Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hollow hadn't ventured too far from his new home since he'd found it. Just far enough to chase down and catch some rats. They seemed to dense populate the Ruins. Perhaps his banishment to this place wouldn't prove fatal. But he was so alone ... Today he was determined to have a good solid patrol of the area, see if he could detect any signs of his kind. He so desperately wanted to find his Pack once more. For a few brief hours they'd been there, and all had been going well. Until those rats betrayed them. He snarled at the memory.

As he snarled, he padded through the edge of the crumbling buildings. He knew they were built by the species that had destroyed his the first time. The tasty noulicorns had told him that before they'd left him here to die. He also knew they had died out. Killed themselves off. At least that was what he thought. Perhaps the noulicorns had lied to him. It wouldn't surprise him. He snarled again. They'd driven him and his kind out of the lush woods that had teemed with life, and into the broken, decrepit place. It was clear that they didn't care for it, which was why they had driven the Bone Crusher out here. But they'd broken them up ... Forced them to be alone. That tugged on Hollow even more than his constant hunger. He was not meant to be alone.

He was past the buildings now, and the hot sun beat down on him, nothing obstructing in. He broke into a lope, stretching his legs. He inhaled deeply the dry dust tickling his throat. As he loped along a sudden smell caught his attention. With the dry dirt and the crumbling things behind him there was something else. Something like him. He breathed in as deeply as he could, as quickly as he could. He tried to gather as much of the air as possible into his lungs. Was it just his mind playing tricks on him? Or was there another Bone Crusher out here? He swung his head around, searching, searching. As he ran on, the smell became clearer. Hollow's heart pounded against his ribs. He scented the air again, and let out a bark of sheer joy. The scent couldn't be that old. He was sure of it.

Then, in the distance he noticed a smudge. He stretched his legs as far as they would go, putting everything into running. He was so sure. There was another Bone Crusher out there, alive still. He covered the distance quickly, refusing to waste anytime. The smudge quickly resolved itself. Before he knew it he stood in front of another one of his kind. He whooped with joy. "Sister." He ducked his head to the towering female. "Come, I've found our home."

Hollow could hardly believe his luck. He had found another Bone Crusher, and a female at that! Joy swelled up in him as he beheld her. She was a regal creature, pale and sleek despite her height. She was a little dirty, but it wasn't surprising given she was out in the Barrens. He could hardly wait to show her their new home. She'd she, it was perfect. He almost had to shake his head to see if he was dreaming. He glanced back, delighted to see that she was following. More than following, she easily gained on him, and ran beside him.

Hollow grinned. "It's in the Ruins. That's where the noulicorns drove me to. Left me there. But hunting is good. Perhaps nearly as good as their forest, Sister." She didn't response, she just seemed to take it in. "Our home is large though. Large enough for a great Pack. Together, we can collect them. Assemble them. Not many noulicorns out in the Ruins. It can be ours, undisputedly." He could see a glint in her eye. He liked that.

They ran in silence the rest of the way. As the broke through the perimeter of the buildings he watched her closely. She scanned the Ruins, but seemed unimpressed. He didn't blame her. They were tumbledown hovels here. He wound through streets before finally reaching the place he'd found. It stood tall, unassaulted. "Our home, Sister." She stepped past him, and through the front door. Hollow grinned.