The Heartwood (TW) And If I Fall....

@Augustus

It was a few days since his encounter with the Male on the mountain. He was heading home, back to the Haunted woods. Back to his duties to his pack, and his Alpha. The scent of the season had now begun to permeate the air, and it was beginning to make his pelt itch. He had no mental attraction to the females, other than the possibility of having pups some day...but he was still a wolf, and the amorous musk of rutting males was beginning to cloud his head. 
He made a slight detour in attempt to avoid the worst of it, and found himself in a queer and desolate forest. Fire. 
There had been fire here and it's Ashen touch lingered everywhere. Clouds of ash curled up from beneath his paws. He followed the scent of death- a twisted, charred, mummified rabbit was slumped over a log, both of them fused together in death. 
he shivvered...there was an unsettling vibe.

sorry to keep you waiting!

Augustus wholeheartedly believed that there would be a new face joining their group the morning before. That hope had diminished that afternoon. The boy was in a zombified state. The best thing he could do was tell him where to find the Savior. "In the east" he had whispered before departing.

He found himself in a wood void of life. The smell of death tainted the air, its trail lured him deeper. He need not bother with the rotting carcasses of rabbits, but others were less fortunate than him. Someone would follow the smell with the intent of eating and he wanted to be there when that happened. Granted Augustus was late, but that someone had not left yet.

Disgusting isn't it? he sighed as he approached.

He had thought himself alone. But he assumed there was worse company he could have had. The fine boned male with piercing blue eyes had his attention, and he smiled wryiy. "It is death. Horrible and tragic but no more disgusting than anything else the Gods burden us with. Just a reminder of Wolfbane's presence." He answered lightly. The male was quite handsome, but he stifled his thoughts, for fear of the consequences.

He raised his brow, intrigued of these burdens he spoke of. How many burdens have troubled this man, he wondered. More than had ever troubled Augustus from the sounds of it. He pities this man, as he does with everyone one of these poor souls he meets.

Wolfbane? he asks, Who do you speak of?

Memory frowned. He thought all wolves knew of the gods, the first stories told from the Romanian ancestors long ago. "Wolfbane. The dark one. Brother to Fenrir." he explained, but the other's perplexed expression continued. "It was a story I was told, long ago. Fenrir is the Sun. Tor the moon. They were lovers, but Wolfbane was jealous. He made humans to start a war...it ended with their daughter sacrificing herself." It was a much shorter version than he was told but for the sake of time it would have to do.

Still, he is perplexed. He does not know of this Fenrir, nor Tor, nor humans, nor daughter. Augustus doesn't care all that much either, but it's worth noting what is told to him. These are little personal things, and it's important to know them.

This Wolfbane, he starts as he takes a step forward, Are they a god you worship?

He thinks for a moment, watching the wolf move closer. "I used to. My old teacher believed. But now I'm not so sure. " He sighs the words out, casting a forlorn look at the sky. He wasn't sure gods existed anymore. Puphood stories had not saved him of his cruel fate, no spirit or benevolent being had helped him, ever. "What good are the gods if they allow bad things to happen? For my own mother to curse and ignore me. For me to be stolen, shaped into a weapon, abused. For my one bit of happiness to be forced to fall under my fangs. For me to not even be able to have a legacy?" He shot a somewhat manic, frustrated look at the stranger. "And you? What do you believe in?"