Jade Fern Grove they’re taking my heart now

@Minori

something wasn’t right.

he had a home. he had food. he had company. anything he ever wished for as a loner, he had it. and yet, it wasn’t the same. there was just something missing and he didn’t know what it was. the same feeling that drove him away from silvertip, from arthendal, from blackrock, it was coming back. it loomed over his shoulder and taunted him every night. he despised it.

that familiar feeling of wanderlust overtook him one morning and it was strong. issun did his best to ignore it, because if he gave in he feared that he would walk out and never return. but the urge was too great and he quietly slipped out of the valley. i’ll be back, he told himself, just going for a quick stroll no big deal. but they were nothing but reassuring lies.

he found himself in a emerald wonderland, far from bearclaw. issun paced back and forth in distress and anger. “fuck. why do you keep doing this?” he cursed between his teeth. slight panic crept up on him. how long had he been away? had anyone noticed him gone? he had to go back but...

a few more minutes out here wouldn’t hurt.

Her time here had been a mixture of things. Violent was the one word that described it best but it was mostly her own fault. She was still stuck in her homeland in her mind, still in the forests of japan with her family. Everything was so different there than it was here and it set her off, made her on edge and paranoid. It made her feel the one thing she despised: Fear.

Having a couple new wounds to show off that had begun scabbing over she found herself in the middle of a bright green space of foliage. She took a moment to look around, being filled with a sense of peace. Her homeland was filled with many shades of green as well. Then something disrupted her murmurings, the angry mutterings of a male. She lifted her head and called out one of the words she had learned in english during her time in yellowstone. "Hello?" her voice was rough from disuse and she cleared her throat before taking a hesitant step forward. "You are Okay?" she asked.

he was to stressed to notice her at first. the woman’s first call fell on deaf ears. but her second cry finally caught his attention. he turned to face her. she had dark fur, similar to his, and a strange marking under a bright green eye.

“i-i’m fine,” he sighed, but his tone betrayed his words. it was breathy and tense, as if he just ran a mile. his gray-green eyes trailed over her scars, thinking it would be a good way to change the subject. “what happened to you?”

She saw the mess of emotions and heard it in his voice. He was not okay. That was a lie, a front to either comfort himself or try and dissuade her from being concerned. It did not work. He looked half panicked. As his eyes travelled over her she tenses and tried to angle her body to hide the wounds apparently failing. She knew enough words to grasp he was concerned and flicked an ear. "Fighting. Shinpaishinaide kudasai" She brushed it off, slipping into Japanese and inwardly cringing. For a moment she looked confused and puzzled before she gave a single nod "I am...Okay." she said slowly.

Slowly she relaxed around him, feeling she had finally found a wolf who would not be a threat or need to be fought off. "What..." she paused and gave a frustrated grunt. "What...Problem? Need help?" she asked, wracking her brain for the extent of her english. 

Translation: Please do not worry

japanese is in green!

he assumed they were from fighting and was correct. but who, he wondered, could have done it? and were they following her? should he be worried? he was going to ask all of this, but then she said something. a language he had not heard in a long, long time.

his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. he was at a loss for words. all that he whispered was a shocked, “oh my god.”

he took a deep breath to recuperate himself from the surprise. “i… uh... it’s ok, really.” his words came out in a jumbled mess. it was strange to speak in his native tongue again. “who are you?” he asked. maybe she came from poncle woods like him and her name just slipped his mind.

cant change colors so italic + bold = japanese xD damn mobile

It was her turn to be shocked, ears that were partially laid back shot upright and her tail betrayed her and gave a slow single sway. He spoke the language of her homeland, they could converse freely! "If you say so then so be it" she said deciding then to dismiss how upset he seemed. Curiosity was there however and she gave him a long, puzzling look before going back to her usual calm expression. "Minori, I come from Taiheiyo Evergreen. Who are you?" she asked, the relief and excitement at finding someone of possible similar origin slipping into her tone.

he felt some rush of happiness. just knowing there was someone out there like him felt so right. it made him feel safe, like he had just time traveled to his youth.

“issun, from poncle woods,” he replied. he’d never heard of taiheiyo evergreen and was curious to know more about it. “your home, what was it like?”

The language they shared was just a little taste of home for Minori but it was just enough to put her at ease and make her relax. Her time in these lands had been rather unpleasant, three different fights that had ended with her being roughed up a bit more than she cared for, but this meeting was much different. Perhaps there were more like him around here?

"It is very green, thick with trees though the sun shines through easily. Streams and creeks travel through many areas. It is humid most of the year but you grow used to it. Many different predators to defend against. It was very active and extremely beautiful.." she trailed off, remembering just how beautiful everything was. The flowers and plants were much more colorful, the animals exotic. She gave a long sigh before focusing back on Issun. "Do you have a pack around here?" she asked curiously.

“sounds beautiful. my home was similar, exluding the humidity and predators,” he chuckled.

when she asked about his pack the feeling of dread came back to him. it’s been a while since he had departed. did anyone notice he was missing? hopefully not. he didn’t want to face any consequences for his actions.

“um, yeah. over there.” issun nodded over to the direction of bearclaw. “in a valley, surrounded by a mountain”

She cracked a smile, when he chuckled letting her guard down even more. However, when he confirmed he had a pack and said it wad nearby her walls rose once more but not before she felt the bitter sting of disappointment. Of course she had met someone who could understand her only to have them be tied down elsewhere. She would have considered being friends with this male but she wasn't looking to give herself to a pack just to have a feeble relationship. "I suppose you'll be going back then?" she pried, trying to hide the disappointment the best she could, smile faltering into the original mask of nothingness.

she looked and sounded disappointed to hear the answer. her smile slowly sinked, causing him to frown slightly. he sighed under his breath. was he going back? “yes... no? i don’t know.” the distress returned in his voice. “i mean, i should. it would be irresponsible not to but...” he sighed again, louder this time. “i want to go back and run away at the same time. it’s all so confusing. that’s what’s bothering me.” his confession spilled out like water.

issun sat down and stirred the dirt with a paw. “shit i’m rambling, sorry,” he laughed weakly.

His response was somewhat confusing and she lifted her gaze, giving him a curious look. He sounded torn, upset about his mixed emotions and she felt bad for him. She knew if she was still at her home pack She would have wanted to leave eventually but would also have wanted to stay, she would have felt torn. 

As he sat down she did too "You don't feel at home? Something isn't right there?" she asked. It was how she'd felt at Yellowstone, but she hadn't ever gotten attached to the pack, more a few certain wolves within it that made her want to stay.

“you could say that,” he sighed. “i got everything you’d need to live there but i feel like i belong there.” he created strong bonds in poncle woods. they were family. he belonged there. no other place met its standards, excluding moonlit.

“i should start heading back before someone notices i’m gone,” he said as he stood up. “you should come visit sometime. there may be someone who can help with your wounds if they get infected. and i’d like to talk to you more.”

She understood what he meant completely and nodded slowly "Home Isn't about what necessities you have, it's about how you feel in your heart and soul. Home is different than where choose to rest your head" She said softly. When he said he needed to go she again felt disappointed but decided that she would try to come and visit him if she could find her way over there. It made her feel slightly better about this place to know she had a sort of friend and would be welcome where he was. She drew in his scent so she would be able to recognise it if she went by his pack "I hope we see one another again. Safe travels Issun" she said with a smile.

he returned the smile. “’till next time,” he called as he began to make an exit. the conversation left him much more contempt than he was before, but the happiness was fleeting as he made his way towards the valley.