but since you've been gone

Dull; to all the eye could take in through but of a longing gaze, was all there to ever be seen and acknowledged worthy of. There held not taste, no flavour to reckon with, through it was debatable to recognize whether or not this place had significance. The minority in which refused to say the land was beautiful had never experienced beauty prior to that, perhaps never would. Such as he, a place where he had been raised, for the most part, was dark, eerie and cold, only to be forced out to take shelter in the nearest where life was beautiful and full of color. He was disgusted by such a nature. After experiencing death at close proximity, the apprentice may never be able to consider something beautiful again, although nothing ever had before then either.

He walked the barren trail to which had been beaten by several paws, leading him elsewhere as far as he could take himself without stopping to catch his breathe. This place was not home, never will be to the pup, and perhaps home, will never be home again when he is to return. The only true place he took shelter in was in the eyes of his beloved friend, and his now exiled mentor and older brotherly figure. He could hardly imagine what suffering his mother was going through without the knowledge he was truly breathing, but he shook his head willingly to ignore such an existing fact. Being alone had its perks, but being forgotten was another story.

With dark, sapphire hues as deep in shade as the darkest portions of the ocean blue, the ashen male peered safely into the abyss which he wandered upon. Roots, woven trees and winding branches made up the area, to which he then elegantly entered without proper analyzing. He cared not whom came along these lands in the present, but instead took the pleasure in laying within the dips of two large roots. It hid most of his form as he'd shut his eyes and drift quietly asleep, allowing the scent of the pack keep watch as he'd rest there in silence. Nevermore could he had trusted such a foreign territory like so, but as time seemed to keep moving along, he'd grow more and more, as well as care less of those whom he surrounded himself with here.

but since you've been gone

The roots aided in keeping out the cold, lighter winds from pressing into his thick coat, and he rested easily while the sounds of the Knoll consumed his surroundings. He thought of his mentor as he laid there in silence, though the image of them seeing each other soon did not quite fit to the present just yet, and not before long, Striker's eyes opened slightly the change in atmosphere. He could not put his paw on it, but it felt familiar - it wasn't until he saw a dark silhouette emerge from the forest's line of trees did he begin to recognize the face of the creature. The apprentice contemplated on removing himself from the establishment and greeting the authority figure, but his legs betrayed him, keeping him snug between the roots where he was most comfortable and hidden until further discovered having been there. His eyes peered slowly up at her as she'd near his position, taking in her large, evenly toned and muscular, yet feminine form, the dark shades of her coat and blue eyes reminding him of a female version of his father. However, the apprentice knew his way around things, and knew this female was no stranger to him even in Agavos - there was history there, but none which was shared with his age at the time of the fae's departure from Erenyx. Things were.. complicating back home about reputations, and it had been noted that apprentices were not as capable of being told such secrets at the time. Fortunately for him though, Striker had observed his former packmate closely enough to know she could be a potential individual of trust, however he kept a cautious eye out for anything off about the female. If it came to violence, he'd use his speed against her mass. He could not match her in strength, clearly, the male analyzed carefully.

Shifting the display of his chin and facing it towards the feminine brute-like superior, his dark sapphire eyes fixated on her hues before replying in a deadpanned tone, "Does it truly concern you?" To which he asked out of a rare curiosity - she didn't typically strike as the type of wolf to hold a lot of concern for those beneath her, or perhaps it was just him being his stubborn, hard to get along with, self. Either way, he allowed her to answer if wished of, and stayed still for just a tad longer. When the wind began to die off, as it had when he first entered the Knoll, he lifted to his large paws and rose to his fuller height. Large for his age, but nicely built and lean, he'd grow to better lengths and use his fully developed strength in the future for the good. There wasn't anything here which he could use it on while it was still in progress, however he tried to keep a small, independent training regimen. It consisted of eating plenty of meat and running twice a day, once in the morning towards the meadows for food, and once before bed towards higher ground and back to base for a well deserved treat and some rest to relax his mind and body before repeating the process. And it had certainly paid off the faster his hormones had begun to kick in, surely it would benefit him when adulthood has come fully into bloom in the spring.

"You.. left Erenyx. For what reason?" He expressed some concern through his dark gaze, a slight tilt of his head to follow as he claimed a spot closer to the fae in full stance. His tail lay dead at the end of his spine, ears facing forwards as well as his complete attention towards the fae. She had every reason to ignore the question, their ranks allowed that and he would respect her externally, but question her position in his mind.