Neverwinter Forest starlight, starbright

Night was approaching fast and Antares was lost in thought. What had originally been a trip out to grab a bite to eat had turned into another episode of flashbacks. Antares was almost surprised at how much he missed his siblings, how much he missed his mother. He missed the way that the snow was cut by those strong, brilliant pines - how the sun looked as it bounced off the snow and blinded everything so beautiful. The stars were perhaps the most amazing feature of the world up North and had been the most intense part of Antares' desire to get back home. He could not replace his family, but he also could not stand having something so close and yet so not right.

He was taken back to a night much like this, serene and quiet, when Sigrún had approached him. In her soft tones she had explained that a suitor had been selected for her. And if I leave, who will watch after you? She mused, before bumping her head against her brother's tawny brow. Sigrún was also a child who looked like their ancestors - petite, compact, with seafoam kissed eyes - Sigrún looked much like the grandmother who's name she bore. Chakra Spinx. She had ultimately declined the advance but not for his sake. It had been clear to all that Salene could only pretend to be happy for the sake of her young when it came to leaving. But both Antares and Sigrún lived for themselves and leaving had ultimately been the path they chose.

On the eve he had left, as he wanted to stars to map his journey, Antares had spoken at length with the Ostara. They had talked of honor, of family, of home - all the things that made the backbone of their clan and had shaped the history of his parents' lives. They had talked of Auryn, Salene pushing past the old ache and hurt to give her youngest son the bounty of knowledge that she possessed. When he had asked before usually there was little time for such nonsense. It was still entirely surprising that she had ever bothered to give him information about his father.

Here was....well, it was beautiful, in it's own rights, but it was not quite home yet. He had no idea how long he was going to stay or how sure he was that he was following the right path. Either way, as the stars began to peak over the darkening horizon, Antares was filled with at least a sense of comfort. The stars, if nothing else, were always stable.

The former night had felt to last for longer than it should. Knootz had put a seed in her brain that she hadn't easily been able to shake away. Meeting wolves so far from her home that was related to her was... bizarre, in a sense. She knew it was not uncommon, at least, but it seemed too easy to have stumbled upon the female. Wolves grew up and moved on, leaving homes or things like that, and she supposed it was really no different. The fact didn't change, though, for there were more wolves in the world than she could imagine and she chanced upon that particular one.

The new night, however, stirred her from slumber. It took a little more effort to move, this time, but she could not keep still when she had things to do. She anticipated Koontz' call at some point with a yes or no answer but she wasn't sure if she would be given the information if the Alpha turned it down. Key continued to linger anyway but she did not stay directly in the springs and instead moved West a little ways to visit the forest.

The moonlight shone through the trees and she glanced up to catch the rays that were coming on as the sky darkened. It distracted her from her thoughts (and from anyone around her) that she stumbled into view of another. Her paws caught a root that stuck out from the ground and she hit the forest floor with a soft grunt of dispelled air.

The soft beating of the night's lifeline did little to lull Antares' edge. He felt displaced in many of the same ways that he had felt in almost every other place they had traveled to. With Sigrún nearby at least he felt the comfort that he saught so terribly on occasion. When they joked, or sparred, it gave him plenty of the 'home' feeling. Right now Sigrún was home. She was his constant and his stable. It seemed to ground him at least long enough to appease the wanderlust inside of him. Truth be told though, that inner beast had such an appetite.

With a shake of his pelt the FeralHeart moved to explore the area some more, his blue eyes tumbling from faceless tree to the next. It was after a few moments of useless wandering that the multicolored beast heard something like another creature walking. He stopped his movements, falling silent, and listened his ears perked high on his skull. While he had no ideals to make a claim on this land as of yet he none the less was protective of the lands that he and his sister resided in.

It came as a surprise when a wolf came tumbling into his line of sight, the dark colored tresses alluding to a heritage unlike his own. The sound expelled by the other beast sounded feminine and Antares couldn't help but swallow a slight grin.Of course natural grace did not always possess every being and Antares stepped closer though maintained a respectfully cautious distance. "Are you alright?" He asked, his deep voice rather gruff.

I am really sorry for the delay. :(

The fall had startled her, left her out of breath, and she rested on the ground for a moment for things to return to order. She had her mind elsewhere and the voice of another caught her attention quickly; what breath she had was taken aback and she stumbled to get to her feet. Eventually, she caught herself and felt too much of a delay from the question and thoroughly felt embarrassed. Her grey eyes focused on the male that was nearby, keeping a distance between them that she was grateful for.

"Um... yes," she said as she took her own step back and shook out her fur. It took a few quiet moments for her eyes to readjust after the fall, focusing on the darkness that surrounded them. "I was just distracted," she said. Which was a half truth. Key was far from graceful and it was not uncommon for her to fall. She still had things on her mind, still, with having met Koontz and her life becoming a little confusing. Her offer to the other wolf -- someone that might be her relative --felt forced because of their lack of a relationship. "I did not mean to disturb you," she confessed and shuffled her weight a little bit before she decided to go.