Iskata wasn't sure where in the world she'd find Pilot but the woman had set out to the lands that had once belonged to Shadowed Sun to deliver the letter to an old friend of the family's. She shook her head at the stupidity of this all as she went, she didn't even want to give them the letters yet she had pushed herself to do as her mate had wished and give the words to those he seemed to hold dear.
She sat in the middle of those strange foreign lands, the last time her paws had settled down here had been when she'd argued with Skoll. She'd left behind the letter from Phoenix to the slain warrior Skoll for his children to come, knowing that they deserved the words of Skoll's friend more than anyone. She shook her head at the thought and sighed softly.
She had much time to wait for Pilot to show and if he didn't there was always another day to bring the letter to the male. Since the pack had disbanded Iskata hadn't seen hide or hair of any of the packmembers but she'd just assumed that they had moved on to another pack or had settled down as loners. None had come to Phoenix Valley, thatmuch she knew.. but that was all she knew.
She settled down on an old stump and sat fingering the pages of the letter to Pilot. The words flickered before her but as she read them there was nothing that actually made it's way past her eyes.
To blood-brother, Pilot:
I hope that by now you have recovered from the blows fate threw your way since the last time I saw you. But you and I are a lot alike, both too stubborn to give up, and I know that you will recover and come out of your misfortune stronger than before. I am sorry for what Deirdre did to you. I thought I had raised her better than that. But I have no doubt that a male as kind and generous as you will be without a mate for very long.
But that’s enough sentiment. I don’t have time for it right now. I do not know how much you know already, but when Moon, Kansas and I went out to search for Icarus, my sons were kidnapped by my own father, who had joined a society of wolves who live in a human city and keep other wolves as slaves. I managed to free Kansas but got taken myself in the process. And now I am in their city, leading an army to fight for our freedom.
Some of Skoll’s friends have somehow tracked me down and are helping me in this war. I owe the old man for that, as well as for the training he gave me. I would give anything to have both you and him by my side in this, but he’s fought enough wars in his life and I do not want you to be tainted by the horrors as I have. I’ve done things that I never thought I was capable of, Pilot. And while they are for what Skoll’s friend Samson calls a “greater cause,” if I ever return home it will not be as the same wolf who left. Nobody can go through the things I have and come out unchanged.
Now that Kansas is my only son back home, it’s his responsibility to look after the family. While I have no doubt he is capable enough, I ask for your help. Though we are not really related to each other, my blood flows through your veins and I think of you as my kin. Please, look out for my family, and think of them as your own.
Your good friend,
Phoenix
[html]  Hai.
Though he, Savina, Naniko, and Urma had sat down to discuss this new pack, Pilot still hung around the abandoned Shadowed Sun lands. He had every intention of helping to create this new pack, but for now he decided to remain home. He still tended to the herb garden as if he was providing for a pack. He supposed it helped to keep his mind off of things. The area itself hadn’t changed, but things were definitely different. He rarely saw anyone else around.
He was hiking back towards his den, silver eyes turned forward but not focusing on anything in particular. When they did come across a crème colored female, some familiarity struck him. He stopped in his tracks, scrutinizing the figure. "Iskata?" He asked, taking a few more steps forward. He realized his eyes hadn’t deceived him and smiled, holding out his arms. "It’s good to see you."
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Iskata had been so distracted she hadn't even heard the approaching male. Her mind was filled with the words of her mate, yet not a word was absorbed as a trail of tears crept down her cheeks. She cried silently, there was little emotion left inside her, or atleast she'd thought so. She hadn't really spoken to anyone about the pains she'd been keeping pent up inside but nowadays she felt there was no one to turn to any more.
When the voice had fallen upon her ears she turned her tear stained eyes towards the ivory male, finally noticing him as he opened his arms to her. The words he spoke made her voice tremble as she tried to speak. "P-pilot.." she stuttered as she dropped into his arms, the letter drifting from her hands as she drew herself close to the male.
Long ago the two had had their foolish ventures and had lived. Iskata's mind was far from those days as she buried her face into Pilot's fur and just breathed deeply. She closed her eyes, feeling hot tears escaping as she wished that perhaps she hadn't come looking for the old friend, one of the last remaining ones she knew.
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He instantly noticed the tears staining her cheeks and took her in his arms, silver eyes catching the letter as it escaped the grasp of her fingers. Gently, he reassuringly patted her back and let her have a moment. He couldn’t see what the letter had said, but he had a feeling it was something to do with his long lost friend. Though Iskata and Pilot had a past before, he shared a connection with her mostly because she was his best friend’s mate. In a way, Pilot felt like she was family to him, just as her children were.
"What’s wrong?" He asked, pulling back only slightly where as he could peer down at her face. He couldn’t begin to imagine the pain that she had to suffer through with the knowledge of Phoenix’s disappearance. It was really sad to see this family so broken apart. In some ways, Pilot could relate.
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Iskata had no clue what was really left of Phoenix and her relationship but tear stained letters and hard feelings. She hald left her mate's side to find their children and bring them home, while his reason for leaving had begun with a mission to find another child he'd taken his own heart's followings and had started a war far off in distant lands. He'd escaped only to stay and risk his life for those that may never care what he did after they were freed. She was furious, her emotions had already once begun to reside and the pain to dull away to nothing but now his words had brought the harsh truth back into light and her heart was breaking all over again.
When Pilot had pulled back gently from her and she heard the soft words she just shook her head and sobbed. She wanted him back, not being a hero off in lands that sh'ed never see. She might be selfish but when you didn't have to share, you became thatway overtime. Lifting her sky blue eyes up to peer at Pilot through tear frosted lashes she sputtered. "Phoenix's alive.." Now anyone normal would be asking why in the hell would she be crying by such happy news..
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His heart lifted, yet he still wasn’t entirely sure how to feel. His best friend was alive, yet he wasn’t here. What had happened to Storm’s former alpha? Where had he gone off to, and why hadn’t he returned? Pilot didn’t speak, and could only look down to her blue eyes in question. "But," he muttered, and then stopped. He wasn’t sure what to make of this.
He directed her towards the log she had been sitting on, taking a seat so that they could talk about the news he had just shared with her. He barely noticed the letter that remained discarded on the ground. "How?" He dared to ask, curious on what information she had.
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She let herself be lead along to the log she'd originally been perched upon, now as Pilot seemed to be coaxing her along she wiped the tears from her cheeks and shook her head. She wasn't even for certain of it all. She just pointed to the letter and tried to keep her voice strong as she answered. "He wasn't left to die.. like Kansas thought.. they took him and Moon away.." She shook her head sadly and covered her eyes once more. "It's in the letter.. he wrote ones to us all.."
Choking back the sobs she covered her hands over her maw for a moment before a soft moan escaped as she whispered softly. "Even.. for Skoll.." The tears fell again as guilt rode her soul for the events that had lead to Skoll's death. She knew better than to blame herself but there was little else she could do.. she shouldn't have let the whole foolish damn mess take place... Asphyxia was right.
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Pilot moved away from the log, picking up the letter that had fallen discarded on the ground. He stared down at the writing - an artifact left behind from his best friend - and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Slowly, he turned to walk back towards Iskata and the log, all the while letting his silver gaze trace the curves of those black letters.
Please, look out for my family, and think of them as your own. He looked up towards Iskata while he took a seat beside her. He shook his head, still in disbelief. "I wish there was some way I could help him," he revealed to her, wishing also that he could ease her pain so that she wouldn’t have to sob over her mate’s fate anymore. "But I will do what he asked, Iskata. I’ll look out for your family as if it were my own."
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Tear slipped down her cheeks as she watched Pilot move away and collect the letter she'd discarded upon the ground. She knew that she should have read the other's letters but she had to see, she wanted to know if there was more to the story than the words he'd left her with. The silver and gold woman still didn't want to believe the choice her mate had made. She closed her eyes as she tried to stop the onslaughter of emotions as tried to steady her breathing.
Her silvery friend joined her once more as she finally opened her orbs once more. The hurt in her eyes showed a flicker of anger as he spoke those words to her. She shook her head and whispered softly. "He should have came home when he had the chance.." while there's still a home for him.. she wouldn't say it but she could still think it. tear spiked lashes rose as gold flecked baby blues met Pilot's eyes as she asked. "Did I make the wrong choice..." She hated to be so blunt and she hated to even think the thought.. but didn't she deserve to have her mate beside her, where he belonged. She wasn't just being selfish was she, was there something she was missing about that strange emotion called love, she didn't know anymore.
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What could he say? He had no idea whether or not she had been wrong in her decisions. All he could do was try to offer some comfort, even if he was bad at that. He placed a hang gently on her shoulder, a somber smile gracing his lips. He was just as sad to hear this news from Phoenix, yet at the same time, he was at least grateful his friend was still living. If only he could do something for him. If only… "I don’t know, Iskata," he whispered, able to feel her body shutter with sobs beneath his hand. "Maybe he’ll come home," he stated, to himself more than anyone else. The possibility was something to hold onto, no matter how unlikely it was. Pilot wanted his best friend back. He wouldn’t let himself think negative now that he knew Phoenix was still alive.
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She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as Pilot spoke, the words were suppose to be comforting but in her heart they were even more painful than the fact that he wasn't coming home when he'd been granted the chance to. Casting tears to the side she laughed bitterly, her words sad as she gazed out towards the mountainside. "If he has a home anymore.." She wondered if the male she'd fallen into such a shaky relationship with would pass her by for some exotic beauty and cease to remember she even existed. She knew it was highly unlikely.. but he was finally getting to play the hero.. who knew what life as the adventurer would do to the man she once knew.
Tear spiked eyelashes brushed against her cheeks as she closed her eyes and sighed. Turning those sun shot orbs towards Pilot she asked softly. "What are you going to do?" She knew that his pack had disappeared into the darkness after their old friend had passed on.. but she hadn't stopped to think of the life the others would turn towards. She could see Pilot as a loner.. but it was a dim shot at the back of her mind, he just didn't seem the type to be so distant from friends and family.
Wanna fade to black from here since this is sort of outdated? =][html]
He wasn’t entirely sure what her question meant, but either way, he felt his answer would be the same. "I don’t know." Things had fallen away so fast and so hard that it was difficult to remember when times had been easier. Not to mention, livelier. Pilot felt as if he was loosing himself. He didn’t seem to be the carefree, naive boy that he once was. He missed that, but was there really anyway to get it back? He looked to Iskata, offering a smile that he knew probably failed to offer any comfort. He wasn’t sure if there was anything that he could do now. "I guess we’ll see," he offered. He sighed, before rising to his feet. "How ‘bout I walk you back to Phoenix Valley?"
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Fade to black.
She just sat there silently as he honestly answered her. She knew what she would do, or atleast what she had to do. There was a pack waiting for their Matriarch in a valley by the sea. She turned her sun shot sky orbs back to Pilot for a second as she returned the weak smile and just shook her head sadly. She knew that there was nothing either of them could do to right the wrongs and ease the world back into the yesterdays when things just seemed easier. Life wasn't that simple.
She finally just sighed and agreed to the offer that Pilot offered. "Yes, they are probably wondering where I've gone off to.." She doubted that they really would wonder, except Magdalena but in the end it didn't matter. She lifted herself up after Pilot and tried to keep her eyes from drifting to the words that Phoenix had written.. there was too much pain in that piece of paper for her in this moment of life.
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