Sunburst

Sunburst was mindful of his friend's handicap, even if Aizen appeared to be well acclimated to his life with three legs. Still, the little gray hybrid sought out pathways that weren't too terribly steep as he began to head into the canyon. And rather than climb along the top of it, Sun decided to explore the bottom of the winding, twisting terrain.

Aizen

Aizen followed Sunburst with not trouble. His nose to the ground trying to pick up any old but familiar scents.

Sunburst

Down in the belly of the canyon system, the air was calm and warm. Sunburst shifted his focus and headed for the edge of the river that roared through the center of it all, and dipped his head to lap at the brisk, refreshingly cold liquid. Up ahead, his eyes fixated on a section of white water, where the raging river spilled down over layers of rocks and boulders. Further downstream, another section of rapids broke up the river's winding path. The ferocity of the water here convinced Sunburst not to step any further into its wrath, and after he'd quenched his thirst, the wolfdog stepped away and began to plod further into the canyon. "You know, I've never actually been to this area before. How about you, Aizen?"

Aizen

He followed sun also quenchning his thirst. His nose to the ground as they started moving again.Not down here, i've been above itHe said.

Sunburst

"Yeah, most just explore the top of the canyon, for the views I guess." Sunburst mused, "But by my reckoning, if your pack just got decimated and you're looking for somewhere to hide and recover, the bottom of the canyon would offer the perfect hiding place. Plenty of water, shelter, easy food." The little hybrid sprung up onto a small boulder and peered further up through the canyon, but the river twisted and turned so much that it was impossible to see very far before the canyon walls curved into the way. With a snort, Sun bounced down from the boulder and headed deeper into the rocky system.

"So, how's things been, with Senka and them? You guys look to be doing pretty good." He gave his tail a lazy wave, trying to catch up on lost time with his former packmate while they both looked for the rest of the clan.

Aizen

He listened as he followed taing in the scents hoping to reconize one or another. Alright, had to spring Darkia from the humansHe said.

Sunburst

"Oh?" Sunburst looked back from atop a fallen log he'd jump upon, quirking a curious look to his companion. "She did look a little thin. Huh, you know I never even think twice about humans. They never come to the ruins." In a flash, the hybrid was gone from sight, leaping down the opposite side of the log and weaving between a cluster of large boulders as he continued his trek up the canyon floor. "How'd that go for you guys? I mean obviously you got Darkia back, but was it a lot of humans? Did they use boomsticks?"

Despite his chatter, Sun's nose was mostly to the ground. And that's were he eventually struck upon a familiar scent. Pausing, tail held still behind him, he woofed out, "Hey uh, Aizen? I think I found something."

Aizen

He listened and nodded.there were a few and yes they had boomsticksHe said and leaped over the rock and moved to sniff the same place.DefinietlyHe said.

Sunburst & Others

Sunburst huffed loudly beneath his breath, "Scary." The thoughts of humans melted away from his mind quickly enough after he and Aizen came across that familiar scent on the ground, with the very clear impression of a wolf's paw in a small patch of mud. Sun's tail wagged briefly, a note of hope hitting him. "We got something here Aizen, c'mon!" Once he fully had the scent, the little hybrid pushed forward, weaving through a few more fallen, water-polished tree trunks before loping briskly along the bank. His search lead them nearly two miles further into the canyon before breaking off and heading into a small ravine that branched away from the main corridor. Shouldering thick shrubs and small trees, Sunburst eventually came to a sudden halt.

Up ahead, just a few short yards in front of them, Geniah stood warily at the entrance of a shallow cave. She wolfess looked thin and bedraggled, but apparently uninjured. Pale yellow eyes stared hard at Sunburst before recognition washed over her, and she uttered a single, questioning name, "...Sunburst?" The steely gray wolfdog, daughter of Risen and Cavan, was still alive.

Aizen

He quickly followed after sunburst and came to a halt with him his tail wagging

Sunburst, Cavan, & Geinah

"Geinah?" Sunburst's tail began to wag behind him, slowly at first until the light of recognition really awoke in Geinah's eyes. Pasting his ears back against his head, the little hybrid minced forward and reached his muzzle up to lick her chin, "We were afraid you and the others didn't make it. Aizen and I-" He cast his gaze back to the three-legged hybrid that had joined him on the quest, "-were one of a few groups sent out to find you guys. Are... there any others?"

Geinah gave Sunburst a lick in return, and nodded to Aizen. "Cavan and Bluescale are with me." Seeing the quizzical look about 'Bluescale', Geinah chuckled and pointed her muzzle back further up the ravine, "One of the few crocodiles that survived the destruction of the dam and made it to the lake. Blue stuck with us; the water forms a pool just ahead around the bend, and it stays warm all year round." The wolfdog shook her head, her dusty, metallic gray fur swaying this way and that. "You say there's a few of you together then? What's the status of the group?"

Aizen

Aizen stepped up now.The haunters and Nuova alba have reunited, only on the condition that pup napping seast. However; our other goals remain in tack. Senka and Terserk are leading us. There are quiet a few others, and I guess some newer blood as well. They plan to remake the damn at some pointhe said. Keeping an eye on Geinah reactions to everything.

Sunburst, Cavan, & Geinah

"No pup-napping?" Geinah frowned at this news, surprised that the Haunters had given up something that had been so core to their mission. Her aunt Nachi had been the queen of pup napping up until she'd settled down with Starscream. "That's quite the change. But everything else is the same?" Looking to Sunburst as he nodded, Geinah sighed and relinquished a small smile, "Well, that's quite the change, but I'm glad that the pack is back together, and under their rule. Father!"

From the small den, Cavan slowly stepped out, his rugged, scarred face looking lean and noticeably white around the muzzle. His one ear was turned forward, and one good eye fixed on Sunburst and Aizen, though it squinted as he struggled to really see them in any sort of detail. "Aizen...? Sunburst. I don't know that I can make the journey back to the Ruins; it's a long trek from the bottom of the canyon."

Sunburst wagged his tail, "We can help! And we have all day, we'll stop and rest when we need to. Besides, if Bluescale is coming with, I'm sure we'll have to go slow for her too. The river monsters have such short little legs."

Aizen

Aizen tail wagged at them.yes, Tyrant Son of Senka seems to of convinced Velvet and then they came to an agreement and Senka and terserk took over and for now we are reunitedhe said.We have all day to go, or we could find a way to carry you maybe darkia or cloud could some how carry you on their back?He said tilting his head.

Sunburst & Others

Sunburst cocked his head in thought, "Hmmm, you're right. Maybe one of the horses? That would be a lot quicker, and save Cavan a lot of energy." The little hybrid frowned then, looking up the ravine to where Geinah had glanced when referencing Bluescale, "Umm... how big is Blue?"

Geinah chuckled and shook her head, "Blue is too heavy for the horses, but don't worry. He knows where the Ruins are, and I can travel with him to make sure the journey is safe." She smiles softly as she looks over the two, "The important thing is getting my father back to the Ruins. Why don't you gather one of the horses, and I'll take care of the crocodile."

Aizen

Aizen tilted his head.It may take a little with the horses, both are out searching as wellhe said calmly.

Ursa

Ursa A mixture of both parents, she is gray but with black sprinkled in. A tone of orange on her chest and muzzle. Face of a Rottweiller, but the body of a wolf. She's missing her tail, which is but a stump, and is mostly blind. Her blindness is severe enough that she can only see about five feet in front of her..

The nearly blind wolf mix that looked quiet strange du to her mix was barely alive. She was surviving on rats and mice. She could only see five feet in front of her and she only had a stub of a tail. She heard voices and tried to bark out to them but had very little energy to do much else.

Sunburst & Others

Geinah contemplated the issue before sitting back on her lean haunches, a gentle smile still adorning her metallic gray face, "There's no rush. You two are welcome to stay with us for a while, or we can wait here until one of the horses is ready to come help." The aging daughter of Risen and Cavan had never been one to act rashly or panic herself into a rut, and saw no reason now to hasten this journey back to the Ruins. They'd waited years on their own; a few more hours wouldn't hurt.

Sunburst was just looking aside to Aizen when a feeble sound caught his attention. Dark gray ears swiveled in the direction of Ursa's attempted bark, finding the tones somehow familiar. Even Geinah furrowed a brow, her hearing still surprisingly crisp despite her advancing years. "Did you hear that, Aizen?" The wolfdog turned away from the group and started scrambling over rock and debris, heading in Ursa's general direction. He gave a few soft woofs as he went, "Hello?"

Ursa

Ursa just finished a rat. Her ears perk up when she got a slight response and she tried to call out again before just curling up. She wasj ust all skin and bones.

Aizen had faintly heard it. It sounded quiet familiar to him. He began to follow sunburst.

Sunburst & Others

The last woof from Ursa, faint as it was, allowed Sunburst to pinpoint her location. One ear rotated back, hearing Aizen scrambling after him, and he glanced back with a bark, "This way!" His small size made it easier for the hybrid to navigate the tangle of dead branches and clots of vegetation that collected in piles in this ravine, darting over and under the obstacles until he'd at last found Ursa in his sights.

"..Ursa? Ursa! It's Ursa!" It took him a moment to confirm her identity, due to her deteriorated state, but once he recognized his old pack mate, it all clicked in his head. Bounding past the last few sticks and boulders, Sunburst approached the emaciated canine with a furiously wagging tail, and a gentle nuzzle to her neck, "Ursa hey, it's Aizen and I. Can you stand?"

Ursa

Aizen followed eagerly after sunburst. When he heard his sisters name he sped up even on his three legs. He had feared the worse with her, sure he was born with only three legs, but her tail was missing and she could only see about five feet in front of her if that.

Ursa felt the muzzle and slowly lifted her head up. If her eye site had been bad when healthy it was a lot worse now. At his words she struggled to her feet which showed how worse off she was including matted fur stained in piss.

Sunburst & Others

"...oh, Ursa." Sunburst whined, once he saw how truly poor her condition was. He gave her another nuzzle and scooted to her side to help brace her shoulder with his own. "We're gonna get you out of here, okay? I uh..." Thoughts flew through his mind, and he looked sharply to Aizen, "Hey Aizy, can you run back to the Temple and alert the others? We might need cats for this one - I don't think the horses can get through this ravine with all the branches and loose rock, and I don't know if Ursa can make it out on her own. Two cats I'd say - one for her, and one for Cavan."

Aizen

He watched his sister and then nodded and took off to the temple.

ursa said nothing as she leaned against him.

Sunburst & Others

Sunburst was going to try and coax Ursa to move out of the tangle of branches and rubble in the ravine, and head back to Geinah and Cavan, but decided against it. She was too weak to muster any words, and he doubted she'd make it back to them. "Alright, lets just lay down here, okay?" Slowly, the little hybrid leaned down, helping to guide his friend back to the earth. And even though it was fairly warm still, especially in the ravine, he flicked his tail around Ursa, and proceeded to groom her ragged fur.

It would take a few hours before Aizen could make it back to the Ruins and for help to return to the Canyon, but help did eventually come. Zanarah was one of the felines deployed to help bring back the lost Haunters, and she had little trouble navigating the minefield of debris that littered the canyon floor. Moving swiftly, she followed after Aizen, with her ears perked and nose twitching...

Aizen

Aizen lead Azula and Zan back to the canyon.Cavan and Ursa both need a liftHe said motioning Azula toward where Cavan was and then led Zan to where his sister was. He leaned down to nuzzle her. He knew father would be upset to see her this way he was but they couldn't help her till they got her back.

Ursa just nodded and laid down curling up.When they returned she lifted her head weakly and blinked trying to see.

Sunburst & Others

Moving with fluid grace, the she-cat had little trouble following after Aizen through the thick clutter of the ravine. She crouched beside the emaciated Ursa once they reached her, letting her belly drop fully to the ground so that the ailing canine would have an easier time climbing over her. Her nose wrinkled at the stench of the poor, ragged creature, but her heart went out to her and she spoke quietly, "Climb on, I'll go slow."

"Here, I'll help guide you." Sunburst offered, crouching beside Aizen's sister, ready to offer his shoulder to help prop her up as she climbed onto the big cat.

Further up in the ravine, Cavan had been arguing with his daughter about even needing a lift out of the Canyon. He all but scoffed when a big cat showed up to help assist him, but Geinah stepped forward with a smile and a bow to Azula, "Thank you for coming, Azula. Father, come on." She looked back at the scowling canine, one ear completely gone and the other sticking out sideways as he expressed his frustration with the situation. The wolfess had to circle back and give him a nudge of encouragement before the elder wolf conceded to the indignity of being carried on a cat.

"Fine. Fine." He muttered and padded forward, studying Azula with his good eye. With a grunt of effort, Cavan scrambled upon the big cat and crouched down low on her, his splayed paws sinking into her thick fur. Geinah breathed a sigh of relief, "I'll travel back with Bluescale, don't wait up for me."

Azula

She sighed but soon crouched down to let him on. Once she was sure he was secure she began moving out of the canyon.

Aizen watched his sister struggle up onto the cat wincing . Once she was on there he began leading the wayo ut.

Ursa struggled up onto the cats back and laid down on her.She probably would of died with in the next day or two.