The affection Istas had for him was strange. Rather, he was unaccustomed to it. Grimoire's affection had been much different - possessive, encompassing but Istas' was gentle, warm. It was unlike their mother or father's - ah, it was simply Istas. His brother had been born as light as a feather whereas he had been born like a sinking stone. Whatever differences they had, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment of warmth between the two of them as his brother leaned into him with an embrace. He was alive, he was well, he was still Istas.

He gave what might have been a small laugh out at his brother's declaration - avoid trouble? Wraith supposed so. It might have been the only part of him that was lucky. "Same could be...said for you," he grinned, sheepish as he pulled away to get a better look at his brother. He really was well, Istas was. It surprised him just how young his brother seemed to appear despite their shared march through time.

"Hmmm," he had to consider his brother's questions - there had been a lot - and it took him several moments to mull them all over before he gave a nod, as if to affirm he had finally registered them all. "Live nowhere," he shrugged but then a hint of a half-smile lingered on the black of his lips, "almost had...mate. Maybe." He thought of Grimoire and then he thought of how he should have been clearer with her, or should have followed her better. Now he had lost her. Or perhaps she had lost him. "Vain is...somewhere -" he furrowed his brows, tried to find some memory of his other brother but sighed in defeat, "not here." But alive at least.

He reached out slowly to sniff at his brother then; he searched for any indication of others, a pack, and though the moors lingered ever so slightly upon him, it wasn't enough to make Wraith sure. "You?" All of the questions - his singular query implied it as he drew back to meet his brother's eyes once more.