Let's Reunite

[☼ Sunstorm]

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[atrb=background,http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/stephers1995/Crouse-2---MIDDLE.png] Though I'd visited this territory a few times, it was very unfamiliar to me. The most recent time I'd ever set foot here was dim to me, though I remember bits and pieces. Those bits and pieces consisted of Joaquin, and I'd already realized that this was the place that...Well, the place that made me a father. The wind was strong here, pushing and pulling at my creamy white fur as if it could ever move me. Perhaps in a storm, but the sky was completely clear. The wind was simply from the black sea that stretched before me. I turned away from it, slowly moving my paws to carry me closer to the cliffs. Maybe I could find a rock to shelter myself while I did some thinking. Boy, did I have a lot of thinking to do. Here I was, somewhere around the very place that was going to change my status. I hadn't had all too much to worry about before, to be honest. Yeah, there was a war coming up, but fighting was something that I loved and something that came naturally to me. No worries there. Sure, I'd dealt with the stresses of my relationship with Joaquin, because I'd screwed up by screwing Twilight Heaven. I don't think I regret that, either, but whatever. And now I was going to actually be responsible for something. Joaquin better not have many of our spawns or I would kill myself. Not literally, of course, because I loved myself way too much for that. But if I could barely stand Jesse, why the hell would I want three or four--or however many that bitch popped out--more pups? Now I kind of regretted that blurry day where my mind wasn't quite in control. I suceeded in finding nice rock to shelter myself behind, and I lowered my haunches and curled my tan tail around my paws. This was the place that was changing me. I kind of hated that, and I wondered why I was here in the first place, but I had no desire to move, either. I'd just sit and wait, though what I was waiting for, exactly, I wasn't sure about. As it turns out, this day was going to be more eventful that I had thought. I just didn't know it yet. ooc:// Ick, I hate this post. >> But here you go! This is for Auburn.

[Ember]

Auburn

I took a deep breath of air, making sure that my mom wasn't following. She was standing a few feet back, watching me with her deep blue eyes, but I didn't dare turn back to meet her gaze.

Ember had a few issues with me hunting by myself. For one, she was used to keeping me under her care. She can't accept the fact that I'm been on this earth for three years now, that I can take care of myself. She still thinks I'm a pup.

I sigh heavily, my breath misting in the cool early winter air. " Mother, let me hunt. By myself, " I added, throwing a quick glance at her. She huffed, but let me contuie walking out of the forest.

I sighed in relief. Finally, a chance to explore this island. I sarted into a lazy jog, heading in a random direction. As soon as Ember was out of sight, I broke into a run, my amber eyes shining. Freedom, at last.

I headed northwest, the chilly winter air that would affect another, skinneir wolf, not touching my thick winter pelt. My thoughts roamed as my feet did.

I was curious about this place. Ember never told me anything about, except about my brother and sister. If I remember right, thier names were Crouse and Sage. I was eager to see them again, if our fates were to ever cross.

I shook my head, wanting to get away from those thoughts. What if our fate was to meet at a battlefeild? No, I wouldn't, couldn't think about that.

The ground changed beneath my feet from soft forest floor to thick grass. I saw mountains rising and changed my course to adviod them.

Thump, thump, went my paws as I ran across the soft valley grass that hid in the shadows of the mountains. I felt a strong urge to howl, to express my feellings, but surrpressed it, my urge to explore greater.

I cross the mountainus area, and then came to a dusty open forest area. I could smell wolf scent, and so I avioded it, as I did n't want to meet anyone right now. I speed up, my paws crossing the ground faster than ever.

The ground changed again, to a smooth black sand . I stopped, hungry to get a decent breath. I ran so fast, and for so long, my muscles were aching.

A scent came to my nose. The smell of a wolf, familar and yet a stranger to me. I was puzzled by this scent, so I followed to where it led. It soon led me to it's owner, a creamy white wolf that stood out against the black sand.

The wind my blowing my scent to him, so I waited for him to noticed that I was there.

[☼ Sunstorm]

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[atrb=background,http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/stephers1995/Crouse-2---MIDDLE.png] I will admit, I did have a sasifactory amount of time alone before someone finally came stumbling along, but that didn't mean that I was to pleased when someone did come up. I wanted to brood, but unless I could manage to chase him away, I couldn't do that. And I was feeling quite lazy, anyway, so that meant I wasn't doing any kind of chasing. When the scent finally made its way to my nose, my nose flared and my head turned so that my eyes could glare at the stranger. One was appropriately cold, that one being the bright blue one. The other, however, was a warmer color, that color being brown. The two seemed to hold different emotions by themselves, disregarding whatever true emotion I was expressing. They starkly contrasted one another. I took in the stranger's size first, judging whether or not I'd be able to hold my own against him. Oh definitely; it wasn't that he was incredibly small, but he was much shorter than I was. I'd inherited longer legs, bringing me to a taller height than he. The next thing I was looking for were markings or colors I recognized; he had a creamy brown coat, with auburn markings on places like his ears, face, and legs. Nope, I didn't even recognize him by his amber eyes. Just another stranger. But what was weird was he was just standing there, staring, waiting. It took a lot to make me feel uncomfortable, and while this guy was far from making me feel that way, he was kind of pissing me off. "'ey, buddy, what the hell are you lookin' at, huh?" Geez, just keep staring why don'tcha. I rose to my paws, glaring with my bi-colored eyes as I took just a few steps closer. I was still in the shelter of the rock, so the wind wasn't about to lash out at me, but the few steps made it clear that I wasn't a playful one. While I snapped these unfriendly words, I noticed how ruffled he looked. No, I wasn't talking about just the wind, because that would ruffle any creature. It seemed like he'd been running, and for a while, too. That instantly put me on my guard; what was he running from? Was he being chased? If I was back at the Crystal Stream and I'd noticed him there, then I wouldn't be worried, because I had easy backup. But here, in this unfamiliar territory? I needed to know if he was a friend or foe, and quite soon, too. ooc:// Auburn doesn't have a friendly brother. xD

[Ember]

Auburn

"'ey, buddy, what the hell are you lookin' at, huh?" The creamy white wolf said, as he noticed me. He turned his gaze on me, one eye blue, blue as a lake, and the other eye a creamy soft brown.

That gaze triggered something. I vaugely remembered it, from a long time ago. But I couldn't remember when. I gaze off towards the waves of this pristine midnight black beach, a thoughtful look on my face.

Then, with a shock, I remembered where I was. There was a hostile wolf in front of me. His eyes clearly said he didn't want me here.

I took a deep breath. " Hello thar. I'm just passing through, " I said, my vioce having the same atcent as my mother's. I dipped my head to him, to show him that i knew I was the weaker wolf.

With his long legs, he towered over me. Mentally, I cursed the power that caused Ember to have short legs, for it had passed down to me. Switching my gaze from the midnight sand, I looked once again into those familar bi-colored eyes.

" You seem a bit....snappy today. But I cannot help but ask, do you know where the Renegade packlands is? I have to, ah, tie up a few things, " I lied, wanting to go away from here and this creamy white wolf that seemed so familar.

[☼ Sunstorm]

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[atrb=background,http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/stephers1995/Crouse-2---MIDDLE.png] He couldn't seem to hold my gaze; his amber eyes turned out toward the sea. Good. In wolf language, that pretty much meant he was submitting, and that I easily gained the status of the dominant force in this picture. If he had meant to bring a challenge into the playing field, he would have continued to stare me down. I felt a little satisfied at this, though the expression on his face was nothing more than thoughtful, so that was more than a little frustrating. The fear soon crept into it, though; maybe he realized exactly what tone I had used, but whatever the reason, I was glad for it. 'Hello thar. I'm just passing through' That accent kind of threw me off, but I tried not to let that show. I wasn't sure why, but I hadn't expected it from him. He just didn't look to be the type to carry that way of speaking, but whatever. He dipped his head, acknowledging the fact that he was indeed the weaker fellow. I felt another satisfaction, this one greater than the last one. Whatever feelings I felt, though, I didn't allow much of it to show on my face. Not today; I was in the brooding, irritated kind of mood, though I couldn't nail down the exact reason for it. 'You seem a bit....snappy today. But I cannot help but ask, do you know where the Renagade packlands is? I have to, ah, tie up a few things.' Well, I just couldn't help but snort at the first part, and my mouth started to curl up into a smirk. I prepared to lash out with my hateful tongue, but his next words stopped that smirk right in its tracks. I had been born in the Renegade Pack, and now I hated that place with every fiber of what I was made of. My mother had practically abandoned me there, leaving me to fend for myself. The Alpha and I hadn't gotten along all too well; our personalities clashed with excessive force. It'd bee a rather good thing that Seshafi stole me away from that hell-hole of memories, even if at the time I'd hated the company she'd provided me with. "Why the hell would you want to go back to that shit of a place?" I spoke with an obviously distaste, my muzzle wrinkling as I displayed how I wouldn't even touch that place for all the benefits in the world. "It's a fucking hell hole, I'll tell you that much. Oh, and for your information, I'll have you know that I'm snappy every day of my life. It's obvious that you know nothing at all of me." I eyed him with a distaste, something in me itching for a fight. Yep, I was a violent creature, and for no particular reason, either. I was debating whether or not it was even worth it to physically pick on the guy; was I lazy enough to just sit here, or did I actually want to brawl? Hell, I didn't even know that answer. "Yeah, I know where they're at. Not that I'll tell you; who are you, anyway? What business do you got with those assholes?" Ahem, pardon my French. Not that I cared at how frequently I cursed. It was a part of my everyday language. I lived a violent life, that much was obvious. This guy could get over it if he had a problem with me.

[Ember]

"Why the hell would you want to go back to that shit of a place?" He asked, his exxprission one of distaste. I hid a smile at that, knowing what I knew, but his pissy mood was rubbing off on me.

" Because I grew up there, " I snapped, my tone angry. I held my eye contact with him, not wanting submit to his will anymore. My amber eyes blazed.

"It's a fucking hell hole, I'll tell you that much. Oh, and for your information, I'll have you know that I'm snappy every day of my life. It's obvious that you know nothing at all of me." He said.

I was surprised at that information, but hid it. Was that why Ember left that place? " I only just met you. Do you expect to know everything about you? " My tail was slowly inching up my back, eager to rise.

His eyes were blazing, the brown one as hard to read as tree bark, the blue one was blue fire. He wanted to fight, I knew that. I could read that from the way he held his body tight as a bowstring.

"Yeah, I know where they're at. Not that I'll tell you; who are you, anyway? What business do you got with those assholes?" He said, still snappy.

" What you say if knew that my Mother and I came pack to my birthpack to see them again? " I said, completely losing my head and blurting out the reason why I was here. I closed my eyes for a brief secoud, wishing that I could take back those words.

I opened them again, the amber in them stronger then ever. I readied myself for the fact that I thought was coming. I took in everything arround me.

The creamy white wolf was stronger than me, but, if need to be, I could always run. I could run longer than he could, and faster too, I bet, even through he has the longer legs. Tense as I was, I forced myself to look at him.

[☼ Sunstorm]

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[atrb=background,http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn15/stephers1995/Crouse-2---MIDDLE.png] 'Because I grew up there.' There was a surprise reaction hiding in him. He switched from a submissive creature to a snappy one in an instant. I recognized the anger in his eyes, and the emotion made the amber seem molten at the moment. His response was only kindle to my inner fire, and I took another step forward. Oh hell no. "Well woop-dee-fucking-doo, so did I. Wasn't the prettiest picture, either." Even though I knew why I was getting hotter by the minute, I was sure why I had started going off on him in the first place. I was just using him as a punching bag--a verbal punching bad, just to clarify--and there was no trigger. Really, he was just an innocent bystander that happened to walk in on my mood. But even if I realized this, I wouldn't curb my emotions, just simply because I wanted to be intentionally cruel like that. 'I only just met you. Do you expect to know everything about you?' "Well obviously not," I said, snorting while having the temptation to lift my eyes into an eye roll. "Your words just gave me the impression that you assumed so. But whatever, I'm not wasting my breath explaining something to you." I still had no idea why I was using him as this verbal punching bag. And then I really pissed him off; that much showed in his next angry words. 'What you say if knew that my Mother and I came pack to my birthpack to see them again?' The instant he spat these words, I saw the regret settle in his eyes before he closed them, gathering himself up. Ah, maybe I could use this against him? I had a lot to say on this matter anyway, so maybe something would strike a chord within him. "Oh, you're coming back to have a sweet little reunion with Anakaros and all his little minions? Have fun with that, and good luck escaping again," I snapped, taking another step closer. I was beginning to leave the sweet shelter at this point, and I could feel the cold wind messing with my thick winter coat, but when I got riled up like this, it seemed like my body temperature actually rose. I could feel the blood pumping wildly in my tan ears; they nearly felt like they were burning. "As for Mommy dearest, does it look like I even care that you came with her? If anything, you shoulda kept your damn maw shut about that, because talking about mothers does nothing to warm me up. When yours fucking abandoned you, it leaves you kind of jaded." Well, I'm not sure if saying that was the best move, considering he could use that against me. Of course, he could only use it if he was sly and cunning like myself, but I didn't think it was a big deal. I could dish shit out and take it back, so if he threw some my way, not big deal. "I'll ask ya one more time; who the hell are you?"

[Ember]

Auburn

"Well woop-dee-fucking-doo, so did I. Wasn't the prettiest picture, either."

I struggled to control myself, taking a deep breath. Boy, he was pisssing me off. I let my claws sink into the black sand. I glared at him, my amber eyes appearing even more wolfish than they usally do.

" Awl, poor you. At leasy you're out of it now, but I'm struck follow Em's whims, " I snapped my jaw shut, wishing I could take that back. I really need to control my temper. Closing my eyes, I breathed in and out slowly. When I opened them again, I was my usaul calm self.

"Oh, you're coming back to have a sweet little reunion with Anakaros and all his little minions? Have fun with that, and good luck escaping again,"

Control, control, I chanted silently to myself, trying to keep my temper under control. Whatever control I had just had, vanished. I had the strong urge to leap at him, at his throat. I barely, just barely, held that urge in check.

" For your information, I'm being dragged to do it, " I snapped, releasing my temper that way. My fur was up, hackles slightly riaised. But, the white wolf's next words changed all of that.

"As for Mommy dearest, does it look like I even care that you came with her? If anything, you shoulda kept your damn maw shut about that, because talking about mothers does nothing to warm me up. When yours fucking abandoned you, it leaves you kind of jaded."

Everything sortof clicked just then. Abandoned by his mother, used to be in the Renegade pack. I took a step back. This pissy creamy white wolf with bi-colored eyes was my brother.

"I'll ask ya one more time; who the hell are you?"

" I'm Auburn, remember? " I said softly. " Your mother took one pup with her when she left, " I dropped a hint.

I dipped my head. So that's my brother, I'm sorta glad I didn't ever have him as a littermate.

[☼ Sunstorm]

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[atrb=background,http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk107/puddinxpiexB/CrouseMIDDLE.png] Oh boy, I was just getting him angrier and angrier by the second. Mission accomplished, right there! Hah. His claws were digging themselves into the dark sands while his amber eyes glinted in an angry manner. I was surprised he hadn't launched himself at me; if it kept going the way it was, I would just do the leaping for him. I'd get all the anger out, his and mine. 'Awl, poor you. At least you're out of it now, but I'm stuck following Em's whims.' If I had been thinking in a clearer manner, maybe I would have recognized something. After all, he'd said a familiar name to me, and my thoughts were already floundering about in the past. But I wasn't thinking like I should have been, and therefore I didn't connect all the little pieces. ' For your information, I'm being dragged to do it.' "You're a grown ass man, how the hell can anybody force you to do anything?" Man, if my mother asked me to do anything....Well, what kind of shit that would go down there is a completely different story, and one much too long. Well, maybe not really, but I wasn't really up to explaining it at the moment. "Do what you want. That's my life's motto." Actually, it was worded, 'I do what I want!' but it's the same thing. And with the next thing he said....Well, everything just clicked into place. 'I'm Auburn, remember?' His voice surprised me; he wasn't yelling anymore. Instead, the volume of his voice dropped down so he was simply speaking softly. The name was familiar, tugging intensely at my memory. What was I supposed to remember? The next hint he gave, though, was all I needed. 'Your mother took one pup with her when she left.' I didn't mean for it to happen, but both of my eyes widened. I could almost hear the audible click in my brain when it all suddenly fit together into a proper picture. Holy. Fucking. Shit. I actually took a step back, and for a few moments, all the anger became a climsy thing. The surprise had actually thrown me all out of sorts, and I didn't really know how to cope with it all. This was Auburn, the one who'd been born right along with me. He was only vaguely in my memory, but Ember had taken him with her when she'd run off. She left Sage and I to fend for ourselves; she didn't fucking care. And it wasn't as if my father had even been there. Hey, he was the one who raped my mother, bringing us to be. So I'd had no one but my sister, and I lost even her when I'd been kidnapped by the Revolt. In that aspect, my life had been torn apart, though meeting Joaquin set the way for everything else (here's the part where I remember that I was going to be a father in a few months). "So you're my brother." This is what my voice was like when not twisted with anger, or raised. I was still coping with the shock, and only a dullness was present in my voice at the moment. Oh woah woah woah, so that meant my freaking MOTHER was back? Ope, there goes the calmer, shocked Crouse. I hope that Auburn enjoyed that breif moment where I seemed drastically different, because it sure was gone now. "So that means the oh-so lovely Ember is back, eh? That's who's forcing you to do whatever the hell she wants? HAH!" I sounded kind of crazy at the end, there. And hey, maybe I am crazy. But I was going to enjoy every second of insanity while I was in it. "Get away from the bitch while you can. She left Sage and I to fend for ourselves, okay? Do you think that's okay?!" Now I was yelling, and I took several steps closer. Now my body was completely in the wind, but quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. There was still quite a distance between us, but the threat was clear. "If you do, I swear to God you better get the fuck outta here." Somehow, I recognized that I didn't want to hurt my own flesh and blood. However violent I might be, somehow I managed to see this. Call it a miracle, but maybe Auburn was just catching me on a relatively lucky day. But no, I didn't want to hurt him. And I tried to remind myself that I didn't hate him, but instead my mother, because she was the one who stole him away and ran off to do God knows what. So no, it wasn't like it was his fault, but it was hard to distinguish my anger. "She isn't with you, is she?" Suddenly a hardened look came over my features; I didn't want to see her. Not right now. Maybe not ever, though having an opportunity to tell her how she screwed my life up might be fun. But I made I clear with my attitude that I did NOT want her coming around right now. ooc:// Crouse isn't really crazy. He's just....I dunno, mean? Wierd? And mean? xD This thread is really helping my muse. :D

[Ember]

Auburn

"You're a grown ass man, how the hell can anybody force you to do anything?Do what you want. That's my life's motto."

For once he wasn't yelling at me, but trying to give advice. It gave me a differant view of him, since he was brother. I struggled to remember when we were younger, but it was useless. It was just too long ago.

After I said that I was his brother, I saw his eyes go wide. He looked momentarly like a defenseless pup. For a second, I wondered who was older, me or him? It was something to think about, something to ask Ember when I got back, if I ever went back. I might just spend some more time with my 'brother'. It was hard to think of him that way, considering how he was acting earlier. But when I thought about, it made since. Ember and him both had the same temper.

He took a step back, he was so surprised. For a moment, I considered comforting him, I knew there was pity in my eyes, but I didn't dare. Likey as not, he would snap back at me, and it would all be a useless effort.

"So you're my brother."

He spoke it with a dullness, not with anger that he was useing earlier. I nodded, my eyes shining at the thought of what could been. My poor brother.

Then he changed. The angriness came back, the tenseness in every part of his body.

"So that means the oh-so lovely Ember is back, eh? That's who's forcing you to do whatever the hell she wants? HAH!"

I tensed, expecting a volley of insults from him about me hanging out with her. My ears pricked up slightly, defiantly.

"Get away from the bitch while you can. She left Sage and I to fend for ourselves, okay? Do you think that's okay?!"

I shook my head quickly. " No, I don't. But she regrets it, " I said, my vioce still soft. I almost regreted saying that, so sure that that would set me even more off. He took sereval steps closer to me, trying to scare me off.

"She isn't with you, is she?"

He asked. I shook my head slowly. " No, she's a damn control freak. If she were here right now, I wouldn't even be talking to you. Brother, " I said, dipping my head as I said brother. I quickly looked at him so he wouldn't think I was being submissive.