Dragoncrest Cliffs leave me a literature of toothmarks & tongue-tracks
what do i do after all this survival?
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Ooc — Kermy
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#1
All Welcome 
We're home! This will be my only post with Thuringwethil (it is vague for obvious reasons) but will add Furi and maybe Ajatar. Everyone else is welcome to come greet them! @Wildfire @Eske @Bobby @Hush @Étoille @Hvitserk @Rose @Dalia @Seri @Prince (@Eljay for visibility?).

Thuringwethil does not feel the same excitement seeing the tall, towering redwoods as she had before. Instead, she’s flooded with a draining sense of relief that she does not have to do this again. They are home, they are victorious (as much as they can be), and they together. At one point, her feet stagger, threatening to stop, as she looks ahead. The other wolves have come together, but remain ahead, and she sighs, pushing herself onward.
 
Not having Wildfire in the forest like planned had been enough to twist the victory sour. The only thing she’d wanted was to see her and she’d been gone, distraught and pulled away from those left as they return.
 
When close enough to the borders, she searches for @Artaax and @Blixen, taking a step closer to bump her nose against them before moving away and leading her wolves across the border of their home. Thuringwethil turns to @Dio and nods her head once, giving him the chance to howl their arrival when she does not have the energy to do so.
 
Later, she will find @Portia to tend to her wounds but for now she wants to sleep. The sun may be high in the sky, shining bright for their arrival, but she doesn’t want to see it for days to come. She does not wait for the others to greet them, quietly breaking away from the homecoming to the den she knows her mate has made home again.
Trigedasleng · Common
all that wanting, all that aching, all that capacity for love:
it never belonged to you in the first place
gubraithian fire
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Ooc — Kat
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#2
Wildfire was sleeping off a huge breakfast—and a week of raging hormones, which had finally wound down the previous day—when her loved ones rallied at the borders, finally home from their arduous war effort on her behalf. If anyone called, she didn't wake. When a careworn Heda sloped up to the doorway of her tree hideaway, Wildfire finally blinked awake. Unaware of what had roused her, she stretched luxuriously and yawned, inhaling deeply and drawing in the scent of her dearest loved one (aside from their children).

"Thur!" she screeched loud enough to startle a nearby flock of birds into the air. She threw herself at the commander, though she kept her touches gentle as she nosed Thuringwethil all over, making sure she was in one piece. "You're back!" she blurted stupidly. She was back and she was alive, though Wildfire could see that she needed food, rest and a medic, not necessarily in that order.

After establishing the fact that Portia hadn't seen to her yet and that all she wanted right now was to sleep, Wildfire urged Thuringwethil into the tree. She wanted to stay there with her, of course, but the Heda would need food and medicine. Besides, there was an entire war party to welcome back, which included Artaax and Blixen. Feeling extremely torn about it, the Feisripa bent to kiss her mate's forehead before spinning on a heel and charging toward the borders.

"Artaax! Blixen!" she cried as soon as the gathering came into view ahead, causing a squirrel to chastise her from a nearby tree. She was happy to see the others, of course, but all of Wildfire's attention went to her two eldest children as she raced toward them.
i'm still here, but all is lost
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Ooc — remus
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#3

she is lucky, she knows, that she was delegated to protecting her mother and redhawk's brood (babysitting, a part of her can't help but think selfishly), and that she was not put in danger, and that she is uninjured, unlike the limping lot of the most of her group. but she cannot help but feel a little upset about it. maybe if mother'd stayed with them she wouldn't feel so bad about her fortune. 

the gona sighs and goes to lean a little bit into furi, stealing a moment of comfort as she watches nomi make her way to her den. she should be grateful. why is she so bad at positive emotions? 

if nothing else at least things will go back to normal now - mother appears on the scene, ruining any chance for more self pity (thankfully) and she manages a bright smile, relieved all over again at her mother's returned presence into her life. "mother," she says, moving away from furi to greet her, and chokes up a little. "you're really back."
and there's nobody there to catch us when we fall
[time & tide]
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#4
To be back on familiar terrain made for an unimaginable relief. Although ultimately victorious in their end, they returned tired and worn anyway. It had been a long several weeks spanning many miles across the entire length of it all, and although it was now over, perhaps the entire triumph of it had not yet set in. Maybe the exhaustion, the aches and the injuries to tend were all just cluttering the notion.

Still, he heaved a relieved sigh and brought up the back of the group when they came upon their borders--and had he missed them. Only briefly, the commander caught his eye and he nodded knowingly.

It was with a tired voice that the pale wocha announced their return. They were home.

When Thuringwethil slipped away from them, he offered her no resistance and only a subtle but worried furrow of his brow. Noted, though, and he lowered his haunches into a sit at the edge of the gathering for now. In glancing over their returning party, it only felt natural to account for everyone before the others got here, and more dispersed into the packlands. He knew that soon, he would be on his way as well to someplace warm and quiet to try to sleep some of this off, and while he did, he only hoped his mate would not have her paws too full with everything they brought back with them. But, at the thought of seeing her again soon, he would keep the war-weariness at bay a while longer.

It did feel good to simply be stationary (his tired bones were very thankful for this) and surrounded by these stately redwoods, where the seasalt had come to remind him of all they protected here. When Wildfire arrived on the scene to greet her offspring, he couldn't help the small waver of his tail--again, reminded of why they had marched south at all.
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Ooc — Stevie
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#5
Artaax was tired as they made their way back to Drageda. He has less reason to be than the ones that had actually participated in the battle, but the time they'd spent away from home the past few weeks - months, really - had been taxing on him. He had longed to get back home and get back to his normal, peaceful life again. He wanted to spend his days studying ducks, stalking packmates, and giving Bobby shit for every possible reason he could come up with. He wanted to sleep in hougeda beside his family and play in the salty sea sprays along the coast. And it was all within the young hompleia's reach, finally.

He would appreciate that more once he'd had a nap, though. It was with weary relief that the boy trudged past the borders onto Drageda land. He took in a deep breath, savoring the scent of home and letting it fuel the remainder of the journey towards the heart of their home and soon enough into the arms of his mother, whom he greeted alongside Blixen with silent smiles and a rapidly wagging tail.
 
280 Posts
Ooc — e
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#6

Étoille is tired and aching, raw in spots from injuries still too recent to be ignorable. He could have been harmed much worse and for that he is grateful. The war was one and yet the march back home did not feel as victorious as he once imagined it might. Perhaps he has been away for too long. His legs are like lead.

At the borders he does not linger once heda announces their arrival. He wants to see Furi, of course. But right now he is not much for company, bloodied and drained. Instead he looks to find the fisa, hoping to have his face tended to - and if he cannot find her, he will retire to the den and sleep some of this exhaustion off before making an effort to find her again.
gubraithian fire
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Ooc — Kat
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#7
Neither her son nor her daughter raised a complaint as Wildfire pressed herself against them, whining and licking at them. "Yes," she replied breathlessly to Blixen's remark, "we're all home now." She flicked her head in the general direction of her redwood hideout, where their nomi now lay sleeping. Bobby was probably lurking somewhere near there too.

After fussing over them a moment longer (and assuring herself they weren't too badly hurt), Wildfire took a step back to look into their faces. She also glanced over at Dio, as well as Étoille's retreating back. "Tell me," she said in a quiet but eager voice, "did we win?"
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#8
It is not Thuringwethil that makes the call, but the brute she has lead beneath her. At first, her heart jumps into her throat and she’s faced with the fact the Heda may have died in battle. She takes a few moments to gather herself before she sets her feet into motion, moving toward the source of the call with an easy speed. She sees Wildfire first, a little more excited than she expected her to be and she wonders if her first assumption is wrong. Her eyes trail for one wolf to the next, settling briefly on Étoille before moving on again and waiting for the information from the next wolf in charge.
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Ooc — Raven
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#9
She had heard the call from the others that the other part of the pack had finally returned. They had been gone for some time now, but not hearing from the scout that was meant to return with any bad news she stayed positive throughout their absence. She came rushing over to where they were all crossing the border and offered each of them a friendly smile. She didn't know any of them too well, with her being one of the newer members, and her lack of contact with them over the last few months it made sence. But even without a strong connection to them she was happy so see their return. 

All appeared to be tired and some were injured, but non too badly to move and return home, which made Seri believe that they had won their fight. But she, like Wildfire, wanted to know. This was a big moment for the pack and she did her best to remember everything she saw for a later date. Soon she would be able to match their faces to names so she might relay the story to others later. 

She stood near Wildfire, not right next to her, but close enough to hear the answer she was hoping to recieve.
[time & tide]
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#10
The relief is thick on the air and even with a little seasalt back in his lungs, he feels a bit more like his usual self. Exhaustion still reigns supreme, and his own gashes and bruises were only minimally managed for the road.. but every little step is one forward. He can tolerate it all a while longer; others are no better off and he is stoic, so will wait.

Their commander had gone already, with Étoille (who Dio thought deserved the coziest nap and nicest meal of them all after his tenancy in Blackfeather) not far behind her. Since he noticed she had not yet come, he held onto his hopes that his speckled mate has gone to intercept them already and rightfully so. None of them that had seen to the battles are unscathed, and they're all tired as hell from a long cold walk.. so maybe it is what they also bring back that keep the spirits dour.

Still, the greetings were fond and he watched as others arrived questioning. To them, he owed them something. The pale wocha feels he isn't as triumphant as they may expect however.

Turning his sights to Wildfire, he straightened his aching posture and nodded; despite the mood they all wore, it was good news. He shifted to halfway look the part. "We won." he answered firmly, and tried to swallow some of the grit from his voice. "We drove Blackfeather away from the woods in the end, they retreated when their losses were too many and risk too high.." He still sounded tired and guessed that once they had regrouped, there would be more information to be had.

It wasn't a perfect defeat. Many Blackfeather (some that probably fled before their invasion) did live to see another day. His own group's individual battle had not gone stunningly well so he thought, and based on the commander's countenance, it was not all smooth sailing for the others either. But when it was all done with, Redhawks had suffered too right alongside them and befitting their loss and retreat, he believed Blackfeather had lost lives in the process. Drageda had come out on top again.
anyone else can def hop in if they want to hear about any return stuff here but i thought i would post again to keep it moving <3
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Ooc — Somniari
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#11
Prince arrived just in time to hear the explanation being given; relief filled him at the words. They were safe, for now.
He glanced over the gathered wolves, those who had returned and those who had come to greet them. A twinge of sadness stirred in his chest-- he had none to greet personally. At first he had considered himself lucky that his only real friend had not gone to war, but when she had disappeared he realized it was not luck at all. Fate had simply decided on a different way to hurt him.
It turned out he was to be alone regardless.
The pale boy's eyes flicked to the ground, and silently he promised himself he would change that. Drageda was meant to be a fresh start for him, and now with everyone back he could really try for it.
gubraithian fire
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Ooc — Kat
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#12
100% posting out of turn to push this toward a proper ending...!

It was the Wocha who answered her, fittingly. "We won," he said and Wildfire's insides seemed to clench, then to loosen with relief. She nodded firmly at him, then turned her gaze back upon her children. Her eyes were still wet with tears. She was so damn proud of them, not to mention grateful. She didn't think she'd ever be able to convey just how much all this meant to her.

"I want to get back to your nomi," Wildfire eventually said to her children, "but first I want to fetch her something to eat. You guys too. Come by the den in about an hour. Bobby can show you where it is. I love you," she said, making a point to give each child a kiss before tearing herself away to return to her mate's side.
[time & tide]
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#13
His news was good and he was happy to have everyone home with them once more. They had what they had set out to do, and victory was theirs. Blackfeather may not have been extinguished entirely, but their statement was still true and unquestionable. Their enemies from the dark forests had fled like cowards in the end.. cowed before the combined Drageda and Redhawk Caldera wolves--something that he would be sure any retellings of this would include.

Now, what he had been waiting for, was this moment here and now. When no others urged him with questions, he was ready to make a move to excuse himself. He was awfully tired and he missed his wife, and daughter too. With a few heavy steps forward, he then chuffed some farewells, namely to Wildfire's brood, and was off into the packlands on his own.