The Sunspire the ties that bind

being absent/not writing much sux, i always feel like i gotta relearn to walk after not having inspiration for so long. anyway, i'll be slowly catching up in the meantime but i need some fresh stuff too. ALL WELCOME!

As per usual, she was feeling disconnected from the surrounding spaces from her perch up here on the slopes. Even at the borderlands, there was only so much of beyond she could get a feel for.. and now with everyone presumably back here where she knew where they were, she was feeling inspired to do her own travels sometime soon. Her outriders had given her all the news they could. She selfishly wanted to trek for herself.

She likely wouldn't be gone long, and was considering heading north, perhaps? Or, there was always towards the coast. Needless to say, her mind was not yet made up concerning the details of her wanderings, just that she needed to stretch her legs better than she had in months. The pack needed her here, especially with their numbers mainly holding steady and winter still lingering (despite how mild it was), so she would keep her indulgent roaming brief.

Casually jogging the mountain's base, enforcing her scent when necessary and sniffing around otherwise, she spent the hours like this often. Now, though, with an anxious prickle of her skin, she peered skyward to the late afternoon skies -- fair, only a little chilly. It had been raining on and off for days previously, so if things continued as they were, she would leave soon, but not before things were all in order here.  

its been a little while for these two so gonna jump on this!

Vienna too was looking to the skies, the mild air against her fur a source of some very small disappointment. While she was glad the weather had not turned dangerous, she would have liked to have seen some snow. She was a huge fan of it, and though the mountain had likely seen some by now, she had missed it with her travels. A shame.

Since returning there had been a few she wanted to connect with and Amekaze was the last of them. She thought perhaps Jace would have informed her, but was not positive and wanted to be sure.

Luckily the alpha female was not hard to find. "Amekaze!" She called out, enthusiastic despite being somewhat worried she was interrupting her during a particularly good thought session. That would be just like Vienna to barge in on such.

:D

Without doubt, she was ready to welcome the springtime. Longer, warm days, fresh leaves, and young prey afoot sounded divine.. although it was not like this winter had been particularly taxing; she was finished with it and innately she sensed the change to come -- but could not say how soon it would happen, exactly, despite her best efforts to listen for the signs.

As she lifted her nose from the cold earth underfoot, she turned to catch Vienna's arrival. Pausing, she waved her tail, and breathed a happy "Vienna," in return. Vague details about her return had made their way to her, and done well to satisfy her worries enough to not make her seek the female out herself just yet. She was happy to first have Summer back, and now Vienna. "As always, it is good to see you back. Anything interesting?" she said, pivoting halfway to face her.  

"And as usual, it's amazing to be back." She returned happily, glad that Amekaze seemed pleased to see her rather than annoyed at any interruption. "A few things. I met a healer, though not at the Plateau. I didn't quite make it that way. She was from the Spine, and I leanred quite a bit." She hoped Ame wouldn't get upset at her shift of plans without informing, but she'd wanted to get gone and get back. She was rather pleased with the knowledge she'd gained, though, and excited to learn more perhaps in the future. "I went south instead, to see if Summer had perhaps gone that way. I'm glad to hear he's back now." Especially so since she'd found no sign of him.

"When I was coming back, though, I met a strange creature. It wasn't friendly." She had informed Jace already, and Sumayl. If there were more creatures like it, she didn't want anyone meeting it unawares. Not quite the thread of the cougar, but still dangerous.

She was attentive, and the news came bit by bit. First of all, she was pleased to hear of a healer, although not from the expected place. The Spine was not a pack she heard from often (usually only from her own outriders filling her in, and the occasional other bit here and there) but evidently, Vienna had found a member hospitable enough to share some information. "Good, you will have to share the details," she smirked. Already she had noted that it was from another female, but aside from that, Ame was all ears.

"He ended up going south after the Plateau too.. but maybe after you went through. He went to visit Redhawk Caldera as well," she mentioned regarding Summer's travels. While not knowing the exact timeline of his trek, it was plenty possible that he had gone by after Vienna had already set out. Or, their paths just never managed to align exactly. The flatlands and beyond were vast.

Her expression then grew a touch more serious. "A strange creature?" she asked immediately. This at least meant.. not likely a cougar, but what was it? "How far from here?" Many other questions came to mind, but this was a good place to start.  

Since it happened behind-the-scenes, I'm gonna describe here :) one of the perks of playing multiple characters, hahaha!

Vienna nodded, happy to have some knowledge to share with Amekaze in return for help she had given her earlier. That would come, though, after she shared details of her later encounter. She had yet to tell of the entire occurrence, mainly because she hadn't wanted to upset her brother or packmates and make them worry about her fitness in wandering from now on. From Amekaze, though, she didn't wish to hide details, and she knew the Alpha was fair minded in such things. She of course wasn't as protective as Jace. That Summer had been south, though, made her feel better about the entire thing. She had almost caught him, it seemed, though the flatlands were a large place. Who knew how far they had missed one another by.

"It was in the flatlands, still a ways from the mountain, thank goodness. I saw her only a little before she saw me. I tried to skirt around, but she saw me, and was quicker than I expected! We got into it, but she scared off pretty easily. Seemed to figure out I wasn't completely an easy target, though she got more hits on me than I did on her. I don't think I left a mark." The creature had been strange, and fighting such an oddly proportioned creature had thrown the girl off. It was mostly legs, not much to grab onto. "There were no others around, and it didn't smell of a pack. Oddly scented, though." She wrinkled her nose at the memory. The wilds had faded the scent of the lab, but it still remained in part. Metallic, sharp, and alarming. It had been such an odd combination that she hadn't noticed the scents of other dogs, had any hung about the sighthound. "I really don't think she'd cause us problems, since she didn't seem keen on fighting me long, but better safe."

he encounter took shape, or so she tried to imagine as the explanation unfolded, and even in the end, she didn't find herself inspired to be overly worried. Getting the word out would do.. and since Vienna didn't view it as the type to come hunting for a fight, and it hadn't been too near to the mountain in the first place, Amekaze was not too concerned. Maybe if there had been greater numbers of them, she might consider it more. "I hope so.. we will keep an eye out all the same," she said, shaking her head softly. The wardens would know and in turn, they'd be prepared.

"Still, I wonder what it was.. and if there are more somewhere," she sighed, but could not deny curiosity. While she didn't want it anywhere near the mountain, she did want to know more about the strange creatures. It was not often she met an opportunity to do so. But, she had no plans to go out of her way for it. 

"Me too."  The creature had been odd, but she was glad that Amekaze didn't seem unduly worried.  "I'll let you know if I find any trace of it again.  But it didn't seem the mountain type."  She doubted it would survive well on the slopes, for it had seemed built more for the chase.  If she hadn't been so thrown off, and the other creature had stuck around long enough, she bet the fight would have gone her way rather quickly.  Some bad luck there.

"I hear tell you are looking to maybe take a trip out yourself?  I spoke with Jace already."  Ame's curious tone had reminded her of his statement, so the change of subject wasn't completely out of the blue.  For Vienna at least.  She had never really considered what it must be like to be so tethered to a spot, though it was definitely part of the reason why she knew she could never lead a pack of her own.  She was glad to hear that Ame was looking forward to stretching her legs a bit, the Alpha deserved it, without a doubt.

If the strange beasts did begin to pose a real threat, she would up her concern accordingly. But until she saw or heard telling of them arriving on the mountainside, she'd just spread the word, keep her eyes and ears open, and hope that nothing drastic came of it. They had reveled in peace for months now, and not even with major concern of cougars since their last issues, so she wanted them to keep it that way -- at least until spring got settled in comfortably.

Speaking of which, she tilted her head and nodded slowly. She should not have been surprised to know it had come up between the siblings.. especially since her absence on the mountain had Jace at the top of it all. "Indeed, but I am not sure when I will go, or where to exactly -- maybe towards the coast?" That had been her first idea.. but then again, with much of the direct north of here largely unmapped by her, traveling that way could be beneficial. So could heading further south than her usual. Visiting the coast would be more for herself than anything. "I cannot say there is a huge rush, and traveling once spring is good and here will only be easier," she said, not that she was overly concerned about that either. She had lived as a traveler for a year before, so had seen all sorts of conditions, but only she would know when the time was right for her to abroad.

She thought about asking if the Alpha wanted to accompany her north.... she did plan on going with her brother, but the trip with him would be only to scout.  She wasn't going to make him tag along for the healery part.  Still, she balked, sudden shyness stopping her from giving the offer.  She was still a bit starstruck in Ame's presence, even now, though she loved hanging out with the Alphaess and hearing what she had to say.

Instead she simply validated.  "The coast is gorgeous.  Have you ever been?"  She was completely in the dark when it came to Amekaze's history in travels.  They had spoken lightly of similar mothers, once, but never of pasts far beyond the Sunspire.  And though she knew it was none of her business, she found herself curious regardless.  She seemed such a reserved wolf, but what stories lay within?  She would never pry, for she sensed it wouldn't be taken well, but any glimpse would be a treat for sure.

Amekaze could agree. "I have," she answered readily alongside a nod. "When I was a loner, I stayed close to it for about a season.. maybe a little longer," was the simple addition to it. Much of her early times in the Teekon did involve the coast, and almost, she had taken up residence in a pack on a ridge not far from the waves. There had been a distinct pull and she (without a cause or particular purpose at the time) had been enamored with the sea upon meeting it for the first time so let that rule her decisions on where to be. Plus, the scavenging had been good there, so it had always felt like the right move.

"Jace has mentioned before that you came from a place on the coast," she said. Ame could not imagine growing up anywhere but on the mountain which she had, but realized that youth on the shoreline had to have its perks. Perhaps if she had been brought up there, she would have grown an even deeper attachment to the sea instead of the mountains.

She nodded in return when Amekaze spoke of having stayed on the coast briefly.  When she had been young, her whole world had revolved around their coastal home... she couldn't imagine anyone not growing up with the sound of the sea in their ears.  But now that she had traveled, she knew her own homeland to be less common than she had assumed naively.  Many she had met along the way had never even heard tell of the ocean, let alone stepped paws on the sandy shore.

She smiled at the mention of home, though the expression had a wistful air to it.  "I did.  We grew up in forests that bordered the sea, a beautiful place, east of here."  That beach had been a rocky, harsh coast, but the inlets of sand offered plenty of space for an eager youngster to play in the waves.  She had grown learning of the dangers of the sea, the tides and the storms, and not of the mountains that she lived on now.  It was a very different life.  "We had hills and cliffs, but no mountains nearby.  Not much can beat falling asleep with the sounds of the waves, though.  One of the parts I miss most."  Aside from her parents, of course.  It was the sound, and the scent, that had first drawn her to the coast here.  And it was that which would bid her to return, as already she could feel the longing.  She loved their mountain, but it was nice to be able to visit a piece of home.

you can wrap this up if you'd like or I can tidy it up here, idc!

As hungry as she was to see the sights of the world despite her tether to here, she could revel in the descriptions others could offer. She had envisioned Jace and Vienna's homelands before, and lulling to sleep with the song of the waves was an appreciated addition. Ame smiled softly to herself, wondering just how hard it was for the siblings to leave that place. 

"I can only imagine," she replied with a sigh. She adored mountains fully, but would always appreciate the sea. Perhaps, if she ever moved on from here, a seaside mountain may be work seeking... should there be such a suitable place somewhere. "Nothing can ever quite compare to where you grew up, seaside or mountain.." she breathed, content to enjoy Vienna's company a while longer until duty summoned her.

I can wrap it!

"Agreed, though there may be places lovelier, there's always it seems a location in your heart that can't be shoved aside."  For her it was that coastline, with it's rugged cliffs and dense forests.  No matter where she was or how far away she ended up, she knew a part of her would always long for them, though she may never return.  There was no shame in loving a new place better, but that did not mean you lost the draw that an old home held.

She would share in the Alpha's company until either her or Vienna's duties bid them part.  Talks like these were precious to her and she relished the chance to get to know her mysterious leader better.