Stavanger Bay sweet mother

recruitment and reuniting with @Ovid.

 

The Stavenger Bay was very much, without a doubt, beautiful. Traveling the majority of the night, only to arrive here at the break of dawn made it all the more pleasant. The tides allowed for shallow seawater to collect for plentiful fishing and crustaceans. It was a little slice of paradise, fitting with a forestry out to the west for cover. But his concerns lie with being directly on the shores due to the recent devastation which had raged through. The beach was still cluttered with a number of debris and while that could be cleaned up, of course, how long would it be before the rainy season flooded them out? Before another quake shook the lands and forced them away as it had many others before?
 
The fallen siren queen, Caiaphas, had warned him that the sea was far less kind here. That many Nereides had come here and many had perished. Though Aiolos had no intention of giving up, he would heed her warning too. He meant to be close to the beach yet for safety concerns not directly on it. And though the forest nearby was promising, he needed higher ground. Aiolos would move on, but not before exploring this place a moment first...

He hadn't slept since arriving here, too determined and desperate to find some evidence that this was the right place to be. The entire stretch of beach he had wandered since arriving here had been littered with debris, and he knew that the same storm had ravaged these shores as well. The bay he now explored was no different, save for the presence of food. The scent of fish and other small sea creatures made his stomach growl, but he was too focused to stop just yet. He couldn't shake the thought that all of this might have been for nothing—that all this time had been wasted trying to find his way through the wrong mountains. The thought settled in his gut like a stone, heavy and overshadowing any feelings of hunger aside from the occasional painful twisting that reminded him he should eat soon. 

He would not give up, though; he would search every inch of this new place and if he found no one, then he would move on and continue his search. Something caught the sun from underneath a piece of driftwood, and Ovid rolled the debris aside with his paw to inspect the area. A seashell sat half-buried in the sand, the pearly inside facing towards the sky to catch the light from the sun and reflect it out. He sniffed it briefly before moving one, freezing after taking only a few steps. A figure approached from farther down the beach. When they were closer, he had to blink a few times before he believed what he was seeing, afraid his exhaustion and hunger were impeding his ability to see things for what they really were. But what he saw was no hallucination. He advanced forward, stopping once he was close enough to speak. I was beginning to think I may never see any of you again, Ovid admitted, his voice even and expression stern.

The beach was a bit of a mess but the ocean was ever beautiful, alight in pinks, orange and yellow as day broke free from the night. With the debris, some of the creatures here did not sink as deep into the sand for cover, instead using rock, limb and brush. Aiolos lifted his forelegs onto a tree stump, rolling it over to look for what hid beneath.  A number of crabs, which he wildly began to chase and snap it, breaking there shells and getting snipped on the fluff of his cheek by one in the process. 

Aiolos lifts his head, shaking it wildly and sending the half dead crab flying. That's when he sees the other wolf making his approach. Fiery eyes narrow, locking on him, studying that familiar gait and golden eyes...

It was him. It had to be. Ovid. He was a collection of tawny, brown and cream coloration. He was shorter then Aiolos tall frame and yet, thicker built and, despite Aiolos' efforts in many spars, stronger. Aiolos had always been a man made of stamina and had after every defeat, got back up again and again. Ovid had taken him under his wing. Trained him, taught him the way of Nereides and had stood up for him a number of times before to take the punishment from the sirens in order to protect Aiolos. If anything, Aiolos owed this man alot. He was both a mentor and like an older brother. 

Ovid! Aiolos was a yearling all over again. When Ovid spoke, his words gruff and expression hardened as ever, Olo ran towards him in the same manner he had time and time before. He aimed to lift up onto his back legs, wrapping forelimbs around him and growling  as he snipped for the man's ears and cheek. Surely, to get a snappy reaction back as ever before.

His reaction was as exuberant and affectionate as ever, both things that Ovid had never been very good at reciprocating, even with the ones he cared for. He stiffened as Aiolos' paws landed on his back and his teeth found his ear and then cheek. After a few awkward seconds, he managed to release some of the tension from his muscles and offer a hesitant chuckle before stepping back some. He shook out his coat and licked a few hairs on his chest back into place. It is good to finally see you, Ovid said quickly. The affection made him uncomfortable but he had still missed Aiolos fiercely. How are you? How is Kalika? he asked, his tone concerned. They had all been separated for too long. He needed to know how they had fared in their time apart. Were they all still together? Were they still recruiting for the sirens? There were so many variables still unknown to him, and for someone that always needed control, it was incredibly distressing. But he would not downplay this reunion. Out of everyone, he had missed Aiolos the most, although he worried some how he had done out here without his guidance.

Stiffened, still, Ovid took the playful embrace which the younger fiery wolf offered him. And after a moment, gave a soft chuckle before backing up and allowing Aiolos to fall back onto all fours once more. Ovid not snapping back, growling, or pushing Aiolos off was enough to allow the red wolf to know that Ovid did, in fact, miss him. 

After we lost contact from the quakes, I took residence in amongst the Courtfall in Northstar Vale. I visited the seas time and time again but with the devastation did not find anyone. Until Kalika. He held the smirk he felt creeping up from his features. She has recently sent me on a mission here to the coast now that the lands have settled in order to find us a promising territory to call home. An important mission for him indeed, if he were to found the land of his brethren.

Ovid listened thoughtfully as Aiolos explained what he had been doing in the time they were separated. He was pleased to hear that they were already in the process of searching for a new place to call home and even more pleased that it would be on the coast. It looked rough now, scattered with debris left over from the storms that had beat against the shores. But their home would look different once they made it theirs. None of the debris looked too heavy to be moved, even if it took a couple of them to do it. He nodded his approval of the plan as Aiolos finished speaking. And what have you found so far? he asked, wondering how far the other man had gotten in his mission. He had grown tired of wandering and biding time until he could finally return to a normal life where he knew what he was supposed to be doing at all times. He looked forward to finally having a home again and sirens to serve once more; he could control things in that situation. Out here, everything and most everyone offered too many unknown factors, which was not an environment he thrived in.

Ovid questioned him, wanting to know what he had found thus far on this mission. Aiolos shook his head and his eyes cast out over the area around them. Here, is all. He spoke, overlooking the Bay. Its beautiful and over there, a bit of forest.  He jutted his muzzle out towards the green, lush forestry up off of the coast towards the inland. 

Though his intentions did not lie here, but he took a few steps forward, point now into the direction of the Sentinels. I'm planning on getting to the other side of these burned woods, look for higher ground. This is a great spot but I've been warned Mother Sea is not kind to these shores. I want a home that will not flood and we can take shelter during the storms. And though he had yet to get there, just the right spot was on the other side of those dead woods.

  Gonna make a closing on this since Ovid's been inactive....

 

After speaking with his old mentor of all the updates, Aiolos dashes out to his side, snapping playfully at his flank. I'm headed to the west along the coast here. When I find a place, I'll make sure to mark it before I head back to find Kalika. I hope to see you there. And with that he took off along the seaside.