Dhiren was still on the move for politics. He needed to confirm alliances for Sawtooth and so far, he had obtained two. Ethereal and Ebony had give him the "Okay" in regards to alliances and he was happy that everything was going so smoothly. Yet, some part of him was considering the unwanted bump in the road. He remained alert as he continued to explore his options. His journey that day led him to the Northern bit of Ala. He was not used to the cold climate -- he immediately missed his warm home -- but he had to deal with it for the sake of his pack's future. Rumors of the pack, Bevroren, led him to the Sparse Pines, and they were indeed magical. He tilted his head back to admire their heights, bodies frozen and motionless due to the weather. A sigh left his lips, only to turn into visual vapor. What a magical place to live. While he had his head titled upward, Dhiren gave a lone howl for the ruler of the isolated pack. He intended to meet with him...or her...and find out where his pack stood against Bevroren. Once his song was complete, he lowered his head and kept a watchful eye everywhere around him. He didn't know how fast his howl would be replied to, but he hoped it was soon. His body began to shiver and a brisk, cheerful, wintery wind caused him to lower his head and close his eyes to increase his body's vibes. Speech, Awesome pic by Seren <3

More often than not, Athena had no idea who was at her borders when someone called for her. Whether it was someone from another pack or someone seeking entry into her pack, she usually either didn't know them or it had been ages since she had seen them last. But, today it was different. A voice reached her ears and they pricked with recognition and surprise. It wasn't all that long ago that she had spoken to a stranger some distance from her home and she had honestly never expected to speak to him again. Curious as to why he might be here, she immediately turned toward the call and took off at a brisk run to greet him. When she arrived she saw she had been correct in her assumption of who it was. Dhiren. She wouldn't forget someone like him very easily. She smiled and slowed to a stop as she got close, her tail wagging gently behind her. She noticed that he clearly wasn't as comfortable in the nearly eternally frigid north as she was, but she was glad to have gotten here quickly so he wouldn't have to wait long. "Dhiren! What a surprise! What brings you to Bevroren today?" Speech Thought

The wolf that answered his call was someone he hadn't expected to see. After taking a break from shivering his butt off, his eyes widened at the approaching gray form. A smile broke across his cold face and his tail thumped against the snow before immediately wrapping around all four paws. "Athena! Nice to see you again as well. I came to Bevroren in search of an alliance." The young man hadn't told her at their last encounter that he was one of the head leaders of Sawooth. Instead, he had just told her he was a member of the former Ludicael and that had been it. His toothy smile began to shiver and they began to chatter inside his mouth. He nibbled on his lips, making them cover his teeth for protection from the cold. Ears slowly perked for a few seconds as he said, "I am the Lead Beta of Sawtooth and am currently using my position to do some political work...It's nerve wracking soemtimes, but someone has to do it." "Speech" Lineart courtesy of Kaylink on dA - Character belongs to Wynn

Surprise was clear on her face when he explained why he was here and what position he held in his pack. She hadn't known that he was in such a high leadership position. It was certainly a small world. She also wasn't familiar with Sawtooth, but there seemed to be quite a few packs that she wasn't familiar with these days. She chuckled softly and replied, "I know what you mean. I've been meaning to get out and go looking for some new alliances with all these packs that have been popping up everywhere, but it seems I can stay right here and have them come to me, hm?" Her tone was joking, but she was half serious. Glaciem had been here for many, many seasons. It might have changed rulers several times and recently changed its name, but in its core it was still the same pack. She noticed Dhiren shivering so she tried not to keep him here any longer than she needed to. Skipping most of the small talk, she went on to say, "Well, today is your lucky day. I am the Soeverein here, the queen. I like to think I can consider you a good acquaintance if not a friend so I would be happy to offer Sawtooth an alliance with Bevroren. The only stipulation I tell my allies is that if you are at war with another of my allies I will not offer my assistance. I don't want to be in a conflict of interest, you know." She smiled and waited to see if he had any of his own terms to throw into the mix or if he would simply agree. Speech Thought Others

Despite the cold, the news Athena gave him made his heart soar. She was the Queen of this pack? That was so weird, to find out that his recently made friend was also of a high rank. He hoped that their future alliance would bring them closer as friends and as allies. As long as they stood on the same common ground, they would be set. The journey to the North had been worth the trip. She explained that as long as he didn't come to her for assistance to fight one of her own allies, they would be all right. Dhiren shivered all over, giving him a temporary relief from the cool winds. "That sounds fine with me," he replied, teeth taking a break from the consistent chattering. "I hope that our packs get to interact with each other accordingly, especially since your company is always welcoming." He smiled and wrapped his tail tightly around his legs. "I wouldn't be upset if you wanted to come down to the Southern Hemisphere to visit for a bit. I know being a ruler can be exhausting." Speech,

Athena couldn't help but chuckle at Dhiren's chattering and shivering from the cold. She nodded in agreement, a small smirk forming on her muzzle at his words. "Of course. If you or any of your pack mates need anything, don't be afraid to come ask. And I would love to come visit sometime. As much as I like the cold it would be nice to experience something other than ice and snow from time to time." She chuckled and motioned with one of her forepaws back the way he came, which of course was neatly pointed out with his paw prints in the ever present snow. "But for now why don't you head back to south before you turn into a icicle yourself? I'll be down to visit before too long... I enjoy your company too much not too and I would love to catch up some more, but not while you're shivering like that. So I'll say good bye for now." Speech Thought

Her suggestion was something he was wanting to do, but didn't want to be rude. The man nodded his head and gave a nervous smile, despite the teeth chattering in his skull. "I will be more than happy to depart, even though I wouldn't mind staying in your presence." He gave a soft chuckle and then took a few retreating steps from the Queen's frame. "I hope to see you soon, and you will be more than welcome to come by and visit my beloved Sawtooth." He spoke like a poet, but he didn't care if he sounded lame. He was proud of his pack and being in charge of such a grand one. "Speech" Lineart courtesy of Kaylink on dA - Character belongs to Wynn