The bicolored male had spent the past few days alongside his siblings and getting to know the lands once more where they'd grown up in, but as of today he'd decided to move out his explorations across the lands. He'd gone to the very place his parents had basically forbidden the litter from adventuring. Now though he was all grown up and there wasn't a parent in sight, or even a sister today. Normally he'd have had someone tagging along behind him but somehow he'd managed to find his way to the old forbidden wastelands without any trouble. He'd skirted the clan's lands and really hadn't bothered to even ponder on the creatures that lived that. A smile on his face as he inhaled deeply, the scent of the ocean in his nose as the sand nothing stretched out forever.
Shaking the morning dew from his pelt the boy strolled along the edge of the Wastes and towards the bay. He didn't see much of interest in the lands and wondered just why his parents had every thought these lands dangerous. He'd been walking for miles and not a damn thing had bothered him. Perhaps it was something backin the day.. or maybe he hadn't gone far enough. The thought kept ticking in the back of his mind as paw by paw he walked on casually.
The house had been empty; not one bloody pirate in sight. The woods had been abandoned sav for a few obnoxious squirrels. Even the village was deathly still. Everywhere he went the scent of wolves and werewolves were all faint. What had happened to them all? There were no bodies, bones, or new gravesites. So where were they? It did not make any sense to him.
Blending into the smooth coastal rocks, the mass of grey wolf lay pondering over what he had found, or the lack of what he had found, over the past three days and nights. It was not at all what he had imagined his return would be like. He had imagined many things and many scenarios but he had never imagined to find the entire place deserted. All the trails appointed West and had brought him this far.
Another chilly blast ripped through his fur and he welcomed by lifting his head and closing his eyes. The cold North wind eased his soul and calmed his spirit. It was time to go on.
The giant stiffly rose and stretchered out each limb in turn. Only then did he spot the figure on the horizon. Not wanting to scare it off (for this was the first sign of lupin life he had seen in weeks) the grey male gave a deep woo in greetings and hoped the wind would not mute him out completely.
ooc: all of the old territories burned to the ground.. XD
Sankor had finally caught the scent of another on the air as he raised his head quickly when the call rang out. He narrowed his eyes slightly before deciding to investigate the call. His large paws left deep impressions in the sands as the distance between the two was diminished to almost nothing. The cocoa and ebony male stared at the greyscaled one before him as he lowered his head slightly in greeting. "Hello..."
The one time residence of the lands had no clue who the stranger was before him, but that was to be expected. He had no clue who anyone in these lands were anymore except his two siblings who he'd escaped from this morning. His tail flicked back and forth as he studied the other before him, wondering just what this newcomer(like him) wanted.
He wasn't exactly ready to trust the large creature before him, size was indeed intimidating but he had been the one to call out to him, not the otherway around. Atleast he knew where he was.. this stranger didn't even smell like he was from this area at all.
Out of character: I realise that a bit too late. It at least explains why he didn't find anything.
In character:
He watched patiently and waited for the wind to carry his greetting to the other wolf. When the response came, Noah smiled to self and began a careful descent of the rocks had been napping upon. It was endlessly tiresome and have creatures run away from him when they got a glimpse of his size. Sankor was the first wolf he had seen in for too long and it pleased him that the young male approached so readily.
He shook roughly and let the coastal wind carry away yet more of the soot that had embedded itself in his coat. It felt like he would never get rid of that smell. Still a bit stiff from his uncomfortable bed, Noah waited patiently and allowed the younger wolf to cover the distance between them. Doing his best to look as unintimidating as possible, Noah slowly bobbed his head once in greetings.
"Peace ta you, lad," he hailed as the younger wolf drew closer.
"I come in search of news of the fate of the lands ta the east and those who dwell there."
The scent of the ash from across the way still tainted the air when the winds blew hard, though Sankor himself had never known the lands across the mountains except for the time it took him to get from point A to point B where the old territories had lay as a spot between. He'd learned from his siblings and from the wolves of these newly formed packs that a terrible fire had claimed the lands and anything that had fallen behind in the wild flight across the mountains.
Sankor wrinkled his nose at the scent that seemed to cling to the male as the tainted scent of the fellow wrapped around him. The scent didn't torment him to long for the whipping winds of the bay were dashing through his thickening fall pelt as they came to a meeting point there on the rough shores of the sandy bay. He nodded to the greeting the other had granted him but he was quiet a moment as the wolf asked him of the lands beyond.
His eyes turned towards the mountains as he shook his head in wonder as he spoke. "There's a few straggling surviviors who've taken up in these lands.. but all I know is what they've spoken of.. " He shook his head sadly, thinking of the news that the strangers had shared with him, someone who had no connection to their loss and no real imagination of what that day and the rebuilding might have been like. "A fire broke out in the spring and before morning the whole territory was ablaze."
His eyes moved back to the massive male as he lowered his head once more and gave his name, wondering just what interest those across the lands were to the large one. "The name's Sankor, what interest do you have in the ashlands?" he asked.
A few survivors? He was taken aback. Suddenly his legs didn't feel like they would support him. In fact he couldn't really feel his legs or the rest of his body from that matter. For no good reason he had a flair of anger towards the stranger as if it was the boy's fault. Just as suddenly with the aim arose it was extinguished by heavy sorrow. It felt like there was a sudden weight all around him. How many had been lost? Who had lived? Faces and names raced through his mind, making him dizzy in making him sick.
The once proud head hung to the side staring at a sprig of grass but not seeing it at all.
"Noah," he said in an automated tone. He could hear himself talking but it felt like his voice was coming from miles away.
"Who have you seen?" he croaked, "Who have you spoken with? Who still lives?"
The wind he had once welcomed now chilled him to the bone. The giant shivered and continued to stare with unseen eyes at the twig of grass that sprouted up through the sand.
"My family..."
He was unable to finish. His chess felt tight and it was all he could do to keep himself composed. Had his son survived? And what of his friends and pack mates?
The sudden change that overcame the giant made him cring, slightly out of disgust but for the most part out of pity when it came to the truth. Sankor hadn't really thought that the wolves from across the way might have family members that had scattered in the winds, perhaps not everyone had came across the mountain.. and obviously some of them hadn't even been in the lands when the fire had started. He just shook his head sadly at the male before him before admitting the sad and pathedic truth. "I don't know."
He felt like such a failure speaking to the male about the few wolves he'd met and the stories his siblings had told. He began to ramble along on the few things he knew, hoping he could be of some help atleast. "There's a few packs settled.. Dahlia de Mai.. Crimson Dreams.. " he really didn't know the others but he knew they were there, out of nowhere he dropped the ball. "There's a clan of sorts to.. some coyotes.." His ears pinned back against his skull as he wished he had something useful to say.
The silence that sat there between them was thick until the boy finally just gave in. "I'm sorry.. why don't you search around.. " the foolishness of the words he spoke rang in his ears as he tried to fix his retarded mistakes as he spoke them. "I can.. point you towards a few of them.." He really didn't know what he was getting himself into but the male looked sad enough without his lack of support.
The coyotes? Strangely enough he found himself chuckling.
"Leave it to the damn coyotes to have escaped with their hides intact," he chuckled bitterly.
Those murderous little monsters had more lives than any creature he had ever known. The laughter had broken the spell and the shock was beginning to subside. However, the tightness of his chest remained.
"There is nothing to apologise for. It was not your fault."
Noah forced himself to portray a calmness as he did not feel. In time, he knew that he would recover from the blow and be able to refocus completely. Bracing himself against yet another icy blast, but older wolf nodded his consent.
"Thank you lad. These low lands are strange to me and it is important I find out if my pack survived."
Ignoring the coastal winds once again, he stepped across the sand and was relieved to see that his links were working just fine.
"There were many white females and a black male in the pack I seek."
Sankor shrugged at the comment on the coyotes that seemed to have increased in numbers since the one time he roamed these lands. He had no mixed feelings on the creatures as of yet but only because his wanderings in the world had taught him different than the way his parents had started to bring the litter up so long ago. He raised a brow at the words but remained quiet, he didn't know what life had been like for all these strangers from across the mountain and he knew from valley to valley and town to town that things could be complete opposites in the lives of those that lived there.
The bicolored male watched this greyscaled beast before him as he spoke on about packs and family. Sankor didn't want to be the one to have to break everything to the soul, especially after the first wash of disappointment had taken it's toll, but he'd already put himself into a position here and there was nothing else he could do about it.
Sankor's paws took each step in turn with the male as they moved on towards the territories that the groups claimed as home, he turned his eyes to gaze at the large stranger as he asked. "You sure they've all stayed together?" here he was busting out the bad news again. "The ivory lass I spoke with said that her pack had scattered to the winds, some joining other newly formed packs, some still on their own.. and some they still wait to even hear of their fates." his voice was gentle as he went on. "I'm sure that finding out you're fine will be assurance to your pack and family atleast." He smiled softly as they began to skirt the lands that Inferni had claimed.
With a sudden pause he gazed off at the distance borders of Inferni and shook his head at the skulls of the wolves who'd given their lives because of bitter hatred, turning away he spoke quietly. "That's where the coyotes have gathered I've been told..." He would wait until they moved closer to the cover of the mountainside and the forest that swept across the lands before pointing the way towards the few packs he'd found, though luckily it seemed that they all had nestled in a close range atleast.
Noah shook his head regretfully.
"Ney, lad. I am not sure of anything."
The idea of the pack totally scattering had not occurred to him until now. Or perhaps it had been he had just ignored the thought and shoved it to the very back depths of this mind. All he had allowed himself to picture was the pack altogether, healthy, and sound. That picture had gotten him this far but he would have to find something new to keep him going.
"Did the lady give her name?"
It was hard not to get his hopes up too high. High hopes only lead to high falls in greater crashes. The sting of the last shock would not be easily forgotten and he refused to publicly go through that once again. Better to be cautiously hopeful than overly optimistic in this particular situation.
Noah loped along side of Sankor an a slight step behind. Frowned crossed his brow at the mention of the coyote clan. He would not soon forget their viciousness and their murderous ways.
"Fer yer own health, lad, stayed clear of that clan," he advised, keeping his voice down. The last thing he wanted was to attract the coyotes' attention.
As they walked, Noah quietly studied the younger male. From what he could tell there was no family resemblance to any of the families he knew. Then again, he had never been very good at identifying family traits and resemblances. Just by the way he spoke was an obvious clue as well. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any resentment from the younger wolf by all the intruding refugee packs. It put his mind at ease. So the old packs, or what remained of them, were doing well here.
Sankor nodded quietly at the male's words. He didn't expect the male to be certain, he himself wouldn't have been certain in place either. His eyes glided over to watch the male for a moment as they moved along their way, he spoke quietly as the came into the shadows of the mountainside. "You'll find them.. sooner or later I think everyone does.. when the time comes." He was trying to be positive, he after all had found his siblings, lost his parents in the process but though their family had dwindled they were still a family.
As they moved through the lands Sankor gave a nod of confirmation to what he'd been asked. His brows furrowed as he tried to remember the whole scene at the borders of the pack. "Nani..ko or something. She had young ones hidden and it became a little chaotic.." He shook his head, wanting to forget the whole thing. He'd never hurt a child but he knew the leader of the pack wouldn't know that.. he'd just felt foolish having been so out of loop with the way regular packs were ran since he'd headed out on his travels and met the strangers of the world.
The advice that the male with the greyscale pelt spoke of made a lopsided grin appear on the golden hearted boy's maw. "I've heard something along the same times.." The smile disappeared after a moment as he continued. "Once, I also heard that halfbreeds were abominations, that those that can shift would bring and end to the life of a pack.." He turned his head to gaze backwards towards the now distant clan lands. "Everything can change." he said flatly, though he wasn't for certain himself of how long that would take.
When they came closer to the dampwoods the bi-colored wolf turned to the other and spoke again. "There's four packs that my siblings have came across that they know still reside in the area. One on the east coast, one by the bay.. there's one near a large lake... That's where I met Naniko.. and here in the woods there's a small band as well." Sankor wasn't for certain just who the wolf was looking for, but he offered one more small bit of help. "If I meet any like those you spoke of.. I'll mention you." He shook his pelt, fluffing his fur up to keep the chill off as he asked. "Anywhere I can find you or point them towards you?"
Out of character: I'm sorry. I have really killed the thread. 
In character:
This young Sankor sounded wise beyond his years. Noah was impressed with him. It was nice to talk with someone who didn't continually focus on females, territories, and ranks. Perhaps he was just getting old, but Noah often tired of such topics. He appreciated to the young male's positive outlook. That too was refreshing in the world these days.
The name supplied was not readily recognizable one to the old grey male. Then again, he had never been particularly good with names. Although he felt for the poor young male, he couldn't help but give a knowing smile of one who had experienced the same thing. It seemed like everyone had to learn eventually that mothers were not to be messed with. He nodded appreciatively at the story but made no comment. Some things just did not need to be said. He was not surprised at all that he was not the first to give warning about the coyote clan. They were bunch of monsters after all. It only made sense to warn others about them.
The mention of half breeds in shape shifters caused his pace to slow until at last he came to a slow stop. It had not been Noah's choice, that he was a shifter. It would not be right to pretend to be something he wasn't in deceive the young will. At the same time, it was an uncomfortable topic for Noah. He generally did not share that little known fact about himself.
" thank you, lad. I think I can make way from here."
Sankor smiled as he watched the male, he didn't know what kind of power his words might have had on the man but he knew that the man didn't want his assistance. Nodding to the other in respect as he sat back and watched as the other began his journey into the forests. "Good luck!" he called as he watched the strange greyscale male fade away into the dark cover of the dampwoods.
Sankor's eyes turned to gaze back towards the way that the Clan lived, some small little notion building in the back of his mind to just find out how powerful the coyotes who lived there were. He wasn't looking for danger but it was good to know about your neighbors if you intended to live your life out in their backyard.
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