Moonspear it gets better

for @Vela if you have time? :D

Drogon was gone. Charon had hoped for weeks that he'd return, not for his own sake, but for his daughter's sake. There was a part of him that was content to know that the vagabond had gone; in Charon's eyes he had always been a wildcard, and the Alpha had always expected him to leave at some point. In the end everyone seemed to leave. Even wolves like Pyx or Floki that Charon trusted with his heart in some form or another... He'd not grown wary necessarily, but he had for the sake of his children. Vela must be distraught to find out that he was gone.

It seemed like no better time to take her down to the beach, to see Stavanger Bay and the ocean up close; a promise he had made many moons before, before the youngest pups were born. Now they were old enough so that the pack took care of them, and Charon could miss the time to look out for his older children.

So he actively sought out Vela that day, hoping to find her somewhere; he searched the rendezvous site, the borders and the special cave they had found together that day, in hopes that he would find his look-alike daughter someplace.

When Drogon's scent was starting to fade more and more each day Vela knew enough. She realized that Drogon had not been able to keep his promise to her. She had tried to spend more time with him to strengthen their bond but it seemed they had grown apart. Vela was not as upset as the last time as she knew what happened. She wasn't surprised anymore that it happened. She was most disappointed in herself that she had given him another chance.

Vela focussed on taking care of the borders and staying in the background. After realizing that Drogon left she didn't feel like socializing too much with others. She didn't want others to pity her or ask how she was doing. She just wanted to continue her life, which was a very basic existence. Then again, she didn't expect much from life. She didn't know any better than to be in Moonspear pack and take care of the wolves that were in it. Mostly her blood relatives.

Vela had been practicing her fighting skills against a tree. It looked perhaps a bit silly but since Drogon left, it also meant her sparring partner left. She liked how he challenged her and taught her new things. Hence why she was practicing attacks against a tree because she wanted to come up with her own movements. Her ear caught someone approaching. Her first reaction was to flatten her ears but she soon noticed that it was her father. She popped her ears back up again. "Hi Dad," she greeted, and wagged her tail.

As he approached and the scent trail made it clear to Charon that he had found his daughter, Vela came into view. A tree stood close, looking torn and abused, as she turned her head to greet him. Charon smiled as his mini me (though not so mini anymore now) came into view. As he came closer Charon closed the gap between them and moved in to nuzzle Vela's cheek lovingly.

"Hey, you doing something important or up for a patrol or adventure with your old man?" Charon decided not to mention Drogon, for it was painfully clear to all that he had deserted them and there was no use reminding his daughter of these painful facts again. He decided not to breach the subject unless Vela wanted to talk about it herself.

Vela nosed her father in return and then beamed a smile at him. It had been a long time that her father had time to do something with her. Vela wagged her tail. "Really? And adventure?," she asked, almost like it was a joke or something to tease her with. "I'm doing nothing important. I'd love to do something with you," she spoke.

She glanced at her dad. She couldn't notice anything different about him. She wondered what his opinion was of Drogon leaving. However, since he was not the biggest fan of the male she decided not to ask. "You have been busy," she commented. "Are you okay? Not working too hard, are you?" she questioned.

Vela seemed excited to do something fun like an adventure. Maybe she'd been bored. She'd been busy enough with Drogon when he was still around, but then since he had just up and left Charon hadn't stopped to think that she might be in need of more attention from a different angle. Drogon leaving was very double-sided for him but luckily the subject didn't get there; good, because he didn't much feel like talking about it, and anyway, it would likely only make Vela sad to think of him and how he had left her.

"Want to go to the ocean? I could show you Stavanger Bay at last." Charon didn't realise that the Bay had been occupied for a good while again now. In his mind, it would always be free for a visit. As to Vela's questions about how busy he had been, he said: "The pups are a feisty bunch. Not like last year, when you were the only troublemaker." His voice was joking and Charon grinned at Vela. "Now that they're at the rendezvous site, there's a bit more time. We should start preparing for winter soon, though. Stock up." He frowned as he thought of it. They were with a strong family pack, but still. Ame was getting older each year, and she would need her strength for bearing him another strong litter of children next year.

Still, for now... "But we'll see if we can find something on the way back. C'mon, let's head out."

Vela's blue eyes lit up when her father asked her if she wanted to go to the ocean. Yes! She would love to! She had not seen it yet. She liked that idea and eagerly nodded. Her father continued to talk about the pups being a feisty bunch. She almost wanted to advise him not to take another litter next year but she knew better to share her father. She had grown in that department. She realized that she liked her own company as well, and that of Drogon, who now left her. It was slightly upsetting but she didn't see it as her fault that he was leaving so she could cope with it better.

"But wait. Didn't you promise Jarilo to go with us as well?," She asked. Vela had recently talked to Jarilo about this and if her father would keep to his promise. Jarilo had believed in their father at the time, which made her more sure that Charon also promised this to his older son. She had been getting closer to her brother. So she wouldn't mind it as much if he would join them as well.

To be truthful, Charon had just forgotten that he'd made the promise to Jarilo, too. Now that she reminded him of it Charon remembered that he had taken both children out onto the mountain that day and had made the promise. He also knew why he had forgotten that the promise included his son; Vela at the time had seemed a little grumpy at the premise of going all together, if he remembered right, or at least he'd gotten that impression.

"Huh, that's right, I'd forgotten," said Charon idly, unaware that in his children's minds this promise of visiting the ocean had lived on a lot more than in his. "Do you want to call him too, go together?" He'd leave the final decision up to his little princess, as he was fine either way. Could always take Jarilo some other time. Meanwhile, he started to set off towards the borders. With some luck they'd find Jarilo along the way, if Vela said yes.

Vela nodded instantly. Perhaps a few months before she wouldn't agree to Jarilo joining them. However, she had grown close to him and she appreciated her brother more. She couldn't say the same for Galaxy, then again, she hadn't been alive to have any adjustments in their relationship. Vela howled for @Jarilo if he was ready to join them on their trip.

Vela walked with her father to the borders, she wondered if her brother was going to join. "Jarilo and I thought you forgot the promise," she admitted to her father. He had been rather busy with the litter of this year. Vela wondered if next year would be the same. Her family was everything to her, and yet, she was not so close with the latest additions to their pack, except the time when she pulled quills from Yami's butt.

Vela wasn't often one to call for him specifically. He stopped on his path low on the elevation, and had to consider it a moment--but, right, the ocean and the trip there. She had brought it up not too long ago to him so thankfully the notion remained fresh enough in his head. While he had come to accept that it would just be a sooner or later type of deal, he had not really expected to hear about it again so soon.

So without much more pause, he was all-too-eagerly off loping their way to go find out more.

Jarilo caught up to them pretty soon, and arrived panting and happy to see them both, of course. "Hey hey," he chuffed along with his steps while he went trotting up beside the speckled duo.

After calling for Jarilo Charon and Vela started making their way to the borders. When Vela said that they'd thought he had forgotten, Charon gave a half-smirk paired with a quiet 'huh'. He figured that Vela, at least, might feel that way -- she had been excited at the time but she had also always been impatient with these kinds of things. It was hard for her to accept that she was not the only one in daddy's heart. It seemed she was growing up, though, considering she easily let Jarilo in now, too, and did not mind sharing the experience.

As Jarilo joined, Charon smiled at his son. He chuffed in greeting and they continued their way down from the borders. "Have either of you been to the ocean on your own?" he wondered then. It was a strange thought that someone would not have grown up there, like he had. As they made their way there Charon felt excited, a tingle in his stomach as he longed for the salty ocean's breath in his nostrils.

Vela chuffed in return when seeing her brother. Their relationship had been better lately. The speckled female turned her head to her father when he asked if they had ever been to the see on their own. She did not know that her dad would approve of that. Vela often stayed homebound, if she left, then she was usually in a neighboring territory. She felt that seeing the sea for the first time without her dad wouldn't make sense either way.

Hence why the female shook her head in reply to her father. She hoped her father knew that she was always close to her family and would not often leave to go traveling. Hence why she was excited to perhaps travel more with his brother in the future.

He got the feeling he was late to something here, but it didn't matter all that much to him. He took it all in the same sort of stride, joining up beside them in and swiftly keying in to what they were up to--the best he was able to, at least. Towards his father's question, his ears tilted back, and he flicked a glance to Vela then before he spoke. He had a pretty good idea that he knew her answer too and on this matter at least, the two of them were on similar wavelengths. "No, never all the way there." he replied. He had smelled the sea's breezes from a distance, and of course noticed it on the furs of others--which was a thought that reminded him of the wolves he had met before who did hail from the seashore. "I've met other wolves that do say they live on the coast though," the yearling added, for whatever it was worth.

Neither of them had ever been to the ocean alone, they confirmed. "The most important thing is to not drink too much of the water -- it's very salty and won't quench your thirst in any way. It'll only make you thirstier." This was a thing he had grown up with, but Charon realised from watching other wolves at the coast that it was not something all wolves understood naturally. Some would drink themselves into a stupor and he wouldn't have his children dehydrated because they didn't know about the ocean's whims.

Then as they exited Moonspear and started making their way North Charon continued to explain about the ocean. "There is a current in the ocean's water, which means there are waves. It's important not to go too far into the water -- if you go out into the sea too far, you will get swept away and die out there." He looked at their faces to make sure that they each understood the implications of that. It was harsh, perhaps, but Charon would not lose any of his children to the whims of the ocean.

Vela turned her ear towards her father as they traveled. It seemed that the see was not like any other water. Perhaps that was why her father was so tough, and cool. He learned to live by this dangerous water. It sounded silly that this water was not for drinking, then what was the purpose of this salty water? She didn't understand. "What is the use of this salty water?"

Then her father continued about the danger of the water if she would swim in it. He talked about a current. It was a strange concept and she glanced at Jarilo to see what he thought of it. The female grew less enthusiastic about this sea her father grew up with.

Neatly enough, he let his father set the pace as he kept to a place near Vela as they went on past the boundaries, then beyond soon afterward. He was all ears, and kept them guided towards Charon carefully as he listened on about the salty waters, then currents. Jarilo's mind was wandering, though, inspired by an opportunity closing in on them pulling from what he had gathered through others already; finally, he'd see the seaside himself though.

While Vela's question was valid, and like so many of the others churning through his thoughts, he kept circling back to one more tangible right now with the road spread ahead of them. "How long does it take to get there.. usually?" he asked at some point in a lull of answer-questions between the two. He was fine to let them lead, physically and verbally, if necessary anyway.

Charon chuckled as Vela asked for the ocean's purpose. He didn't really know what its purpose was, but it was so magnificent; when she saw it up close, then surely she would see how amazing it was, too, and all her questions would be answered. "You'll see," he answered with a spark in his eyes and a smile on his face, and that was the only answer he gave.

Jarilo then asked how far it was to go there. "hmm.." Charon pondered while he tried to remember how long it was, exactly, but he found it hard to pinpoint. "A while longer. It's quite the walk, but it will be worth it." He didn't answer directly, as he often didn't, and then strode further north. He moved past the western side of Ouroboros spine and Moonstone quarry across silverlight terrace and entered the weald there, though following along the side of the quarry for navigational purposes.

for ease's sake, shall we say this takes places after Stavanger Bay is unclaimed again?

Works for me!

Vela was not satisfied with her answer which was probably seen on her face. She had a feeling her father didn't know either and that was why he gave her such a vague answer. Jarilo asked a valid question. Her father said that they had quite a walk ahead of them. 'Then we should trot to get there faster," Vela pointed out. She wouldn't mind a faster pace as she was extremely curious about the sea.

The answers were vague thanks to their sire keeping true to the mystery of it, even despite their inquiries. Well, the yearling would hold fast to the suspense and not argue with any of it--not now when he was closer than ever before to finding out on his own. Instead, at Vela's suggestion to pick of the pace, he nodded with a yap of his own to say that he definitely agreed. Seconds later, he was picking up a jog anyway, heading north, towards the beyond and what would await.

Charon agreed silently to the children at Vela's suggestion to pick up the pace. He broke into a trot and navigated easily enough through the terrain until eventually, the Sentinels' remains loomed in front of them. He passed the forest on the side, for he didn't want to risk any debris still there. There were new trees growing there among the ashes, but the sight was magnificent in the worst of ways regardless. "It's not safe to pass through," Charon warned, in case the children ever decided to return here on their own time and thought that they could save time to pass through.

Vela trotted next to her father as they traveled. She took in the different and changing landscape. Vela was rather curious. She had never left the mountain this far. So she took it in all very eagerly. The female slowly noticed the forest that smelled very different. She looked at her father. "What happened here? Why does it smell like this?" Vela had never heard about fires and what it did. She had not seen or heard about it. "What caused this?"

Even the female knew by instinct that she shouldn't go there. She just nodded at her father, making it clear she understood that she shouldn't go inside of that forest.

They cruised on, with Vela on one side, and for a time, Jarilo to the other. When they started to approach the charred forest, he gradually began to drop back, and trotted along behind them now while he was busied taking in the sights of the strange remains. He did listen, however, and Vela beat him to the questions thanks to him being distracted.

All new to him, he wasn't trying to miss anything, but there was so much suddenly and he could only take in so much at once. He had never seen such a strange mix of old destruction with new growth trying to rebuild all at once.

And, should this not be enough to keep his curiosities busy, he knew the sea was getting awfully close--he could practically taste it, even with the sorrowful forest doing well to fill his nose already.

Charon didn't consider that his children had never seen fire like this before; not until Vela asked after it, anyway. He looked at his daughter as she posed her question and answered: "Fire. It's very hot and destructive. If you ever see a lot of smoke somewhere, stay away." Instinct should prevent them from looking it up, anyway, but just to be sure he wanted them to know never to get near. "This fire took place some time ago. Plants are starting to regrow, but it takes a long time." Especially a forest as impressive as the Sentinels would take long to recover.

Charon continued the travels while he talked, though he was open to more questions should Vela have them. In the distance the familiar borders of Stavanger Bay approached, and Charon felt a tingle in his stomach at the thought of home. Though Moonspear had been his home for much longer than the Bay, the ocean's salty scent and being in the Bay still made him feel like a piece of him had been left behind here that he refound whenever he visited.

Vela glanced at the charred forest. She marveled at the idea that plants could regrow after this. She hoped that she would never come across a fire and that it would never touch them at Moonspear. Vela shuddered. She got her instructions. With smoke, she would run as quick as she could, and far away from it. The female glanced at her father and as he explained things she nodded.

The air was becoming different. Did it turn saltier? She glanced at her father, who looked more excited. "Are we close?," she questioned. She traveled a bit faster as well, super curious what his home would look like.

Fire. His ears stood tall and he breathed deep, feeling it all the while. He had always kept a vague understanding of what it could do. Never had he experienced it up close.. but glimpses, through story and myth sprinkled here and there, he had at least been prefaced on what fire and smoke could do to a place. He still gaped quietly at the sheer destruction up close, tangibly for himself, and how different it all appeared in the aftermath trying to recover. Do you know how long ago it was? he ventured, but guessed his father's vagueness already came as some indication.

He was distracted enough looking up, and around anyway. Vela kept the questions rolling too where he was abnormally silent in some spaces--awed, a little, too. When she mentioned it, he sensed it was an affirmative. He licked his lips.. and exhaled sharply, testing the differences on the wind with more consideration--but it was certainly there.

"No," he answered simply to the question about how long ago. Somewhere between now and two years ago, but he didn't remember exactly. He remembered sitting atop his mountain and watching the spectacle but time was blurry. Long enough ago, he supposed, that he didn't remember exactly when.

Then as they moved on and the scent of the air turned to a more salty mix Vela asked if they were there yet. He smiled, as her impatience reminded him of himself when he was young. Always eager to explore, always eager to get to the next sensation along his path while he did so. "Soon," said Charon with a smile. He sniffed the air as they reached the Bay's foresty borders and remarked: "There's some old marks of wolves here, but doesn't smell like a pack." If it had been then it was gone for some time now. "C'mon." And he slipped into the forest, easily finding the fastest route through a narrow path through the forest that he knew was the quickest way down to the sandy beach. His heart beat for this place still, he realised as he walked its paths and found himself flooded with so many memories of youth.