Just when Svetlana thought that everything was going to be alright... everything seemed to fall apart again. She was caught in limbo, stuck in a time between right and wrong. Her heart's wounds were reopened, torn and left bleeding out. She had run. She had run and come back. Left and then slithered back yet again. Svetlana had lost Raisa, though her mother was her own person, able to go where she wanted. Val... she was sure that her sister didn't forgive her at all. Now she could even tell Val's scent was fading around Ebony... and it left her hurting all the more. Hurting so badly. Had... had all those words, those promises, been for nothing? She wasn't sure where she belonged anymore. If anywhere. She had fallen off the path of what she hoped to become, a young woman who felt she had no future before her... and nothing but a withering past. Svetlana had lost Korrin in the confusion as well, caught in running around like a mad woman searching for where she was supposed to be. In the end it was to the place of her birth, no longer part of Ebony, and to the very den she grew up in. It was in there that the lighter color of her mother, the faded version, now lay curled up in a ball of misery. Val had said she'd be welcomed home... that they'd stay together... they'd make it through... but where was she now? Raisa had gone, hopefully to search for Sigmarr and Sindri, as Koros had hinted at... but... Svet would whine, curling tighter into that ball. She was, in the end, alone. Mistakes lead her here... and she was scared of trying to make another decision. Would that just lead to her getting hurt too? Should... should she even attempt to go back to Ebony now? Should she even... stay in Alacritia? The questions ate at her mind, her heart, her very soul. Svetlana felt like a small child again with little to no knowledge of what was right or wrong anymore. She had no idea what path to take... or even if there was a future left for her anymore. "Hear Me Talk," "Listen To Korrin," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Leo hummed quietly to himself as he wandered across Alacritis, no particular destination in mind. His family was for the most part intact and well, though they all surely had their dramas. It seemed like their family was constantly in some kind of turmoil, but as long as they were healthy and more or less easily found he was happy. It was all he could as for really until he was able to give them all a new home. And he would, he was determined to do so. He was convinced that it was his destiny to resurrect his family's empire. But, until the day came that he was ready to do such a thing, he would enjoy his youth and wander wherever he pleased. At the moment that meant weaving aimlessly though his rocky landscape. A soft song mumbled under his breath with no certain tune in mind even though the song did remind him a bit of a vague memory from his childhood. A new scent caught his attention, his two-toned ears perking up curiously while his saphire gaze searched the rocks for its source. He could tell it was a female and that she seemed to not carry any pack affiliations, but that was as much as he could gather from scent alone. He slowed his steps and carefully followed the scent, curiosity and maybe even a touch of loneliness driving him on. Finally he spotted her, her gray form curled tightly into a ball, like maybe she was trying to hide from the world. He slowed to a stop a fair distance away. His gaze was genuinely curious and concerned. There were no strangers to him, only wolves he hadn't had the chance to meet yet and anyone in help was instantly deemed worthy of his protection. "Miss? Are you okay?" he called gently, not wanting to spook her. "Talk" "You" Think

Svetlana would have never expected company, expected someone to find her here in her misery. The young woman was caught off-guard, uncoiling from her balled up position to look in the direction of the male who spoke to her. Tears fell from her eyes, her look one of hurt, of one who was lost. She would swallow hard, trying to find her answer. Slowly she got to her paws, lowering her gaze to the ground at her feet. Her heart ached, a pain in her chest that made it feel as though it would fall out of place. She felt so unsure, didn't even know how to answer the stranger. Perhaps, she thought, it was simply best to be honest.

"I... I don't know." The words that left Svetlana's words were soft, full of her emotion and hurt. She'd glance around, at the place once called home. "I... was born here. Yet... since those days... my family has fallen apart around me. Everything just hurts... I... I don't know if my family is really meant to be together or not... I love them and miss them but... I feel like we keep drifting apart. I don't know if... If I even belong anywhere anymore..." Her ears were lowered, tightly closing her eyes. She didn't know what to think anymore. Had she not been as lost as she was, well, she wouldn't have been pouring all of her feelings out to a complete stranger. Svet needed a hand in the right direction... but would this young man provide the right path? Or would she just get hurt further?

Leo's ears flicked back when the woman lifted her head to look at him, his concern tripling when he saw the tears in her eyes. As she sat up onto her haunches he slowly moved closer to her before settling onto his own haunches in front of her. She began to speak and he would sit quietly and listen. He knew all too well that sometimes what someone that was upset really needed was just someone to spill their worries to. Since he seemed to be the only one around he would happily be that someone for her. He wondered to himself if he really looked that trust worthy. This wouldn't be the first time that a stranger told him their problems after all. He really didn't mind, it just made him wonder. She spoke of birthplaces, broken families, and feeling lost, all things that he was all too familiar with. His heart went out to her and he wished he had some great words of wisdom for her, but really he was still figuring it all out himself. "Sometimes families just aren't meant to live side by side... It's hard, but maybe it's for the best. My parents ruled a pack and once they decided to leave it me and my siblings left as well. We haven't really seen much of each other since then... But like you said, I still love them. When we do see each other it's great. Sometimes if you have a lot of family it's just impossible for all of you to stay in one place. Everyone has different desires and wishes."  He reached out to place one of his forepaws on top of hers, hoping that the movement would be seen as comforting. "I don't know if that helps or if its what you wanted to hear, but it's something I had to learn to accept not too long ago and maybe it's something you need to think about too. It's okay to love and miss your family. It just means you'll be even happier to see them when you do." "Talk" "You" Think

Her eyes would remain closed at first, her mind, her heart, trying to make sense of the words. Svetlana was quiet, listening trying to understand. Sometimes families weren't meant to live side by side. That contradicted what her family had believed, holding strength in each other. But listening to this young man speak of his own family, who seemed to know of having them scattered about, it started to make the pale gray girl realize some things. Her family was strong... and they did truly love each other. But that didn't mean that they always had to be together, breathing down each other's necks. It was... okay for them to have their own destinies. To choose their own path.

Bright blue eyes would slowly open, and Svetlana would lift her gaze to the youth before her. She was, truthfully, in awe. It seemed so simple yet... she hadn't realized it herself. Maybe Svetlana was still clinging to the dreams she had as a child, the want of all of them in one place. To know that they were safe. Protected. But... how could they live if they were always held down in the same place? Of course some of their desires would be different. Their goals... she found a sort of peace with the situation now, breathing out.

"It's kind of funny... It seems like such a simple answer yet... it evaded me for so long. I guess you really don't see it that way until you've met someone else who has gone through the same." She would sniff lightly, shaking her head. Feeling silly now that he had seen her tears. 

"I guess I keep thinking like I did when I was a kid. Things were so much simpler back then..." Truly they were. "I'm Svetlana Xanilov, by the way. My mother, Rasia, had founded Ebony here."

Leo sat quietly and waited while the girl processed what he said. He knew it was a lot to take in. It had taken him much of his young life to accept and he wasn't even certain he had fully embraced it yet. However, he did believe it was true and she didn't seem to be protesting yet so maybe she believed it too. Finally her sky-blue eyes opened and she looked up at him as she spoke. He smiled softly and nodded in understanding. "Sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective," he added. Part of him wished someone had told him all of that back in the day when his family first started to scatter, but he was glad to be able to comfort this girl even a little bit with what he had learned. He chuckled and nodded again when she mentioned the simplicity of the early days. That was for sure. Back when he was still in a pack, when things were basically taken care of for him, back before his family was broken apart. Oh those were the good days. She introduced himself and he dipped his head low in a small bow, always the chivalrous gentleman.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Svetlana. I am Aaron Leopold Adravendi-Mathis, but please call me Leo. He chuckled and raised back to a normal sitting position, his tail thumping lightly on the ground behind him.  He had heard of the Ebony pack, although he had yet to meet anyone from it. He didn't smell the scent of a pack on her however. His head tipped gently to the side, his gaze curious. "How come you aren't in Ebony?" "Talk" "You" Think

A fresh perspective... who would have thought? Svetlana remembered those days so clearly. When she had been such a chubby pup. She still had a bit more to love than your average fae, but she was not unattractive. The best part of that, however, was the fact she could move and act as any other wolf could. She had grown to carry her body, still holding a great deal of grace. She was, in the end, still the daughter of Raisa. No matter how others saw her mother, she had once been a great Queen. Even if Ebony was not was it was, her mother had done no wrong, not shame. The female would dip her head as Leo introduced himself. "Leo it is!" The female's enthusiasm seemed to die however as he posed the question. Oh boy... Svetlana would falter, gazing in the direction of Firefly Lake. "There... has been a lot of complications you could say. I've already poured quite a bit out to you, I'm sure you don't need to hear the whole sob story." The female's ears were lowered, her gaze distance. "I guess... I just needed some time to think again... and to get the right advice." Svetlana's smile would return again, gaze returning to the fire colored male. "I'll be returning soon, I'm sure. But I'll have to find a little friend first. You haven't met a uh.. spirited  polar fox, have you?" Svetlana would ask. Remembering Korrin she felt a hint of sadness. Her friend. She would keep those saddened thoughts down, silently repeating Leo's words to herself. There was something else too about him. But one question at a time. "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.' "Listen To Korrin talk," 'but read Korrin's thoughts.'

Table by:: Luisiana

ooc: Surprise! Click!

"Speech"

His smile would fade slightly when he saw how much his question had troubled her. Her pale blue gaze grew distant and she'd gaze off toward some unseen place. She spoke of not telling him her sob story and immidiately he wanted to deny that and insist that she was free to speak her mind as she pleased, but she kept going and he didn't want to interrupt. The smile returned to his muzzle when her gaze came back to find his again, his expression a bit more solemn and thoughtful than before. Being with this woman and hearing her speak about her family and homeland made him homesick himself. The only members of his family that he knew for sure where to find them were Amalia, who was up north, and Isolde, who lingered in The Range. He made a note to himself to visit the both of them as soon as he left here to get this urge to be with his family out of his system.

He would blink in surprise and maybe just a hint of confusion at her question regarding a certain polar fox and a small smirk would tug at his lips. He had never been around anyone with a companion or anyone that was even friends with anything other than wolves so the thought of being friends with a fox was interesting and a tad bit amusing to him. "No, I'm afraid I haven't. I'll certainly be on the look out for them now though and if I happen to find him I'll be sure to let him know you are looking for him." He smiled kindly, knowing that probably wasn't what she was hoping to hear, but he couldn't lie to her either.

"Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Svetlana would give a laugh. His offer was kind, even if he hadn’t seen her companion. It was more the idea of how Leo would react to that particular little polar fox if he did see her after this. “Thank you, though I’d be careful how you phrase things with her. Korrin is well, a rather spunky little thing. I know she’s fine, wherever she is.” She didn’t feel the need to point out that Korrin was directly female either, Leo wouldget that from context. The gray female could imagine the fox if she met the young man now. “Male has seen Svet? Where!?” Probably followed by some ankle biting if his response wasn’t quick or helpful enough. The two had their quirks, for sure, but it was Korrin who kept her balanced.

Svet would shift a little, digging through her memory. “You know... I think I may have known relatives of yours. Perhaps they were even your parents. Are the names Epipiron and Maverick familiar at all?” She had been young when the two wolves were part of Ebony. A Lord and Lady... Though that was about all she could remember. The female’s last name, Avarendi, was the one she could remember strongly. Could it be such irony that the children of former alphas would be meeting like this?

Ooc:: Proooobably spelled the last name wrong but hey I didn't have internet in front of me to look it up when I typed this. xD

Leo would store away Korrin's name for future reference. He didn't know when he might, if he ever, run into a fox named Korrin, but he wanted to be able to remember that name just in case he did. He chuckled softly and nodded in agreement, sure that Svetlana knew her little friend well enough to  know that she was okay. Svetlana then shifted the conversation, her expression thoughtful like she was remembering something. His head quirked curiously when she mentioned knowing his relatives and then she surprised him by listening off his parent's names. He blinked with surprise and nodded, his sapphire gaze curious and thoughtful as his mind reeled, trying to figure out how Svetlana might know his parents of all people. "Yes! Those are my parents, you were right. Although I haven't seen my father in quite some time... How do you know them, if you don't mind my asking?" "Talk" "You" Think

"Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'
His parents! Oh what a small world this was. Svetlana would remain relaxed, happier that their conversation could switch to something lighter. "Your parents were in Ebony, once upon a time. A Lord and Lady, high ranks, under my mother Raisa's rule. I never got the chance to interact with them personally, but I know my mother would have had to trust them to give such ranks within her pack." Svet would explain in a soft tone. The femme would give a soft flick of her tail. "They took their leave I think. It might have been while I was trapped in Olympus... I'm not sure. I haven't really heard tale of anyone out of Ebony since then other than my mom herself."

Svetlana would allow her gaze to drift into the distance, he mind starting to wander. "It's really strange... how time just marches on. Leaving us all behind if we're not ready to move with it." Though there was a somber tone in her voice, she was not as bothered by the fact as she had been before. She was about to speak again when, gods above, trouble came.

"What is male doing to Svet!?!" Like a shot fired from a cannon, out from behind a rock came the mix of gray fur, sharp gray eyes glaring at Leo with a cold intensity. Svetlana would breathe a sigh of relief, a chuckle leaving her as well. "Leo, this is Korrin. Korrin, this is Leo. Now stop glaring and say hello." The polar fox let out a huff, coming to Svetlana's side, though she hardly stopped glaring at the young man. "Korrin supposes Korrin will put up with Leo for Svet's sake... Hello." The faded version of Raisa would lift her gaze back to the young man. Korrin was an acquired taste.. and she was curious exactly how he would take her.

Table by:: Shelby

Leo listened to Svetlana with interest as she spoke about his parents and their time in Ebony. He had no idea that they had stayed in Ebony... "That must have been between the time they gave up Seracia and when father... left." He quickly dodged speaking of his father's doings and disappearance, not particularly wanting to breach that subject. In was nostalgic and a bit sad to think of those days when his father and mother were still together, back before he and his siblings were all scattered here and there. His ears perked to hear her next words, her statement ringing more true than he liked to think. He gave a chuckle and was about to respond when suddenly a not so pleased voice met his ears. He blinked with surprise, his mismatched ears flicking back and gaze turning with surprise to see a disgruntled fox staring him down and giving him the most dangerous of glares. Taken aback, Leo didn't really know how to respond. He spattered out a few things that were supposed to be words before Svetlana finally interrupted to introduce him to Korrin. He glanced from Svet to Korrin as he finally realized this was the fox she had been talking about before. He watched warrily as her little friend came over to stand at her side before finally conceding to his presence and giving him a 'hello'. He chuckled and gave a little dip of his head to Korrin, replying in kind with a, "Hello," of his own. He blinked and looked to Svet again with a chuckle, adding, "You really weren't kidding about the 'spirited' thing were you?" "Talk" "You" Think

"Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'
There was certainly more to discuss, but now that a certain little spitfire of a fox came into the picture.  Korrin seemed ready to start ankle-biting at the first sign that Svetlana seemed displeased with the man before her, all puffed up and ready to go. Svetlana would roll her eyes good naturally, meeting the gaze of her new found friend again. "Afraid not, haha. She means well though, I assure you. We've been together since she was a kit and I was a pup." The young femme would look down at the little fox again, who let out a soft huff.

"KORRIN is Svet's best friend. Not Leo." Svetlana would give a soft sigh, nudging the creature. "Haven't quite figured out how to keep her from being so moody towards others yet... but she is her own being." Korrin would flick her tail, turning her nose up at them both as Svetlana allowed her attention to focus solely back on Leo once more. "Well... you know what our plans are at this point, to return to Ebony... what about you? Where do you plan to go from here?" There was an underlying question as well. Do you think we'll meet again?

Table by:: Shelby