Fire

He takes a breath, smoke filling his lungs leading to a harsh cough. When he felt the ground shake before, he took it as the worst possible thing. Florence had felt that before. He had felt the heat before. Nothing about it was right. He was running... Running, running. Running to nowhere as he was too tired to keep going. He was falling.

There was flames - he could feel the burning, smell the scent of flesh on fire as it overtook everything.

And then there was nothing.

Florence shot up with a start, his breaths were coming in as shallow huffs, leaving him trembling against the side of a redwood. He blinked open his eyes - only seeing through one - as he quickly did a sweep of his surroundings despite himself. The sun was setting. Orange and red hues covered the sky in a blanket. It reminded him of before and even before that. He tore away from the sunset, instead peering into the trees around him. Don't look. Do not look. He forced his breathing down, and hid behind another tree, away from the orange and red hues.

This wasn't the same place as before.

The realization hits like a train hurling itself over the tracks and onto its side.

There was no volcano. There was no pond. It was just trees and a mountain outcropping. There wasn't any fire here. There wasn't going to be any fire here. The ground was calm and wasn't rumbling underneath his paws, the temperature was fine. He wasn't in danger. Florence opened his mouth to speak, only for it to burn. That wasn't normal. That definitely was not normal. Water would fix that, only he didn't want to go looking just yet. Where was he?

"Hello?" His voice came out harsh, cracking with unuse and pain. He winced at the sound and feeling of it.

@Célnes - Have a scared boyo

+1 Discovery Points

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Wandering by the many streams that carried through the forest, Célnes was observing the growing life that was coming through. As spring was already here. Vegetation was to bloom, and so was the flower buds she could see alongside the water. She assumed it would be the place wildlife would flourish the most, and couldn't deny her curiosity on what to expect. Knowing this forest only in winter.. What would grow soon?

Though it seemed her study would be cut short, as a faint hello was heard in the distance. The Deorwine's ears twitched and she rose from her lower stance and followed so. It was quite strange how many wolves awoken up in this forest, she wasn't sure if the High Elk orchestrated, or all but a coincidence. Generally she didn't chase out with such prowess, instead gave pleasantries until they left by themselves- or stay.

However it seemed she was truly cursed in some way. A true oddity appeared, one she necessarily couldn't explain. He looked just as confused as she was by his appearance, but Célnes was quick to reform herself in a persona of calm and regalness, "it seems you have wandered into my forest."

A split being.. What would their religion say about that? How curious.

+1 Discovery Points

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Florence got replied to with silence, and he wondered if he truly was alone in this place. It would be fitting, considering the volcano got to him when he left the pack borders to explore, or the fact that he grew up alone in a wasteland. Still, Florence absolutely did not believe the afterlife was as lonely as this - if it even was the afterlife at all. He found that hard to believe, even if he certainly remembered his death in great detail. But this wasn't the valley from before, nor was this the dominion. Caligula wasn't here, and neither were the rest of his packmates.

The voice of a stranger caught his attention, and Florence turns to a chocolate brown wolf. His one green and yellow eye caught her orange ones, and Florence wondered if he'd done something wrong. After she spoke, it was obvious enough. This is claimed land. He'd woken up on claimed land. His tail perks up into a forced wag and a smile touches his maw.

"I have no idea how I got here!" He exclaims, that is true, at least.

Florence debates how much he should say, and ultimately decides talking about his death is a completely bad idea.

"I went to sleep in the evening and just woke up here! Do you know what happened?" Most likely not, since the two'd never met before, but he kind of was playing a little dumb.

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As well as the oddity that was his split colors, the wolf before her had a mismatched look. Célnes remembered another fellow who held a similar gaze, but their parting did not end on a positive note, and she still holds his betrayal at the back of her mind. She couldn't hold that prejudiced against him, but there was definitely an unease that was brought to. The elders never said anything about a chimera of sorts, and she wondered whether the more devouts would think on this.

"Majority seem to simply wake up without knowing, as I did as well. There is not much that is known." The information he sought she could not grant, likewise it was something she would wish to know. However answers seem to be unlikely to be found, and she grown to accept that matter. It was better to rebuild then hope for the past that been destroyed. Célnes wondered what happened to the leftover Kingslend v2 wolves.

"What will you do now?"

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Florence feels tiny in front of Celnes. He's not even the smallest wolf out there and he feels tiny. She doesn't look like she's out to get him, so he isn't that worried about being attacked, but still. He feels like he's being assessed under his gaze, and the wolf has no idea how to feel about it. It almost reminds him of when he almost wasn't allowed to join the Dominion - he'd nearly had to beg for it, but through the word of a previous leader got in. Along with his healing skills, but Florence couldn't recall if he ever told them when he was asking to join. The leader certainly got upset with him over the way he spoke. Oh. Oh. Florence spoke without the accent and without the split words. That was strange, but at least others could understand him now.

His question is answered but now he only has more questions. Why are wolves waking up all over the place for seemingly no reason? Why is he even vaguely alive? None of it makes sense, but it's clear the woman has no idea about those things either. It seems like none of the other wolves would have the answer to that either, and Florence shelves it away to ponder about it later. The question he gets in return isn't surprising, and the wolf completely forgets that he was panicking moments before.

"I'm gonna find a new home I guess!" He perks up - or maybe at least find a place where he could be useful. Going with a group seemed like the best choice, especially with wolves waking up all over for no apparent reason.

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"There are a few packs around - particularly my own. We are named Elkshire, allied with Night Walkers who roam a few forests away." Beyond their forest of the elken kind and beautiful trees, were the plains and even more forests. She had yet to travel further and only vaguely knew of their direction from Vengeance's words, and sooner or later she would need to do a proper visit. Though as there was nothing urgent, she had no reason to, especially as now her claim was not very stable.

As now spring approached, the vegetation and fauna were flourishing heavily. Greenery sprouted all around, and the trees produced the lush color of a ripe spring- pines dropping even more cones as the slowly sprouted further as a seedling. A thicket, of grass and herbs, wildlife scavenging against the ground as now they return from their eternal slumber, only to be seen that wolves have claimed their forest.

"I am Célnes, Queen of the forest."

+1 Discovery Points

---

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A few packs already? It seemed super soon, but the wolf wasn't entirely surprised in the first place. Most liked staying close to others if it meant keeping out of trouble, or if the group had ties before appearing here. There were a lot of factors that went into packs quickly forming, and Florence knew how to keep an eye out for them. If this one was building its ranks already, it meant that it was strong enough to keep going even with strangers close. Things like that would draw wolves that didn't know about them closer if they wanted a home for themselves (like Florence). He was curious about the Nightwalkers too, but just on name alone they sounded kind of shady, and Florence wasn't all that into shady at the moment.

Plus, with spring now here and the plants flourishing, certain groups would be looking for healers about now, wouldn't they? He had the skills for it, but not the knowledge of every group in the place. Knowing about two of them was enough for the wolf - so he figured he would start asking questions. Especially knowing Celnes is the queen - it meant she was the leader.

"What's Elkshire about?" He questioned.

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"I am a Déorwine, and thus family often is called to this forest. Follows of the High Elk - though not all follow, even I stray from his words time to time." As all religions do, they pick and choose the most favorite of phrases. In the beginning did Célnes ignore the prejudiced that brought to the white kin, but now her mind scorned them so, an vengeance against them, for her brother falling alongst their sins. Though she did not follow the same thoughts to the other colors, despite their culture saying otherwise, black, gray, gold.. Only white, was hideous to her.

"Elkshire, is family." Deep within the forest they lay, personally secluded from most, but slowly does she spin the web of allies. Previously it did not work so well, and history kept repeating that without size that the original Kingslend had, they were to fall. With one ally within her grasp, she was willing to now push a paw out for more - but Célnes needed to be careful. There are certain wolves she would not deal with.

"What is your name, stranger?"

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Family being called to a forest? Was it instinctually? How did anyone know to come here? It didn't make that much sense to Florence, but maybe it had something to do with the High Elk? If the Elk controlled all of them then did he tell them all to come here? How did they communicate with the Elk? So many questions Florence wanted to ask, but it wasn't time yet. He also wondered why the group would follow him in the first place if they strayed away from some of his rulings - didn't that just mean they created their own thing out of something previously made by someone else? Still, he wasn't going to get angry about it. There was nothing to be angry about, even.

Elkshire is family. Florence didn't quite understand that one, either. Were they a family group? It sure sounded like something like that, but he supposed he wouldn't truly know if he didn't ask. Florence only noticed that he didn't introduce himself when Celnes asked him what his name was.

"Florence." he replied. "Who is the High Elk?"

+1 Discovery Points

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"For us, He with a thousand Horns, she who blesses us with bountiful land - the Déorwine God." There was a sort of nirvana that glinted in her eyes, like enlightment that spoke of him, despite some disdain that whispered into her heart. She always switched between love and hatred, for he truly gave light to wherever she went, but at the same time brought mishaps to her own ventures, often getting in the way to the true power she wants.

"One may never seem him, but his followers. In this forest one may never hunt a deer with antlers." She warned hardly, for any time they wanted peace, hunting one with antlers would ruin any chance. She didn't follow all of the traits that came with worshipping him, but even Célnes fell into this quite hard. It was something unholy, something that strike her soul on the thought of so. Such beautiful creatures to harmed, seemed like a sin.

"Asking many questions, and maybe many more. Are you perhaps interested in joining?" All the information given freely, but would he give something in return?

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Speaking so highly of something that they couldn't prove existed.... It was a strange thing to Florence, but he was willing to listen. It was another odd thing, that they didn't ever see the High Elk - was he dead? How did they know he was the one blessing them if they didn't see him directly? Those were questions Florence wanted answers to, but he doubted he would ever get them. Would it be offensive to ask? He took note of the hunting tip, though Florence would never be able to hunt down something as strong as an Elk. Not even a deer. Not without practice he didn't have, and not without a group he didn't have. Florence stuck to the smaller things - his body didn't hate him for it, and he was able to keep himself alive for moons without help because of it. Even if he did join a pack somewhere in between.

"Okay." It was the simplest answer he could give, but he did nod in understanding along with it.

At the question of joining, Florence nearly did a double take. Didn't he just say he was looking for somewhere to call home? He'd been dropping hints this whole time, the wolf honestly expected the question to come a little bit sooner. He wasn't going to bring it up directly himself, digging for information about the world was more important, even if he did get a little curious about this Elk along with it.

"Do you need a healer?" He shot back, tail doing a wiggle. "I know lots! From healing to poison, I could even teach someone if you wanted!" All true.

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"A healer is always welcomed." Rather, she knew at the moment they were voided of them. Warriors were something she desired the most at the moment, but the Queen would never pass upon a healer joining. Not to mention the more that there was, the more safe many could feel. For if one was sick then there was plenty more, she was quite pleased that this strange bi-colored man appeared. Despite posessing that oddity of cursed colors that he has, she could overlook, for simplicity of his skills, "Perhaps one day can lend me a lesson. It's a useful skill to have."


"Welcome to our forest." and she welcomed him so. While snakish as her smile was, there was a pleasantry and warmth, as she opened the Elk's Crown to him.

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Florence figured her answer would be something like that - he didn't know of any group that would decline a healer. As far as he was aware - at least based on the previous lands he roamed - they were rare. Just because he was in a pack with one in it already previously, that didn't mean he wasn't needed in said pack. It just meant that pack's resources were needed more and they could ask favors as they pleased. With packs only just forming, Florence supposed some of them might be out looking for those with healing knowledge, even.

Elkshire was one of the lucky ones, for now anyway.

"Thank you, and of course! I'll teach you anything!" Anything that wouldn't put him in a worrying situation, anyway.

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