Shiloh Hills.
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He went ahead of the main group, urging his exhausted horse further and faster than he should. In truth, he was anxious — a curious feeling of high expectations mixed with usual pessimism. Was this it, he wanted to ask. Was this where they would set up the tribe once more? If it was, he didn’t understand what was the difference between this and their old home. Someone would have to be without a sense of smell not to notice the incredible concentration of werewolves and other lycanthropes in the area. Perhaps they were more peaceful, and perhaps they were not. Itsihnalv was in no place to feel hopeful — he had been without a home for far too long to feel that emotion for a while.
For now, however, he wished to summon all the courage he could manage and catch up to his sister. She must have been pretty far out, seeing as though she had to send her Guides back to relay messages back and forth. He gained the distance steadily, though at the expend of his companion. Eventually, once they were very much into the lands of ‘Souls, he allowed the tired creature to slow to a walk. The tall, powerful dark horse couldn’t take much more, and Itsihnalv imagined he could try to be patient for a little longer.
After wandering for a few moments, he slid nimbly from the back of his horse, murmuring words of support and thanks in the low tongue to the creature. The horse snorted, but seemed to take it easily. Itsihnalv took the reins in his hand, leading the horse on foot. He kept all of his senses keen for any familiar scent — though he hadn’t really seen her since he had gotten back from his Journey, he would know full well when he found it. Half an hour later, his thin patience was beginning to wear and his frustration was beginning to show. Nevertheless, he pressed on as the afternoon sun sluggishly pressed on towards the horizon. [/html]
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For the amount of scents that filled the lands, Ayegali had been surprised by how few others that she had actually seen. There had been traces of them everywhere for the few days that she had been in the new lands, each new day bringing about a new scent or a new trail, yet she had seen very few of them. Her stay, thus far, had been a quiet one. She had located at least two packs in her travels, though she had done little but investigate them from afar. Tsigili, the great owl, had brought word that there were many more than that though, six in total that he counted on his first flight. He brought no news of conflict though, which was the only reason that the AniWaya Chieftainess humored the thought of sticking around. She had yet to see anything that would make her change her mind, though she wouldn't be quick to accept the new lands.
The raven woman had been up for quite some time, she had risen early to gather the items that made up her temporary camp, packing them up neatly and placing them back on Vtsi. She was currently leading him, hand carefully around his beaded ropes, through the lands that she had settled down in on the previous day. Her plans for the day were to travel further north, to investigate that portion of the lands before moving deeper in, though she had no idea there would be a sudden distraction from them.
It seemed that the wind, what little of it there was, was working against her. She spotted him off in the distance even before she managed to pick up his scent, leading along a horse of his own. It had been some time since she had seen her brother and, though it worried her that he was away from the rest of the tribe, he certainly was a sight for sore eyes. "Itsihnalv!" She called out to him even before she knew it herself, raising a hand into the air to wave at him from the short distance between him. Her pace picked up considerably, urging Vtsi on behind her.
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While the wind was against Ayegali, it was an agent of her younger brother’s. He caught her painfully familiar scent — overlaid plainly over the unfamiliarity of the area — and quickly darted his dark eyes to where it led from to find her. It wasn’t hard; though her dark body was beginning to disappear into the oncoming dusk, he had little trouble picking her and her horse up before she caught sight of him and called his name. He didn’t reply at first, trying to decipher which, out of many, emotion he should take. Since they had to leave home, he had become increasingly moody, and had often kept aloof from his friends and family. After his Journey, however, he had imagined himself out of that rut. He was overjoyed to see his sister, yes. But there were a dozen and one different conflicting emotions that combated that simple one.
In the end, Itsihnalv simply remained mostly neutral. He waved in greeting, murmuring to the horse at his side lowly and lengthening his pace to meet up with his older sister. When he was in introductory range, he dipped his head and lost some of the rigidness of his posture for respect for his sister and chief. “Ayegali,” he greeted in response, his dark eyes flickering to her face and away a moment later. “I thought I’d head ahead of the rest, to meet up with you. They are not far behind, however.” He had felt the need to explain himself — although she didn’t seem to be anything but happy to see him — and so he did. He shifted his weight to his other leg, frowning slightly. “There are many other Luperci here,” he observed, his low voice slightly nervous. Perhaps Itsihnalv had never truly gotten used to the idea of other werewolves outside the tribe. It was they, though in a massive generalization, that had killed his parents, after all. [/html]
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She worried for them, the rest of her Tribe. Ayegali had never liked the idea of having to travel ahead of them in search of new lands and, no matter what her decision had been, she felt as if she was putting them all in danger either way. She could not lead them blindly in to strange lands, nor did she feel that leaving them to travel behind her was safe. What made it even remotely safe was the fact that her siblings had stayed behind, or so she thought. They were some of her most trusted companions, to the point that she would put her own life in their hands, and seeing one now was bittersweet. His words brought some comfort though, at the very least. If they weren't far behind it meant that they had not run in to any unexpected troubles, that their journey was going peacefully. It didn't help all of the problems though. She knew that they had to be restless, longing a home, and the amount of traveling that they had been doing could easily take it's toll on both the older and younger members.
"There are many and few." She said quietly, running silver eyes along their surroundings before settling them back on her brother. "The scents here are thick and often new with each day, but I have only come across one other." Itsi would know that, she supposed, that her encounter with the new Luperci had gone well. Ayegali wasn't the type to hide things from anyone, especially if it could have been any sort of signal that the Tribe would not be safe in the area. "Tsigili has gone out each day to investigate. He has brought word back of six other groups of Luperci, though these past few days, the number seems to have decreased to four." She couldn't help but wonder why.
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While Ayegali may have worried about her tribe and her siblings, Itsihnalv worried more for her than the group. At least they had power in numbers — one lone wolf spearheading into new and alien territory was far more subject to attack. Though he often tried to diminish its importance, family still ran strong and furious through his blood; it was not something he could ignore, one member of it riding into probably unnecessary danger. This was why it was such a big relief to be here and to make sure she was alright, because he felt that she was the tiniest bit safer with him around. Whether or not this was true wasn’t really up to him to decide, nor to care about. It gave him some solace after days of worry.
His dark eyes searched hers as she reported that she had met with one of the werewolves of the area, and he felt somewhat nervous. Obviously, they weren’t savage enough to attack her on sight or on a few words, but that didn’t get any of them off the hook just yet. He continued to listen to her speak, though his eyes widened considerably at the last news. He could only assume the worst that had caused two of the packs to disassemble, though that was probably not as probable as other reasons. He frowned, and he crossed his arms across his chest. “Though it would take some time to scout and gather information,” he started, choosing his words carefully. Just as Uguna had instructed him to. “Do you think it would be possible to settle us here at all? It seems very populated, no matter the size.” He shifted again, somewhat obviously made nervous by the whole idea. When he had envisioned the new tribal grounds in his mind, it had been a wide area where there was no one else but them. This, however, was the anathema of what he had been hoping for. [/html]
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"The one that I met with, Aiden was his name, seemed mesmerized by me. There is no one like us here." She admitted finally, quietly. Her mind had been on that fact for a long time since she had parted way with the stranger. No one like them meant that the lands were very much the same as their old ones, filled with Luperci that didn't or wouldn't understand their ways, potentially. "He didn't seem hostile at all, or make any remarks that anyone else is, but the word of one stranger cannot be trusted right away." Her words were calm, hoping that it would keep her brother calm. She wanted him to understand that she wasn't just rushing head first in to something that might put them all in danger. "He did seem very interested in us though." She said with a faint smile, implying that there may be new blood to fill their family.
"I haven't quite decided what to think about the amount of others though." She cast her gaze off to the sky as she spoke. "Tsigili reports that there are no signs of war, that each pack seems to be peaceful at the moment. If there are so many, there has to be a reason why. They are all peaceful, perhaps, and that is why they have all gathered here?" Ayegali knew not to believe that so quickly, but she wanted to offer her thoughts as something to think about. "I'll be making my way farther across the lands each day. I will visit each pack and seek counsel with their leaders." She frowned some then, if only because she knew her brother wouldn't be pleased with the idea.
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Out of his three siblings, he felt as though Ayegali was the most cautious when speaking to him. She wasn’t Itsihnalv’s total opposite — as the overly-peaceful Dohi was — and yet she knew how to handle his temper, which was good. Many that Itsi had crossed over the years simply decided not to grant him a second chance, not that he deserved one some of the time. He had to imagine that, out of his siblings, he was perhaps the one with the most chaos in his heart. He saw little issue in it, however; the world was full of balance and chaos, and you lived with the hand that you were dealt.
He didn’t ease up the slightest bit when she mentioned that there was no one else like them up here — it didn’t surprise him, and mostly just put him more on edge. He realized after a while of thinking that other Luperci didn’t really like things that they didn’t seem to understand. The tribe’s different customs and rituals were something that they couldn’t grasp, and responded badly to. She continued somewhat mildly, stating things in a way that didn’t make his mind spring to action immediately. The only thing he managed to do was flick his ear roughly when she mentioned him being interested in them; Itsihnalv, obviously, was not fond of outsiders by themselves. Them joining the tribe, however, was something he might not ever truly accept totally. He could manage to tolerate it, though.
It did make sense, however, that there might be so many packs because things were somewhat peaceful. Otherwise, they would be tearing one another asunder constantly. He wasn’t going to allow himself to be pacified that easily, though, so he merely shrugged. He glanced away just in time to catch her last statement, which sent his near-black eyes riveting right back to her. He stared with a hard gaze at his older sister, silently simmering. Finally, he said, in a low tone, “Alone?” Obviously, he did not want his older sister and chieftainess wandering into packlands to meet with unknown leaders alone. He would want someone else with her… if not him himself. [/html]
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Ayegali knew, even if she up and decided that this was the place they would settle, no matter if everyone that she meant seemed peaceful and accepting of them, that none of them would rest soundly immediately, especially not Itsihnalv. Ayegali knew not to blame them either, even if for the simple fact that not even she would rest well for some time. They had been driven from their previous home by force, and even now Ayegali wondered if she had made the right choice. The tribe had been overwhelmed by numbers, but they were also a unit and seemed to have much more training when it came to battle. They have done well had they stayed to fight for their lands, but how many lives would have been lost as a result? There was no real way to predict that, but the will to keep her family alive was strong than her attachment to those lands. She wasn't even sure if they were all content with the decision that she had made.
"With Vtsi." She stated firmly, nodding her head at her brother. Of anyone, it was her oldest brother that knew her skills in battle the best. Itsihnalv had been born just after she had taken the position of Chieftainess of the Tribe, just after she had to give up the training that would have taken her to the spot of War Chief. Even then, she knew that they must understand her strength and skill in battle. He worried for her though, she understood that. "And my spear." She added on as an afterthought, hoping that, in some way, knowing she would be equipped for battle might make him feel a bit better about it. "Tsigili will be with me also, in the case of any trouble." She knew that Tsigili could get to some quickly, if the need came up.
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Itsihnalv himself often wished that they had remained behind for a little longer, so he could have shown a fraction of the pain that the Others that had taken his parents had inflicted upon him. Revenge was a double-edged sword, but Itsihnalv cared little — for the longest time, it had seemed the only option for his restless soul. He had thought about going back to the old tribe lands just on that dark errand (which would have probably cost him his life), but once he had gone on the Journey and returned with Uguna, he had found little point in that waste of life, or in revenge at all. He still felt bitter about it, of course, but he never now thought that either vengeance or them having remained to fight was the best option. He agreed with Ayegali in that when she had decided to move them.
He remained somewhat tense as she explained that she was primarily going alone, though armed, and with the possibility of sending one of her Spirit Guides out if trouble arose. It took him a few moments after she was done speaking for him to loosen up, and he heaved a sigh. “I trust you,” he said, knowing it to be true. His sister was one of the most well-trained fighters he had ever come across, and there was no one else that he would trust with a dubious task of heading into possibly-hostile territory, alone.
He paused, wondering on what else to talk about. He finally settled on, “Has no one else from the tribe showed up?” Though she had seemed somewhat surprised (and maybe a little critical) to see him here, he wasn’t sure if that was because no one had rode ahead, or if it was simply because he, her brother, had. [/html]
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She was pleased with his acceptance of the fact that she was going to travel to the packs alone, offering him a very faint smile to show it. If anything at all, Ayegali trusted that if Tsigili was sent out to find Itsihnalv, he would do everything in his power to get to her as quickly as possible. She liked to think that it wouldn't be needed, that they might find peace in the lands and be able to finally settle down, but it was a relief to know it none-the-less. Of course, she also knew that her brother wasn't an idiot. Even he would have to realize that she hadn't expected him to show up, that she would have been going in alone with no one to send Tsigili out to for help. Even so, she had faith in her own strength and had long ago learned that losing her faith would cause her to lose her life, that wasn't to say that she was arrogant about her skill.
"I don't think so." She answered with a faint shake of her head. "You're the first familiar face that I have seen." Ayegali knew that the Tribe had left the lands in separate bunches, some taking much longer to accept the fact that they had to leave, to say their farewells and be able to move on. "Do you think Dohi will follow when he realizes you are ahead of the rest of them?" She asked then, unable to really decide for herself. They were all very close but Dohi was an unpredictable one. Normally it all just weighed on whether he felt like doing it or not. "I don't imagine it will be much longer before others start arriving. That means I need to get to work soon. I don't want to get their hopes up by staying to long, in case it really isn't safe."
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“Ah,” he responded, his gaze dropping to the ground briefly as he felt a little ashamed to have rushed ahead so recklessly. When left to his own devices, Itsihnalv was one who was prone to worrying. This was why he had rushed ahead to find Ayegali, but now it was what caused him to feel anxious for every moment that he didn’t know where the tribe was, what they were doing, or how things were going. All he could do now, now that he was there, was wait and pray for them to have a journey as save and uneventful as his own.
The timber-furred wolf considered the question regarding Dohi for a moment before shrugging. “I cannot say. Knowing Dohi, he will probably try to follow more swiftly once he hears that I’ve followed you. Uwoduhi might pursue as well, but who knows.” While Itsihnalv liked to believe that the four siblings knew one another acutely, he still couldn’t accurately guess their actions and reactions as well as he thought he could. He liked to believe he understood Uwoduhi more than the others, though that might make more sense, seeing as though she was born to his same litter. “They won’t be very long, even if they don’t rush to catch up. It didn’t take me too long to get here behind you. I would estimate they only have a few more days before everyone else catches up…”
And what then? They had been traveling long enough that the thought of actually finding that golden promise land here was an outlandish thought. He frowned briefly before dismissing all the worries regarding settling down; what would happen would happen, as he saw it. [/html]
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