Noctisardor Bypass Macklin, you son of a bitch

The mountains were still daunting, for whatever reason. Plus, he was feeling a pull back to Dawn and Minnow and the incoming babies. He said he'd move on (and it was his duty!) but. . .he felt stuck. He began to wander toward Whitebark Stream again, keeping the range in his periphery.

Before he got there, though, Timberlake found a couple of mountains off by themselves, and a valley splitting between the rocks. Not only that, but the scent of wolves was layered pretty strongly here. No one had mentioned another pack so close to the Maplewood, and yet this must be one—right?

He came to the borders and howled, head cocked in curiosity. Surely any members of his family so close would have just opted to join Dawn's pack, but maybe they didn't know about it. Maybe he could at least give them the message.

For @Treason and other Legion wolves lul woops i meant @Arbiter

I swear I had this thread open yesterday, how did it escape? D<

Again she was getting antsy. Terance still wasn't back. She alternated between worrying and being angry depending on the day. But there was only so long she could wait. How long would she? At least right now, something else interrupted, a howl, unfamiliar. She boxed up the thoughts and turned to answer.

It hadn't taken her long to show up and see who it was. Someone youngish, unfamiliar. Not the wolf she wanted, but whatever -- there was a chance he was here to join, but given her particularly pessimistic mood, she assumed it'd be something else mundane. For now, the world wasn't going to let things go her way. She kept formal, and didn't let her expression betray her (not that her usually calm expression ever said much unless she was really making a point). I am Arbiter, this is Legion. What are you seeking?

No worries :D

The wolf that came to the borders was all business. He found himself submitting without really even meaning to, lowering his posture and keeping his tail all but tucked. Hello, Arbiter, he said, pushing the name Legion to the back of his mind for safe-keeping. My name's Timberlake. I'm looking for some of my family around here.

He cocked his head. Do you know anyone named Sunny, or Valiant? Or Easy, Dauntless, Winterbourne. . .? They're my cousins and it would be nice to find them. He supposed it would be easier just to mention Dawn and see if there was any familiarity—but the Sameths were so scattered, there might not even be any useful connections.

He rattled off a list of names, but none struck a chord. She shook her head, None of those names here. If I crossed paths with them it was long enough ago that they're probably long elsewhere. That often seemed to be the thing. Mostly Arbiter didn't care -- there was only so much effort she thought one should spend on worrying about those far enough away that you couldn't do anything about it. But usually Arbiter wasn't worried about people who exited her life. Now though... Hm.

But she didn't seem keen to just dismiss him. Perhaps it was an opportunity... Have you been out searching for them long? She tipped her head inquisitively.

Timberlake frowned as Arbiter admitted no knowledge of the names. Okay, uh—wait! What about Pema, or Padma, or Radcliffe, Meadow. . .? My mother, my siblings? He was desperately grasping at straws, trying to find some remnant of his lost family. Cousins would be nice, but his nuclear family. . .

I just started a few days ago, he told her. But I haven't seen some of them since I was really little. I know they used to live in the maplewood—our pack was called Morningside. Maybe Arbiter knew about Morningside? She had to, if she lived so close.

Then again, just because she lived so close didn't mean she had been here forever. Think, Timberlake, think!

More names came burbling out of him, and there was nothing familiar to Arbiter there either. I think I heard of Morningside... But that was years ago, wasn't it? I don't think I ever met wolves from there -- just knew it existed. None of the wolves in my pack are from there, at least. Nobody's in Maplewood now. There's the pack at the stream north but that's it. It took her a moment to try to figure out how long it had really been since she'd even heard Morningside mentioned. Maybe back in the days of Sunspire. It felt like an era ago.

However, the news that he'd only recently started looking wasn't going to be of much use to her. If you'd been out looking longer, maybe you'd see the ones of mine that are missing. Hopefully you'll have reasonable luck. Luck no longer favored her.

It had been a long time. He'd not been very old when word was brought to Round Valley of Morningside's disbandment. Had he been older, he would have checked it out for himself. . .but that was wishful thinking at this point. All he could do was nod a little sadly as Arbiter explained the situation. It seemed he would have no luck here.

You're missing wolves, too? Timberlake asked rhetorically, blinking in sympathy at the woman. What are their names? Maybe I can ask around for them, too. Worth a shot, right? If he remembered the names, anyway. He was already struggling to keep ahold of the plethora of names he was carrying around now.

She gave him a slight nod. He was not the only one searching for people, just a different set, unfortunate as it were.

Still, it didn't seem likely that he'd have any answers unless his wandering truly was far. Terance and Pike. They've been gone a while now, so I doubt they're anywhere close to nearby at this point. At this point, searching for them hasn't proven useful -- I'd have a higher chance of just information. They seemed at this point, very lost to  her. Would they return? The more days that passed, the more unlikely it seemed. The only bright side was that they were together, she hoped. But actually hoping was too disheartening.

Terance and Pike. Not names he'd ever heard, but he'd definitely keep them in mind. I'm sorry you're missing them, he empathized, frowning. But I'll definitely ask around. Someone has to have seen or heard of them. . .right?

Oh, you sweet summer child. 

There was no more business between them, at least for the time being. Timberlake stood and waited for the woman's response, wondering if he'd have to go this route, too. What if he never found his mother, his siblings?

Was it just youth that made him so optimistic about it? Arbiter thought that if he was searching for that many people that it would have at least drained some of the hope from him. Apparently not? Or at least not yet. Give it time, unfortunately. I'd hope. But things have been enjoying going wrong. I can't chase everyone. In fact, she was near done with it. If they could return, they knew where to find her. If they couldn't... There was nothing she could do anyway. Either way, since things here seemed to be running their course, she dipped her head, Good luck finding those who are yours. He may need it.

I can't chase everyone. It made him wonder if this journey was all for naught. Was he looking for too many wolves all at once? Timberlake shook the thought away, knowing he had to carry on. . .but it was a doubt that would linger with him for many days to come.

Thank you, he said sincerely, dipping his head. And if I find your missing wolves, I'll send them this way. That would be a victory beyond belief. He wanted to help anyone else that found themselves in this predicament.

With a murmured goodbye, he left the border and continued his journey to the mountains. There was a lot of land between him and the crags, though—plenty of possibilities to come.

She was curious if he would find anyone in the long run. If they crossed paths again, she'd have to ask. But for now, at his own offer, she dipped her head, Thank you. But she expected nothing to come from it. Once he bid her farewell and headed off to return to his quest, Arbiter too turned and headed back to what she'd been doing.