Hushed Willows oh lazarus, how did your debts get paid?

His ranging had proven unsuccessful on a grand scale. Driven by hunger and a desire to provide, it had been a black hole that ate up his time and wound it out further and further. When familiar territory had come to him—at least, territory he could recognize—it had ushered him north through the remains of what had once been a lush and layered land. The starkness had once unnerved him but now it was increasingly commonplace; the extensiveness in which is reached was larger than he had ever imagined, however.

Mordecai had lazily traced the mountains that would lead him to his family, one that he hoped had been fairing better than himself. Any trace of softness left from winter had worn away to sinew and sharpness, casting him in angles he hadn't seen since his initial arrival in the Wilds a lifetime ago. Perhaps not a true lifetime, but a lengthy one all the same, and it felt as though they had scavenged and survived through the famine just as long.

He found a lingering but unseen tendril of familiarity clinging to the dust and grit of the earth and it pushed him forward. They were near now, perhaps safely tucked away in the rocky outcroppings, perhaps with Warbone and his kin. This was an answer he would not entirely find however, as he was quite stonewalled by the presence of rising borders only a mile or two further in. But he had enough to make an educated guess all the same, and called for @Harlyn.

the brothers bright — blood on my name

Harlyn had never expected to hear his voice on the wind. She had begun to suspect that she would never hear it at all, ever again. It was a thought she had kept at bay with concern for her family and with the work she did to assert her place in this new pack. But in the empty hours of the night, her heart mourned for him. The removal of him from her life had been the final nail in the coffin that enclosed all of her hopes and her dreams for herself. Her pack, her home, and her perfect mate. She had locked them all up together and bid them farewell when she'd approached the borders of the Keep to start a new life in service to her children - likely the only three she would ever have with Mordecai gone from her life.

And yet, there was something not at all surprising in its familiarity. Harlyn had shut her eyes and taken a deep breath as the wave of relief came upon her. It should have been more staggering, more emotionally disorienting for she had always considered seeing Mordecai again would be like seeing him come back from the dead. But it wasn't. It was more like stumbling upon a favorite sweater that had been missing for a while. It had always been there; it had simply been out of sight, out of her reach for a while.

Apparently, she had been severely mistaken in thinking that she'd given up on him.

Her heart was in her throat by the time she came upon the borders. She was running when she approached, but slowed to a steady trot before stopping a few feet before him. A soft smile graced her lips as she looked upon him, simply enjoying the feeling of being able to lay her eyes upon him for the moment. "You found us," she said after a few moments of silence, her tail wagging at her haunches and tears beginning to collect along her lashes.

Don't know if this was private or not, but Trick is still in charge of the borders, and he would not be doing his job if he wasn't responding to a call :)

Though it was not his duty to recruit new members -yet-, Trick's job was to mark the borders and make sure the dad of little Tammy wasn't planning anything malicious. It was not because he cared about the bloody thing and his mother, nor because he was so damn cute, it was because of his desire to take over one day. He had also heard rumors of a new recruit becoming an alpha, and that only enraged him further. What was this Tavi thinking? Recruits had to prove themselves worthy just like any other, and Trick -despite his hard work, sacrifices and "good spirit", hadn't even been asked to be a beta! He growled at himself in annoyance. Never would he have imagined him missing Warbone.

As he was marking the borders, just like every old day, staring at the new life sprouting that was the same springy color as his eyes, a howl drove his head to swirl around to locate it. He snorted. Right, a new recruit again, but he could hear that the one calling wasn't calling the "more superior" ruler of the marauders. It was for the other "alpha", if you could call it that, and now he was really pissed off. Everything here was turning to shit without Warbone. Damn it, where was the brute when you needed him?!

Trick quickly trotted to the side of the borders where he thought the loner was, only to find out he was too late to meet the older, thin and sharp male. He was too late to hear the new "alpha's" words, and let a forced smile take over his handsome face. No one could tell it was faked, he made sure of that, and he took his place besides yet far from close to the female who now called herself a leader. He kept his tail lower than hers, yet higher than the loner at their borders, not knowing they were connected in any way. Good morning, m'lady, gentleman. He greeted with a nod to both wolves before him.

wasn't private so i've no qualms about anyone joining. :)

this is a phone post pls forgive any weirdness ty ty

For lengthy moments that waxed far longer than he could account for, he waited. Not once did he entertain the thought that she would ignore his summons, and perhaps his confidence was one of the few things he had left to hold onto in such grueling times. At least here he could spy out the return of life in full, as the earth was always keen on its own restoration versus total annihilation. But at what price, that was the question he had no answers to, and whether or not the herds would return.

All that was cast aside when she emerged from the depths of his narrow field of view. His scarred lips turned up into a thin smile, but it could not betray how weary he was, or deny that his searching efforts had been in vain. "I always will," came his quiet tones to join hers. Whatever else they could have said in a private moment was whisked away then, and they were no longer alone.

The proverbial third wheel to their meeting had come up on his blind side, leaving Mordecai to tear his gaze from his mate to survey him. In comparison he was small, but for now he seemed well-mannered enough. And in the end, Mordecai expected others to come out of curiosity. His head dipped briefly to bid him hello, and his solitary gaze turned back to Harlyn.

His response softened her smile and caused her heart to flutter against her chest. They had been together for some time now, and he still managed to inspire such moments where it felt like their love was fresh and new. Of course, the circumstances were very much in his favor for doing so easily.

Harlyn had no opportunity to ask the many questions that came to her mind before another came upon them. She turned to set her gaze upon the Keep's black-furred delta. It took her a moment to find his name in her memory, during which she gave him a welcoming nod. "Trick," she said, offering a warm smile, "I'd like you to meet Mordecai, my mate and father of my children."

She allowed a moment for the other two to say what they would before continuing, this time directing her gaze to Mordecai. "Everyone is here, we made it safely and the pack's alpha has honored Warbone's invitation even though he is no longer here," she informed him, not wishing to prolong the worry she assumed her mate had for them, "She has offered for me to lead at her side while everyone gets settled."

Warning: minor cursing ahead :)

Had it not been for the fact he absolutely hated new recruits, and even despised the new leading female, perhaps he had taken kindly to their welcoming behavior. Why the older male was not even the least submitting pushed him further on edge, and he swallowed back his pride. He wondered how much longer he could hold this act of a gentle man up with all these foolish new faces coming along. Harlyn, or whatever her name was, did not deserve her spot. She had not proven anything and was almost as old as Trick's fucking grandma! He needed someone to discuss this with, or else he would go entirely bonkers before he even had the smallest chance of rising up in these ranks. He knew for sure too, that when times would begin to get hard here again, all these new faces would be fleeing. The fact they were at the time of the famine told enough; they had done the same to their former packs. Did Tavi truly not see how wrongly she was treating the REAL marauders? How wrongly she was treating the mighty Trick?!

Pleasure to meet you, sir Mordecai. He spoke in a sophisticated tone and the most charming of low hums. He was surprised Harharhar even remembered his name. Then again, how could one forget a name as mighty and simple as "Trick"? Warbone will be back to lead us. For now, he is still with us in the hearts of the true marauders. Trick spoke gently, as if he did not want to offend anyone, though he damn well meant to. He wanted to make them feel bad for taking the copper prince's spot as one of the superior. They did not belong here, not Harlyn, not Tavi, and none of these small little pups they had popped out. 

Even with the addition of another, Harlyn was ever swift to supply the answers to questions he hadn't asked. What surprised him of these was that Warbone was gone, as that had not been an absence that Mordecai would have suspected. Though whatever dialogue he had with the Keep's alpha was minute at best, he had hoped to talk to him at length further. Instead, that interest was already setting concrete to do the same of the one who had taken them in.

But it was Trick's particular line that grabbed at his interest. At first Mordecai wondered if there was some speculation as to where Warbone had spirited away to, but the rejoinder that came to follow dismissed that too easily. If Warbone did intend to return, he certainly had not divulged those details with his subordinates.

Yet it was not a thought that Mordecai merely cast aside; he nodded instead, understanding. Loyalty was a powerful bond. "Good of you not to lose your faith," he said. "These are trying times for us all, and I am sorry to hear that Warbone was absent to receive us." But thankfully they had still been received, as Mordecai had not wished to continue to go through the motions of trying to travel during the famine.

Harlyn was not a fool. Even so, it wasn't until the moment the words true marauders slipped from the delta's lips that she began to doubt the accepting, kind and polite disposition of the dark wolf. She had always taken great care in crafting the comments that slipped off of her own tongue, and so she had always paid careful attention to those that were spoken by others. The reference to true marauders sounded of disdain and condescension to her no matter the velvet tone of the voice that uttered it.

She was quiet as Mordecai responded, and his words steadied the nerves that had begun to prickle uneasily. She gave him a fond smile before turning again to Trick. "So too is he in the hearts of those to whom he has shown great kindness, even before they were marauders themselves," Harlyn replied carefully, her own smile never wavering. She did not fully trust her suspicion yet; it could easily have been a meaningless slip of the tongue. But she would guard herself nonetheless, and be on the alert for further hints of unrest in this pack's ranks.

Apparently it was time to get to know the rest of these true Marauders.

"What say we head to the Crook?" Harlyn asked then, eager to get her mate somewhere he could rest and see his kids again, "You must be exhausted - not that you'll get much rest once the kids see you. Trick, I don't know if you were aware, but Mordecai became separated from our group while we were in the Wilds and has been away from us for quite some time." She turned to point them into the territory, pausing for a moment to make sure they were following before setting off.

A gentle, quite innocent, smile appeared on the trickster's face, refusing to explode right there and then. The male was speaking as if he knew everything, Trick found, but at least his words were somewhat kind. It would never be enough to satisfy Wylie, of course, but it was a good start. There was something he felt needed to be said to the other though, a thing he meant. His body might be gone elsewhere, still alive and well, but his spirit will forever be bound to the willows. He spoke softly. 

His attention shifted to the female though, as she said something that made him curious. So Warbone knew these wolves? Then how were they such bad rulers? You thought so much talent and wit, the things Warbone of course had, would have rubbed off on the wolves around him. Still, he smiled the sweetest smile he could possible smile without it looking fake or forced. Aren't you both true marauders then? For I was referring to you as well. He lied. Everyone that sleeps in the Crook, walks between the willows Warbone has walked between himself, is and will forever be a true marauder. He lied again, though he found it a convincing story.

His ears perked up upon hearing his false name, and the information that followed was stored in his head. He smiled and dipped his head in understanding, actually bowing a bit for the pair. He would not let them suspect him, not until the already quite shaky ranks were finally tumbling down. I will not accompany you on the trip to the Crook, I still have to finish marking the borders. He announced with pride, hoping his efforts were appreciated. 

I won't hold you up for any longer now, your kids must be dying to see you again. The sentence was directed at the new male, who's name was apparently Mordecai. It was delightful meeting you, have a nice day. He bowed a small formal bow, before departing with a swish of his smooth obsidian tail.

~Trick oouutt~

There was a point at which the mannered Trick started to tip and—at least to Mordecai—a shred of arrogance bloomed. Even behind the saccharine words it still bled, but just how far or the precise depth was something he could not ascertain. But then again, it may have simply been the inclination Mordecai took when it came to the unfamiliar; they had dealt with their share of less than stable bodies when trying to bolster their own numbers. In a way, Trick reminded him of Cara sans the brashness and naivety of youth. He could not help but wonder as the dark-haired patrol ventured off how she faired, but that too was an answer he would never discover.

He moved on then, coming up alongside Harlyn with much more warmth and mirth than he had mustered for their company. Whatever reservations he held went along the wayside as they ventured on; for now he was simply content to have been reunited with his family. "I never meant to be away for so long," he explained to her, "but I missed you." His search for herds had all been in vain. He hadn't found any, at least none that wouldn't have removed him even further from them all.

Harlyn couldn't tell if Trick had been aware that they had been acquainted with Warbone or not by his manner of response. He was a crafty one, but not enough that his words at all allayed her suspicions. She smiled and dipped her muzzle in farewell to the dark wolf, but her gaze lingered upon his thin frame as he retreated. He could sweeten his words with whatever tone he liked, but Harlyn still wondered at the reference to true Mauraders, even as he insisted then they too were of that rank, for if she and her family were just as true as Trick and the others, then who exactly could be the false?

Mordecai's voice brought her out of her silent musings and she turned to look back at him. Her ears slipped back as she reached for him, pressing herself with a happy growl against his chest as her muzzle stretched across his shoulder in a very Can-You-Feel-The-Love-Tonight hug. "It's alright," she said through her smile, "You're here now. And once the kids get to you, I daresay you will never be even capable of leaving again."

His steps fell to a halt when she reached out for him, a thin smile splaying itself crisply along his features. It was an easy embrace to return and one that he was grateful for. There were far worse ways to be welcomed back and home, and so far at any rate he had yet to encounter them; a fate he was rather disinclined to tempt.

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I just wish I had something to show for it," he murmured. It would have been nice to come carting some huge chunk of food, but he hadn't been that lucky. Scavenging had kept him going, but he was hardly going to come back offering the spoils of something that had been setting out for far too long.

Harlyn grinned at her mate's response. There was no doubt in her mind that their children would be quick to glom onto him, and Larkspur in particular was not likely ever to let her father out of her sight again. Harlyn was inclined to join her in that endeavor, at least now with the excitement so fresh and new. She worried his ear with her nose, breathing in his scent. He was here. He was here.

"You have your life still," the druid responded, stepping back to gaze at him, "I'm good with that." A wry smile twisted across her lips, and she gestured back towards the Keep with a twitch of her head. "Come on, let's let the kids get a look at you."

gonna fade this here, if you object holler at meeee

With the smile on his face left to linger, he quietly agreed with her assessment of the situation. He did have his life, yes, and losing that was perhaps the darkest and unsavory of outcomes partial to all of them in such times. Letting Harlyn take the lead, he fell into step with her but not at all trailing behind. There was much of the territory to see, but it would wait; seeing his children trumped the curiosity of what laid hidden in the eaves and shadows of a relatively uncharted venue.