Summer had come quicker than rabbits breeding season. Vereux had felt his fur shed only a little considering the temperature in the north stayed relatively the same. It had been a few days since his meeting with Quelt, the man he had discovered to be Irune's mate. And that the young girl was back in the north. So his father had figured it was needed to fetch her back, that was no surprise. Their lives had seemed to revolve around their father no matter what. Still a part of him felt betrayed by Irune, but another understood completely that some of the Armada's simply hadn't belonged entirely in their little group. Vereux had tried really hard to gain what he had, especially Athena. His green eye looked at the marble wash with ease. Lean muscles sitting underneath his fur, he definitely was growing into an adult. His scared leg facing the sunlight as he was deep in thought. What was one thing he could be happy about was his mate. And at least, he trusted Quelt with Irune. But he couldn't help this ache in his heart. He wanted to see her, he wanted to speak with her. Last time he had seen her was quiet a while ago for the young boy, and he was certain both of them had changed quiet some. ?I speak?

It felt odd to be back in the north, she felt a stranger up here. She had not fully returned to the north since Sendoa gave her the choice to leave and never come back or return after the winter. And she had not returned till Isar claimed her from the paws of Abaven. And honestly she could say she didn't mind. After Isar had told her, her mother Eris had passed away she was barely holding it together. She thought perhaps being around family once more might help her heal that aching wound. She loved her mother dearly, aspired to be like her. And it killed her that she was not there to say goodbye. Every time she thought about it her heart would twist and her stomach would clench, making her not want to eat. She had to get away, retrace her steps of memories in the lands she had once grew up in. She felt so down, her tail hanging at her hocks unlike it usually was, high in the air like a banner announcing her presence. Ears plastered to her skull and amber eyes seemed to have lost their firey spark. Summertime sadness, that was the only thing she could call it. She missed Quelt's form pressing comfortly against her, missed his deep voice and kind nature. Why had she not kissed him before she left, one last lingering kiss? She shook her head sadly. But maybe it was not goodbye forever? But if it was? She had to think of the downside of things. If she never saw him again what would she do? Would Isar even approve of Quelt? She wasn't sure how her father was when it came to mate of his children now-in-days. She believed though if he didn't find them of good quality to his children or their bloodline he would chase them off. Heck maybe she should just be like the rest of her family and mate with a relative! Coming to the marble wash she had not really expected to find anyone really. But as she looked up she saw a familiar figure in the distance. With a soft bark and hurried over to one of her many brothers. " Ver! Its good to see you again." She said warmly, closing off any negative emotions from him and locking them away.

His thoughts would be thrown for a loop when the girl approached him. Vereux wasn't given enough time to react considering his state. Eyes wide, he stepped no stumbled backwards a little. Tripping over his back paws suddenly the oh so graceful King was on his back, tail swinging back and forth in the warm summer snow. Folding his paws in front of him as he blinked, and then let a sigh escape his throat. She had done it again, Irune always knew how to bring the sort of goofy side out of the boy. But he had reminded himself, Quelt had warned him Irune had returned to the north. Oh yeah, her mate. How Quelt made him feel bad about his own behavior with Athena was another story. But his worried were melting away at the thought of Irune being here. Turning his body over, he was able to stand up, shaking anything that stuck to his fur off. Facing Irune, his black ears flicked and he smiled. Something he hadn't done in quiet some time. ?I hope I didn't seem like a total idiot tripping over myself.? he chuckled. For some reason his anger for Irune leaving melted away, he just could be mad at her. His selfish side was not crying and hiding in a little corner. And his body was moving accordingly to his kind self that was only saved for close friends and family, mostly family. ?I speak?

The reaction she got from him was a surprise t her as well. She watched as he tripped over his own paws and fell backwards. But such a reaction cause forth a smile to grace her lips and a soft giggle bubble out of her. She was half tempted to pounce on him before he got up. But by the time she thought it he was around rolling over and getting up. She beamed up at him with a warm smile, letting her distress be put off to the side and forgot for the moment so she could enjoy being with one of her favorite brothers. She would reach up to poke noses with his in a silent greeting. " Of course not silly. Plus I wont tell anyone." She replied before she sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws. "How is life going? Still with Athena? And leading the pack? Father...claimed me in a challenge. Not surprising though since he started another pack and..." She choked at the end and her eyes would dart away. Internally she was pissed off at herself. She couldn't allow herself to get all choked up and start crying like pup. She had to be stronger, had to hold herself together and grow up. Her face had shied away as she blinked back the tears for a moment before looking back at Ver. " Anyhow, here I am, back in the North." she said. Did he know about Eris? Had she been the last one to find out her own mother had passed away?

Vereux would hear her the same thing he heard from Quelt, at least about Irune. He smiled a little, chuckling, he realized how fun it was to know things but only for someone to repeat them and think I KNOW THAT ALREADY! It was actually a good feeling. But of course he hadn't heard about Irune's mother, his mind had been wrapped around other things. Like how he felt Quelt was staging him up in the mate department. ?Yes Irune, I'm still with Athena, I wasn't lying when I said I loved her. And leading a pack is going.... alright I guess. I knew you were in the north, Quelt explained to me everything. I ran into him at the wall.? it made him shiver a little. The size of that man, better not make him mad. ?I'm.... glad to see you Irune. I just guess there's been a lot on my mind.? Vereux slid his muzzle over her cheek. Looking at her with his single emerald eye. Now this he could do, socializing with close family was easy. He was just a socially awkward boy with complete strangers which put him at a disadvantage most of the time. It wasn't that surprising at all. ?I speak?

It seemed she wasn't the only one to not know about her mother. But then again Ver and Athena had their own pack well before then. She would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised he had met Quelt. What had the man been doing up here in the north? Didn't he know it could be dangerous with the way some of her family members were? Her amber eyes would widen with surprise and fear. But nothing negative or bad was said. So their meeting together sounded like it hadn't gone too bad. She wished she had been there to watch it. She could only imagine how to two would have reacted to each other. She smiled softly but there was sadness to it. "I know you are Ver. Your not one to proclaim anything without really meaning it. And you better be better than alright with the pack. One day i'll have my own and you'll be my first allies!" she would poke him in the chest with her nose teasingly. She would nuzzle him back and close one eyes and look back at him. It had been something she did when they were pups and a lopsided grin lifted the left side of her lips. "Its good to see you too. I know the feeling. I don't think i'll ever be comfortable in a pack as just a follower. I'm too ambitious, I want to be lead healer and I want to be an Alpha one day. I wont rest till I am. And then loosing my mother..i wish I had just been there in her last moments on earth. Then being forced back to the North and separated from Quelt..well its not easy. But Ver..I fear..i fear things might not work well in the end for Quelt and me. I need someone to match my ambition, my drive but also be kind and gentle. Someone to get down and dirty with..ok that sounded wrong." She sighed softly with a small smile. "Maybe I just need an Armada at my side like you and Athena. I don't know..I've never felt so unsure before."

Vereux had learned how to be keen on listening to others. So as he listened, his eyebrow raised as she spoke. Abaven and Bevroren were allies, he didn't see a problem with Quelt being around here. Though he was aware of his family's habits, yet with what the man had said. It didn't matter what happened, if he was willing to sacrifice his well being, or was confident enough in his own abilities to be here and worry about her. Hell he was worthy as heaven to be Irune's mate. But she was worried and he didn't blame her, but a small smile would grope into a frown for a moment as she mentioned her mother. Eris was gone then? He knew the risks of her leaving, but that was how life went he supposed. But, Irune didn't know, Irune didn't know that he Vereux had actually killed someone. ?From what I gathered Irune Quelt is all those things you want to see in a leader.? Maybe he just didn't want to see the either of them upset. ?I'm sorry about your mother, Eris was a wonderful healer, Bevroren's new healer is a rather.... bulky and muscular man not as kind as your mother was.? Vereux tail would flick. At the last mention of an Armada, and finally he sighed mildly. But smiled again and tried to get a little closer to her. ?Quelt is a strong man Irune, just as much as any Armada. He came to the wall hoping you'd be around but he knew you were worried about father so he didn't go near Indarra. He's allowed near Bevroren, Abaven has an alliance with us. The fact that he was less worried about himself and more about you to me is more sign than enough he'd wait till hell froze over for you. He plans to be a king and make you a queen right? You're welcome to come to Bevroren anytime to see how me and Athena run things to study this and become stronger. You might be unsure now, but that's only a sign that you are beginning to find yourself.? Vereux wasn't sure if what he said made any sense. After all, he could barely handle being who he was himself. He had been thrown about like a pelt on a windy day. His tail flicked back and forth. ?I guess what I'm saying is....I like Quelt, you should wait for him since he cares so much about you. But I can't make your decision for you. And that I'm here if you need any training or anything, besides maybe you can hang out with Devin. He's a little scary but he's the best healer I've seen.? he chuckled. ?I speak?