It had been months, he decided. Every day went by in a blur since the bandits had broken up their camp. The gypsy and her cart were gone and his son as well. Almost every day he'd tried to follow the path they'd gone, but it split and he didn't know who to find first. The cart was easy to follow for a while, but he was far behind. The wolf was not so easy. Khione was a Ranger's companion; she knew how to hide her tracks well. Dadj's skills were rusty after his long years asleep and he thought he was on the right track now... But he found the clues days ago. Was it days?
Months, he reminded himself. The isolation was getting to him. Dadj rubbed a hand over his eyes and kept his horse moving. He's suffered a lot of bites and kicks, but he managed to get the animal to accept him as a rider for this long. The ranger had traveled very far west by now, into the Veldt plains. He steered north just to avoid the tribal People who lived there and he was nearing a city, if he remembered correctly. He could either be close to Ferrumstad or Iverstad... He wasn't sure which.
Months, he reminded himself. The isolation was getting to him. Dadj rubbed a hand over his eyes and kept his horse moving. He's suffered a lot of bites and kicks, but he managed to get the animal to accept him as a rider for this long. The ranger had traveled very far west by now, into the Veldt plains. He steered north just to avoid the tribal People who lived there and he was nearing a city, if he remembered correctly. He could either be close to Ferrumstad or Iverstad... He wasn't sure which.
They weren't far from the next town, but it was so late in the night, and they had been walking all day. They had to stop. Ex lazily set up camp, and didn't even bother to eat, before he unrolled his bedroll and flopped down on it. He mumbled a few words and Khione licked his face, and he was out just like that.
The she-wolf whined before she padded over to Haplo, licking the side of his face, before she darted off into the woods.
A little ways in, she caught a familiar scent on the air. Her tail wagged excitedly, and she went off to find it.
The she-wolf whined before she padded over to Haplo, licking the side of his face, before she darted off into the woods.
A little ways in, she caught a familiar scent on the air. Her tail wagged excitedly, and she went off to find it.
Haplo paused and watched Khione run off. Fjola had laid down behind Exarion and cuddled against him for warmth. She was still amazed they were back together and the half elf had a wolf. The male wolf waited for his companion to sleep and then took off after Khione.
Dervishaj walked through the ether until she found the right dream. She was always interested in what her brother's dreamstuff created and walked through the landscape curiously until she found him.
Dervishaj walked through the ether until she found the right dream. She was always interested in what her brother's dreamstuff created and walked through the landscape curiously until she found him.
Exarion was back the at camp he had grew up in. Riding on Khione, he patrolled the outskirts of it. He wasn't happy though, because he was stuck there. He wanted to leave, but the heavy snow prevented him from doing so. Eventually he would stop, sensing something different in this dream. He looked to the woods, and saw that there was no snow there, but bloom forest, as if it were springtime in a valley.
He made his way there, and there, he saw the orange haired sibling he had been waiting for for so long.
"Derv!" he called out, excited and nervous.
He made his way there, and there, he saw the orange haired sibling he had been waiting for for so long.
"Derv!" he called out, excited and nervous.
Derv reached her hand out of the forest to touch the snow. She pulled it back, surprised at how cold it was. She began to float and touched it a little more before Exarion found her. She perked up and floated toward her twin.
"Hello," she said quietly. "What is this stuff?" Her attention went back to the snow as if she wasn't there for anything else.
"Hello," she said quietly. "What is this stuff?" Her attention went back to the snow as if she wasn't there for anything else.
Exarion was a little disappointed, but at the same time, he couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I suppose you might not have snow where you are... It is frozen rain, basically," he said, reaching out to the wall of snow and holding it until it melted.
"Perhaps one day I can take you to see it in person..."
He knew he was dreaming now, and he was doing his best not to warp it so she could enjoy it a bit longer.
"Perhaps one day I can take you to see it in person..."
He knew he was dreaming now, and he was doing his best not to warp it so she could enjoy it a bit longer.
Derv looked delighted and cupped some in her hand. It melted after she turned back toward the forest. "I enjoy it." She folded her legs and floated in the air with wet hands. "Soon," she chirped. "Father is coming to you."
Exarion looked to her immediately. A frown came to his face, but not for what it may have seemed. "Yes, we got separated... I didn't think he would come looking for me though." He was still very unsure of the man. He wasn't upset he was looking for Ex, he was more concerned with what that would mean.
Her head fell to the side and her hair covered her face. "His dreams are not pleasant. I do not go there often, but I can assure you he is close."
He could completely believe her when she said his dreams were not pleasant. He looked at her for a long moment, before he realized... she had a LOT of hair. He wondered if that was how much she actually had, or if the appearance changed in the dream state.
"So, what brings you here? Did you come to just visit?" He leaned back against a tree, picking at his vest now.
"So, what brings you here? Did you come to just visit?" He leaned back against a tree, picking at his vest now.
Derv's head fell back the other way and her hair parted around her face. "I told you. Father is coming. You must find him."
"Why?" he asked, but then shook his head. "I mean, not like that. I'll be glad to find him, but if you know he is coming... He's a ranger, he's sure to find us, no problem."
Derv was too mysterious sometimes, even when she spoke. It was like talking to a riddle master.
"Do you not think he will find us?" Perhaps she knew something he did not.
Derv was too mysterious sometimes, even when she spoke. It was like talking to a riddle master.
"Do you not think he will find us?" Perhaps she knew something he did not.
She smiled softly but it faded. "He is not all himself, I think." She began to fall to the side in the air and suddenly she shot off toward a bee buzzing through the forest. She was distracted easily by the creature, curious.
Exarion raised a brow, but was even more confused by her when she was gone after the insect. "What?" he asked, though it wasn't clear if it was directed at Derv, or because of her.
"Should I go find him now then?" he asked, running to catch up with her. "Is he in trouble?"
"Should I go find him now then?" he asked, running to catch up with her. "Is he in trouble?"
"Not in trouble." She laid back in the air and floated after the bee. "Just lost in here." She poked her head and spun over to look at him. "When you wake up, go south. You will find him. Unless she does first."
"She?" Exarion said, confused.
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Khione stopped, sniffing the air again. Her ears perked up, and she turned her head as she panted, licking at the air a bit. Haplo was there, following behind her. Normally she would have turned and jumped at him playfully, but she had something else she was doing.
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Khione stopped, sniffing the air again. Her ears perked up, and she turned her head as she panted, licking at the air a bit. Haplo was there, following behind her. Normally she would have turned and jumped at him playfully, but she had something else she was doing.
She trotted off again, making her way down a hill and toward a path. There, she saw a lone rider. She was cautious at first, making sure it was not someone who would wish to harm her. But the scent was strong now.
It was him! The first human male she had encountered. She tilted her head back and gave a song to the air, welcoming him.
It was him! The first human male she had encountered. She tilted her head back and gave a song to the air, welcoming him.
"Your wolf." Dervishaj smiled widely and disappeared.
Haplo was more cautious than his companion. He did not know this man and he did not think Khione should go near him. His hackles raised and he let out a low growl.
Dadj had been half asleep in the saddle, the horse's energy flagging with him. But the smell of the predators caused the animal to kick into alert mode. It's nostrils flared and the horse turned to confront the damned white wolf, rearing to scare the thing away with sharp hooves. Dadj barely kept the saddle, tightening his thighs so he didn't slide off. Out of habit, he pulled his bow loose and had an arrow knocked before he could even notice this might be his wolf.
Haplo was more cautious than his companion. He did not know this man and he did not think Khione should go near him. His hackles raised and he let out a low growl.
Dadj had been half asleep in the saddle, the horse's energy flagging with him. But the smell of the predators caused the animal to kick into alert mode. It's nostrils flared and the horse turned to confront the damned white wolf, rearing to scare the thing away with sharp hooves. Dadj barely kept the saddle, tightening his thighs so he didn't slide off. Out of habit, he pulled his bow loose and had an arrow knocked before he could even notice this might be his wolf.
Khione, as her usual self, didn't care at all about the arrow pointed at her, nor the horse that was ready to fend her off. She bounded out onto the road and dashed around the horse in a circle, nipping at it playfully before she came to a stop in front of them, sitting there with her tail thrashing wildly, and her tongue lolling to the side.
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