Sunset Valley [the x-files theme song]

He'd searched for a long time without success. He'd left his spot on Moonspear to find his sister only to come up empty handed and, now, he's not sure what he's supposed to do. Return? Would they understand? The pack hadn't been attached to him even if he'd help solidify the claim but now, on the other side of the world, he isn't sure he'll go back. But his bones were weary, he was tired, and he really just wanted some peace and quiet and a place to rest his tired body.

A sigh heaves the sides of his chest but he moves, following a scent that doesn't mean anything in particular to him. Maybe he'll find something, somewhere to go, but for now he just moves aimlessly and waits for his next meal. One day to the next, it's all he's currently good for. Lex closes his eyes and steadies his breath. His once large size had shrunk, hungry with sunken eyes. There's little use he could be of in his current state but, perhaps, he'd get lucky.

quietly tags @Tavi for visibility. all welcome!

Snags

Following his meeting with Thuringwethil, Reek lingered around the northern terrtories. He wished to not push his luck by treading too close to the territory held by Sleeping Dragon, but Reek felt it necessary to survey the territories that remained safe for his wolves to travel. When returned, he would be sure to make sure his call was heard. This time around he would take no chances by being lax with his rule.

He took a wide arc around the glacier and pushed north into no-man's land. By now, Reek could no longer tell if he was west of the mouth of the Qeya River and he worried he was pushing his luck with his proximity to Sleepign Dragon. His worry, however, was suppressed by the beauty of plain that stretched before him. The last bit's of winter snow had begun to melt away; a time of plenty was soon at hand.

Carefull not to push any further east, Reek continued his walk north— stopping as soon as movement on the horizon caught his fleeting attention. It was a man of rag and bone, much like Reek himself; but in his walk Reek could see that he lacked the healthy spring to his step that would have suggested he was just lanky. No, this chap was starving. Reek barked across the plain, hoping to catch the poor soul's attention.

The bark does little to draw his attention. Ears cup forward, faintly unsure if he heard something at all, and he slowly lifts his head. Yellow eyes shift across the valley and his head swings like a horse until he spots the dark speck against a dull green and white background. Even if he's not certain about the bark entirely, he's got company and he can't help but lift his head just a little. He's not going to appear weaker than he feels if he can help it.

Careful movements pick up on foot, then the other, and he starts to cross the distance that remains between them. He's not so starved and weakened that he still can't get by for a while yet but his paws are weary enough to tell him it's really not a good idea. Lex swallows the lump in his throat when he's close enough he doesn't have to yell. The white male chuffs in a low voice.

While it may not have been Reek's vocalization that caught the loner's attention, something had. His gaze laid tranfixed upon the other wolf as he moved closer. Too far to identify through scent, Reek wondered if this was one of the wolves of Sleeping Dragon, but he soon disregarded this as a possibility. He was too underfed to be one of Thuringwethil's... or any pack's for that matter. It was obvious just looking at him, this one had survived the winter alone; a lofty task in Reek's eyes.

Reek remained stationary and allowed the stranger to close the distance between them himself. Now close enough to speak freely, the stranger let loose a chuff. Reek responded by letting his body relax with a friendly demeanor, allowing his tail to wave in a friendly fashion behind him. "You looking for something?" he asked. It was strange to see a wolf so far north— most had a reason to venture so far. Few came to simply see the sights.

The wolf doesn't shy away from him or become defensive; he isn't a threat. That much is obvious. He isn't sure how well he could defend himself if the dark wolf ended up being aggressive. Maybe Lex wouldn't care, not in this moment. His stomach aches, her bones are tired, and worst of all he doesn't know where two of his sisters are. Perhaps he should have stayed near the orchard but his life has been at risk so close to a home he used to have where he isn't welcome.

"I was. My sisters," he explains, looking toward the dark wolf. He'd left Moonspear in search of Izo and temporarily dropped by the pack that took his land to see if she'd gone back only to find Tavi was missing too. Lex knew he couldn't search for both at the same time, especially if they never left together. Rox is at least content in her new home and he moves on, wearing his feet into the ground. "But I can't find them. So I'm here."

"Was?" chimed Reek with a deeply furrowed brow. The stranger, evident from his answer, had not found what he was looking for. In the dissapointment following, it seemed he had given up on his search... or was in the processes of giving it up entirely. While Reek didn't really have much of a family - a grandmother he had known for week or so and an incredibly flighty mate - he couldn't imagine giving up on them if they turned up lost. But at the same time, he supposed a man could only take so much until he had to give.

"Maybe I could help you out," he offered. "I've lived here in the Wilds for a long time— I know a lot of wolves. Who knows? One of your sisters may have passed my way." Of course, it was unlikely. The world was vast— and the Teekons only made up a small portion. Even then, after his year long stint in the Wilds, Reek only knew the north. Still, he would try.  "What do they look like? Names?"

Lex nods but it isn’t defined, or doesn’t feel that way, so he tries to gauge the expression when he’s asked about what he’d been doing. He’d never been able to track Izo’s scent very far and when he returned to the orchard, another sister had left. With no trail to go on, no direction for him to go, and so his entire journey had failed from the start. Tired, wear,y he can only move on and keep himself alive.  

The dark male offers to help and all Lex wants to do is shake his head and decline. He can’t afford to get his hopes up again. It had been a long time and a lot of battles to make his decision but, what was one last attempt? The chance of success is laughable but he at least could say he’d tried every option presented.

“Izo was in my last pack with me and I came back from a scouting trip to find her gone,” he begins, most concerned for her disappearance but she’d always been capable of taking care of herself.  “Black fur, green eyes. I thought maybe she went back to where we were born but she wasn’t and I found out my other sister left,” he adds. The weight of losing two sisters had weighed heavy on him in the last few months and he knew the chance of finding one were slim, but two? “Tavi’s got mostly grey fur, green eyes.”

There isn’t a lot of physical distinctions that either sister has though their personalities would be hard to forget, if a name didn’t give enough. Izo had always been quiet, serious, and Tavi, from the beginning, had been a little spitfire.

It was near foolish to think that Reek could possibly help in this brother's search, but he figured he could at least listen to his descriptions. As expected, the stranger's first description rang no bells of recogniton. Izo was a name he had never heard; her appearance was left vague enough to generalize, but even then, Reek didn't know any black wolves with green eyes. He shook his head, signaling that Lex was unfortunalty shit out of luck.

Perhaps he was right in assuming that his sisters would end up back home; if not now, maybe eventually. Still, Reek had little advice to give.

Reek's blank expression quickly changed with the meantion of a second sister; this one far more familiar. Tavi. "I think I can help you," Said Reek as a knowing grin spread across his face. "Stubborn and quippy? Am I right?" Of course, he felt it was the same Tavi— the name wasn't entirely common around these parts and the description of her appearance did match Reek's internal picture.

"She's a part of my pack," he continued. "I can take you to her if you want— The Maplewood isn't too far away."

It takes Lex by surprise when the dark male states he can help and he lifts his head, eyes widened a little. He describes the Tavi he remembers before he left and he can’t stop the smile from forming on his features. He thought he’d lost any drive he had but the idea that he might get to see his sister overwhelms him. He lets the hope go and refills him and somewhere in the back of his mind he tries to tell himself to relax. That the chances this man knows where his sister is isn’t as likely as he’d made it seem. That voice doesn’t live very long.

“Really?” he asks and instinctively he takes a step forward, reducing the space between them. He doesn’t even know the other but he’d been so easy to throw his hope into. “Stubborn is a little bit of an understatement, I think.” 

A laugh spills from his muzzle and despite the strain it takes to keep himself standing, his demeanor changes enough. “I’m Lex, by the way.”

With Reek's answer, he saw the stranger's entire demeanor change for the warmer. The alpha male allowed his tail to wag and he regarded the stranger with yet another smile. In the past, Reek hadn't been the charitible type... in fact, he still wasn't; there was always an ulterior motive behind Reek's smile. Despite genuinely wanting to reunite Lex and Tavi's family, Reek selfishly wondered if he brought Lex to her and gave him a home in the Maplewood if he'd feel like he owed Reek a debt.

"Really really," he responded, nodding. Of course, Lex's description of Tavi's stubbern nature was all too true, causing Reek to laugh along. "If you play your cards right, who knows? You might find yourself with a home too." As the laughs died away, and in a bit of a blasé, Reek shrugged; he wanted Lex to seriously consider the offer before him. "I'm Reek," said the alpha, finally introducing himself after a quick beat.

The dark wolf emphasizes he can help, that the possibility of his sister lies on the inside of his pack, and he can't stop the hope from growing then. There's a chance the wolf in question is not his sister at all but suddenly blinded by the fact it might be, he feels himself wander. If he can find Tavi, he can find Izo. He nods his head and lets Reek take the lead.

He's given the prospect of home and Lex shifts his ears downward a little. He hadn't really thought that far ahead with the new information. A moment ago, he was giving up and moving on but now something fills him that he can't explain. Relief? Uncertainty? Instead, Lex bites back the words and sorts them out as they go.

I'll go ahead and get this shipped to the archives!

Lex may have offered no words, but his intention was thought to be was clear. Home awaited in the Maplweood along with the promise of his sister; Reek believed it was an offer he couldn't quite refuse. He approached, and Reek took his silent response with a friendly nod. "Let's go then," he said, turning southward to lead what he thought was his new subordinate home.

It wasn't necissarily a long journey back to the Maplewood, but the pair did have an ample time to walk and talk. With this time seperating them from home, Reek would filled the dead air with talk of what he's missed from Tavi's absence.