Under a lilac tree

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@Reiko

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 Someone else was in these woods today. Besides Mordecai, who he'd met just after waking here, he'd hardly come across anyone. It didn't seem like these woods, which he'd dubbed Bleakwood, were home to many. Somehow... they felt right to him. Warm. Nights didn't hold too much of a chill and mornings had a heavy fog that he found he could walk in endlessly.

 He spotted a tiny white wolf at the edge of his woods. He watched her for a short while, amused by her childlike fascination with the red leaves. He, too, had enjoyed playing in them. The red leaves were just the right amount of crunchy when they fell. Just enough to enjoy playing in, not too much to be too brittle for a good crunch. The stranger rose up to look at one of the trees and he smiled, coming out of the woods to approach her. He made sure to keep his steps light and casual, tail gently swaying. I'm no threat to you. She was tiny. A child?

 He came up behind her, giving a soft woof to alert her to his presence. He would pause, allowing her to acknowledge him, then would step forward and rise up on his hind legs, snatching a low-hanging branch and pulling it down for her to look at. “Welcome to Bleakwood,” he said, offering a smile. “What's your name?”

 There were others not far from her, he could smell - so he would keep an eye out for them and give a respectful nod if they were to approach. He was ever so cautious to make sure they did not perceive him as a threat to fight off, even if he was so much larger than the little white wolf before him.

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Today was the day the group began descending the mountains in search for lower ground. To where -- the crane did not know of -- but it was a start in the search for finding the Izuka twins. The more people they'd meet, the more likely for their search party to grow, and with their continued journey Izu might be mere steps closer to finding her missing Kaisteloki packmates once again. Izu had stepped a few feet away from their small group in order to pick out the sticker burrs that had gotten caught in her dark paws, but a flash of alabaster dashing past her was quick to catch her attention. Her head lifted, ears perked and lavender gaze widened in confusion. "Rei--!" Where in the world was Reiko running off to?

The only way she'd be able to find out was to follow suit -- and that she did. The crane's long legs carried her in the same direction the dove had gone until nothing but a scenery of dappled scarlet surrounded her world. A forest -- surrounded by what seemed to be an endless scenery of maple leaves. It was a sight that made Izu slow down a pace or two to take a look around. How nostalgic....the crane remembered the times she and her siblings would go to visit their mother's birth clan only to be surrounded by a similar sight. While their own hearthside in wisteria grove was an endless painting of lilac and periwinkle, her cousins steaded in a place surrounded by vibrant palmate maples as far as the eye could see. It was a time and place that she might never be able to relive, and the thought filled her chest with a swirl of melancholy....

Finally, Izumi arrived in time to see the snowy dame attempting to....climb a tree? A strange sight, though it did manage to make the faintest of smiles appear on the crane's face just by how silly the scene looked from afar. A small step was taken to approach and make her presence known, but not before a large figure made itself known to Reiko first. It sent her into a small state of anxiousness, and the sound of loud heartbeats began pumping into her ears. Not being close enough to really hear what was coming out of the peppered sire's mouth, the young crane would slowly yet quietly approach the group with a soft chuff to announce her presence...

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Aerasha was following Reiko, finding there was nothing better to do. As it was still at least winter, she wasn't as reluctant to leave the tundra as she was before. If it was any other season, most likely the ex-princess would've bid the other au revoir, and staying within the arctic zone. She cannot stand the heat at all, and often finds herself in dizzy-spells staying in the areas too long. The summer was the most dreadful for her! 

Though she often wandered around. Usually somewhere Reiko was around, but Aerasha tended to find herself exploring the area idly, and tracing after her steps- oh was that her in the distance?

Though there was company!~

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@Izumi

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 She was so childlike, it was incredibly endearing. He chuckled as she gingerly took a leaf from his offered branch - though he noticed two other wolves coming in after the tiny one. He supposed they must be family of some sort, whether it was chosen or made. Nevertheless, he would nod to them respectfully and turn back to Reiko Izuka, who had just introduced herself. “It's an honor to meet you, miss Reiko. I'm Crux.” Here, have some charm. He turned back to the branch and took a small segment of it, pulling and twisting gently until it snapped under his teeth. Then, carefully he lifted his paw off of the branch he'd been holding, allowing it to spring back up to its place, high above Reiko's head.

 He dropped to his four legs and turned to face the newcomers and the one called Izshumi. He smiled pleasantly, placing the torn branch down before them and taking a step back so they could inspect more than just the one leaf she'd claimed. “It's quite something - the land outside this forest speaks of a coming Spring and yet it feels like an endless fall here.” He gazed up at the branches thoughtfully, then looked back at the newcomers.

 He watched them curiously. While Reiko was a tiny, feminine thing like a little fairy, her compatriots were much larger. The cream and brown wolf in the distance seemed more normal-sized, from how far up the tree trunks they stood. The other wolf was taller, with delicate black legs that faded into a white form and a face that matched. He couldn't help but appreciate the way she moved - something about it felt familiar in a way that made him long for home. “Hello, there,” he offered to Reiko's friends.

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Her steps were soft -- gentle as she walked, like prey trying it's best not to be seen or heard by a predator. Obviously the crane was not in that type of situation right now, but the anxiety bubbling up in her chest definitely didn't exert any confidence. It appeared as though they've intruded on somebody else's home while passing by, and the neurotic part of Izumi was telling her she needed to grab Reiko and leave immediately. Still -- for some reason, the atmosphere did not give off the feeling of a wolf trying to defend his home from a pair of intruders. The pale dove held a leaf in her mouth, one that the peppered sire granted her willingly, and she even invited the princess to take a step closer so that she could see as well; was there no danger to be found after all? Although for the present, the young fae preferred to stay (and awkwardly shuffle) where she was.

Dark ears swiveled behind Izumi to hear the sound of pacing behind her, assuming it was the rest of their group, and she would move to the side a bit to make room for their entrance. When he'd approached and spoke up to greet them all, Izu found herself unconsciously avoiding eye contact -- instead preferring to focus on the ground while respectfully bowing her head to the male. "My name is Izumi Fujiwara, and I travel with the group led by Reiko." the greyscale woman spoke, turning her purple gaze to the snowy female, and back to the one that accompanied her. "We were.....just passing by before stumbling upon this place. Is this where you call home?" 'And what do you call it?' was what the siamese wished to ask too, as she wanted nothing more than to further explore the very place that brought nostalgia of a distant memory. For now, however, it was best to keep things formal...

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@Izumi

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 The tiny white wolf seemed more than pleased with his gracious gift and pleasantries, offering her own. He smiled back, turning his attention to the others as she did. The approaching grey and white wolf was so cautious in her approach that he could not help but speak softly to them, attempting to make his formidable form less so. From having two (three?) mothers, he was well aware of the dangers and cautions they took around other wolves, especially males. Noting that she avoided eye contact, he gave her quiet respect. Reiko asked about the "how" of the forest and he gave a helpless shrug, turning his eyes to the great limbs of red that had so far offered him shelter and a quiet place to reside.

 Reiko apologies with eyes that reminded him of a lost puppy, and he shook his head with a smile. “No intrusion at all!” He addressed them all now, at least those within conversation distance. “I woke here fairly recently and have been working to make it - Bleakwood - my home along with a new friend who had a similar waking situation.” How queer was it that they woke so nearby, completely new to this world. He had had quite a fun time covering the brown lad in leaves before he had awoken and acted as if the leaves weren't even there. He'd been a shifting pile of red, something Crux figured that little Reiko here would have enjoyed seeing. “Did you by chance also wake with little memory of how you arrived?” It was such a strange situation he couldn't help but ask them.

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BHGVGFVHJNLKJO SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY GUYS!!!

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The crane stood up straight and with the same air of poise and regality as she was always taught to wear in the company of strangers. This was external, however, because Izu was actually still a little nervous around the new company despite hiding it pretty well. Violet hues followed the white dove as she moved closer, and a bit of the stress she felt beforehand seemed to turn to comfort when the pale woman who smelled of calming flora stood beside her. In response to the touch, Izu leaned a bit of her weight against Reiko before continuing.

"So you travel with others as well? It sounds like you plan to settle here as a group soon..." the she-wolf asked in response, curiosity peaking in the soft tones of her voice and wandering eyes peering around at the falling red leaves. He mentioned a friend of his, were there others here besides them? Then came the question that made Izu perk her ears -- one that she'd heard many-a-times too much for it to be a coincidence at this point.

"You as well?" Was the question she practically blurted out with raised brows, taking a step closer towards Crux and probably looking at him for the first time since trying to avoid the eye contact....

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@Izumi

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 The two white females seemed to be settling down now a bit, at least outwardly. They seemed to both understand now that Crux wasn't of the mind to attack them - any of them - and they could breathe.

 “Just one friend so far, Mordecai, but we're exploring the place and might gather more once we find a safe camp,” He offered a smile. At this point, he had no plans for making a pack in full, but he knew that just he and Mordecai were at risk if a larger, more dangerous group decided to move through.

 When asked about his waking, he laughed and nodded. “I woke in the forest and found Mordecai asleep in the leaves just a few minutes later.” He didn't quite mention that he had been the one to cover him in those leaves, but nevertheless... “What about you?”

 And then, Reiko spoke on her own experience. Crux listened intently, brow creasing in concern. Her waking sounded horrific, especially the final fact. “That sounds awful, I'm sorry.” He considered it, unsure whether or not to press into it. “Do you think your children woke here too, somewhere?” He hadn't met anyone from his past life either, but the idea of a mother losing her children this way... it was heartbreaking. Even he, thinking back to his own mother and the loss of his own family hurt, and time had passed. Their separation had not been through this strange place but instead through their own actions in some cases and through war in others.

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Sure!

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 He smiled at her gentle compliment on the idea of a life with family and friends, but said no more, opting to listen as she spoke on building a life of her own in the tundra. It was a respectable idea, one he perhaps would have decided on if he hadn't found himself awake in a forest that felt so much like home.

 She spoke on, describing them to him and asking for his assistance if he ever came across them. He nodded, “I will keep an eye and an ear for them. If I do find them, should they remain here with me until you pass through again, or should we send word to the Tundra?” He didn't feel quite comfortable sending children alone into the icy abyss, but if she did not feel like she would return here any time soon, he supposed that making a trek into the ice would be necessary. If only he knew exactly where she planned on making home.

 Nevertheless, “If you ever need a place to stay in the meantime, you're welcome here.” He'd offer a smile to Reiko and then to the other few gathered with. His home was small, a scattered gathering of a few wolves, but it was safe for a night or two.

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 The fair lady continued to be the only one speaking, which was fine - he would look to the others every so often to make sure they did not appear uncomfortable or offended. If they wanted to speak, he would not wish to speak over them and irritate them in that manner. Nevertheless, it seemed fine, so he'd continue to listen to Reiko the most.

 She wished the children to remain until she returned, which promised that unless she found them all, she would likely return. “Of course!” His smile was genuine - he loved children and he knew Mordecai did as well, if his interactions with the Shift siblings were any indication. “There's always space here.” That was especially true now, with only a handful of wolves present in the Wood. Eventually, it would fill up more, but even then he was sure that there would always be space for a few lost children, be that temporarily or permanently.

 His previous statement also fit to answer her last question. “That would be nice - Mordecai and I found a safe island on a river deeper in the forest; you're welcome to come stay there for as long as you need.” In a way, he hoped that the little white lady and her friends would decide to stay, but he knew how unlikely that was. She wished to go to the North, she wished to make a home there and find her children and raise them there.

 Still, there was a tiny tickle of hope.

 Even if that hope never grew into anything substantial, a friendship between his group and hers would do just fine.

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