Long time no Sean!

[Sean]

The darkening tunnels that had become his home hadn’t seen the boy in a very long time, and thus, the little Lycan had changed considerably, despite it just being a few months of disappearance. Father will be happy to see me! He thought triumphantly as his shadowed paws lead him prancing down the entrance into the darkness, holding his head up high.

That very same lop-sided wolfish grin changed just as the rest of his dark fur did. It happened with every shape-shift, but that normal smile was always apparent over his mug. What about Cealla? Where is she? the boy thought to himself, taking note of the empty chairs and hairless floor. Had the place been deserted and cleaned?

"Hellooooooo?" Sean cried out, tempting anyone to answer him, that is, if anyone was left at all. From the time he had left, he had grown. His face had become a little more square around his jaw, very much like Xavier, and his green eyes shone brighter than before. Taller in height, he thought to himself that he couldn't wait to show Cealla and Alissa.

(Forgive my absence, mates. Internet threw up a hairball)

[† Cealla †]

OOC:
Yay! Lovely to see you back. ^^

BIC:
One last time. She'd promised herself that she would return to the Tunnels at least one time, as a final goodbye to her childhood home. From there... she didn't know what she would do. Morgana was never around, so who would lead the barren Tunnel Clan? Xavier did the best he could, but he was growing older. She could tell even from the last time she saw him. While he didn't look that old, it was more of a tiredness with one place. At least from what she could tell- he'd frequently talked of trips to Japan or other countries. Anything just to get away, she figured. Away from the memory that was Sealla, perhaps, or maybe something more.

She quickly turned to her human form as she drew closer to the entrance of the Tunnels, figuring that it might be easier to revisit her old home in a shape that didn't hold so many memories. The place that she had grown up was darkened now- only a single candle glowed through the shadows and allowed her enough light to see by. As soon as she got close enough, she picked it up, cupping her fingers around the flame a little to protect it from the draft that was blowing in through the entrance.

All the furniture was covered in a thin layer of dust now, with the only footprints discernable being her grandfather's. So he was still here... but who else was? She couldn't even pick up the scent of anyone else living there, not in a long time. Not since the night that she had run away. Maybe that was the night that everything fell apart- it seemed funny to her that the pack could manage to stay together after a vampire attack, but then they had been torn apart from the inside out.

Sighing, she pushed open the door to the bedroom that she had used to share with her parents and sister. It was empty now, though the sheets were still on the bed and there was a small chest of toys from when they were pups. Everything looked exactly how she'd left it since her mother's death and her father's sudden comings and goings. Didn't look like he'd been here in a long time either, but she didn't particularly care anymore. Flopping down onto the bed, she closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander, feeling almost at home while lying down on what had used to be her bed.

The thought of asking 'why?' once more popped into her mind, but she rejected it. 'Why?' was quickly becoming one of her favorite questions- it covered so many things! And after all, the only way you could learn new stuff was by asking.

'Wellll...' She replied, staring up at the ceiling as if she were deep in thought. Suddenly she looked back down and then licked him right on the nose.

'Gotcha!' She giggled and then jumped out of his arms and onto the bed, skidding a little as she hit the slippery blankets. A devilish smile crossed her maw as she buried herself in the blanket, covering everything except for her little blue eyes.

A voice suddenly shattered her memory, ehcoing through the empty Tunnels like a gunshot. She suddenly jerked up in bed and pulled her head out of the clouds. Who could possibly be coming here? It was probably just a dumb student, looking to see if there really were any of the legendary beasts still lurking around. Well, she'd show them. She might no longer live here, but it held all her memories, and more. She wouldn't see it come to harm. Glancing around, she noticed a gun on her father's dresser- it looked unloaded and rather old, but it would certainly send a shock to whomever had come knocking.

"Who the hell are you?" She shouted, banging through the door and pointing the gun right at the boy. "And what are you doing in my home?" Her blue eyes remained locked on him, and she suddenly began to realize that there was something famillar about this assumed stranger. He looked a lot like someone she used to know, who had suckled beside her as a brother. She began to doubt herself a little. Had Sean really returned?

"Sean..?" She said, her voice hesitating as she lowered the 'dangerous' weapon. "I mean... is it really you?" Of course, she didn't know anyone else who looked so much like Xavier. It had to be him.

[Xavier]

The Tunnels...

How long had it been since Xavier was last here? He had trouble remembering sometimes. Xavier's heavy boots shuffled quietly through the long grass growing around the edges of the forest. Snow had fallen recently, but this grass had managed to stay above it. He just walked for a while, listening to the whooshing sound of his feet and the gentle whistle of the breeze through the giant trees that occupied the bare, wintered forest.

"So quiet..." he spoke to the wind, with only his ears and the trees and creatures of the forest near enough to hear him. His dull orange eyes stared up at the night sky, his nostrils taking in the cold air, his skin tingling from the temperature. Again, his eyes roamed down to the ground as he watched his own feet moving in sequence. Left, right. Left, right. On and on he went, heading in no particular direction. Then his senses lit up. His hearing hightened, his nostrils flared, his eyesight sharpened immediately. He sensed something...something old yet familiar. It came from the Tunnels, he was sure of it. For the first time in a long time, Xavier took a moment and stopped in the white light of the winter night.

His eyes closed, his breathing slowed and he took in a deep gulp of air before his body began to change. Bones and tendons began reforming, reshaping. His internal organs began adjusting positions and shapes to accomodate his true form. The mask that was his human form disappeared, revealing a silver-furred Xavier. His eyes lit up, fires seeming to blaze brightly within. His fur gleamed in the evening light, the moon and the snow amplifying what little light there was to begin with. Then he took off, heading towards his old home as fast as his legs would carry him. Soon, Xavier saw more tracks outside of the Tunnel entrance. Using his senses, Xavier leaned down and took a sniff of the tracks. One was a very familiar smell - Cealla was inside. The other, not so familiar, but more important than anything else in the world now.

It can't be...SEAN?! My son! My son has returned!

Xavier raced into the Tunnels with unremarkable speed, skidding to a halt outside the door where Cealla stood, seemingly petrified, her father's old empty pistol in her hand. Xavier then stopped and changed forms behind Cealla's back. His human form was dressed in a pure white outfit. White t-shirt, loose, flowing white pants, a thick white cape, and white boots around his feet. His green hair seemed to shine for the first time in a long time. Xavier's tanned hand gently reached around his granddaughter and grasped Cealla's own, slowly opening it, releasing her grip from the human weapon. He talked to her quietly, easing her and attempting to make her let go. Soon, he had the weapon in his hand. Xavier quickly tucked the empty weapon in the back of his pants at the small of his back and gently moved Cealla aside.

There, sitting in the room in front of him, was his son, Sean. He had grown into a fine young boy. Black, muffed hair, seemingly identical to Sealla's, topped his crown. A pair of bright green eyes looked out into the world, eager to learn and explore. A face squared around the jaw, similar to Xavier's own. Unconsciously, the orange-eyed Lycan gently touched his own jaw, feeling its shape and smiling. He was back.

"Sean...my dear, precious son. Is it you?"

Xavier carefully took steps toward Sean, fearing that he would disappear in an instant if Xavier made any sudden movements. As he got closer, Xavier's fingers reached out and touched Sean's face.

"My boy, you're really back," Xavier managed to get out before he burst into tears and collapsed onto his knees, grasping his son's hand and placing it to his own face. "You're back. Oh, my dearest son, you've come back!"

Xavier attempted to stop his sobbing and he looked up at the pup, smiling with glassy eyes. The father stood shakily and opened his arms to his son.

"Sean...my boy. Come here. Let me embrace you like I have wanted to for so long."

[Sean]

(Thanks Cealla. It's great to be back. I've missed Sean )

Not even a scent was left to waft from the chairs in front of the barren fire-place - that was, a hole in the cave ground that lead sky-ward which had been covered with a little greenery to hide it from others. There were only old, desintegrated ashes left. Not even unburnt wood was left, which was a shame. He really could have done with a good, strong fire. He'd have to go out and fetch some wood and wait for the others.

But, from the bustling door, he didn't even have to leave to find the place occupied. An erupting voice that demanded an immediate response, if not an excuse, to come into their home. And that voice, though it had slightly deepened since he last heard it, matched the voice of his closest friend in the entire world. "Cealla?" He asked, which was answered with;
"Sean..?" She was beautiful, and always had been, but he'd only noticed it now. Now that he had seen the world just that slight bit more.

"It's me!" he cried with wide eyes, oblivious to the man-made object that she was threatening to use on him. But he didn't have enough time to move and greet his sister, because there had been a bolt of grey pausing between the two to stare from behind Cealla in his humanly shape. "Sean...my dear, precious son. Is it you?" he asked in a shakey, raspy voice.

Had it been anyone other than his father and Cealla, the boy would have flinched when he traipsed closer, ever so slowly as if approaching a mirage. This man was his idle, his blood, his friend, his father. And boy was Sean happy to see him. Forgetting the fear that the Vampires would return whilst he was away had lead the boy to remember how much he wanted to be as strong as his pa (which was immense in comparison).

That touch. If he wanted, Sean didn't doubt that his father could crush his whole skull - and as scarey as that sounded, it just made his heart leap for the highest point more. But as if that dream had shattered, Xavier dropped like he had been tripped to his knees, and took Sean's hand. Was the boy really that missed? He cocked a thick black brow at this thought, and sent a smile over the green head to Cealla, and a wink.

He couldn't help but laugh. He was back, and it was the best decision he had made in the short time he was alive. Instead of falling like his dad had done, he bent down and collapsed into his arms, brushing his cheek against Xavier's thick green hair. And for once, no matter how much he didn't want to show it in front of his sister, a tear swelled in his eye. "Papa... Cealla..."

[† Cealla †]

She didn't say a word as Xavier lifted the weapon from her small hands, letting it go willingly and then allowing her hand to collapse to her side. It really was Sean. But... he looked so much older! She glanced down at her own hands and then down at the floor- if Sean looked older, then she must look older as well. That made her think. How long ago had it been since she'd so much as gazed into a pond to see her own reflection? A while. Not since her mother had died. Amelia had used to allow her to use her mirror sometimes when she was little, just so long as she was careful not to break it.

Seven years of bad luck, supposedly. But hadn't they already been unlucky enough? Her young mind was still unable to comprehend the pure hatred of those vampires as they murdered Kayla and Jagger. How could one being hate another in such a way? Her friends had just been pups. They never got the chance to experience life in the way that she had. Sighing, she glanced at Sean and hoped that his time away had been happy, at least happier than the time that she had spent here.

His words only verified her question and caused her to smile- he hadn't changed a bit, had he? And neither had Xavier. None of them had changed, but the circumstances surrounding their family had. The death of Amelia and the disappearence of Kage, along with the coming of Mikayla, had only served to tear them all further apart. But now that Sean was back, couldn't they try and fix everything so they could become a family again? Maybe... just maybe.

Smiling a bit, she took a step back to allow for Xavier to embrace his only son. He really did miss Sean a lot, that much was obvious. She lifted her head up just in time to see him wink at her- how clever. A smile tugged at her lips as she winked back and waved, not wanting to intrude on the little reunion that they were having. Since Sean was back now, there was plenty of time for them to spend together.

[† Alissa †]

It had been a while since Alissa had seen anybody at all. Wandering around where ever she felt comfortable, the small brown haired Lycan girl ventured the lake, the forest and occasionally Hogsmeade. The Quidditch Pitch had been her latest discovery and over the weekend, Alissa had observed her first ever match. She only knew the name of the sport from what she could hear the students saying, and had run off before they could spot her at all.

Though that day, the younger twin Amelia had birthed had decided to stay in her chamber, picking at a flower she had brought back with her the night before. Twirling it in her small fingers, the little girl shook her head a little and sat up, straightening out the creases in her green skirt and white tee. The days were getting colder, and she should have considered finding a cardigan or staying as a wolf for the winter.

Flinging her long braided hair over one shoulder, Alissa returned to her daydreaming, but it was shattered by the sound of voices coming from outside. Curiosity took hold of the young girl, and her bare feet found the ground in no time. Removing the door from its frame and peeking her head around it gently, a small smile crept on her face. Uncle Xavier, cousin Sean, and of course her sister were standing in the main chamber. Her brown eyes could see them even from where she stood.

Running out of the room and allowing the door to fall back into the frame, Alissa ran up to Cealla and flung her arms around her neck from behind. “Cealla!!!!!!” she squealed, hugging her sister tight before bouncing over to Sean and repeating the motion, though standing in front of him.

Turning around, Alissa’s cheeks flushed a little pink as she stood in front of Uncle Xavier. “Hello, Uncle!” she smiled gently, nodding her head. “It’s been a long time, have you been taking care of yourself?” she questioned, more like a chiding mother than an excitable niece.

Noting how Cealla had stepped over to one side, Alissa’s eyes widened. “I just interrupted something… didn’t I?” the brown haired girl continued meekly, sidestepping guiltily off to one side after she had spoken.

[Xavier]

Life seemed to have returned to the Tunnels at last. After having been dormant for so long, the spirits of its inhabitants slowly began to gather again. Sean had returned, and for the first time in a long while, Xavier's two granddaughters were in the same room with him. The elder Lycan smiled as he let go of his son and faced his shy little granddaughter. He chuckled at her and shook his head.

"No, my dear little Alissa. Sean has returned, and I was just embracing him as the father that I had hoped I would become again. But it's good to see you all again after so long. Cealla, I'm sorry that I ignored you earlier. I'm sure you understand why. I know that you do. You're such a smart girl, after all."

Xavier smiled at the pup and left Sean's side for a moment to speak to his granddaughter.

"Cealla," he said to the younger Lycan as he knelt down in front of her with his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sure that someday, once I've moved on to the next stage of life, you will become the future leader of these Tunnels. You've helped protect them since you were very little, and I'm very proud of you for that. I'm sure that your mother is looking down on you right now, smiling broadly saying 'That's my girl...'"

Xavier smiled at Cealla again and stood up, then walked back over to his other granddaughter and knelt in the same fashion as before.

"As for you, Alissa. You're pure heart will serve you well. Your kindness towards others will only benefit you in the future. You will befriend many people because of your actions, and no one will ever come to dislike you for who you are. I know that you and Cealla will protect this clan through thick and thin for years to come."

Xavier stood up again, then walked over to his son. He ruffled the boy's hair and chuckled, then spoke to the pups in unison.

"I think we need a fire in here, don't you?" said Xavier with a grin. The green-haired Lycan picked up an old yet very sharp axe from the corner of the room and walked back. "Who wants to go get some wood with me?"

[† Cealla †]

Cealla gently hugged her sister back, glad to see the younger lycan once again. Wasn't it terrible that it had been nearly a month since she had seen her own sister? Awful. Absolutely awful. But then again, she hadn't seen much of her family lately. And it had made her think that the life of a loner was not going to be her life. It couldn't be her life, for she enjoyed the company of her family more than the company of just herself. When she was alone, there was no way to block out the thoughts in her own mind. It was a terrible thing, to spend so much time on your own. In the end, all you are doing is teetering along a fine line between sanity and insanity.

"No, you aren't disturbing anything." She said, echoing Xavier's words. "We're just all getting reaquainted, as you can see." Her blue eyes twinkled as she realized that right now, there was no other place that she'd rather be. Just here, in her own home, with the people she'd always loved. Though her actions might have occasionally seemed cruel and perhaps a bit reckless, the presence of others like her calmed her down. In a way, it tamed her from beast into person. And she liked being human; she didn't like the feeling of being wild and out of control.

She raised one eyebrow at Xavier's comment of her being smart, though it was only teasingly. She did kind of know how highly he thought of her, but he rarely actually expressed it in words. Her lips moved into a smile at his compliment, though she didn't quite know why he chose to say it. The girl's blue eyes widened slightly as he spoke of her as a leader in the pack- her? After all she'd done in attempts to hurt him and drive away prospective members? He must be psycho. But another part of her admitted that it was true; for Alissa was too timid to be willing to stand up and fight. Though the black lycan knew that her aggression would probably create more than one problem in the future.

"Thank you." She whispered, following him with her eyes as he then knelt down before Alissa. Her eyes then moved over to Sean and she smiled at him, briefly wondering what he was thinking. He had missed so much, after all. Did he even know that Amelia had died?

"I volunteer Sean for the job." She replied with a chuckle in her voice. "After all, I'm sure you two are dying to have some serious bonding time. And I'm not really in the mood for trudging around in the snow to look for wood."

[Sean]

(Somehow I doubt Cealla would become the leader of the Tunnel Lycans. Not meaning to stamp on your glory, Cealla!)

As Cealla winked and waved back, Sean did the same thing as Alissa came bustling in, apologising for interrupting the non-existant un-interruptable moment. He winked at her too, and squeezed his papa's shoulders tigher just before Xavier let go to speak with Cealla. Whatever he had to say, Sean didn't listen in. And instead, hyperly waved to Alissa. He'd missed his siblings quite as much as he missed his father - obviously.

Once papa had stopped talking with Alissa, he waited for his turn, only to realise he wasn't to have one. Slightly down-hearted, he didn't quite listen to what Xavier had proposed. No matter how much of a son Sean was to Xavier, Cealla was his obvious favourite. Which was rather a shame - duh! I wonder why.

He ran a hand through his hair upon turning away from the fire - much like Sealla used to do. "I'm warm enough. You three go, I'll fetch us some..." but the boy didn't finish his sentence whilst he turned around to walk down a much thinner tunnel. Though he had meant to mention food somewhere in the words he said, he was heading in the opposite direction.

His room. His room used to be with his father, when he was incapable of sleeping alone. Now, it probably was much more appropriate for him to do so. Turning down another hall, which Morgana and Sealla's rooms used to be, he shoved a heavily dusty door open, only to have it fall down into the room, missing the small bed by only inches.
That would do fine.

(Apologies for my post. The inspiration has escaped me)

[Rogue]

Ooc: Hopefully I might be able to bring some back.

Ic: There was no moment at which Rogue considered rising from her bed to saunter outside her den and meet the owner of the voice in the tunnels. She could smell lycan a mile off, and as long as it was no mortal, she had every intention to remain still on her bed; lithe fingers shifting in an edgy manner over the sheets once every so often. That was all very well until she heard the voice of another young lycan, this one voicing the name of the one at the entrance.

Her chest rose and fell slowly, so slow in fact, one could have assumed her dead. Her long white tresses were still as stark as ever, framing that cold face like the winter framed the landscape outside. To her hips her hair flowed, and as she slid her legs to one side and off the bed, it swam around her beautifully, as ripples of mercury could swirl in a lake.

Her toes touched the cold ground, then her heels, and her claw-like nails gripped the edge of the bed with a fiesty strength. Her pale eyelashes came apart and she opened her eyes; a wet glow of amethyst shading her irises. Rising from the bed, her rather plain, tattered grey dress hung off her abnormally thin frame; the rips and tears dangling around the backs of her knees.

Letting a long sigh pass through her dry lips, she ventured to the doorway of her den, resting a fragile hand on the frame and gazing out. The first thing she saw was the back of the young boy walking down the hallway, and she slipped from her room; following him. He stopped nearby Sealla's room, and shoved a door off it's hinges and to the floor.

A faint smile curled Rogue's lips upward and she slinked up behind the boy, tracing her lengthy fingers around his shoulder and then his neck, to hold him ever so gently back against her with her arm hooked under his chin. She lowered her mouth by his ear and whispered; her cool, calm voice no doubt filling his ears with a dull familiarity.

"Sean...Welcome home."

[Xavier]

OOC: Aww...c'mon...now that's not fair...meh.

This is going to be short. Xavier's just not showing up much, at least not inside my own mind. X.x

BIC:

As all three pups refused his offer, Xavier shrugged and sighed. Then, Xavier watched as Sean left the common room and headed towards the private dens. Xavier had done something, and he knew it. Was it the fact that he hadn't said anything personal to Sean? That could have been it. It wouldn't surprise him. The elder Lycan frowned, then excused himself from his granddaughters' presences and followed Sean from a distance, only to come upon him in Sealla's room, her door lying flat on the floor, the hinges so old that they had given way under Sean's force. Xavier also noticed Rogue standing behind Sean, her thin form wrapped around the pup's own. She whispered something to him, and Xavier faintly heard her welcome Sean home.

"Well...I'm glad that everyone's getting reaquainted. How are you feeling, Rogue? I encountered Carmen in Hogsmeade recently. Apparently you hurt her pretty seriously on one of your less-than-perfect days..."

Xavier immediately shut his mouth, knowing that he had probably struck a bad chord with Rogue for just mentioning that little incident. He cursed to himself and spoke briefly to Sean.

"Sean, I'd like to talk to you alone when you find the opportunity. I'll be in my chamber when Rogue is done speaking with you. It's good to have you back, son. I missed you so much."

Xavier then turned about sharply and walked back down to his own room, silently shutting the heavy door and slumping down on his bed, tears of sorrow silently flowing down his face. So...Sean was going to occupy his and Sealla's old room? If that was the case, then so be it.

OOC: Gah...wow...Xavier's really lacking now...oh well.