When the sparrows stop their singing and the sky is clear and red

 Finally, the forest was ahead. His body shivered in excitement, even as exhaustion tickled at his spine. This trip had taken far, far longer than he had expected. @Mordecai had been a valuable friend and ally through their trip, though they had often given each other room to breathe and meet strangers, like the young @Brilliance and numerous wolves from other packs.

 He had even met a wonderful lady who he also felt the urge to return to, one who solidified an alliance between his pack and another forming at the eastern edge of the mountains.

 Crux admired the leaves that still held that lovely warm hue. He checked the scents, noting those of Palace and Blackbeard along with others he recalled and even faint scents of those he did not. The scent of those he knew were strong enough for him to be satisfied that his time away had not stripped his home from his people.

 He lifted his head to howl to them: “Wolves of Event Horizon, I'm home.” He would continue on into the heart of the woods, regardless of whether his people came to him or ignored his call. It was not a summons, but he hoped that they would come and squash his anxieties of coup in his absence.

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Glacier had been a hell of a homebody lately. But starting a garden from scratch was no easy task, and neither was fishing. But the plants were beginning to need a little less hovering and he was starting to get this fishing thing down. 

His once-disheveled fur was sleek and plush from a steady diet of mint and lavender and delicious rainbow trout and the like, and the stand-offish healer trotted light and graceful through the odd red trees toward his leader's call, giving his just-groomed pelt a shake so it had a nice, natural tousle to it. He was a vain creature, what could he say? He was considered a bit plain where he came from, but his mother always made sure to praise all of her children. Egos were a useful thing to have, even if she deflated them in other areas.

She was an odd one, Glacier's mother, and some days he was glad she wasn't telling him how to live his life anymore, some days he missed her, other days he cursed her. Always in his head, though. He didn't think he could curse her out loud if his life depended on it. Some things, one just didn't do. 

"Had a good trip, I hope." The wolf hummed as he spotted Crux's telltale looming frame, bright and pale against the forest, just ahead.
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 It had been a really long trip but he was glad to have taken it with his leader. It had been fun and a lovely reconnaissance and bonding mission. However, he was glad to be back home. When they'd crossed into those woods with the red leaves and bluish fog, he knew he was home. His tail started to wiggle a bit behind him as he tracked along behind Crux. Although, he'd fallen behind a bit, since they were safe back at home. He wanted to poke his nose in this and that. It hadn't been his intention to fall behind but it had happened and it wasn't until he heard the howl did he realize that he was so far behind. Oops.

 He finished poking at a badger's set and bundled along the path back towards the camp. He managed to make it back in a timely manner to see Crux with Glacier. He came up alongside his leader and let out a friendly bark to his packmate. "Halloooo! It was great! There's so much awesome stuff and packs and wolves out there!" He said with a grin. He'd let Crux answer the specifics while he beamed happily at the other wolf. Man, seeing everyone and having all the familiar smells in his nose was so nice!

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 It had become a habit to sleep in Crux's den. The weeping willow and the faint scent of his Papa Crux kept the lonely boy company and reminded him that the man would be home one day. It wouldn't be soon enough that he would get to lay eyes on the patriarch once more.

 The past night was no different. The young fawn had gone to sleep in that special place, curled up with his head against his side with the scent of wolf all around him. It was funny... What was once a terrifying smell now was comforting and brought peace. All of the wolves that lived here in Event Horizon were family to him but none so close as his sire.

 That was why when he heard that familiar voice, it woke him from his slumber. His ears were the first to perk up and then his head popped up as he looked around eagerly. No, he hadn't imagined those voices. He rose to his hooves, shaking away the sleep which clung to him like water, and began to stumble towards the voices. As he went, he became more surefooted and picked up the pace. Then, when he saw the familiar white and black shape, he was running. The boy was silent as ever until he launched himself into Crux's side and began to nuzzle the familiar form. His little tail wiggled back and forth joyfully. "Papa Crux!" He didn't care that the others would see him, he only cared about breathing in his papa's comforting scent. "Missed you..." But now he was back! He was so happy!

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 The first face he saw among the reds of the trees was one framed in its own shade of red: The healer, Glacier. Crux waved his tail in greeting towards the man as he approached, smiling at him. Mordecai rushed in to chatter about the trip and the prince laughed, allowing his friend to take the lead. “It was, thank you,” he said once Mordi had to take a breath, “We've managed to secure one alliance and meet several other packs, both new and neighbor.” They'd met the wolves of Pantheon, Elkshire, once again the Nightwalkers, and even passed through Empyrean to meet with Hydra again.

 And of course, of most interest to him: He'd managed to find a wife within their somewhat nearby neighbor Elysium.

 His time to speak of her would come soon, however - as the boy he'd worried most about during his trip appeared and was instantly at his side.

 He lowered his own head to nuzzle against the boy, hearing his voice with joy in his heart. “I missed you too, Hawking!” He had met wolves who cared about deer a whole lot, but he still wasn't set on who to have his boy trained by. It was harder than one thought to find deer who wanted to speak with wolves. After all, the fluffy creatures generally would care more about setting their teeth in deer's throats than listening to anything that came out of them.

 “How has the pack been in my absence? I'm sorry it took so long, there was much to see.” He would eventually make a similar trek again, but all he wanted to do now was collapse in his den with his friends and adoptive family and take a long, well deserved nap. “No coups or wars, hm?”

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Brilliance hung back when she’d been told they were approaching pack lands. It was weird and she wasn’t one hundred percent this is what she should be doing. This pack was the one she was born in, it wasn’t the one that housed her family. It just had some guy named Crux she followed and another wolf named Mordecai she hardly spent any time around. Hanging back behind them, she was slow to approach. They were never fully out of sight but she needed the space to roll over the possibilities.

 Did she even need them? She had @Agrafina. The bird brought her food, something she’d munch on s=just to get by, but otherwise her thin form ignored any other offerings. She was sure she could by just enough without the man she followed.

 Except she was still haunted by the weird interaction with the deer and scary wolf some time ago. She hadn’t brought it up but she knew she was far more vulnerable out in the wild. A bird, even a raptor, wasn’t going to protect her as much as she might need fellow brethren.

 So, instead of turning tail and fleeing, Brilliance took a deep breath and continued onward. Crux howled and she hovered back, several yards between her and the pair, waiting as other wolves came out of the woodwork.

 And a deer.

 What is with this place?
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Agrafina wasn't generally too far behind Brillo since the attack on the male wolf, and right now was no exception. She had been in the shadows, not wanting to announce herself unless her friend needed her. She was currently surrounded by other wolves, but it seemed she didn't mind, so the falcon didn't intervene. Instead, she stayed perched upon her branch, ready at a moment's notice if needed.

Feel free to skip Agrafina unless she is address.

---

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 Once @Brilliance had arrived behind him, slinking out of the shadows with her bird friend at her rear, he looked at her with an encouraging smile. @Hawking seemed content to be by his side - though Crux noticed with a grin that he had grown a good deal during the trip - while @Glacier seemed lost in his head. None of them offered any answer for his question so, despite a rush of wondering if that meant that he had been dethroned in his absence, he figured that nothing was better than bad.

 So he looked to the girl.

 “Brilliance, these are some of my packmates. Glacier is a healer, while my friend @Mordecai here who traveled with us leads some of the soldiers. This is Hawking, my adoptive son,” he indicated to each as he introduced them before looking back at the girl. “I can show you to the childrens' den where you can meet some of the other under-yearlings, if you'd like?” He offered a gentle and encouraging smile, before looking up to the hawk with that same smile.

 “I hope you like it here.” If not... he'd have to figure something out. Try to figure out what made wolves want to stay here for a short time before vanishing into the mist without a word.

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