Eclipse never had any intention of visiting the lands of packless wolves before, however today was different. He was no fool, he knew he had no rights or safety if he ventured over into the rogue domain as those areas weren't classed as neutral grounds and he was far from Helidos, but he also knew that the rumour about rogues being all bad and dangerous couldn't be true. Surely if that was the case they would all have killed each other by now. They usually had issues yes, but they were not all murderous and they had little reason to be territorial since they didn't belong anywhere, so he reckoned they wouldn't attack on sight. A vagabond's life wasn't easy and thus he figured there couldn't be more than maybe three or four of them altogether, possibly less since he'd heard one of them had founded one of the rival packs and similarly others might have followed to the comfy pack life as well, but either way the chances of bumping into one during his rather short amount of time in the area seemed quite small. With all this in mind, he believed he was taking a calculated risk. Even if a rogue did cross his path it was after all only another wolf and he was more than capable of defending himself from a member of his own species. Plus he kind of wished to meet one to see how they compared to the accusations about them, maybe making a useful ally of a wolf who had no loyalties to any third party in the process. The more pressing concern was of what large predators lurked around. The darkly bronzed warrior wouldn't stray far from the mountain range that shielded the rogues from outsiders once he had gotten past it. He didn't want to push his luck by exploring too far and getting into a situation where he couldn't return home as quickly as he wanted to and so ended up spending more time there than he would like. It was only meant to be a swift mission anyway: get in and have a look at what was to offer and then head back out.

The main attraction which compelled him to go there was to see if the lands were bountiful in prey. Eclipse thought that they must be, since the lone wolves chose to live there and they hunted alone. There had to be a lot of small and medium prey inhabiting the terrain for them to be able to hunt and survive with that solitary lifestyle. And even prey animals weren't stupid. The packs had a strong scent and presence, the creatures must know to avoid those territories and the neutrals if possible, or their numbers would naturally dwindle due to overhunting. In comparison, the rogue and exile lands were a safe haven for little beings, with fewer wolves and a substantially lower likelihood of them being killed. Surely they would thrive there. He would have to find out.

Getting to Listos Range hadn't been easy as it required passing through several pack territories and neutral areas to arrive there, and the mountains themselves were very large so the hardest part of the journey was saved until last. It was well into the afternoon and the sunlight was gradually beginning to fade, which worked to his advantage actually. Shadows were cast over his direction, providing some cover so that he wasn't easily seen. His pelt was a dark muddy colour which blended into rock and earth well anyway, but movement was still better hidden in darkness. It had been an overcast day anyway, with the sun only breaking through slightly towards the last couple of hours. It allowed faint hues to fill what could be seen of the sky, while a cool evening breeze whipped through the air to ruffle his fur. As he got closer to the edge of the valley plain in order to begin scaling the mountain, the brute could tell that the journey had taken much longer than expected and that it would be dark by the time he made it over into the rogue lands. Perhaps it would be best to wait it out until morning. He changed course, now moving parallel to the peaks as he padded across the ground between the sparse conifers, taking in the scents and sights to search for either somewhere to rest or some sign of prey. Spring had worked its magic wonderfully and he could smell the lush greenery over the other side of the mountains. Eclipse felt hopeful that he could snatch something edible to feed his pack, as he had made all this effort since they were lacking in hunters. He may as well bring food back to make it worth his time, at least something for himself and his adopted son. The young one had graduated to becoming a full healer and slowly had regained a healthier diet, for which Eclipse was proud though he didn't take the credit. He'd come to care for the vulnerable brute a lot, sometimes he was the only wolf in the pack that made time to talk with the ageing warrior. Eclipse felt a fatherly connection to Ciro and wanted him to be safe. What was and wasn't safe wasn't always simple to determine anymore however, with so many packs around and wolves with various intentions, and Helidos' future uncertain with the ever-changing leadership and lack of proper plans. One could never be too careful. He licked his nose, making it damp and perfect for picking up smells. His hearing was tuned to what was around him and his eyes were peeled as he crept quietly. Nothing would catch him off-guard or ambush him here, he would make extra sure of that since this place was unfamiliar to him.

As chance would have it, Fel crossed the borders into the so-called “rogue” lands with similar intentions as her former friend. There were many opportunities to be seized in the outskirts of the rogue lands, and why shouldn’t Agavos benefit from them? If the risk was worth the reward, Fel would see to it that a hunting party be organized with several warriors for protection. But thus far in her exploration, she caught only faint traces of ungulate herds that passed by too long ago to bother. Their own lands could yield about as much success, given that those, at least, were closer and less likely to be filled with hostile predators. The fae cast her distasteful glance over the scenery from her vantage point on the slopes, ears and nose still working tirelessly to check for anyone around her. What did the rogues and loners even find worthwhile in these parts?

If one were to observe Fel at that moment, he or she would notice that her watchful gaze seemed to scan all in her view at first, but then narrowed and scraped pointedly across the likely paths of wolves. She was looking for one wolf in particular – a one-eyed bitch. There were no results, however, and she moved on down the slope and back toward her home in a watchful silence.

However, once she reached a certain valley, she caught scent of another canine, who most likely caught her own scent as well. It was to be expected. If it didn’t, then it was either a pup or an idiot, and she did not worry about dealing with either. Fel had the option of going around the scent entirely, but there was no need to. It was, for now, only one wolf, and going around and back through the mountains at dusk could bring out another cougar. Instead, the brutish beast raised her tail to snake behind her spine and trudged along toward the scent, feeling it grow stronger in the passing moments and stealing glance down at the ground every few moments to check for snakes. Her large paws placed themselves carefully on the earth, making sure to avoid making any snap or scratch. But she did not hide herself and eventually arrived at her destined acquaintance. Some Helidos wolf. He looked strangely familiar. Fel rumbled in the voice that was hers and hers alone, “And what is a princely member of a defeated pack doing here, all alone in the woods?” She stopped herself at a good distance away from him, her nostrils flaring and ears still flickering in various directions. She would not be caught off-guard, but there seemed to be very little by which to be caught right now. The conifers were luxurious, but sparse. They could see for a while around them, and anything close enough to see was more than close enough to smell. Her unblinking, unyielding eyes fixed themselves upon the other, and her muscles rippled rhythmically under her long, almost shaggy pelt. The wolf in front of her had changed in a way, as all wolves change with time and grief, and had been out of her sight for so long that she had only a strange idea that she knew who this was.

Eclipse continued on his lonesome endeavour, minding his own quiet business as he set about his undecided task. Whether he would settle down to rest or set off on a short hunt, it would depend on which opportunity came first. He was a little disappointed that he couldn't have crossed the mountains that day and get the information he saught, but he wasn't to know how long it would take to arrive at this place until he actually made the journey. Maybe he had underestimated how old his body was getting and that he was a tad slower these days. The warrior sighed mentally, remembering how his title would soon be replaced by one with little honour, one which only brought respect because others thought elders to be wiser and too frail to challenge. He had his wisdom, but he still felt too young to not have his duty any longer. At least he would still do these missions he set for himself, but serving the pack in those ways wouldn't be expected of him as such. The brute just hoped he wouldn't go crazy from boredom, and nobody bothering with him any longer.

Running his maw along close to the grass and dirt, his nostrils sieved out the useful scents from those of less importance. His patience eventually paid off as he found the dead carcass of a small mammal, just a few hours old. He grabbed it by the scruff and continued, before coming across another scent as the cool breeze picked up again. A female wolf was in the area, not terribly far but just how close he couldn't tell. It was just his luck that a mad rogue would find him when he wasn't even in their homeland yet. Straightening his posture, he stopped and scanned around, spotting her just at the point where the black fae was within range to talk to if he put some effort into projecting his voice. It seemed like she had deliberately followed his trail after leaving the mountains, judging by which way she came, the scent on her pelt, and what time of day it was. But he didn't speak at all, he simply watched her approach until she stopped in place and listened to what she had to say. It was a good thing he had, for as soon as he heard her unique voice he recognised it. It was no vagabond, but an old friend. Just to check if he did indeed know this wolf, he stole a glance up at her eyes for just a moment, and even in the darkening light he could distinguish those icy orbs from any other. She had aged some, yes, but those two parts of her essence were considerably unchanged, along with her jet black luxurious pelt.

His muscles relaxed and he bowed his head, a small grin spreading across his maw as he dropped the dead creature and placed a forepaw over it casually. "Princely? I never expected to hear such a compliment from you, dear Fel. But I accept it gratefully." Eclipse was surprised to find she didn't seem to realise who he was, by her remark on his pack and how her gaze fixed on him. It was unsettling that she would not remember him, but perhaps it was just the lighting and whatnot. He hoped it was just her memory failing her and not that he had changed so much that he was unrecognisable. It was also likely that she was only wary because she knew they were not exactly allies anymore, however in his heart she would always be a packmate of his and one of the only wolves he'd known almost from the start of his time in Helidos. "Now, Helidos may have been defeated but it is no measure of how capable I am of handling myself out on my own. I am still alive after all, and that's something some of the others didn't manage to achieve.", He replied and then decided to shrug off her comment. His tone was neutrally soft and slightly amused, his happiness at getting to see the great fae after so long lacing his words. Padding carefully closer and rolling the dead creature along with him, he could smell that Fel belonged not to Erenyx but to one of the other packs. That partly explained what had happened to her since last they met. They had much to catch up on. Respectfully and carefully, he lifted his nose to brush under her chin with a smile, an affectionate greeting reserved for those whose presence he'd truly missed."It really is good to see you, however random this is. Normally I would expect an old friend of mine to be more pleased to see me after so long and following a battle, but not you I suppose. I came to see how hunting would fare over the rogue border, but the evening came too soon and so I'm planning on staying here overnight. I'm not a hunter anymore, I go by Warrior Eclipse for now, but we are lacking wolves to provide food so I thought I'd step in to find a plentiful spot... What brings yourself here?" Being unable to fulfill his original purpose to the trek here didn't seem to matter so much, as it had worked out to bring something just as good, if not better.

Fel watched the stranger, narrowing her gaze in the dim light. Once he replied to her, she was certain it was Eclipse that stood before her, but not a moment earlier. It was dark and his pelt had aged some and become discolored in the lighting of dusk. She scoffed at his initial response, throwing back a playful, “Had I recognized you in this light, I would have called you a ghastly elder.” The brutish fae stepped forward to him, barely remembering the details of his scent. She sniffed the air, trying to be sure to remember it better this time around. Fel watched him continue to speak, choosing to make no comment about their fallen. There was no one but Eclipse left in Helidos that she even remotely cared about. The rest had dispersed, died, or been captured.

Eclipse’s unexpectedly affectionate greeting was met with a wary growl. It had been years since they had last met, and Fel simply could not trust his intentions blindly. Her snout was craned down to protect the valuable part of her neck, but she released it a moment later. Such actions were likely unnecessary with her old friend, but such were the precautions with Helidos wolves old enough to remember her banishment.

It was peculiar that Eclipse wished to stay overnight. Of course, going straight through the mountains was very dangerous at dusk, but Fel intended to go longways along the range until the cougars went back to their dens. That should give her enough time to run to the smaller pieces of the range, which would be easier to cross. She looked towards her destination, not intending to dally for much longer. It was just Eclipse, and not a major threat or target that required dealing with to ensure the safety of her return. “A warrior, you say? Very well, Warrior Eclipse. I’m sorry to say that I shall not be spending the night. I have two apprentices to train in the morning. You may follow me out of the lands, if you wish. Safety comes in numbers and intelligence, and to team up would be to double both.” Fel looked to him for a moment, “It would be interesting to catch up with you, though. It has been a while. I am currently the beta of Agavos, under my alpha, Desmond. You should meet me before the sunset of the next full moon at Blossom Pasture so that we may speak properly. Will you?” She cocked her head, waiting for the two responses.


Fel nodded, smiling ever so slightly, “Very well, old friend.” With that, she brushed past him, letting her tail slide along his side in a manner that was meant to be friendly, and trotted off towards her destination. Her pup and creature were on the other side of those mountains.