The Sentinels unliking

set on 2-2-2020

ruo, decided to step a bit out of her comfort. mostly because she saw very, very large trees in the distance while moving around the beaches. she was quite well within her comfort zone, keeping to the waters, but at the same time she still desired to see what it was. wouldn't do harm, wasn't like the sea would go anywhere.

however she hated it. ugly. the siren saw how absolutely dead the life was here, she immedietly started moving back.

The deadwood not to your liking? Spoke the fiery wolf from within the forestry which had been ravaged and burned by fire. It had been not too long ago he had come upon the quiet lady but he was still happy to have found her yet again. She had stayed to the coast as though he had both hoped and expected. 

It is a dangerous place... even though half the trees still stand, just a bit of wind... He trailed off, pacing slowly out of the forest and into her direction. You can hear the crashes when the storms come in.

"lion man."

the leo arrived, a being she did not expect to see once again, but neither was displeased or pleased by his arrival. the siren shook her head, she did not like this place. it was dead, so unlike the ocean-life that beamed with it's beauty, so gray unlike the blues, and so silent, it gave the chills. unsettling. he was but a light within it's world, a fire sparking forth.

"what happen." he said it was dangerous, and she believed so as baby blues looked at the already fallen logs. long gone, they stood tall but there was no soul, and with ease, the winds can push down. she couldn't deny a curious heart to their sounds within the storms, but she had her own thoughts when a storm would hit. crackling and loud, all the noise drowned out. ruo was awaiting for the next one.

Lion man. It took until now to realize that the bright, fiery star in the sky, called Leo, the lion, Ruo was referring to as him. He smiles and nods to her introduction as his amber gaze watched her shake her head in objection to the forest just behind them. 

She would ask him what happen and as the fiery colored wolf he was, whom she so named by the fiery bright star 'Leo' above, he answered. Fire. He eyes her with a wonder if she had ever seen such a thing before. Spending most of his life either on an island or in the swampland, you would think Aiolos would have been fortunate not to know of it. But he did. It happens when a star falls from the heavens, or lightning but you know, whatever. So much for wolf knowledge. It strikes the lands and burns it and it spreads, destroying all in its path until it is satisfied.

ruo knew of fire, but would never be near, nor' likely see as the siren spent her life near the waters, where it would have trouble getting near. polar opposites, she had no need to worry. though she couldn't deny interest when he said the cause. it was unknown to her how fires had begun, and even had more wonder on how the star caused so.

questions flew and wanted to know further; for what was a star? "lion, where is it." the bright lights in the sky at times fallen low, but she could never be near to see where they went, or to see with her own blue gaze to what it was. she asked him, full of wonder, but little care to what it caused, only to where. where, and what it could be. 

eyes sparkled of desire.

He ponders a moment, wondering, thinking... Where is it, the star that burned the forest? Or where did any go after they landed? I'm...not sure. He answered honestly, his bright swirling amber eyes turning up then to the heavens. It was a good question, but another question would be not where they went by why they fell to begin with. 

Crown falling back down, a single ginger ear turns back. Maybe it burned up too with the forest...or maybe it just die out, their brightness having burst from themselves and out onto the earth, leaving them dark like the sky they once rest in. His gaze lingers of the exotic sea creature and the delicate and elegant beauty of which she held. We can always go look and see, if you'd like? Dangerous, yes, but if anything on the other side he could show her the home he had made for himself at the plateau.

ruo remained unphased but felt disappointed. she had hope to see, but his theories provided sense that could be, and yet wished it to be untrue. there wasn't a lot to excite the siren, for the waters were her land, but hobbies were of but one; the stars. only the two broke her silence.

she thought, and nodded. there was no certain though if it was gone, and searching would be ideal. it wasn't if she was busy either, "start where?" but where would they search first? here at these lifeless trees?

His fiery attention never faltered from the dorsal stripped woman and with a glaring of nostrils, he breathes her in. The smell of seaside, as all that around them and of others, wolves, whom he did not know. If she were alone he might have tried to convince the siren to stay with him. Still, he might try...

In here, where the fire started... He spoke, turning around to the deadwood forest from which he had come. It seemed to have struck here and then ended here all the same. After all the lands around it were safe and it could only be thought that maybe the sea or rains had burned out the fire. Whatever the case Aiolos was glad he had not been around to experience it.

"i do not like dead land," despite feeling disgusted with the lifeless place, ruo stepped forward with stoicness. she wanted to see if the star was here, and possible to survive in this place. she hope there would not be disappointment- but for now a guide was here.

"lead." the siren looked at the flame man, brighter then these trees itself, and like the lion within the night sky. she waited.

He nods, he knew she did not like it, that she did not particularly want to be in it, but her determination and interest to find this star which had fallen from the skies was stronger then her dislike for the lands. She came to him, spoke for him to lead and quietly he dips his head again, pushing forward and into the skeleton trees of the Sentinels.

He enjoyed having her at his side as he always enjoyed a woman at his side during an adventure. He felt like he had before on the island, a guard for those sirens he protected. He moved through, looking, sniffing, but where would it be?

further they went, the more disgruntled she appeared to be. the lifeless trees stood around, and she felt surrounded by death itself; the opposite of the living sea. however the slightest chance, that the star could be, was her only reason to keep to the place. there was slight comfort knowing she wasn't going to be wandering around idly, and had high hopes that the lion knew where he was going. if she got lost, there was a guide.

"lion," ruo started, "what are you called." the siren called him 'lion,' all this time but he was not a true feline; but a wolf who has a name. they had met under the stars and knew nothing of each other, she wasn't too curious on how backstory, but even the water maiden knew of manners, and should know of name.

As they maneuvered through the woods, he was not sure they would find anything here. Though the sky above aloud light to pour down, given the fact that more of the trees were dead, leafless, even if it had no been winter. But there was life yet still, scurrying of rodents and serpent,  making life in the rot and dirt of the forest floor. 

Lion, she spoke his nickname she had given him and his ginger ears perked, tugging at his attention. Fiery eyes turned back to her as she questioned his true name. Aiolos. He spoke with a smile, happy that the woman was interested enough to ask. In ways, she seemed distant, like some far off mythical sea creature he would never understand. But he was picking up on those very subtle signs she showed of interest. And you? Something maybe shorter then 'that mysteriously quiet siren with the dorsal stripe.' He chuckles. That, or the woman which was colored like sand and stone on rocky beaches or even like a river otter.

"ruò." as per old customs, she would have given her full name, but she did not know if the foreigners would care, nor' understand. the wang family, the jiangs, their thoughts did not matter anymore, as they were in the land of unknown, and foreign culture wolves. he was the first to meet, in these lands that were not of family.

"aiolos." what an odd name, but she couldn't judge, as perhaps her own would be odd to his, "lion is better."

Ruo. A very small, simple name.  Aiolos was not that long either, especially if calling him by his nickname 'Olo'. And he held no surname, his own having been abandoned long ago, as he had no intention of lengthening the blood name of the family which had abused him. Living with the Nereides, any females born would have taken the name of their mother anyhow. 

Lion is it. He smiles, pressing forward into the deadwood. Ahead, he could see the breakthrough of trees, the beach on the other side which would reveal the looming plateau to the left, his current home. He had meant to find her star, but fell short, having been occupied by her alone.

"no star." while he was preoccupied, her blues searched throughout the trees, for any unusual signs. all was still besides the few that scurried the burnt floor, small life scattered about, but not the life she sought. her disappointment wasn't held, and she felt defeated. the few times a star had fallen near, all seemed to fade, or gone too far to go to. going inland was such a reluctance, but even perhaps ruo would enter so. today was not that day, for none had fallen.

though beyond seemed to be a more beautiful place, unlike the dead zone. curiously, she peered in.

They had not found the star which Ruo had hoped for. Aiolos did not truly think they would have found it, imaging that upon hitting the ground, it burst, sending its fire and life out onto the earth around it. But he had still tried if only to entertain the slight woman at his side and to keep her company for a time. 

With the land opening up again around them, he hops over one of the many fallen logs within the deadwood and out onto open sands again. To the left is the plateau, situated beyond the sands and the long emerald grasses that came after. I've been staying there.

she admitted it was a beautiful area, but so open. it was an ideal place for mermaids and sirens alike, yet once ruo discovered the isle, she had found home. it was so isolated from the foreign world, she could be at peace without worrying or wary to randoms entering. not many would dare enter a claimed land- at least hoped not. it'd be a real pain to deal with.

"do you live with others." ruo was curious if he belonged to a group, despite no smell upon his pelt.

He looked over the plateau, which seemed open and flat with only the fields of tall grasses to claim it. Yet atop he knew that various thick, short trees spread across the land. That it held dips and crevices, knolls and hills. Places where many various rodents hid. But it was still not any forestry of comfort or beautiful woodland. Still, Aiolos did not exactly need those things, especially if most of his time was on the open beaches anyhow. 

There is just a few of us. Though I honestly can say I have seen more of you then I've seen them lately. Which if they were a part of his group and she was not, that was pretty sad indeed. We were to have a home here but things fell apart when the woman to be our Siren Queen disaappeared on us.

they were a broken group, "why stay." ruo thought it was a foolish move for the lion to stay with those who were not loyal back. within yuelong the family held a bond, even though she never shows, there was still the blood-bond of loyalty. unwilling to admit as well, but she knew they would care for her, and obviously.. vice versa.

ruo couldn't think of a good word to use on him within his tongue, "stupid." was the best she could come up with.

Why stay? It was the same question which Aphrodite had asked him and the same questions even from Andrasteand Gracious why he remained loyal to those which had treated him poorly. Though Ovid and Elektra had never been unkind which were the two whom remained. 

He now found himself, yet again, questioning even himself as to why. Not stupid, He grumbled. Stubbornness, definitely. Servitude, very much so. He sighs, shrugging his shoulders and finds himself trying to explain yet again. The whole reason behind coming here to Teekon was to search for a missing woman from the island we hail from. None of our group ever found her and we fell apart. I owed those island sirens much and feel in debt to them though there is little to none left to be in debt too, really...

"you loyal, but they are not loyal back." it felt like her own society's regime back home, filial piety was absolute must, and while she had a small warmth to her parents, it felt a hassle to have kept the family name above all else. they knew if she made a mistake, even a small dishonor, they wouldn't hestitate to remove ruo, "that is stupid."

"but you no change mind." yet, just like many wolves back home, they would continue being loyal. so, there was no point to even inviting the man to Yuelong. she felt though, her cousins wouldn't approve of a strange man anyway.

His ginger ears fell but he couldnt find any words, words that could argue what she had said for there wasnt any. If he felt like he owed the Nereides his life for saving him from the cruelty of his birth pack, that was fine. If he felt because of this he would help them in any way he could, sure. But if there wasnt any of these sirens to do so for, why stay here... alone? 

Of course, Ruo had him thinking which was obvious in his expression, but he was a stubborn wolf. More brawn then brain and so, stayed here, minding this invisible fort. I know I wont leave the Sea again if I have any say in it. He spoke only of his certainty and looked up towards the plateau, taking a few steps towards it longingly. He could leave and at this point no one would ever know by Ruo. He just didnt want to seem some sort of failure.

"find pack by sea." she felt the answer was so obvious yet he was a fool. ruo felt the same though, there would be no other place she would go besides the sea. if her cousins decided inland, there was a chance she would not followed them otherwise, and remain starstruck toward the ocean.

"the night comes," the siren pointed out, "stars will guide you a home if you trust." that was her best soluton toward his predicament, place his trust in the unknown. follow the north star to see where it would place oneself.. it's a shame to be stuck out here.

felt stiffling- like home. she hated it.

I might have, if there was. He spoke almost with a huff. Time and time again while he lived in the Vale he had visited the sea, mostly to the eastern region until coming here. He was in search for his group and found no one and no packs. It was during the earthquakes which led to the destruction of the seaside which caused its residents to either flee or die. That was why he had chosen the plateau for the sirens due to its higher ground. Now it didnt matter. And Ruo, well, she must have not been to these lands during that time and was lucky for it. 

He then nodded ssilently to her words, head lifting up as bright amber eyes turned to the skies. He took a deep breath, a 'hmmm' grumbling from his lips. Will you stay here tonight...or should you be heading back? He wondered, turning his direction back to the seafarer.

she thought of Yuelong, but at the same the pack was not complete, only a joining of family trying to make a claim. ruo refrained from mentioning it at the time, maybe another day. not to mention she doubted the foolish lion would join after waiting for so much. so she shrugged.

"home," unknowing to her, perhaps there was a warmth in her tone. it had been some time before she could properly call somewhere a place home. slowly has ruo grown accustomed to it, finding it a place she could truly call her own. it would be appropriate to head back as the night comes.