a forest of hope - joiners

[BLOODHOUND.]

Their fur was dirty and limp. They had not left their home in about a week, after Ivan's disappearance. They'd lost track of the days, of how often the sun rose and fell. Everything was buzzed and blurred into one. As it happened, this was the first day they had ventured out into the familiar lands again, and the first time they'd noticed that some of the traps had fallen into disrepair. They made a mental note, to fix a few of them. To add their own, to the scenery.

Bloodhound had been in a slump just as much as they'd solely been outside at night, mindlessly following whatever remained of Ivan's traces. Hoping to catch him, if he ever returned. Knowing, that he wouldn't. Breaking into Caustic's home one night, when the curiosity struck. Hoping not to find the two of them dead on the floor. What they did find was not exactly shocking, with scorched marks and cages on the basement floor, a great machine seemingly crumbled under its own weight.

No note.

No goodbye.

They had not been close, they suppose.

Bloodhound had also been hunting, for some of the group. Leaving prey on their doorsteps here and there. Letting them know that they were thinking of them. Or, well. Leaving a corpse for them to find, white mottled fur between its claws.

They are not far from the border, after a quick, successful hunt, their jaws snatching up a rabbit, when they hear quite a few voices. Curiosity, and wanting to spend time with others lead them to the scene, where quite a few animals collected. Very large animals, they note, taking in the size of the bison, and the alligator. They notice Delilah and Aurum in the mix, and pick up their pace, eager to see what was going on. They are there, as the group of newcomers introduce themselves, full of personality.

They toss the rabbit onto their back as they near the group, tail wagging slightly.

"Are the winds fair today?" They ask of Red and Wing, excited stumble across birds that seemed to be intelligent enough to speak. "As the others have said, welcome to Tanglewood. I am Bloodhound. Do not worry about trespassing, it is easy to get lost in our swamps."

They at least, didn't seem to be threatening.

THE TRUE TEST IS BEFORE THE ALLFATHER.