The early hours of dawn were hushed and the sun?s nimble rays had only begun to peak from the horizon. A warm splash of gold and pink laced the ascending darkness, while the forest below was swathe in eerie twilight and icy, dewed air. No wind ruffled the canopies above, only the murmur of the waking birds dappled the silence with the occasion chirp. Zaqa enjoyed the tranquility, the sensation of hearing her heart beat within her, her breath and her own nagging inner dialogue. This place, this place. The silver she-wolf was unfamiliar with her shadow-laden surroundings, gait slow and measured in a mixture of intrigue and hyper-awareness. Zaqa had been alone for several weeks now, a nomad without destination, care or cause. Her thin frame, now bony, was hidden under a wild tangle of ivory fur. Having been following a particular star for nearly a month she had grown uneasy, distrustful of its message. She had abandoned the coastline and sulked inland toward the dense redwoods, whose evergreen foliage wove a web that obscured that deceiving, blinking star. A moment of exclamation besieged the dainty wolf upon the first toss of a morning breeze. The savory, vaguely mint air carried a familiar aroma - the presence of others, unknown potential allies or enemies. Delighted that she was in neutral territory the curiosity of the nimble wolf piqued. If there were others she would find them no doubt and if she were to be discovered first? ah, wonderful. This would be fun.

Once more the boy would make the trek to the Northern lands. The path was certainly one that he had grown familiar with already however something was different on this occasion. The scent of the pack was stale, Regium were no longer here more importantly this meant that his family was no longer here. What had happened to his mother and siblings, were they ok, was the pack still in existence or had something happened to them? Worries of course flooded his mind, no longer of course the typical taunts from them residing so close to Isardis but still he was concerned for their well-being. It seemed that something had to go wrong with his family on a regular basis after all, they hardly had a model lifestyle what with a history of kidnapping, a father vanishing, pack challenges and general fights, it was no wonder he would expect the worst now really. He of course planned to try and find them, discover what had happened, where they were calling home if they had found one yet. If not then the boy knew he would have to postpone his next visit to Warja, remain with them and help them find a safe place to settle. His younger siblings were growing but they certainly would benefit from a far more stable upbringing. Nose set to work attempting to pick up a scent of any of his family. Instead however he'd find far fresher scents, rogues already claiming the area for various reasons. Kismet was determined though, somehow he would have to find them.

Damp, earthen tones and the crisp scent of evergreen accosted the she wolf?s senses as she attempted to locate the direction of the unfamiliar presence. For the time being her wide gaze did not detect anything in the distance other than the many avenues of lofty trees. The forest still retained its unhinging hush and this put Zaqa on edge. Her mind wandered back into the dismal abyss that had been the last few weeks. The screams emanating from the grasping flames of the forest fire in her homelands composed a haunting melody in her head. A flurry of angered voices on her pursuit intermingled with the hissing embers that made the forest glow. She was just grateful to be alive, though from the beginning she knew she would come out unscathed. She always did... even if she was the only one. She had despised her father and resented her whole pack structure for her either life. Those iron fists of patriarchy and senseless violence were crushed in an admirable revolution that Zaqa could inwardly celebrate to. No longer did she need to be subservient to the higher, putrid ranks of her father?s minions. Though the ivory wolf had been given privilege and esteem within the clan it wasn?t enough. With vague excitement she reminisced of their deaths, completely detached from the reality of its sheer brutality. A sudden movement in the distance stifled her lurid daydream - the form of a long shadow dancing amongst the trees. Icy gaze trained into the distance, ears pivoting to the muted ruffle of pine needles being crushed upon damp earth. She hadn?t seen another soul save for those who subsistence that had kept her alive. Raising her snout to the breeze, it was again tickled by the wafting fragrance of an unknown source. Her delicate features tightened into a squint. Forest, who is hiding amongst your ancient beauty? She breathed into the silence. A friend or enemy? If only the trees would reply.

As much as the young Adravendi wished to ignore the other scents that the forest cast his direction. All he wanted was to find his family as soon as possible though of course once more the world would not be so kind to Kismet and would instead opt to throw another obstacle his direction. The fresher scents continued to reach his nose and with it of course the realisation that he was not alone within the forest. Of course he hadn't expected to be entirely alone within it, it was a rather large and now unclaimed patch of land, the problem was that this wolf wasn't all that far away. Her words were too soft to meet the boy's ears though he had of course by now picked up on the fact that someone was lurking nearby. Similar thoughts with hit his own mind, was this stranger a potential threat? Mismatched gaze would lift and begin to glance around, there wasn't any sign of the other, trees still obscuring her from his view. Not wanting to be caught off guard however he would venture closer attempting to seek the other out. White fur was hardly the greatest tool for camouflage within a forest and soon he would catch sight of the other, he would of course be just as visible to see. There was no sign of a threat from her yet though he would not be so easily convinced, just in case she would suddenly turn upon seeing him. Size was certainly on his side anyway, though he would still keep his distance, his own safety and a hint of sorts that he didn't mean any harm to her. He would remain silent however, she could speak first if she wished though if she preferred to silently depart with no interruption he would gladly oblige and get back to his search.

In the hushed forest Zaqa waited impatiently for a reply. Her muscles tensed, quivered even, under her downy fur in mild irritation. Now restless that the towering trees offered no answer in return, she began to pace toward the direction of the scent, of the rude and offending stranger who hid amongst her and the mute trees. The air held thick in the air, still laden with early morning dew. Nimble rays of sun brightened the twilight more and more as the sun peeked past the horizon. Zaqa was unsure of who she was looking for but her white coat was stark amongst the more somber tones of the morning and its tilted shadows. The awakening sun would soon oust both her and the other. Her eyes narrowed as she absorbed the panoramic view, ears wide and propped intently until her skull. A flicker of light tones in the near distance pulled her attention. Now, she was vaguely aware of the stranger?s position. ?Ahh? a spy, a peeping tom.? She mused, her voice melodic but cold. ?Tsk, tsk. Your mother really should have taught you some manners?? How rude. Her family may have been a bunch of hapless brutes but even she had the politeness not to jeer from shadows.

Kismet would continue to be still and silent, caution with the stranger continuing. When your bloodlines consisted of the Adravendi and Armada heritage it didn't always mean you'd get along with everyone right off the bat, even if he only dared to associate himself with one of the two families. He was no fool, whether he'd caused it or not he probably had more enemies than he was aware of and this close to Armada lands, he certainly felt his wary behaviour was appropriate. Apparently that was not to be the case however as a rather displeased voice began to ring out through the air. She was closing in now he could see and slowly he would allow himself to appear. He wasn't typically a rude man, manners hadn't exactly been enforced but he was capable of being polite. "I wasn't searching for company." He would explain. Not her company anyway though he wouldn't point that detail out just yet. "If you had my background I think you'd understand my caution as well." It wasn't rudeness.

Zaqa?s interest was piqued now, bothered only by the fact the stranger had continued to linger this long. Perhaps they too were unfamiliar with these lands, she mused. No matter, one should either carry on or be more hospitable. After all, she was a damsel wandering alone in the damp woods. What if she had been lost? The stranger finally approached. He was polite and unassuming but his response held no sway with her. Still displeased, her tone became more indignant, haughty even. ?I don?t need your life story?? She sighed, her eyes searching him up and down incredulously. Her body loosened a bit, slowly dismissing the tenseness in her joints.