the only Easthollow member present, so she supposed by that logic she was in charge. He began to speak and his way of speaking was interesting, he sounded very old timey and like a knight, her old packs men had spoken in such a way it gave her an odd sort of feeling like deja Vu. 


He said he was curious about the pack and she remained silent, her features giving nothing away though her hackles did settle down flatly along her scruff. It wouldn't be wise to give away too much information but it couldn't hurt to explain a few things. The second thought was only enhanced by the fact he said he was a scout and ranger, those types tended to map out land and know of all the packs. It made sense that he was interested in Easthollow if he hadn't come across it before. "This is Easthollow. We home many wolves, our Alpha is a woman named Valette." She stated in a kinder tone. Realizing he was still pressed to the ground she shifted awkwardly "you may rise lad. Thank you for the respect" she said with a slight smile. "What do you wish to know? I cannot promise to answer Everything but I can try my best" she would permit him some answers unless the question was too prying or it held information that could be used against them.

The woman seemed more receptive of his presence here, and Iovan smiled in return and eased himself off the ground. Half of him dripped with the icy melt of snow, but his attention fixed more on his posture than anything else. Though now on all fours and able to converse, he decided it best to bent so as to appear smaller than her, though he guessed he might surpass her if he drew to full height. That wasn't a risk he would take today, nor a disrespect he would show her.

Like with any new name, Iovan filed the information for future use. Once their company parted, he would work to match the names with the scents of this place, but for now he perked his ears to listen to whatever the woman could share. He nodded, and he moved his tail with an eager swing. "There's so much I could ask!" Iovan briefly glanced at the sky and hummed a thoughtful note to gather his best question together. "It would first be an honour to know your name," he said, and dipped his head back down to level out with hers, eyes smiling and bright, yet still averted. "I love hearing of traditions and cultures, and origin stories - if any of those are safe for you to share."

Illecebra kept the faint smile and situated herself into a seated position, matching his respect with a nuetral posture on the snowy ground. The first question he asked was her name and she inwardly chuckled, what a gentleman he was indeed. "I am Illecebra, but everyone calls me Cebra" she answered with ease not really caring about sharing her own details.

the next questions were difficult for her because she honestly didn't know much about Easthollow culture or origin. "Well...in Easthollow we care for everyone as if they're family really. I don't believe we have any specific traditions or culture except that it is a rule here for only alphas to breed though I'm unsure if there's occasions where specific permission is given for subordinates to breed" she responded slowly at first before choosing one thing she was certain of. "Most of our members are hunter oriented or mercenary oriented but we have a few Interested in healing." She continued speaking of the specific trade types Easthollow holds. 

After that she shifted and offered him a slightly apologetic smile "we're really just a band of friends and family who are loyal to each other,trying to survive. I apologise if it isn't interesting. Anything else you'd like to know?" She asked though she was unsure of what else she could give out information wise. The only stories she knew were her own and various whispering about an old alpha named steady, she had passed the grave several times but she hadn't ever known the man.

Her name was a curious mix he had never heard before, and this, too, he tucked away. If Zen decided these lands were ripe for settlement, he would certainly come upon Easthollow again, hopefully with the proposal of an alliance on his tongue. And if he cut North and found nothing of her, he would keep them as a place to slip by on his return venture South, to see if time had worked to bring his sister to their doorstep. He knew she had no qualms in approaching packs for direction or intelligence when the opportunity was right.

Thoughts of his sister aside, he gave Illecebra his full attention when she began to brief him on the culture of her pack. What she gave was nothing exceptional; at the core, they were strung together by familial loyalty, and Iovan found his tail wagging softly at his hocks as Cebra concluded. He offered her a warm smile. "I've always been taught that the greatest of wolves often come from the most humble of origins." He spoke sincerely, and dipped his head in a thank you for her words. This was what he believed, and what he'd grown up to believe, whether his parents had intended or not.

He had a million questions he could ask, but he focused on the most helpful, for with every second Zen no doubt pulled further and further away. "I'm curious, what is the wider scope of this place like? Beyond your pack, I mean - are there any tensions a traveller like me should know about? Hostile packs, areas to avoid." Whichever direction he chose to follow, he would like to know of dangers from a friendly mouth rather than find himself at the bristling mercy of headhunters. "I'm looking for my sister Zenith. I'm making my best effort to be alive when I find her." He grinned, despite the truth in his words. He added with a more serious touch, "We were separated a while back."

Illecebra smiled brighter at his wise words, finding it kind of him not to judge their pack off of the lack of tradition or originality. The next question was one she would answer with as much information as she knew of and with a sense of pleasure and bitterness. "Over the mountain range somewhere near the Flatlands lives a pack called Blackfeather Woods. Their borders are easy to smell and avoid because it's littered with the Gorey rotting parts of wolves and other things as well as their own scent. They are not only volatile and nasty wolves but they tend to kidnap the young of others. I am aware of a war they are having with two other packs near them somewhere." She said calmly but her tone held a sense of bitterness and the flames of hatred that gleamed in her golden eyes would clearly show she held a personal vendetta against them.


"Other than that there is also a pack in the Flatlands called Morningside. They are friendly and kind wolves. I don't think they'd mind if you stopped to ask questions like you did here. As for the territory around these parts and in the opposite direction of the mountains, I don't know much. I've never travelled the wilderness much myself" she spoke with ease now feeling comfortable sharing with Lovan, deeming him no threat to them at all.

He spoke about looking for his sister and her eyes softened slightly "I haven't seen or heard word of her unfortunately but if I do, I can tell her you are searching?" She offered with a small smile.

The boy sensed a tempest behind the woman’s calm composure and he flattened his ears, disquieted by the news of these barbarians and the sense that they’d done something more than exist to earn this woman’s ire. And a brewing war - what times he chose to come here! The worry settled naturally: Zenith might not be fine. This side of the mountain seemed safe to him, but if she had wandered West while he had carried East... he forced the thought far from him, but it was a worry he knew he would face again, in due time.

He had almost resolved to return to the South - for once not ready for what he would find if he recovered Zen’s trail - when Cebra mentioned another pack, and his ears perked forward. “Morningside.” He repeated, and gave a short nod, gaze flicking to the distant range before returning to the woman.

His expectations hardly faltered when Cebra admitted her ignorance on Zenith’s location; he hadn’t expected her to know, but he wondered again if he might have shot in the wrong direction after all. A rookie mistake.

While disgruntled he had no leads other than that she was somewhere in the general here, he smiled at Cebra, thankful for her kindness. “Yes, I’d be grateful for that. She’s big, brown, and fluffy -“ he paused, and an airy laugh escaped him, “Well, I guess she basically looks like me, but a girl.” But the thought of her pained him with a longing to rekindle her trail. He would part with Easthollow, but first needed to know direction, if she had any to give. “I’d like to travel to Morningside. Do you know the safest way there? I’d rather avoid these Blackfeathers you speak of.” And, though it went without saying, added with a frown, “They seem like a nasty lot.” Yet with a war against them, he hoped their justice was coming.

Illecebra took note of his description of his sister, feeling bad that she had nothing else to offer him but to keep an eye out for the woman. She gave him a nod in confirmation that she'd look out for Zenith and then thought about his next question. The best way to Morningside? She'd never travelled there herself but to avoid Blackfeather she'd probably go through the mountains themselves. "I'd say go straight through the mountains. It's a longer path probably but it'll give you many options to avoid Blackfeather altogether. Unfortunately I've never been there myself so I wouldn't know from experience" she said once again feeling awful for not being of much help.


The thought that he'd be heading to Morningside brought a sudden jolt of excitement to her "Would you please do me a favor if you reach their borders? My son Burr Saefyn, he's there healing. Please...tell him that his mother and father miss him greatly and we hope he comes home soon. Also...tell him that Cyron has returned and we're still searching for Rowana" she looked at him now with pleading eyes, her voice laced with desperation.

Iovan kept a steady smile, truly thankful for the woman’s help even if she gave him much less than he had hoped for. He assumed that ‘cutting through the mountains’ suggested that circling North or South would land him in Blackfeather, so he would heed her advice, even if the elevation and winter conditions slowed his course. He would take his chance with the elements, though he knew the weather could be just as unforgiving as savages.

He prepared to part ways when a change came over the woman and she spoke again. Iovan cupped his ears and his grin broadened - not so much for the information she gave, but for the importance of what it meant. Here he was, hardly a guest and already receiving his first mission in these lands (apart from finding his sister, of course, but that was self-imposed). Burr Saefyn, Cyron, Rowana, a message of hello we miss you and do come home soon. The boy nodded along and rose taller when he thought her done, slipping out of submission and straightening as a good soldier (er, messenger) would.

”You can count on Iovan to do the job!” He eased a bit, his farewell address caught by a final question- “And what does Rowana look like, m’lady? I’ll keep my eye out for her too, and bring her here if I find her.” It was the least he could do for the woman; as she watched for his loved one, he would watch for hers.

He seemed quite eager to relay the message much to Cebra's surprise. She smiled back at him, delighted to have such a wonderful messenger. "Thank you Lovan. I appreciate it" she said her voice heavy with gratitude. As he asked about Rowana she felt more gratitude, overwhelmingly so. Now they had a third set of eyes out for their baby girl...it seemed to be a good day for the saefyns. "She has honey ivory fur with golden eyes like mine. She also has a mask like mine except in a warm brown." She said feeling her voice cracking as not only the details were given but the image of the last she had seen of her baby came to mind.

"S..she is probably skinny...very much so. I don't know if she'd be able to catch anything herself...if you see her please bring her home to us as soon as possible" she said trying to swallow back the lump in her throat and not get teary eyed.

Thanks for the thread! I enjoyed this so much <3

The description the mother  painted of her daughter wove a picture of a warm and gentle beauty, and he hoped, then, that he would be the one to find Rowana. To catch a glimpse of this golden-eyed girl, and to play the part of her valiant knight who would lead her worn and weary paws back to home.

He dipped his head at the stir of resolve, sensitive to the cracks in the mother’s voice. He had never lost a child - no, he was much too young to have even sired - but the pain was tangible, and if he could soothe hers by these simple acts, he would. ”I will keep my eyes peeled for her, M’Lady, and will deliver her here myself if I find her.”

He brought a warm smile to touch his lips and took a small pace away. ”I must be off. There’s much travel ahead of me.” Iovan brought his head down in a deep bow. “May the stars shine bright for you, Illecebra. I’m certain, one day, we’ll meet again.” Hopefully with Rowena and his sister in tow. He would be sure to speak well of the wolves of Easthollow the her when he finally came upon her.

Finally she succeeded in swallowing the lump and pushing away her tears, a few deep breaths making it possible for her to bury the pain once more. She once again strengthened her posture and as he dipped his head to her and gave his word to keep a look out for her daughter. The promise made a wave of relief, warm and soothing through her body "thank you Lovan. I wish you luck in finding your sister. May your travels bring interesting endeavors." She bid him farewell with her own bow, gratitude shining in her eyes and softening her features. It was a shame that he wouldn't be recruited but maybe she'd done a good enough job that if he ever wanted a pack he'd return to Easthollow. She gave a small jerk of her tail nub in farewell and stood still, she would stand there until he was out of sight.

me too! I adore Lovan!my last post! Feel free to post again or archive.