Alone? Mayhaps... Mayhaps not.

[Abaars]

The old wolf wandered the Northern Shoreline, quietly watching the waters. He carefully looked upon each wave as it crashed ashore, making sure nothing unusual came ashore. He often wondered if the humans ever noticed the lands and if they did... What would they do to it? What would his people, the wolves of all sorts do to stop them? Could they stop the humans from taking what was truly nature's? These questions often bothered him as a pup and bothered him even now. He was curious what might happen, but at the same time he really didn't want to know.

Something small and shiny caught his eye. He looked at it carefully. He muttered, "A human tool. Nothing more..." He walked up to it and looked at it. It appeared to be made out of seashells that glittered brightly and string. A memory quietly came up to the front of his mind, but he quickly pushed it aside. There was wisdom in the memory, but he had no need for that memory. Not now, anyway. With his jaws and took it from the the shoreline. He didn't go far before he dug a hole, placed the human artifact within it, and buried it quickly. He walked back to the shoreline and began to glance across the waters.

It was awhile before the wolf stopped. He wondered if he was truly alone at times. The old one hadn't seen any other sasriels or even other wolves. Then again, the war had nearly most of the wolves. Those who survived were scattered and leadless... For the most part. For now, as well. What he couldn't bare the thought of, however, was being the only one. Being the only sasriel... No, he wasn't the last one. The old wolf had heard the other wolf voices earlier and he thought he had heard a young sasriel song.

The evening became colder and he knew he couldn't find his way back to the caves. He had to call out. Abaars took a deep breath and howled an ancient but beautiful sasriel song, piercing the darkening evening sky with its loveliness.

[Rahiel]

Rahiel was starting to have trouble keeping herself in the air when she finally found the elder. The cold winds were making her muscles hurt worse than ever and she whimpered occasionally, but the pain continued to throb. She hated flying, especially at a height like this when she feared her muscles would lock and she would plummit.

She was relieved when she found the elder finally and she soared in a tight circle around him before landed gracefully in front of him. She bore head with that of an Alphess, but her eyes held all the excitment of that of a pup. Another Sasriel . . . it was all she could think about . . . she was not alone . . . She couldn't speak for a moment, surprised that he was so far out by the sea, especially in such cold weather. He was very much an elder to her and had a wise look to him. Wise enough for her to give him some room and nod her head before locking her eyes with his again. Despite his age, she was still dominant, she had to remember that.

And then there was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask . . . and then she had to wary. What if this was a Sasriel that had been mutated by the Heus . . .? But something tugged in her gut that said it wasn't. This elder was wise and kindly. All she could do now was shake her head and smile . . .

"Welcome home." she whispered.

[Abaars]

Abaars watched as the young sasriel landed in front him, holding her head as alphess, but her eyes revealed excitement of a pup. Apparently, he hadn't been the only one who had thought he was the only sasriel left. This alphess had thought herself alone as well.

She gave him some room and a nod, respecting him as an elder. Then she locked eyes with him, and Abaars knew that she was dominant. He took this into his mind and nodded his head, understanding very well. He would never try to take the place of the alpha, nor would he wish it. He never saw himself as a leader. Just an old wanderer.

The young alphess seemed to have much to say and much to ask, but he could see she was wary. He guessed that those sasriel mutated by the heus could be dangerous, but Abaars was not one of them. And by what he could see in her eyes, she knew that too. Then, she shook her head and smiled.

"Welcome home."

Abaars bowed his head and said, "Thank you, Alphess of the Sun Crest. I am Abaars." Abaars smiled back, kindness showing through. He was home. He was finally home and now he knew he wasn't alone.

[Rahiel]

Rahiel grinned at the elder as he introduced himself as Abaars. It was not as cold as it had been, at least, not down her in the hills where the sun was warm and snow gradually turning to slush. She looked out into the sea, letting the salty wind toss her fur. She sighed happily, her heart racing. She turned to look at Abaars again.

“I’ve heard of you.” She finally said, the name springing memories onto her. She raised an eyebrow. “I am Rahiel. My mother was Naliel. She told me that if I wandered away to far I would end up as strange and crazy as you because Sasriels weren’t supposed to wander. I never believed her because, well, frankly, I envied you. Abaars, the wanderer.” She shook her head as if in disbelief. “Come to finally settle . . . or have you?”

Her last words were said in almost a desperate whisper. She had heard many stories about him but he was much older now, older and wiser. Perhaps he had felt the pull in his gut to return to his origins. Perhaps he had known she was alone. Perhaps he had been seeking company as well.

“There is a place in this pack for you; as Fleet, if you wish to still check on the packs or I may make an exception and place you as Delta, though you do not look quite old enough for the position. Your wanderings have given you wisdom enough for it though, but if you wish to join, I will offer those to you.”

[Abaars]

Abaars looked at the alphess, surprised. She envied him? That was new. Most of the other sasriels, as Rahiel had said, would think him crazy because of his wandering instead of staying in one place, but this young one envied his wandering spirit. Maybe she wanted to understand his views and wanted to know what he had seen.

"Come to finally settle... Or have you?" Rahiel asked.

"Yes. It's not because I've lost my will to wander. I doubt I'll ever lose that. I came back because of the loss of many of our pack," Abaars said, then adding, "Plus, I feared I was alone who wasn't ashamed of my pack, but I knew I wasn't."

He told the truth. He had feared being the only one who wasn't ashamed of his pack. The Sun Crest was not a pack to be ashamed of, for they were guardians of the other wolves; friends to whom ever needed one.

Rahiel spoke again. “There is a place in this pack for you; as Fleet, if you wish to still check on the packs or I may make an exception and place you as Delta, though you do not look quite old enough for the position. Your wanderings have given you wisdom enough for it though, but if you wish to join, I will offer those to you.”

"No. I doubt I'm old enough to be a Delta. I'd prefer being Fleet, but it's really up to you what you want me to be," Abaars said. He'd have something to do besides wander and probably getting lost. Truly, though, he'd prefer being Fleet. He wasn't too old yet, that he knew. He hadn't lost his will to wander, knowing he never would. He waited for the alphess to decide...

[Rahiel]

Rahiel grinned at the elder, a cold wind brushing her wings. She shivered and looked out towards the shoreline. Burgeon would arise soon, and with it, the unknown secrets of what lay south. One pack, at least was forming. She hoped the others would follow soon, because she was certain that there were Heus out there. There was only the simple question of how many, how strong, and when they would begin their attacks.

That and who the new leader was. She knew the old alphas of Blood Fang had been killed.

She turned to face Abaars again, hope in her crystal blue eyes.

“Fleet it is then.” She widely; she knew he would like the status; then at least, he wasn’t bound to the Mountain like she was. Perhaps when they had more members, she would be able to scout the lands like she once had, knowing that the Mountain would be safe as long as at least one Sasriel remained behind to preserve its purity. “Welcome back, Abaars. Warm weather is coming soon; I hope you are prepared for it.”

She eyed the snow still thick and cold on their mountain home and motioned for him to follow.

“Come, let’s go home.”

Bending down, she leapt into the air and spread her wings, fumbling clumsily as their worn muscles strained to catch air. She circled once, waiting for the elder, the sun glancing off her white feathers. It would feel good to fly with another again; the fear of falling had always been one of hers. Her wings had once been broken and had never healed correctly, but enough to allow her to fly about her home land and soar.

[Abaars]

Abaars nodded his head. Fleet. A good rank. He was going to enjoy this rank for a long time. He wasn't abandoning the Sun Crest anymore.

"Welcome back, Abaars. Warm weather is coming soon; I hope you are prepared for it,” said Rahiel. Abaars nodded. The Shadow... Was almost done. He knew that was when he would most likely begin.

“Come, let’s go home.” With that said, Rahiel leapt in the into the air and took off. It looked she was having a little trouble for moment, but he guessed it was because she had flown here a far distance and because it had been very cold. She flew in a circle above him, then he took off, his wings spread wide. He flew near Rahiel to keep up with her. He was going home.

[Rahiel]

((I think we can lock this now? I'll meet you in the Mountain, Abaars!))