HOME | DD

Description

The sun was growing low on the horizon, illuminating the sea of dried grasses ahead of him. Had his mind been in a better place, he may have appreciated the beauty of the moment, or perhaps even have caught that deer he had been tracking for several miles. Yet it seemed failing hunts was the usual these days. The large male had accepted that he was getting older and his golden years were now behind him, but that mattered little to him. It was his lack of enthusiam for life that was stifling his thunder.
Ever since his mate left him and his children had disappeared one by one, Roman simply no longer felt like himself. The arrogant yet charming male who always had something witty to say now merely went about the motions of life without really experiencing it. He had never pictured himself with a family before, but now that he had lost it, all he wanted in this world was to have them back. With a sigh he trekked forward, ready to return to the swamp which harbored nothing more than painful memories.

Something shuffling in the grass behind him caused an ear to flick backwards. It seemed he was no longer alone. The sound was far too large to be a rabbit or bird, and the direction of the wind made scenting it impossible. Probably just a coyote or fox, he figured, shadowing the wolf in search of scraps. Yet as he lengthened his stride into a trot, it seemed whatever was tailing him quickened its pace as well to keep up...
--
The older she got, the braver it seemed. Now a young adult, Riley was finally able to do what she’s always wanted to do: go on adventures. Though still part of a pack for the sake of safety and a full belly, it was moments like this, all alone with nothing but the sun on her back and the breeze in her fur, when she felt truly alive. But, all fun times must come to an end. The sun was setting and it was time to go back home—or rather back to Tuka’ii. She liked it there but… it was hard to call it home. She didn’t really know what home meant anymore. Was it a place to sleep at the end of the day? Sure. But she didn’t quite feel like it was where she belonged. Something was missing, though she wasn’t sure what that was.
As she turned to go back, the figure of another wolf caught her attention. It was hard to tell exactly what they looked like given the angle of the sun, but as their scent hit her nose it was almost too familiar. It smelled of the place she grew up, but muddled with all kinds of other scents. A Mors? All the way out here? Curiosity had always been a weakness of hers, and so she decided she would kill two birds with one stone by practicing her stalking skills so she could get a better look at the stranger. Her blonde pelt blending into the dried grasses nearly perfectly, Riley crouched down low and slowly crept closer...
--
His patience was running thin. The more he tried to put distance between himself and his stalker, the closer they seemed to get. If they were trying to pull a sneak attack on him they were failing miserably as they crashed and huffed through the tall grass. Growing tired of this little game, Roman finally stopped, turned, and let a snarl rip through bared teeth. “Alright that’s enough! Show yourself before I pull you out of there myself!”

It wasn’t the words of the wolf that halted Riley in her tracks, but rather the voice. She knew that voice better than she knew her own. It can’t be…
Cautiously, the blonde female rose from her crouched position, white eartips just barely poking above the blades of grass as she peered out from her hiding place with pale blue eyes. It… It was!
Roman’s hostility vanished in an instant. His jaw fell agape slightly before turning to a smile as he spoke in a hushed and ragged tone. “Riley?”
“Dad!” There was no hesitation in her step as she ran to her father and buried her head within the soft fur of his chest. Roman returned the affection by wrapping a paw around her shoulders, squeezing her tightly against him.
“Oh Riley, I’ve been so worried about you!”
Riley craned her head upward to meet her father’s teary-eyed gaze as droplets formed in her own eyes. “I-I missed you, Daddy.” Her voice was whimpered close to cracking. “I’m so sorry I ran away!” she sobbed softly into her father’s fur as he embraced and comforted her.
“Shh, shh it’s okay. I’m not mad, okay? I’m just happy you’re alright. I've missed you too. More than you know. Have you been out here all alone?”
Regaining herself a bit, Riley sniffled before raising a paw and quickly wiping the tears away. “N-no. I joined a tribe of wolves. They’ve been good to me, but…” She didn’t quite know what to say. She had nothing bad to say against them, really, she just… didn’t feel like she belonged. Quite frankly, seeing her dad made her happier than she had been in a very long time. “I dunno. I think I made a mistake leaving. I wanna go with you but…” Her eyes fell, a morose look filling them. “Do we have to go back to the swamp?”

“Hell no we don’t!” Roman enthused with a chuckle.
“Really?!” Riley beamed.
“Listen, Riley. Losing my family has been the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. It’s taken me way too long to realize that you are the most important thing in my life, not my loyalty to Astor or the rank I’ve achieved. From now on, we’re going to do whatever you want. There’s a whole wide world out there I know you’re just dying to explore, and trying to protect you from it by keeping you from it was unfair. So you and I are gonna go explore that world together… That is, if that’s what you want of course.”

“Of course it is! That’s all I’ve ever wanted!” She couldn’t help but to wiggle excitedly at the prospect before her body language fell a bit. “Oh.. but shouldn’t we say goodbye to our packs first?”
“Nah,” Roman mused with a wink. “They’ll get on just fine without us. Unless you really want to.”
Riley thought about it for a minute. Chief Odakota had been very kind to her, and perhaps she owed him a goodbye but… she was here now, and her dad was right. It wasn’t like she even had a task yet or would be missed at all. They’d be just fine without her.

“No… I think I’m alright. Let’s just get going.” She couldn’t help but to wag her tail as she spoke. “We probably need to find a place to bed down for the night… right?”
Roman nodded. “That’s right, kiddo. Come on, the world’s not gonna wait forever!”
And so, with his daughter back by his side, Roman truly felt alive once again. As the father-daughter duo bounded together towards the setting sun, there was no doubt in his mind that he was making the right decision. And Riley, who had questioned since day one where her home truly was, realized home was not a place but rather a feeling. Things finally made sense for both of them.

Roman exits with 209 Antlers
Riley exits with 67 Antlers

It was definitely time to retire these two, but I wanted to give them a happy send off <3 Sadly I lost my muse for them both after the little swamp family was split up, but I'm super happy to be able to give them a good ending! Maybe they'll return in the future, but for now I feel good leaving it as is :'3

Safe travels and happy adventuring, Roman and Riley!

Description

The sun was growing low on the horizon, illuminating the sea of dried grasses ahead of him. Had his mind been in a better place, he may have appreciated the beauty of the moment, or perhaps even have caught that deer he had been tracking for several miles. Yet it seemed failing hunts was the usual these days. The large male had accepted that he was getting older and his golden years were now behind him, but that mattered little to him. It was his lack of enthusiam for life that was stifling his thunder.
Ever since his mate left him and his children had disappeared one by one, Roman simply no longer felt like himself. The arrogant yet charming male who always had something witty to say now merely went about the motions of life without really experiencing it. He had never pictured himself with a family before, but now that he had lost it, all he wanted in this world was to have them back. With a sigh he trekked forward, ready to return to the swamp which harbored nothing more than painful memories.

Something shuffling in the grass behind him caused an ear to flick backwards. It seemed he was no longer alone. The sound was far too large to be a rabbit or bird, and the direction of the wind made scenting it impossible. Probably just a coyote or fox, he figured, shadowing the wolf in search of scraps. Yet as he lengthened his stride into a trot, it seemed whatever was tailing him quickened its pace as well to keep up...
--
The older she got, the braver it seemed. Now a young adult, Riley was finally able to do what she’s always wanted to do: go on adventures. Though still part of a pack for the sake of safety and a full belly, it was moments like this, all alone with nothing but the sun on her back and the breeze in her fur, when she felt truly alive. But, all fun times must come to an end. The sun was setting and it was time to go back home—or rather back to Tuka’ii. She liked it there but… it was hard to call it home. She didn’t really know what home meant anymore. Was it a place to sleep at the end of the day? Sure. But she didn’t quite feel like it was where she belonged. Something was missing, though she wasn’t sure what that was.
As she turned to go back, the figure of another wolf caught her attention. It was hard to tell exactly what they looked like given the angle of the sun, but as their scent hit her nose it was almost too familiar. It smelled of the place she grew up, but muddled with all kinds of other scents. A Mors? All the way out here? Curiosity had always been a weakness of hers, and so she decided she would kill two birds with one stone by practicing her stalking skills so she could get a better look at the stranger. Her blonde pelt blending into the dried grasses nearly perfectly, Riley crouched down low and slowly crept closer...
--
His patience was running thin. The more he tried to put distance between himself and his stalker, the closer they seemed to get. If they were trying to pull a sneak attack on him they were failing miserably as they crashed and huffed through the tall grass. Growing tired of this little game, Roman finally stopped, turned, and let a snarl rip through bared teeth. “Alright that’s enough! Show yourself before I pull you out of there myself!”

It wasn’t the words of the wolf that halted Riley in her tracks, but rather the voice. She knew that voice better than she knew her own. It can’t be…
Cautiously, the blonde female rose from her crouched position, white eartips just barely poking above the blades of grass as she peered out from her hiding place with pale blue eyes. It… It was!
Roman’s hostility vanished in an instant. His jaw fell agape slightly before turning to a smile as he spoke in a hushed and ragged tone. “Riley?”
“Dad!” There was no hesitation in her step as she ran to her father and buried her head within the soft fur of his chest. Roman returned the affection by wrapping a paw around her shoulders, squeezing her tightly against him.
“Oh Riley, I’ve been so worried about you!”
Riley craned her head upward to meet her father’s teary-eyed gaze as droplets formed in her own eyes. “I-I missed you, Daddy.” Her voice was whimpered close to cracking. “I’m so sorry I ran away!” she sobbed softly into her father’s fur as he embraced and comforted her.
“Shh, shh it’s okay. I’m not mad, okay? I’m just happy you’re alright. I've missed you too. More than you know. Have you been out here all alone?”
Regaining herself a bit, Riley sniffled before raising a paw and quickly wiping the tears away. “N-no. I joined a tribe of wolves. They’ve been good to me, but…” She didn’t quite know what to say. She had nothing bad to say against them, really, she just… didn’t feel like she belonged. Quite frankly, seeing her dad made her happier than she had been in a very long time. “I dunno. I think I made a mistake leaving. I wanna go with you but…” Her eyes fell, a morose look filling them. “Do we have to go back to the swamp?”

“Hell no we don’t!” Roman enthused with a chuckle.
“Really?!” Riley beamed.
“Listen, Riley. Losing my family has been the hardest thing that has ever happened to me. It’s taken me way too long to realize that you are the most important thing in my life, not my loyalty to Astor or the rank I’ve achieved. From now on, we’re going to do whatever you want. There’s a whole wide world out there I know you’re just dying to explore, and trying to protect you from it by keeping you from it was unfair. So you and I are gonna go explore that world together… That is, if that’s what you want of course.”

“Of course it is! That’s all I’ve ever wanted!” She couldn’t help but to wiggle excitedly at the prospect before her body language fell a bit. “Oh.. but shouldn’t we say goodbye to our packs first?”
“Nah,” Roman mused with a wink. “They’ll get on just fine without us. Unless you really want to.”
Riley thought about it for a minute. Chief Odakota had been very kind to her, and perhaps she owed him a goodbye but… she was here now, and her dad was right. It wasn’t like she even had a task yet or would be missed at all. They’d be just fine without her.

“No… I think I’m alright. Let’s just get going.” She couldn’t help but to wag her tail as she spoke. “We probably need to find a place to bed down for the night… right?”
Roman nodded. “That’s right, kiddo. Come on, the world’s not gonna wait forever!”
And so, with his daughter back by his side, Roman truly felt alive once again. As the father-daughter duo bounded together towards the setting sun, there was no doubt in his mind that he was making the right decision. And Riley, who had questioned since day one where her home truly was, realized home was not a place but rather a feeling. Things finally made sense for both of them.

Roman exits with 209 Antlers
Riley exits with 67 Antlers

It was definitely time to retire these two, but I wanted to give them a happy send off <3 Sadly I lost my muse for them both after the little swamp family was split up, but I'm super happy to be able to give them a good ending! Maybe they'll return in the future, but for now I feel good leaving it as is :'3

Safe travels and happy adventuring, Roman and Riley!