Barrow Fields barren hearted wanderers

Uncharacteristically, the dark Ostrega had a wild hair today and decided to range out past the Keep. He sought anything to keep himself distracted. Mainly, lately, it seemed hunting helped him do that the most. He desperately wanted to get better at that for his family, but it was touch and go. Some days were better than others and with everything else seeming so miserable -- his brother missing, his mother hurt, and home not feeling like much of one lately, it was easy to get discouraged.

He put on his serious face today though and stretched his long, lean limbs out across the open field. He didn't know what would be ahead yet something compelled him forward, more and more. At the very least, he wanted to return home with something to show for it.. even if it was only a tiny kill to offer his wounded mom while she mended. Or, so he hoped she was actually mending. He worried about that.

Silas quivered his nose into the wind once he finally slowed up. Maybe Pippin had gone this way, he thought fleetingly. But he had nothing to suggest that. Not even a single clue, and his tracking skills were definitely not enough to pull something from thin air -- try as he might, or wish to it be so. 

The landscape stayed uninteresting, and was starting to make him uneasy somehow. He moved on a little slower now, not sure how much further from the willows he could willingly go without a good reason to press him forward.

Yooo hope you don't mind me jumping in :)

Devin wasn't traveling far from the sound, just out of the forest where she spent most of her time. She preferred the dark, shaded area's under the large sequoias where it was easy to hide, easy to melt into the night. With a pelt like a ghost, it wasn't always easy to match the pitch of darkness, but over many years of practice Dev had perfected it. Forests were her favorite place to be, so today held a bit of an unusual destination for the pale eyed female. A large open field, few trees and the grass wasn't her preferred length. Large mounds covered the area, that gave off an uneasy feeling she wished to ignore.

There were many reasons for the Fearghal's scouting mission today. The main one was the incident with her father, or Riptide it seemed now. She hadn't told Bain, for she feared he would leave and try to be the hero again. Try and bring Arturo back. She didn't need anyone, but she would feel broken without her family. The fact that her father wasn't even there anymore killed her inside. He was always supposed to be there, but how could he be when he hadn't even recognized her. So her trip today was a stress reliever of sorts, as she hoped to forget what she knew.

Walking through the field she caught onto a scent. It wouldn't have interested her normally, but she had met a female looking for her pack's lost pups. She'd never been specified what they looked like or anything, so anyone could be it. For a moment a bitter thought passed through her, Why should I return a pup to its parents, when mine don't even know me. it was foolish and cruel, and it passed quickly. Arturo would've worried about her, maybe not Riptide, but Arturo would. And so would the parents of this pup.

Devin followed the scent until she found a small brown and white pup, wandering on his way. You lost dude? She asked, her normal calm speech hiding her swimming thoughts. She held a friendly frame, slack as usual, so as not to frighten the boy.

eee not at all!

The urge to wander felt so foreign under his skin, so maybe that was why he tried to cover it up with telling himself he was tracking. Yeah. Tracking. His brother probably first of all. A meal second because defaulting to the hunt was his easiest route. He had to keep repeating this in his head, over and over again. But what was there to track? All he had seemed to find so far was open nothingness out here. This place was even threatening to make him want to return to the willows soon.

He didn't turn back yet. Just a little while longer, he reasoned, but doing this brought him into range of an unknown pale wolf. The knee jerk response  of his was ears back and a nervous prickle of his furs. Silas couldn't help but glance over her briefly when she spoke, and his nose quivered, inquiring all about the slender female who called him dude. "Um.. no," he answered when he stopped his paws. His posture said a cautious uneasiness for now, with his tail subtly tucked and ears splayed out as wide as he could get them to go. "My brother is, though," he said, steadying himself fleetingly as the idea to mention this came to him. Maybe it could be useful? "I was looking for him, kind of." Through a frown, he peered at the pale fur on her chest since he didn't know how he was supposed to handle a stranger from a strange land.

Devin sat down when she saw the pup turn, thankfully he spoke and didn't run frightened. All those 'I'm so cute because I'm scared' kids pissed her off, and she usually told them to buck up. This boy seemed a bit nervous, but at least he didn't pull the puppy eye crap. He eyed her chest submissively as he spoke about his brother being lost, not him. She nodded, though she still had to ask. She promised Niita that if she found the pups she'd return them. Of course in Devin's eyes that also meant the pups had to want to be returned. 

You're not from uh, Silvershit Mountain right? She asked calmly, staring down at the pup curiously. The white wolf wasn't very intimidating, so she was surprised that he seemed so nervous. She almost wished he'd sit up and simply talk, it could make the conversation a lot more comfortable for them both. However he was a bit cute, which put a small smile on her face.

When she sat down, he felt half-tempted to do the same, although with his lanky posture held as it was he still did not amount to much height at all. It did make him feel a little better knowing that with her rump planted, she would be staying there for the time being, and not coming any closer to him. He liked being able to visually measure the distance between them like this and although he didn't plant his rump yet, he wiggled his tail gently between his hocks.

But his ears slicked back. "What? No," he asked and answered at once, squinting at her quizzically as he did. The mountain name, butchered or not, did not ring at all familiar to him. He was a sheltered little Ostrega, who obviously didn't get out much, so he didn't know anything about this. "Why would I be from there?" He wasn't silver and neither was he a shit (so he guessed? no one had ever told him if he was before!) so Silas struggled to connect these dots and how it was supposed to related to him.

Devin shrugged when he replied a firm no. Clearly he wasn't one of Niita's missing kids. He seemed rather shocked that she's called him such a word, and asked a blunt question. I know this lady from there who was lookin for her kids. Thought you might be one. She remained seated, since her question hadn't gone anywhere, she'd backtrack. This boy was looking for a brother. So if your brother's lost, why're you out lookin for him by yourself. Why can't your parents do it? She asked, wondering if his parents cared or if they were just oblivious.

Devin didn't really want to help look for this kids brother. He clearly didn't have what it took to explore and be out in the wilds. He was still practically a pup, and if a girl like Devin could spook him, he should be back with his mom. She wasn't going to tell him what to do, but she'd give him advice. Look kid, it's cute, that your looking for you bro, but a little guy like you won't make it out here all alone. And I don't feel like lookin for anybody right now so you ought to just tell your loving mommy and daddy and have them look. Devin was feelin like a real bad ass bitch today. The young female wasn't threatening him in anyway, simply stating the facts she believed to be true. This kid had been doted upon, she could tell, and she didn't think a kid like him could make it. Until he proved her otherwise she'd stick by her claims.

I'm so sorry she's a jerk ;)

LOL i love it!

He shook his head softly but was glad to at least know why she asked. Nope. His mom hadn't been going anywhere, and especially not in search of lost kids. He was not one of those and neither did he have any leads on it. Silas kept within a sheltered bubble within the willows because they had enough internal uneasiness going around.

The dark Ostrega shifted his weight and contemplated why exactly he didn't really like what she said. Internally, all he could think was some variation of why this?? All he'd wanted to do was try to help out some, even just a little tiny bit. "My dad is looking already," he grumbled, feeling himself sour as seconds ticked. "And my mom is hurt," he added. This threatened a greater rise out of him but it was one he had come to all on his own. He was nervous about her injuries and the cause of them, while ultimately unclear to him, he hadn't liked Tambourine's involvement that had evidently driven Pippin -- of all wolves -- to strike out against him. Silas had never liked the loud, younger pup anyway and this was more reason not to.

"You don't gotta help me anyway, I'm not even that far from the willows yet," he huffed, prickled and sent his simmering stare aside for a hot second, frustrated that she was so quick to look down on his efforts. What could she even be doing that was so important, anyway?

The young brown male was rather defensive, though she hadn't expected any less. Devin did feel a bit of guilt however when he said his mom was hurt. However not much. And as she'd thought, his great father was already out looking. Wouldn't that be enough? If his brother was missing, how much further could the guy have gotten from this one? At her advice, the boy soured up, looking away. Embarrassed or angry, either one fit. I know I don't gotta do nothing. But someone's gotta help you.

The ivory female sighed and gave a great roll of her eyes. She had really hoped the pup would've just turned and went home, however he hadn't. He'd shown a bit of spunk, which the gangster's daughter could approve of. Alright fine, which way did he go? She asked. He had never really asked for her help anyway, but she felt it was implied. She stood swiftly and waited for the younger male to speak. She didn't know his name yet, and he didn't know hers. However she didn't feel inclined to share anything if he didn't ask.

He felt his face wrinkle up in some mixture of feelings he didn't have the precise words to name. All he knew was that there were several, all at once, as he listened to her next words. She was doing an alright job of confusing him, and he could feel that one showing on his expression. First she didn't want to help, and then she.. did? Silas couldn't really figure this out entirely but that was just like everything else. He'd just roll with it.

Silas caught himself standing a little straighter once she got up. However he felt a little wary knowing the subject of the answer she asked for. He didn't think she'd like it, considering how meandering it was bound to be but he had to start somewhere. "Well.. okay, we don't know." He shook his head but watched her carefully with a frown in case there would be backlash for his junk answer. "My dad went north, and hasn't found anything. Next he is going other places, so I wanted to check this way," he gestured accordingly towards the west, generally, and took a few small steps that way. "But I dunno know what's out here. My sister has a friend, I think, who lives this way. My mom took her to go see her before everything." He didn't really know a lot about Deirdre beyond that, so he was obviously grasping at next to nothing but maybe if she knew, wherever she was, she could help them guide Pippin back into their lives.

"Before Pip got lost, there this fight.. thing. He might be hurt and I'm kinda scared he doesn't want to be found," Silas revealed far more quietly and chewed his lip. Them finding him meant bringing him back to the Keep territory, and the dark son feared that after whatever had happened with Tavi, Tambourine, and Harlyn, his brother would not feel good to come back here, family or not.