were there clues I didn't see

Rannoch was only beginning to get his bearing in the woods, but his curiosity flourished. Somehow, this place reminded him of home, though he couldn't explain why. Maybe it was the sprawling evergreens, the abundance of prey, and an undeniable sense of security; it gave him comfort in his unprecedented and unexpected situation. 

He'd regained his strength, and so he began to wander. Rannoch slowly moved through the woods, stopping every so often to take in the sights and smells. There was one smell that he'd never smelled before, a creature of some sort. Rannoch didn't pursue it yet, though he kept an eye out for whatever animal it belonged to. 

It was afternoon, and the sun wasn't shining. A gentle wind rolled in from the north, and it combed through his plush coat. It felt nice, and when it happened, he stopped to enjoy it. Rannoch wouldn't take advantage of any simple joys that came his way. When the breeze stilled, he headed north, sensing that there was prey nearby. It was a lemming, searching for food, but Rannoch couldn't see it yet. He moved towards it, lightly on his feet; the snow was crunchy, and he didn't want to give himself away.

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A curious track to the evergreens, for Uriel had caught the scent of an unknown trial. In a way it almost smelled cat-like, a lion of sorts and yet.. She knew not what it was and brought a curious wonder — though she knew that it was also a danger, if the trail was truly that of a lion. A thoughtful distance, though to catch a glimpse of it through the pines..

Yet her pursuit was dropped, cold-end as it was, she could no longer smell him. It lead inside, and the rest were buried. Uriel thought that perhaps the snow had covered what was, or in a way destiny told her to cease the curiosity. She knew better then to start purposely searching for the little remains of its path, and gave it up.

Though in a curiosity, a gray pelt seemed to move between the trees, "Hello?"

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”Hello?” a voice called. Rannoch slowed to a stop, looking in Uriel’s direction. She was a distance from him, camoflauged by the everygreen’s cover. He took a step forward, his head titled, as he tried to get a better view of her.

”Hey,” he called, his tail wagging slowly at his hocks. Rannoch was aware of his size, and didn’t want to come off as a threat. ”Where are you?” he asked.

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Though his form disappeared into that of the forest, she had thought that perhaps it was another ghost, haunting her from aways of the castle.. Till he spoke. Uriel gazed around at a landmark of sorts, though the forest was but endless evergreens and nothing more — perhaps a stream, but was not near her. When gazed up she noted the tree besides her carried old markings, like that of a bear. However the tree healed, and thought they still shown on the flesh of the flora, it was clear they were of old age.

 

"I am by the tree with claw markings," she announced, standing by so without movement, but curiously looking out to this strange who held a friendly voice.

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”I am by the tree with the claw markings,” the voice replied.

Rannoch looked around, looking for the gnarled tree. When he didn’t immediatley spot it, he began to walk towards her voice, searching for the landmark. He weaved between a few trees, glancing high and low for any signed of the clawed tree. Rannoch found the tree no longer than three minutes since he had began to search. It was to his right, and he felt a jolt of exciement when he spotted it.

Peeking around the trunk, Rannoch found Uriel. ”Hey,” he said through a smile, wagging his tail. ”There you are.” She was bathed in a golden glow, and he was reminded of Sunnvea.

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She naturally smiled back, tail wisping so slightly but not as much as him. She gazed upon the man, gray as he was, just as she thought she saw through the tree. Though larger then herself, in height and in size, but that did not mean he was by any means an aggressive looking one, and neither did he looked that of a northern warrior. He was friendly, a blue gaze going back to her own silver that brought a faint friendlies she enjoyed in these northern regions.

"Are you from around here?" She asked, noticing she has meet a couple of wolves around these everfrosts in particular.. A wondering if something was drawing them all in, or perhaps it was all but fate they were near. He smelled not of another pack, but faintly of another wolf — it brought a curiosity toward this warm individual.

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Uriel asked the question that had been on the tip of Rannoch’s tongue. ” … Kind of,” he answered vaguely. ”I woke up in this forest the other day, and have been exploring since.” Rannoch thought of Vendrussrel then, remembering what she had said regarding most of the wolves that had woken up in this strange place. ”Did you wake up here, too?” he asked, hoping that he didn’t sound crazy; it sounded crazy to him, even though it was the truth.

She didn’t smell like the forest. He wasn’t exactly sure what she smelled like, as he hadn’t explored past The Everfrost, and he was eager to learn about the surrounding areas.

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"I awoke distances away from here, within the tundra plains." Calmly so she explained, while nodding gradually. She had not awoke up within The Everfrost, but knew she was distances away from the area, for she could see the greenery. At some point did she visit so and met someone else, who had also woke up strangely. Just as she had, and many others — her surprise wasn't there and only a smile of reassurance, for he was not crazy. Perhaps in another time she would think he was ill, but meeting more and more who simply.. 'Appear,' she wondered what this land had to tell.

"It almost seems a common occurrence," though a pitied laugh, "perhaps a destiny to bind a few near," as it almost seemed.. Too much of a coincidence of wolves waking up with only a few days in-between, or for all she knew — all of them woke up the same day. Vaguely so her mind thought of those from the castle, but departed that memory as she focused back on him, and gently so, "I am Uriel," she greeted.

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Oddly, Rannoch felt relieved that Uriel had woken up here, too. They already had something in common, and he wondered what other things they could relate about. The word “tundra” had been thrown around by several wolves, and he could only assume that was the name of the general region. ”What was it like out there?” he asked, glancing to the treeline behind her. ”I haven’t left the forest since I woke up,” he elaborated. Rannoch wanted to expand his horizons, but he wanted to take it slow and steady, especially since he was still adjusting to his life here.

He laughed when she did, agreeing with her statement. It couldn’t be a concidence that they all woke up here, and he couldn’t even begin to comprehend why they were here.

”I’m Rannoch,” he greeted in turn, dipping his head. ”I woke up back that way,” he said, motioning over his shoulder in the general direction of the clearing.

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"It is.. Quiet, but many strange things happen around," When she would cross between lands it was like there was no other wolf around. A silence within an air, as she could her paws crunch against the snow or frozen grass. Though despite such travels between, Uriel has met more then a few wolves in this past few days or so, and was relatively surprised how lush the region could be, "within a distance is place that seems to haunt you, but also lures you too it. Strange as it is, there are wolves lurking in it and claiming." The place did leave an impact upon the golden wolf, but it was unsure whether to be good or bad. Something she has never seen before would be ingrained in the brain, but alas even if she desired to go back, others claim to its halls.

"It is a pleasure," she said, smiling at him, a faint chuckle, "it almost seems we are allies in this time of need." For the two to wake up in no where, and no one from around — and surely the others had met that were the same.. All seemed but a too much of a coincidence. Though she prayed to no God, and at times questioned to the heavens or not, it was still hard to say whether or not something brought them all together, one way or another.

Almost tied to, maybe this forest, was what was drawing her near — Uriel has kept visiting it, after all.

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Uriel mentioned a haunted and alluring place, and Rannoch leaned closer with interest. "That ... what?" he said, trying to make sense of it all. He didn't know a place could be haunted and wanted to learn more. "How does it haunt you?" he asked. He had more questions, but he thought that it'd be wise to start with the basics. 

Though he was still confused, she went on to speak of their situation, and he smiled. "It seems like we are," Rannoch agreed. They needed allies here; oddities seemed plentiful, and they needed to expect the unexpected. He took a step back and looked to the surrounding, snow-capped trees. "I was told that beasts live in this forest, but I have yet to meet them," he said, thinking to his conversation with Vendrussel. "But it's quiet and a good home base." he at least could attest to that. "There is another like us, wandering around this forest," He hadn't seen much of Sunneva, but he assumed that she was still here. 

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" he asked, wondering if she had found others like them. He had his home, but he couldn't help but wonder about their neighbors. 

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She thought about it, a moment of thought while letting a 'hmm,' to properly.. Explain how she felt, "It's as if.. Someone is always watching you, and almost calls out," she had trouble describing how it didn't feel as if a lure to so, more of a — a vibe, that doesn't want you to leave. A draw in it's mystery, for a beauty holds onto the place in a grand appearance, and even she, would like to visit again. Yet, it was so unfamiliar and unsettling, she couldn't decide if it was some place she would live in, like the shaman of it.

"I too have met a few wanderers," as she thought about @Gwen, and the few others who were not but loners. Though a beast? An eye of worry as he spoke of it, and had seen no signs of such a wanderer. She knew of bears and tigers who lay within the north — and wondered if those were the beasts he referred to.. Even then, they were troublesome.

Drawing back to a serenity smile, Uriel shook her head, "I claim no home, and at the moment.. Finding my way."

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Rannoch flattened his ears once Uriel explained what she’d meant by the territory being “haunted”. It sent a shiver up his spine. ”I guess that explains why there are wolves settling there,” he said, reffering to the forest calling out. ”Is it near here?” he asked, wanting a point of reference so that he could avoid the area. He shook and rolled his shoulders then, wanting to rid himself of the heebie jeebies.

Uriel mentioned that she had met others on the road, and that she did not have a place to say. Rannoch paused, carefully planning his reply. ”You’re welcome here,” he offered, in a manner that was more blunt that he wanted it to be. He winced, and then smiled softly in embarrasement. ”I found another wolf, Sunneva, here and we decided to stick together,” he elaborated. ”I figure that we’ll all be better off with more of us around, so I wanted to extend the invite.”

Was it weird that he had just invited a stranger? Yes, yes it was.

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"They are west, beyond the frozen ground." Her snout indicated to the land behind here, though one would not be able to see it for it's crossing a large plain to reach. Far that they were, it may take a whole day to reach the land itself.. But it was nothing to be easily missed once seen, for a fog may cover it, it brought a mystery that pulls you through — revealing that of the castle to the cliffs. Frozen in time itself, a curiosity, to what made such a phenomenon.

He was nice, as she smiled fondly over his shy offering of so. It had been some time.. Since she had gained that same guidance, someone to offer her another — "That sounds nice," she said admittingly. Uriel was a pack wolf, it felt a bit empty, with her wandering around endlessly. A part of her missed home itself, but she knew that even if the area was located, she could not return.

"If you'll have me," mirrored his own embarrassed look with but a small chuckle.

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Rannoch nodded, making a mental note. Uriel's directions were vague but descriptive enough to give him a general idea of where to avoid. He was thankful for the warning and flashed her a grateful smile, as he wouldn't have known otherwise. 

He smiled when she remarked how nice joining them sounded and then agreed. "Of course," he answered, wagging his tail. "Do you want to go and see where we're staying?" he asked, "We can meet Sunneva, too, if she's around." For all Rannoch knew, she could be out collecting herbs.

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wrap?

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"Lead the way," Uriel inquired with a smile as she nodded to his suggestion. It do well to perhaps be with others during this time of confusion, as surely too, wasn't the only one like so. Strange times within this place, for wolves appearing that neither knew how they came be.. Simply appearing, in a confusion — she had thoughts to perhaps venture out on a lonesome journey, yet the proposition to be with others once again was far more desirable. 

She was a social wolf, after all.

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Tag for reference!

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Rannoch nodded in reply before taking the lead. They set off together towards the clearing where @Sindri had also made her home. Together, they would be stronger; it was much easier to take on the world with others at your side. Together, anything was possible, Rannoch believed.

When they made it to their home base, the three wolves became acquainted as they dined on the day's spoils. It was a meager meal, but enough to satisfy their hunger. Thankfully, they had something to get them through the night.

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