Skill: Heartbroken

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Liss

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Sorrow followed him like a dark cloud, although the skies above were uncharacteristically clear. How bright the waxing moon shone, how merrily the stars glittered, but still their light could not reach down far enough to lift the shadow of his melancholy. It was as if the world had been drained of all color, and just as it was in the hush of darkness, everything appeared to be painted in shades of dull slate and grey.

At least his brother Dimitri seemed to be doing well. By all accounts, he'd come into his own; now he was leading a pack and even sired a large family, none of which who had managed to get killed yet (not that his expectations were low, but given the average Callosum survival instinct it had looked grim for a moment).

Nevertheless, he did not feel it right to stay long, and his journey continued to take him west - farther and farther away from Northfall, where he had begun to feel increasingly disconnected ever since Ragnar's untimely demise so many moons ago.
With Alder's mission complete, his grandfather presumably rotting quite nicely by now, and most particularly with Sølvi missing... the bindings of loyalty loosened, and as he had always done, the wolf set out for a walk.

He had always isolated himself as a child; it was easier this way. No one could hurt him if they could not reach him. He had always been alone, and when - for just a moment - he thought that perhaps things might be different, they returned to the way they had always been.

And so he walked.

And walked.

He'd glimpsed Druid's Rise from a distance when he had lived in Fate's Respite (which now seemed so long ago); he would often try and climb the Highshear Cliffs, and when his tired legs failed him, he would dash all the way to the edge of the Howling River and study the strange circle of stones from afar.

Today, he walked right right into the thick of the Rise. There was something eerie about the place, almost magical, and he wondered who - or what - had placed the stones in such a way, and for what reason. Alder looked up and around in curious wonder, momentarily distracted from his grief by the unfamiliarity of the place.

Liss had returned to the Stones on a sleepless night, sitting before the one that whisked her here as if it might speak answers to her about her lost family. It didn't.

But not long after, the shuffle of autumn-dulled grass flicked an ear back, and she turned.

There were a lot of new faces in Druid's Rise, and so at first Liss had assumed this must be one of them. Since he'd walked right into the middle of the territory and all.

But she was pretty sure nobody quite like him had been described to her; she wasn't actually sure there were any males among the Druids at all besides Lestan. And since Kirain had babies to worry about now, Liss decided to be a little less forthcoming about her presence than she usually was.

The plethora of big stones gave her cover as she crept around, peeking owly eyes over the lip of one with ears laid flat back to make less of a silhouette.

He looked... well, not great. Like a walking raincloud, actually.

If this had been a packmate, she probably would have jumped out with a loud BOO to try to startle him, all in good fun. Since it was a stranger, she settled for a slightly less volumous, Hey! Whatcha doin'? And hopped up onto the rock she was hiding behind.

Skill: Guardian

It was not a good time to startle him.

Admittedly it was never a good time to startle him, as Alder had always been highly reactive and very quick to defend himself on short notice. The problem was that he'd been just a little on edge since - well, several incidents - for one, he still half-expected Cypress to rise from the dead just to make sure he was really miserable, and two, the woman he'd finally gathered up the courage to confess his feelings to had suddenly vanished on the very day as if she'd never been there at all.

The girl's voice came from behind unexpectedly, and so, too, did his fangs as they snapped reflexively in the direction where it had come from. His hackles were raised and his ears pricked forward with murderous intent, and it didn't take much straining to hear how his lungs heaved like a bellows while his fight-or-flight shifted into high gear.

Alder could see her expression, registered her stature and overall demeanor, but it still took an enormous effort to pull himself back together and not simply lunge for her neck as the adrenaline screamed in his blood.

He wasn't a bad guy.

He wasn't.

Closing his eyes and shaking his head very firmly, the large wolf took a deep breath and forced his fur to lay flat as he regained his composure.

I... sorry, you startled me, he said, heart still pounding in his ears, I didn't realize this place was claimed now. Didn't even smell it on the borders, I was... distracted.

At last the rush passed, and Alder could think clearly.

I uh, grew up in Fate's Respite over the cliffs there. Always liked to look at this place from a distance.

Skill — Orater

Startled by the sudden hostility, she fluffed up and tensed, eyes wide, but didn't return a snarl. He didn't keep his either, though. He even said sorry! So she figured they were probably fine to keep talking. Her tail wagged in easy forgiveness. Wow! You looked pretty scary! I bet you could shake the antlers off an elk with a growl like that!

She hopped down from the stone and walked towards him slowly, head tilted just a little in the vaguest sort of awareness that he might still be dangerous. I'm Liss! I grew up in the Vale! And I touched some rocks like these and showed up here. It was pretty cool! Now I'm looking for my family, they left the Vale a while before me and I think maybe they got brought here, instead. Haven't had any luck so far, though. She'd got in the habit of frontloading that information, just in case anyone she met knew anything about it.

A curious nose stretched out to sniff at his own, It's part of Camhanaich now, Toisiche Lestan and Toisiche Kirain made it a sanctuary, and watch after the land and honour the gods. They're letting me stay while I look for my kin! As long as you're friendly, I bet they won't mind you visiting. I probably wouldn't make any angry faces at the others, though, in that case. Especially Stardust. What's your name?

The girl's torrent of words rushed past him like a hurricane, the sheer force of energy and focused intent nearly knocking him off his paws from the blast. His ears rotated back reflexively, and he wondered if she always spoke in exclamation points.

I - he tried to cut in, but she pressed valiantly on.

She started to approach him, and now Alder was the one to appear momentarily frightened. Despite his enormous stature, he took a step back.

Oh, the Vale - do you mean Frostfa-

Another gust of breathless babbling cascaded over him, and he blinked, momentarily stunned. How was she doing this? She wasn't even pausing to take in a lungful - she just kept going - what was her endurance like on a hunt?

Something something touched some rocks, and he quickly deduced she did not mean Frostfang Vale where the wolves of Dawnbreak resided. It was certainly an interesting way to arrive in Mythris from what she described, but -

Camhanwhat?

The hell's a Toisiche? And what, exactly, was so dangerous about making an angry face at someone called... Stardust?

At last, the flood ceased.

I'm Alder, he ventured carefully, wondering if she might begin again without prompting. My mothers are the ones who were ripped away from their original, uh, place, but I was born and raised in Fate's Respite.

There was an almost expectant silence between them now, as if she was waiting for him to fill it.

... I left, though. Went to train in Northfall to the west in the snowy alpine region. I'm just out for a walk.

She continued to stare.

So who's this... Stardust?

Skill — Orator

She let him step back, sniffing... not really politely, but less invasively, from the distance he'd decided was close enough. Her tail kept wagging. Nice to meet you, Alder! You've got two moms? Thats cool! I have a Mam and a Papa, and a sister and two brothers. And some cousins... a lot of cousins. And an uncle who went crazy. And — Other things, too, but her brow furrowed, and her brain itched. Which was a hard place to scratch, so she sat down and ran a rear paw energetically behind her ear, instead, leaving the fur even more ruffled looking than before. She finished with a happy shudder.

Well... it probably wasn't important. It wasn't as interesting as the other stuff he was saying!

Stardust is one of my packmates here. She's really protective of Kirain. She made me take a bath when I came back from exploring before I was allowed back in the den. A less enthusiastic shudder, and an ick face. Then she tilted her head, blinking, Why'd you leave, if you like it here so much?

The 'two moms' thing always threw others for a loop. What was most interesting was they usually assumed he was adopted; however, in these strange lands, anything was possible. He and his littermates had been conceived through a strange and secret 'ritual' of sorts, while his three younger siblings had apparently been wished into existence through some sacrificial offering and later dug out from underneath a big magic tree in the Wakes.

It all sounded ridiculous, but, well, he had Valeska's patterning and took his red pelt straight from Amaranth's (now deceased) father. There was little question as to his parentage, and his siblings were no different in that department.

Alder wondered distantly what having a father was like, and if his experience as a child might have been any different with one.

Probably not.

Either one of his mothers on their own would have been crazy enough to neutralize whatever 'normal' the average male wolf might have brought to the table.

I have four littermates and three younger siblings, he offered, feeling it was important to give something back to the excitable stranger. Apparently I'm an uncle now, too, which is weird.

'Still can't believe Dimitri got to - before me! - I've never even - UGH - at a girl - he had absolutely no game for so long - what was his secret?!'

(This inner dialogue was not uncommon.)

Alder observed very politely as Liss sat down to sloppily drag a hind paw back behind her ear, giving herself an even more disheveled look in the process. This seemed fairly normal for her, particularly given her gleeful little shiver, and so he turned his head away and tried not to stare.

The hard tone of disdain when she uttered the word bath made his surly features crack a smile.

My younger sister Amaya hasn't bathed since... he paused. How old was she now? It's been years. You can smell her coming hours before she arrives. It's not good.

At least Stardust sounded sensible.

Liss blurted out her last question with such casual flippancy, he almost choked on the answer. How on earth was he supposed to explain that? Come up with some sort of lie? He was a terrible liar, it was written all across his face, but the truth was also horrendous, but then she might be suspicious and think he was hiding something if he DID try to lie anyway, and the last thing he needed was her calling all of her packmates to come question him and make it even worse -

Anxiety took hold, and the words poured out before he could stop himself.

My mom, Amaranth, hated me growing up because I'm red like her dad, my grandpa, who was a murdering evil bastard and lied to me about who he was because I wasn't supposed to ever know about him, and then he killed my grandma, so I decided I had to go to Northfall to become strong enough to fight him, he paused briefly, sucking in a breath, But then later he hurt my gir- best friend in the whole world, and he kept taunting me and threatening everyone left that I cared about, and so a few months ago I finally killed him and then my gir- best friend in the whole world disappeared, and then -

It was very sudden, the way Alder seemed to shrink in on himself. There was an awkward moment where he fell completely silent, and a fleeting look of self-loathing flashed across his expression before it was quickly replaced by one of bitterness.

I went for a walk.

Liss says two moms? Yeah ok no questions! Left your family lands?? WHAT??

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Skill — Storyteller

Liss got the feeling she and Amaya would get along. But she giggled at his commentary all the same.

Her smile faltered when he showed such blatant discomfort with her question. Maybe that had been insensitive... But how could she have known it was about evil grandpas and unloving mothers! That definitely explained why he looked a bird had pooped on his dinner, before.

Crouching a little, she gave a sympathetic whine. He looked so sad! But he'd been so brave! She felt a compulsion to cheer him up, the same as for any packmate. A conversation like this was about all it ever took for Liss to decide someone was a friend.

Hey, listen —, she started, with a sympathetic smile. You remind me of my Papa! And he’s basically the coolest guy ever! Trust me! He was Astir before he went on Pilgrimage. He fled his homeland because he didn't believe in the gods, and they didn't allow blasphemers. Then he made Vale to be a new family, a safe place for all kinds of outcasts! But just when he had found peace, this villain decided he wanted to rule, and attacked! They were supposed to duel for the crown, but the Usurper cheated. He threatened Papa's friends, and then threw my Papa off a cliff! Everyone thought he died!

By now she'd ducked into a play-bow and out again, tail wagging as she pantomimed an enthusiastic rendition of the story. But he didn't. Papa made it back to my Mam's territory, his old homeland, all wounded and gnarly looking, and the gods sent a sign to save him. Mam wanted him to stay there with her, but he couldn't leave his friends and family suffering under a false king. He came back with a bunch of allies to usurp the Usurper! I was born during the victory feast.

A grin, hopeful. It sounds like you helped a lotta people, too, by facing down a villain! That's the kinda story we'd tell on feastdays! You should be proud! And... maybe your gir-best-friend — a snicker — is just lost the same way as my family. What's her name? What does she look like? I can ask around while I search for my kin, maybe it'll help!

In a way, the girl reminded him of Solvi if she'd been given the natural equivalent of a Red Bull. Naive, excitable, affectionate - she had all of the characteristics of her, but put on blast. Alder hated to admit that it comforted him to some degree; the way he missed her could not be measured in any form, given adequate weight in any language, and yet this foolish little wood-sprite seemed to brighten the world just a little bit.

He smiled in spite of himself.

Coolest guy ever? Alder parroted, knowing how thoroughly un-cool he was in comparison to - well, anyone, really. Still, it was endearing she would say so. As Liss dropped into a play-stance, Alder hesitated, feeling himself too big and awkward to mimic the pose; he just wasn't a naturally playful fellow, at least not with anyone he wasn't comfortable with (which was everyone besides Solvi, in retrospect). She continued her story, and her enthusiasm was admittedly catching.

He found his tail very, very softly wagging, just on the cusp of perceptibility. It was like watching a slight breeze stir a single blade of grass.

And yet.

He sounds pretty crazy, he agreed admiringly. Not many wolves are as brave as that, especially after having sworn off the gods.

Alder felt a twinge in his chest at that; he, too, often questioned the Five for their mysterious and often (frankly) shitty ways, but he hadn't sworn them off entirely just yet.

I... the words caught up in his throat. He thought he'd be proud. For a long, long time, for years, he thought he would be downright overjoyed, but once the deed had been done, he found victory to be a hollow thing in the end.

There was nothing at the end of the line.

I am... I feel like justice was dealt, he said carefully. But he is still a part of me, and always will be. He was the color of fire, and I was the only one to inherit this from him. I've always been a burden, some kind of bad luck to everyone around me.

It was so much easier to stay away.

Apart.

The heat that crept into his cheeks at her curiosity regarding Solvi was mercifully masked by the fur covering his skin, but burned no less in spite of it. Alder's gaze flickered at once to his paws, big and heavy and awkward, and then darted to the side, as if searching for a way out - but he couldn't weasel away from this line of questioning.

Her name was Sølvi, and she was - well - you know how on a bright, sunny, cloudless day, the way the world is so clear and full of color? he said, momentary passion quickly overcoming his initial embarrassment. She was a topic he could speak of forever and never grow tired. She was the sun itself, casting her light on - on everything. Her fur was like honey, golden and shimmering, and she smelled like it, too. I still miss her eyes - they were green, like the forest -

A tightness gripped his chest, and he found his throat closing up as a well of emotion clawed at his insides struggling for release.

I'd... I'd like that, if you could.

Skill — Storyteller

As he spoke of family and poor luck, Liss sat upright again and listened attentively with her front paws touching together... in a pose so neat and polite it might be unnerving, given the complete lack of indication she was even capable of such serenity up to this point.

But when he invited her to join the search for Sølvi, her tail started wagging again. She sounds amazing! I'll definitely ask around. Someone like that has to have stuck out in people's minds! Sølvi reminded Liss of the Sun Goddess, mother of wolvenkind, and thought it was no surprise her radiance was missed.

She almost said so, but she was still kinda thinking about how he felt like a black sheep (red sheep?) and ultimately that pulled her attention back. Her nose wrinkled.  How can you be bad luck just for being a color? You know, my Mam's people thought she was cursed, too. They found her out in the snow as a baby, and the Ade leading the pack, at the time — my great-grandad, wanted to leave her for dead. A pouty, though serious, nod.

She has fur whiter than white, and eyes that turn blood-coloured in daytime. He said she was a monster. But her dad, my grandpa, stood up for her! Which was really brave! 'Cause you're not really supposed to argue with the Ade, even if you're his kin. But Grandpa didn't care. He said all children are gifts by the gods, and raised her as his own. She grew up to be a Hunt Master! And then Elksa by Papa's side. Not bad luck at all. The pout deepened into a frown, Someone should have stood up to your mom, too.

A heartbeat of a pause, not long enough to appreciate the gravity of her own words, and Liss continued, But if you're really worried about it, Mam also says you can roll in juniper berries to keep ghosts away. Plus they make you smell nice. A blink, Uh, not that you smell bad right now, or anything. I just mean. In general.