It’s the scent of smoke that rouses the hellhound mutt from her slumber – a scent so familiar and sickening it jolts her from dreams of water and dragons she had been treading mere moments ago. For a moment she almost believes she’s back in Saboro’s red jungle, for a heartbeat wonders if the Mother Volcano spewed her rage of lava and ash once again upon its inhabitants.

But no – Romula was far from that place. Content in slivers of land unclaimed by empires of blood and corruption. This was no man’s land, she had scouted the edges of a pack’s borders before turning safely away to find refuge beneath the gnarled roots of a giant sycamore.

The land had seemed quiet and untouched enough – a seemingly safe place to rest. Despite all her suspicions and delusions, nothing had shouted out to the woman as odd or dangerous.

After all, how could she have predicted war on the horizon?

The smoke drives Romula from her hiding place, her sea green eyes wide as what had been a quaint and quiet woodland merely hours early were now erupted into flame and chaos. She wasted no time in beginning to flee. The ex-Saboran had survived fire and ash before, surely this would be no different.

Hakan found himself blinking at the edge of a small lake, the lake where Firebright Falls fills in to Firebright Lake... He had been lost in the stories of the falls, lost in his own reflection, lost in the thousand yard stare.

He looked up vacantly at the lakeside and watched as the phantoms of his memory played out before him again. A giant pack of coyotes... his dear friends pulling themselves out of the lake. It didn't have a name back then... It certainly didn't have the name of Hakan's lost love at the time. It was as if he was a young man again, watching them fight back the intruders... Pulling his adopted sister, Oasis, out of the lake after she nearly drowned... That day she had gone deaf...

Hakan looked over the lake at the wall of falling water and dragged his gaze up and up and up to where it started. He looked back where the Castle would be.

He was... lonely... and sad. Don't get him wrong, he was grateful and enjoyed those he has close, but... he misses many more, every single one that touched his life in one way or another, those that no longer walked with him.

There was someone here though, that would perhaps still listen to the ramblings of an old man lost in the folds of time. It would be nice to catch up, they had never really had much of a chance to connect, strangely. No time like the present.

He then wondered if Adolph might enjoy partaking of this one type of herb. If he remembered where it was planted. Should be close by, yes, that was the reason he had set off in this direction today.

He was no longer Monoceros, a bittersweet transition, he was glad to pass on the torch to his own worthy apprentice, Jase. Though it didn't really stop the elder from nosing his way into work and getting lost in it. He was thankful of the little extra brain space to work on his own though, like finding this stand of herbs.

He nosed around in the area he thought they were last, but to no luck. He must have misremembered the spot. Perhaps they were on the other side of the lake? He shook his head, as he wandered over to the otherside, wondering how fuddled his memories could be if he had lost track of these plants.

Ah... there they were, that tangy aroma that almost instantly makes him sneeze. A strange plant that when chewed, intensified the senses, making you pleasantly dizzy, and gave aching old bones some relief.

He grabbed a good stalk he could strip several leaves from. It was best fresh, and made his way to Adolph's den at the castle. Oof Hakan wasn't as young as he used to be and the trek was starting to take the wind from him, especially with a plant in his mouth.

He stopped at the doorway and placed the stalk on his paws.
"Heya." Hakan nodded his head warmly at Adolph to get his attention, "Thought we could share this great chewing leaf together. Eases some of the old aches and pains. Hadn't had a chance to really connect somehow. Thought maybe..." He glanced away, "Maybe since we have some time... might as well?" He shrugged and turned back to the other elder.

They were the only elders in the pack now. He regretted not getting to know him and Buckshot better before.

ooc: @Pawprint