You must go to the east, go to the west,

Content in life, Sorrell grew finely and had her own family, she had her own life and love, children and grandchildren.. Content as anyone would be, there was nothing more to wish within that life and continue on ; although as she grew older, her love for the hunt was clear she could not go on, and attend at the home, where she was rightfully taken care of. Previous mate long had passed away, so much that sometimes she could not remember his face — but she knew he would be happy for what was built and remained.. Where she thought, would be the day to rejoin along the friends she lost in time.

Within her sleep, the elderly coyote passed away surrounding by loved ones.

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But she woke up, not in the same land. Everything was unfamiliar, to the surrounding land that was full of hills, to the scentless claim that there was. The stiffness in her joints were long gone, and even Sorrell's vision was bright and clear, even blinking as the sun shined so brightly that she winced lightly upon opening her gaze. 

And there was no one around her..

She got up without difficulty, surprising in it's self and looking at her paws were not the elderly kind but young and strong. Even jumping for a moment she could feel the energy of youth sore, the same energy as if she was but a young adult. Her legs moved before her mind thought of it, soaring across the lands and through the hills, the breeze passing through her white pelt and her smilingly so freely, how long had it been since she felt this?

And finally, Sorrell stopped at a pond, and saw hereself.

She was.. Young.

It looks as if she was given another chance at life, but couldn't help wonder why? For her first was filled with abundancy and warmth, and she would ask nothing to be changed. Children, grandchildren, all too happy to see her kin flourish.. Then what was next?

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for the Fujiwara family, @Izumi first!

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❁

  The crane's wandering feet lead her deeper into the plains today, having felt a new surge of energy for the morning to come for a hunt. She had still been in shock to see @Aika so suddenly, but it was not a bad kind of shock. Aika and Chiharu were alive -- her family was coming back from the ruins one by one and the crane bird wasn't even prepared for such a blessing. If two of her sisters roamed the same world as she then what of Hikari, and even Taro? -- even if she had seen his lifeless body so long ago, Izumi herself thought she was a goner after falling from the cliff that day. Anything was possible...

  If they really were coming back, she needed to protect them. Yes -- this is what she had brought her back to life for. To make her family whole again...

  Her intentions today were to journey on a little hunt, somewhere more different and hopefully with more variety in terms of prey. Maybe even grab something for her sister to eat if she had still been in the area, but something else caught her eye in the distance instead as she sloped up and down the soft hills; a coyote. In truth, the dame could not tell if they were taking a drink from a few feet away, but she still kept a respectable distance away to watch them. Uncertain of what to do.

  Izumi was alone, after all. If they'd spotted her, it would only take one alarmed bark to alert others -- and from there, attacks might've been put above misunderstandings....

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Life was quite strange like that, but who was she to take this new life for granted? There was a moment of thankfulness, pleasantry all-around, and knew well that the previous one was well-guarded and safe. Her family in a bliss, and surely did not need Sorrell anymore — worries were not there, but maybe, just maybe, she did miss her grandchildren lightly. To the point she took a double take when the coyote looked up and saw one in the distance, that for just a moment, thought was one of her own kin.

But she was mistaken — they by every means was a wolf ; but they so reminded her of her grandchildren lightly. It was funny how her family was mostly black and white, and that her daughters brood held more a purple-knit in their eye-color.. Wouldn't it be funny if they too, were here? But alas, a wolf was just a wolf, but at least did not charge Sorrell with hostility, and only seemed to look with a strange hesitance.

"Hello dear," Sorrell stepped forward with attempts at communication, for if this was a time after her death, who was to say what would happen? Wouldn't it be funny like that, if they could mingle instead of fight.

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  They had made eye contact, and the muscles in Izumi's shoulder twitched in anxiety. Next, she had expected a yowl -- that same, high-pitched sound most coyotes would make to alert others, and within seconds the crane would have no choice but to start running if she wished to live. Yet surprisingly, none of that had transpired -- she stepped forward and greeted her. The crane blinked a few times at the unexpected outcome, lilac eyes trailing down to peek at the smaller canine.

  She was a delicate-looking thing; pale as freshly fallen snow, with fine-boned yote features and large dark eyes, accented by the beauty marks that trailed beneath one of them. Izumi licked her lips conflictedly, though her shoulders did untense a bit in knowing that she wasn't going to be a part of a coyote ambush just yet. “...Hello...” -- the crane finally greeted back, looking around just one last time to see if there really wasn't anymore faces lying in wait, then looking back down with a curious cant of her crown.

  “I was expecting a more...violent ending than this, if I must be honest...”

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"I suppose I was expecting the same.." she laughed lightly, "but new wonders have brought me here, is it the same for you?" By tongues interacting, it shouldn't be too surprising — Sorrell knew vaguely how they could interact and yet their species were dead-locked in an endless struggle, coyotes, usually upon the losing end. But never in her wildest dreams would she find herself having a conversation as one ; but much less re-awakening within a younger body as well. Nothing was too surprising in this strange, new realm.

At heart Sorrell knew this was not the same land, or region. She was somewhere, casted away brought forth, for unknown reasonings.

The wolf before her was strong in white with ink-points, a petal-gazed of lavender flowers and even the personality reminded her greatly of her grandchildren. Cautious, calming and stoic, and all too serious but only meant within a good heart, "Fear not, I am alone," but pinged lightly with a saddened expression on this newfound.. Lonesome self — someone who was always surrounded by family, and only within the recent year found herself in a more quiet time.. She suppose she would not see them again.

But they'd be alright, and so would she.

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  Perhaps you can say she shared a similar kind of amusement to this interaction. It would've been rare to see the day were a wolf and coyote could ever be brought together in a motivation never related to death. How suspicious the cranebird was of it now, and how she still lingered within stiff muscle and a twist within her chest as she stood before the woman now -- wondering if it was all a ruse. Wondering if there was a moment where she did need to run soon...

  Though it certainly did not seem like it. No lingering scents were about, confirming that she was genuine about being alone. Yet there was something melancholic within her words that Izumi could help but sense. “"I can not say....exactly what brought me here, if I can describe it best..."” Izumi answered, assuming they'd been asking for her arrival in the plains. “I traverse wherever the winds guide me, without intentions...”

  Feeling as though this conversation was in need of balance, the inked crane took this as an opportunity to inquire about the woman herself. “What of you? Are the plains your home?”

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"A wayfarer. Life is but a journey after all, and there is much to see." To be young again, without the thoughts of family to care and bare for ; Sorrell remembered that life fondly and thought at times had missed, she did not regret what was. Seen the world as it was and all that adventures, it was why she was so.. Confused on this newfound younger self. Where she had lived to the fullest, saw what needed to be seen, a family.. She could try not to think about it, but it was still confusing for Sorrell.

Accepted to what had happened, and to start anew, but she knew not where to begin. Yet before her, the first in this new life and new body was a woman, a wolf to the boot, though species not connected, it reminded Sorrell so fondly o fher family that she couldn't help but wonder if maybe something, was connected one way or another, to this stranger.

"The forests, the plains, they were my home, with my family. Yet fate seems to grant me another, strange, isn't it?"

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They had only had a few exchanges thus far, but even Izumi could tell that this was a woman of deep meaning -- with a story behind her words that were too elusive to be known just yet. She seemed so mature and friendly against any of the crane's assumptions and for a moment, Izu felt foolish for even having them. There were a handful of non-wolven creatures she had met within her lifetime that were never like what their precived notions had carried on -- this young woman seemed to be no exception to that rule...

and strangely enough, she couldn't help but think they'd resembled a smaller version of @Hikari, too.....not that she would picture her sister being any larger than the coyote before her...

“There is far too much to see. A journey to feel overwhelmed by. Yet let our paws set foot within it and you can find yourself becoming addicted to it...” Izumi would agree -- the crane's own way of saying how her own journey had frightened her, and enlightened her at the same time. There was so much to her journey that would come undone, and within the current events that had came, the journey was not yet finished.

“Fate likes to do that, it would seem....” She'd mention, as if 'fate' was no more than an annoying neighbor she'd known all too well -- up to all sorts of various shenanigans.

She slowly sat, just then, feeling comfortable enough to rest her hind quarters below the soft grass.

“You are in similar circumstances as the many other souls that wander this land...” she explained “--how long have ypu been here? Are these the plains you remember?”

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"I'm afraid it's only been.. Perhaps a few hours." She admitted with a light carefree chuckle, "I had passed away in my homeland, only to awake in unfamiliar lands. But perhaps it's all more of the journey, and maybe even a destiny to meet you on moments of these new beginnings." Perhaps that was it ; the imagine of her granddaughters and daughters appearing in the similarity that was Izumi, Sorrell slowly connecting some dots, whether they were purposefully there or not.. What else did she have to lose within this world, of starting anew and nothing to her name?

"I am Sorrell, miss, what name shall I call you?"

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In comparison to many who had been here for months, years, or perhaps even there whole lives unbeknownst to Izumi -- the snowy 'yote lady had freshly risen mere hours ago -- from death. Seemingly so calm about it, whereas Izumi had been freaking out for weeks in trying to locate Kaistleoki or any place within the Teekons that would strike her as farmiliar. It was a little suprising, and her head tilted curiously to see if they'd been feigning serenity -- for the sake of saving face towards each other. The crane wouldn't mind them showing such and comforting them as she'd known how it felt, but it surely didn't seem like it...“Sorrell...” her name rang on her tounge, absorbing it's unfamiliar origins. “You may call me Izumi -- a wander, though what I wander for is a mystery even to myself....”

“Though maybe that mystery is fading....people I'd thought dead myself wander these lands...”

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"Child," old habit dies hard, "I too have perished.. But find myself reborn in but a younger form. Perhaps but a blessing in disguise or a fate that is entertwined to us. I believe even our meeting, was intended by fate." A serendipity took over as Sorrell expressed this, perhaps a minor.. Feeling that something one way or another had to be the reason. She was content with a life and more then ready to pass on and retire for the afterlife, but instead she awoke, fresh in the pawsteps of a younger glory. Her paws flexed and her tail flickered, a vigor that she had long forgotten.

"Those who wander and myself seem to be twined with you. I dare say, and dare ask, perhaps I can join your journey." A different confident taking, one where she felt a more grasping on so. It wasn't though, that Sorrell knew what else she was to do in this life, an exploration and family of the sorts? A day to return, a day of another — she knew not if to repeat a husband that perished young and renew the young she adored.. But for now, to enjoy life as it was.

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'Child' -- she couldn't help be taken aback by being called such a thing.....child. It felt like she was being talked to by someone much older than her. She was no wiz at determining the age of a person outside her own species, but didn't Sorrell seem somewhat young? She tilted her head to examine them with this thought, as she couldn't have been as old as the crane was, and her attention was soon drifted to her words as she confirmed such. The crane was aware of the emergence of souls from another life, but wasn't aware they'd be able to come back aged differently.

Eyes fluttered in a bit of suprise when Sorrell would then show intrest in joining her and the group in their journey, and though the thought of her willingly joining a group of her own natural rivals did make Izumi wonder for a bit, the answer was already set in stone. “Of course -- Id need all the help I can get.” She'd answer with a hint of enthusiasm gleaming luster in her eyes, a tail wagging softly behind her.

The lingering thought was kept to herself, but...Izumi wouldn't be lying if she said she wasn't a bit worried of how the others would perceive a coyote within the group, and whether or not it was safe for Sorrell. The crane would have to keep an eye out for the small woman, incase something bad were to happen to her along the way.

Shifting in her position a bit, the cranebird would tilt her muzzle up a bit, gesturing them to come closer and sit, if they wished -- “What can you offer to the group. Are you good at hunting? Herbalism or anything that might help?”

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"You learn many tricks with age, dabbling in many of the arts. I would not say I have mastered any, and yet have knowledge in all. To healing, to hunting, to tracking and fighting. With old-joints that prevent movement, you learn to read the stars and the sky." Sorrell was no expert in any of what she knew, and yet had knowledge of most refined things, due to the need of survival. Wolves were strange in that sense that many often had different 'ticks' what they took in, and often blocked out most. Yet within the pack of coyotes, most knew of all the arts, and had learned so. She made sure her children knew, and the children from them ; some, took a liking to certain things.. But they all had sub-surface knowledge.

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If you want, we can fade out here, or with your next post? <3

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As the coyo lady spoke, the cranebird nodded her head in approval. She was a woman who dabbled in more than one sport of life, and that alone could prove useful in helping the group -- or even training, if she was up for it. Though the crane was a tad unsure about the fighting part...how could such a tiny woman know of combat? A wandering thought, on brought on by her own ignorance. She'd never seen Sorrell fight before, nor a coyote fight one on one, but just didn't know how to picture it in her head.

Maybe in the future, the two of them could come back to the topic.

Izumi would stand back to her feet, using a paw to groom away the stray peices of grass caught within her fur; “I hadn't known you dabbled in so many things,” the crane answered, though decided to keep her curiosity of combat out of the question for now. She wasn't aware of the way coyotes functioned, though it sounded like Sorrell was multi-skilled for the sole purpose of survival. If she did choose to stick around, would Izumi be able to provide her the comfort she was farmiliar with? Only time could tell.

“Might I request a small hunt to start off our alliance? I want to see how you hunt with my own eyes.” another topic she was curious about. How well would a coyote and wolf sync on hunting grounds, anyway?

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