Silverlight Terrace Rain or Shine (I)

The day dawned bright and clear, though dark clouds amassed over the open ocean along the horizon. Throughout the morning, they rolled southeast, making landfall just before noon and bringing with them a deluge of ice cold rain showers. Simultaneously, a cool draft blustered up from the south, pushing against the encroaching weather system. The largely invisible forces met in the middle, pushing against one another and causing the rain clouds to halt a few miles inland. This created a strange effect: while heavy rain fell on the northwestern reaches of Teekon Wilds, the air remained clear and dry elsewhere, drawing a distinct line across the wilderness.

Nowhere was this phenomenon more visually evident than on the patches of open grassland parallel with the coastline: Silverlight Terrace; just south of Firestone Springs; Dawnlark Plains; and Sunset Valley. (Elsewhere, mountains and other land features largely obscured the effect.) From these patches of flat, open ground, there was a distinct fringe created between the dark, wet rainstorm and the clear air further inland. The rainfall billowed like the curtains on a great window, the dark clouds remaining stationary for at least the next hour or two.

Authored by: Kat (Wildfire)

Particularly after the incident with the bear, Wildfire was now strongly considering handing over her Warrior badge to pursue something more up her alley. Her hunting efforts were going well, so she decided to continue focusing on sharpening that particular set of skills for the next little while. Maybe she couldn't do much to fight off wolves or bears buts she could definitely sink her teeth into the occasional rabbit or deer.

She set off mid-morning to scout out prey. The air was chilly higher up on the mount but as she descended into the forest, the air felt a little warmer. Wildfire immediately struck a trail and began to track what smelled like a wild pig through the underbrush. The scent led her toward the fringes of the territory's claim, drawing her out onto the grassland just northwest of Moonspear. Perhaps the pig had ventured out here to graze (did pigs graze?).

A strange sight brought her grinding to a halt mere seconds after breaking free from the trees. Directly in front of her, the air was still clear, the sky a washed-out shade of blue. Notably, everything was dry. Perhaps one hundred yards ahead of her, however, rain was pummeling the prairie. Wildfire stared, licking her lips in curiosity as she marveled. She supposed rainstorms had to start and end somewhere, she had just never thought about it before and had never expected to actually see it.

oh hi

It was safe to say that the run-in with the bear had shaken Floki to his core. He hadn't realized how much the attack on the beach had affected him until he came face to face with this second ursine. He found that it really bothered him, knowing that the great beast called Moonspear home, so he took to lingering near the outskirts and venturing into neutral land, though he typically didn't go far.

He came across Wildfire's trail while wandering aimlessly, trying to shake visions of the bear from his mind, and decided to track her down. Her scent led him north to Silverlight Terrace, a territory that he had passed by on multiple occasions but hadn't yet explored. He didn't have to travel far before he spotted Wildfire, her coat a bright red smudge against the autumn landscape.

But his gaze shifted past her, to what appeared to be a literal sheet of rain falling from the sky. Strangely enough, the plains upon which the young wolves stood remained dry; it was almost like a wall of water in the distance. He blinked, slowly approaching from behind and coming to stand next to Wildfire. "Weird," he murmured as he surveyed the natural phenomenon.

Friendboy! \o

Wildfire doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up, lolz. She's such an indecisive character.

Suddenly, she was transported back in time, to her very first thunderstorm (that she could remember). She recalled the sudden, sweeping rush of rain, the drafty dampness and, of course, the heart-pounding lightning and thunder. Her passion for naturalism had been born that day. Wildfire blinked and returned to the present. She felt a rush of nostalgia. Naturalism had been her first apprenticeship. It didn't serve her much purpose these days but perhaps that was her fault for not pursuing the field as actively. As she gazed over the strange phenomenon before her, she tentatively decided she should keep it after all.

Then she could retire as a Warrior and pick up hunting instead, still leaving her with three strong and useful trades. As she arrived at this epiphany, it just felt right. She had less than three seconds to enjoy the feeling before a movement to her right distracted her. Wildfire jumped slightly, then grinned when she saw it was Floki who had sidled up beside her. She shifted sideways to bump companionably against him.

"It is, isn't it?" she agreed, her amber eyes sliding from his boyish face to the billowing curtain of rain falling just a few hundred feet away. "It made me remember how passionate I was about being a Naturalist when I was little," Wildfire shared out loud. "I've sort of let that trade fall to the wayside. I was actually thinking of dropping it. But, I mean... how awesome is stuff like this?" She paused for a few beats, then admitted, "I'm thinking of dropping Warrior instead, especially after what happened with the bear..."

I love her! <3

Floki grinned as Wildfire started slightly, surprised by his sudden presence at her side. She recovered quickly, however, and pressed herself briefly against him before launching into a verbose greeting. The more time he spent with her, the more he realized that he appreciated the subtle touches and glances that they exchanged. They connected on so many levels, and even when she spoke about her trades, he found himself hanging on every word. What had started out as just a friendship was slowly and steadily evolving into something more.

He frowned, though, at the mention of the bear. It was enough to send a shiver racing down his spine, and he forgot everything Wildfire had just said about naturalism. Part of him wanted to shake off his fear and pretend like the bear hadn't bothered him -- this was, perhaps, his teenage hormones talking and trying to convince him to impress Wildfire. But there was another piece of him that knew he could be vulnerable with her without fear of judgment.

In a low, quiet voice, he replied, "I was terrified." He knew she would know what he was talking about, and his ears splayed to the side as he watched her for a reaction, his tail falling still between his hind legs.

She loves you back!

"I was terrified," Floki admitted, his confession barely audible over the nearby susurrus of the rain. Wildfire immediately threw him a sympathetic grimace. She had been terrified too, even cowering like some helpless puppy for a minute or two. Between that and Charon's remarks about her fighting abilities, she was pretty sure she wasn't cut out to be a Warrior after all. And she wasn't required to be something that didn't come as naturally to someone of her size and stature anymore, which was a significant factor.

"Me too, boo," she murmured, stretching out to nuzzle the velveteen fur beneath his earlobe. "It's really come to my attention lately that—yeah, I can fight a bit—but it's just not one of my greatest strengths, like, at all." She paused, huffing out a quiet breath. "I'm so much more suited to being an Outrider... and even a Naturalist," she said, eyes flicking over the undulating sheets of rain. "And I'm showing some promise as a Gamekeeper too," she added.

Wildfire realized she was babbling on about herself and laughed quietly. "Sorry for the word vomit," she said. "I can imagine why the bear would be particularly terrifying for you..." she said, knowing of the events leading to his twin brother's long disappearance and presumed death.

Floki's heart fluttered when Wildfire called him by the nickname she had bestowed on him recently. It was only a simple three-letter word, but it still thrilled him when she uttered it. Challenging the warmth that he felt was the coldness of the fear instilled by the bear, and he took a deep, steadying breath, assuring himself that both ursine conflicts were in the past and that there wasn't an immediate threat.

But she was quick to move on, instead talking about her own indecisiveness about her trades. He nodded; he had the distinct feeling that he wasn't cut out to be a warrior, either. This was, perhaps, a disgrace to his family name, as Ragnar had been a viking of sorts -- but Floki just didn't feel that instinct within himself. Jorunn -- or Tevinter, as he now preferred to be called -- seemed to emanated their father in that way, but it was something that Floki was lacking for one reason or another.

Wildfire brought her musings full circle, mentioning the bears once more, and Floki winced noticeably. "Yeah...I didn't realize until I saw the bear on Moonspear how much I hate them," he said, though his dislike translated more into fear than anything else. Wishing to change the subject again, he said, "Maybe we can train to be gamekeepers together." They had already promised to go outriding alongside one another, and for a brief moment Floki worried that Wildfire would turn his offer down, thinking that she would tire of his company.

He vehemently declared his hatred for bears. She nodded as if to agree, understanding that it was more fear than disdain that fueled his words. Wildfire brushed her smudged snout beneath his chin as if to say, Chin up, it's all right.

The next words out of his mouth took her by surprise, though in a delightful sort of way. "Wait, you want to be a hunter too?" she repeated in happy disbelief. "Wow, we're really meant to be, aren't we?" Wildfire said in an enthusiastic, offhanded kind of way. She paused, wondering if she should feel self-conscious about the words that had tumbled from her mouth... but she just didn't. She grinned broadly, now bumping their muzzles together.

"Anyway, yeah, I'd love that," she replied in a slightly breathy voice, her heart and her tone gleeful. "Now you just gotta become a Naturalist, then we'll really be two balls in a sack," she said. It was a phrase she had heard her father use and not until this very instant did its real meaning dawn on her, causing Wildfire to choke, then start laughing uncontrollably.

He smiled, raising his chin as she slid her snout beneath it. She could always manage to lift his spirits, he was learning, and as she continued to talk about trades, thoughts of the bear faded into the back of his mind. She seemed pleased that he wanted to pursue the title of gamekeeper as well, and he nodded his head.

He dissolved into laughter at her crude comment, partially surprised because it didn't sound like something Wildfire would normally say. Once he recovered, his chuckles subsiding, he said, "I haven't officially decided on a secondary trade yet, but I figure that's a good one." He shifted his gaze away from her pretty face and back out to the strange storm that thundered on beyond their reach. He could hear the splatter of rain against the ground as they watched from a distance. "I can definitely use more practice...and besides, I'm always looking for an excuse to hang out with you," he joked.

It took several moments (and deep breaths) to recover. Floki mentioned that he hadn't formally decided and she could definitely relate to that. Wildfire didn't take such decisions lightly either, as was evidenced by her own indecision regarding her specialties. She was only eight months old; how was she supposed to know what she wanted to be when she grew up? Trial and error, she mentally answered herself.

His remark earned a charmed smile from her. She would never tire of Floki's casually affectionate comments. "Same here, boo," she rejoined, then said, "Hey, let's hunt right now. You and me, we can be like a team. Like, we can come up with some special strategies for dual hunting and stuff." Wildfire had no idea what that might entail but the thought excited her deeply. It would be so cool to develop some tactics only the two of the could pull off together, as a pair.

He had remained near the coast. The ocean reminded him of home. It was all he knew. His journeys inland left him unsatisfied. Restless. He was lost. He was dying. But the ocean was home.

Kaylan slept on the open plateau. It was near the ocean and it was high ground. It made him feel safe rather than exposed. He was cruelly awoken by a sudden storm. It lit a fire inside of him. It took him back to that night. Brought back fear. He was quick to replace it with rage. His survival depended upon fearlessness. He snapped and snarled angrily at the rain at first. He only began to run when it did not relent.

He passed through a forest as he ran. It provided shelter. He knew this. But he felt blind and so he continued to run until it gave way to open plains. There was a wall of sunlight up ahead. Kaylan did not question it and increased his speed to reach it. He burst through the wall of rain.

And immediately skidded to a stop. Two wolves stood before him. Danger. Kaylan did his best to appear bigger. Menacing. A low growl sounded from his throat and his eyes darted between them in challenge. I dare you to attack. You will not win. He was afraid. He masked it with anger and hostility.

Wildfire suggested a hunt at that very moment, and Floki nodded his agreement. Even as he pivoted away from her, intending to lower his head to the ground and attempt to locate a scent trail, another wolf burst onto the scene. It came from the other side of the wall of rain, its white coat disheveled and dripping wet. Floki blinked, watching the stranger for a long moment, before it suddenly grew defensive.

There was a growl as the lone wolf drew itself -- himself, Floki quickly determined by smell -- up, his countenance threatening. From a distance, Floki couldn't make out the all-too-familiar smudges beneath the male's eyes -- otherwise, he might have reacted differently. But his hackles bristled and he dropped his head defensively, tucking his chin to cover his throat as he, too, strove to make himself look larger.

Floki snarled, taking a stiff-legged step closer to Wildfire. They had done nothing to elicit the other wolf's aggression, and while he wouldn't make any moves to attack, he would protect himself and his friend if that was necessary.

Kaylan rn:

A couple, she amended, her heart skipping a beat. Before she could ponder that further or possibly get the hunt underway alongside Floki, a figure abruptly burst from the wall of rain. The suddenness of the stranger's arrival caused Wildfire to jump slightly. Before she could recover, her companion stepped closer to her. Taking Floki's cue, she shifted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, facing the aggressive wolf across the field.

Uncertain as to the reason behind the stranger's aggressive demeanor—was he crazy? ill? rabid?—Wildfire said nothing. Her tail lashed softly from side to side as she waited for him to say or do something. Hopefully the two-on-one odds would make him think twice about attempting an assault, though his behavior so far told Wildfire to expect anything.

:D <3

Kaylan's dark eyes never left the pair as the moved closer to each other. He hadn't expected them to stay put. He was afraid and had wanted to scare them away so he didn't have to be. Now he was unsure of what to do and for a moment he remained frozen in his aggressive stance. They were far enough away that he could likely run with little chance of being chased. But he could not show his fear. He would bluff.

His teeth showed. He took one stiff-legged step forward. That was as far as he would go. He fought the urge to shake the excess water from his coat for as long as he could. But Kaylan was still no more than a large puppy. He did not have the self control to wait until it was truly safe.

He broke his posture to shake. He growled again. This time it was in annoyance at the water.

One ear turned towards Wildfire as she straightened herself next to Floki, forming a united front against the  lone wolf. Just her presence alongside him was enough to bolster his bravery even further as he stared down the stranger, who glared back at them unblinkingly. The white male even went so far as to take a step towards them, and Floki issued another rumble from deep within his chest, warning him to respect their personal space.

He faltered briefly, however, when his gaze landed specifically on the wolf's eyes. They were a sharp, piercing blue, but what caught his attention was the brown fur accenting each lower lid. Floki's expression shifted to confusion, though he did not back down -- not yet.

Instead, he murmured out of the corner of his mouth to Wildfire, "I think I know him." As if it wasn't bizarre enough that Jorunn had turned up on his doorstep just days before, he was almost convinced that this feral wolf was Kaylan -- but he wasn't about to let his guard down. After all, Jorunn wasn't really Jorunn -- he was Tevinter now. So even if this was Kaylan, there was a strong possibility that he wasn't the brother that Floki remembered.

The stranger made neither backed down or make an exit. Wildfire stared incredulously in his direction, though her attention shifted sideways when Floki spoke. She blinked. "You do?" Her ears fanned backward as she gave him a puzzled look. "Who is he?" Even as she asked, her amber gaze slid back to the other wolf and she noticed the beige streaks beneath his eyes, which were only a few shades darker than Floki's Caribbean blue.

Once more, her gaze shifted, now to her young beau's legs, then back to the stranger's face. The markings were distinct, probably made even more so by the wetness. Was this another prodigal relative of Floki's? What are the odds? And what's his beef? she thought as she anticipated their aggressor's identification.

His posture returned after the excess water shook out of his fur. His coat still lay on his damp skin uncomfortably. Kaylan was torn between wanting to leave to take care of it and not wanting to turn his back on the strangers. They were whispering now. Plotting. His composure broke once more. This time to shiver as the opposing winds played against each other just behind him. He tried to compensate with yet another growl. But the facade was cracking. Soon he would have no choice but to run.

Blue eyes surveyed the duo for a lingering moment. Then Kaylan turned. He began to analyze his escape.

Rather than reply to Wildfire verbally, Floki simply nodded his head. The more he looked on this unkempt wolf, the more certain he became that it was yet another one of his long-lost brothers. The Lodbrok family had been torn apart and scattered to the four winds, and while Floki had been sure that he would never see his siblings again, fate was working hard to prove him wrong.

Kaylan turned his shoulder to the pair and Floki saw his opportunity slipping away. Rashly, he stepped forward, his tail dropping from its dominant arc and the fur along his spine smoothing. "Kaylan?" he called out, his voice reverberating strangely against the sheet of rain behind his brother.

Rather than answer her directly, Floki took several steps and called a name: "Kaylan?" It was vaguely familiar; surely he had mentioned it before. Another brother? she guessed. Wildfire would get an answer within minutes, one way or another.

"Be careful," she whispered to her cohort, eyes still fixed on the unkempt wolf across the field. He looked as if he was getting ready to flee, though perhaps Floki's shout had halted him. Wildfire drew in a quiet breath, then let it out slowly through her nostrils as she waited for the plot to thicken.

back to ur regularly scheduled programming. kaylan took lessons from bigfoot i guess.

His muscled tensed as he readied himself to flee along the curtain of rain. He did not like being cut off from the coast. But perhaps the rain would end at some point and he could return. Kaylan did not want to show his fear and flee. He knew there was no other choice. He would not survive if a fight broke out. He was too weak. Hungry. Dying.

"Kaylan?"

His body went stiff. He tried not to think of the names.

Father. Mother. Floki. Ragna. Jorunn. Charon.

They made something in his chest churn and ache.

But it had been a long time since he had heard his own name. He could not have described the feeling that churned in his chest now. Only one of those other names would know his. Kaylan turned his head to bare teeth and snarl as his blue eyes met the gaze of his brother's. It was a terrible sound filled with pain. Loyalty. Anger. Love.

And then Kaylan was running down along the curtain of rain. Away from the duo.

Away from the odd feeling in his chest.

*grabby hands at Kaylan*

There was a flicker of recognition and uncertainty on Kaylan's face, but it was short lived. He quickly became closed off once more, retreating into himself and snarling before turning his back on his brother. With that, he departed, leaving a surprised and hurt Floki in his wake.

He blinked, his tail falling to half-mast as he watched the shell of his littermate disappear back into the torrential downpour. He wasn't quite sure how to feel; he knew in his heart that he had just come face to face with Kaylan, but he was jaded by his interaction with Tevinter. And this was so much worse -- what the hell had happened to Kaylan?

Frowning, he shook his head gently and looked back at Wildfire. "That was my brother. I...don't even know what to say about that," he said, turning to glance in the direction that Kaylan had gone.

In an instant, he bared his fangs, then turned and ran away. Floki made no attempt to run after him, nor did Wildfire. When the stranger disappeared, her amber eyes shifted to him even as he positively identified his brother. It boggled her mind a little bit that both of her friend's prodigal brothers would resurface within days of one another. Moreover, they were both drastically changed. Wildfire could not imagine going through the same thing with her brother and sister.

Wildfire moved closer to Floki, giving his cheek a gentle nudge. "I wonder why he acted like that," she murmured, knowing he would have no likely explanation. "I'm sorry he ran away. Maybe he'll come back, after he has a chance to, um, wrap his head around things." She shrugged, feeling like she was grasping at straws. The situation was so odd.

In an effort to take his mind off it, Wildfire queried, "You still wanna go hunting?" She hastily added, "But I understand if you're not in the mood now." She gave an affectionate lick to the side of Floki's neck.

We can fade or continue, up to you! :)

"I wonder why he acted like that," Wildfire said, effectively voicing Floki's thoughts. Both of his estranged brothers had changed in a short time, but while he knew what had happened to Tevinter, he had no idea what sort of tragedy had befallen Kaylan. All he knew was that the palest brother had vanished during the great storm and hadn't been seen since. Apparently, he had been surviving on his own -- and the life of a lone wolf hadn't agreed with him.

He shook his head slowly. "That was really weird," he said, though he didn't speak further on the topic. Kaylan had seemed almost to be haunted; his eyes had been hollow and yet wild. What could have occurred to turn him into such a different wolf?

Wildfire's suggestion to go ahead with their hunt was a welcome one. "Yeah, of course," Floki agreed, blinking the vision of Kaylan's malnourished form from his mind. The rain thundered on in the distance as he turned away, refocusing his attention. "Lead the way," he urged.

I'm gonna use this toward the Hunter trade, methinks, so maybe a few more rounds? :)

It seemed the distraction was a welcome one, for Floki readily agreed to pick up where they'd left off. He indicated for Wildfire to take the lead, so she bobbed her head and then scanned their surroundings. The curtain of rain still billowed nearby, showing no signs of stopping or receding. She would rather not venture into the blustery weather. Much of the field where they stood was still dry. She wondered if there might be rabbits or other small prey hidden somewhere in the grass.

"Let's track down something to track down," she quipped to her companion, giving his shoulder a bump with her cool nose before loping across the terrace, running parallel with the odd weather phenomenon. Her gait was swift at first, though she slowed as she dropped her muzzle and began combing the ground for scents.

Perfect! :)

He nodded when Wildfire agreed, smiling as she brushed her nose briefly against his shoulder. The quick, simple touch served to calm his nerves even further, and he set off after her, keeping pace though his eyes strayed back towards the curtain of rain through which Kaylan disappeared. There was no sign of his brother, so Floki let it go for the time being.

Wildfire slowed, employing her nose to try and find an active trail for them to follow. Floki imitated her, though his efforts were not as dedicated. He chuffed lowly, however, when he scented deer. He paused to inhale deeply, one forepaw suspended in midair. "Smell that? Some deer passed through here not long ago," he said, glancing at Wildfire with his brows raised. Was she up for the challenge, or would she prefer to search for something smaller?