She'd heard much of this pack, knew about its reputation for years now. Abaven had been around for a long time, and while the woman hadn't personally been to see the pack, she had met several of its members throughout the course of her life. It was today that she made the trek from North to East, a game plan not yet made but she at least sought to introduce herself. That was a start, right? She could find out where things would go from there. The large woman made her way towards the closest part of their territory, a light sprinkle falling on the earth, but it wasn't too cold just yet. When winter came, that was when it was time to worry about blizzards and possible avalanches. Not to mention the possibility of prey being scarce. Crossing a small portion of the river with ease, she would make it closer to the borders. Amber gaze stared ahead, her shaggy pelt swaying with the chilly breeze as her fur captured every small drop of water. Once she reached the border, she tilted her head back and called for Bass. "Talk" "You" Think

He had been on the move more and more as of late, trying to keep busy and his mind occupied. So much had been going on recently that he didn't quite know what to do with himself, so he pretty much just patrolled the borders and slept very little. He was about to make his way out of pack lands when a howl sounded for him. His ears perked, the stranger called him by name and not just for the alpha. Bass' head tilted to the side, looking forwards whoever called for him. They knew his name, but he did not recognize the call at all. He hummed thoughtfully, picking his way towards the thickets. When he got close he saw a large woman, taller than himself, standing at the borders waiting for him. As soon as Bass laid eyes on her he froze, his whole body growing ridged. Was that... Odette? He stood transfixed for awhile before he managed to actually make a move towards her. He couldn't shake the feeling, and his brows knitted as he came to stop in front of her. He saw the differences in the two of them, but it was very unsettling how alike they looked. He hadn't seen Odette for quite some time now, it had been years since he had seen the then young lady. Bass cleared his throat, having been standing there for a few moments in utter silence. A small flush of heat rose to his cheeks in embarrassment, and he shuffled on his paws. "Sorry, you remind me of someone that I met awhile ago," he explained, smiling softly at her. "I seem to be at a disadvantage though, you know who I am and I don't know who you are," his head tipped to the side as he waited. "SPEAK"

Art by Rina

The scent of the one she sought, or at least, assumed it was the male she was looking for, made its way to her. Amber gaze looked expectant as she saw the first sign of movement, a white male appearing from beyond the border. She felt a smile tugging at her lips, only to be replaced by a slight tilt of her head as she watched him stop. Did she maybe have something on her face? Something stuck on her fur? She did a quick check of herself before Bass made his way to her, only to find nothing but the light water drops. Her ears seemed to instinctively twitch when he spoke, confusion settling in her gaze when he mentioned that she reminded him of someone. But who would--Oh. Oh! Could it perhaps be her younger sister? She chuckled a bit, her head dipping when he said he didn't know who she was. "I'm sorry, my name is Avalon Ancora. You must be Bass...and, I assume you're talking about my younger sister Odette?" There was really no one else she could think of, unless she had a doppelganger somewhere in the world. Truth be told, she had not seen odette in a long time. And the sudden mention of odette made her miss her sister. She suddenly felt a little awkward standing there thinking about old memories, so she would quickly dip her head again. "I've come to say hello to a fellow alpha, you have quite the reputation in these lands. I know abaven has been around for a long time." That wasn't creepy, was it? Gods she hoped she could get this alpha thing down soon. "Talk" "You" Think

She introduced herself as Avalon Ancora, which was indeed Odette's last name. When she mentioned that she was her sister, he smiled softly at her. "Yes, it's easy to tell that you two are sisters. I thought I was dreaming for a moment," he said with a soft chuckle. He picked up on her lingering sadness, and his ears tipped backwards slightly. He shouldn't have brought her up, he knew what it was like to miss a sibling. Bass shuffled his weight across his front legs, and was thankful for her break of the awkward silence. Puffing out a breath he had been holding, he nodded his head up and down. "Well, congratulations on your pack, Avalon. I didn't hear your claiming howl, have you settled up North?" he asked. Usually he heard across the lands, but the far West and North was out of his hearing range. He didn't know which would be a more forgiving land, extreme heat or extreme cold. Bass was thankful for the rather calm weather here in the east. When she spoke of him having a reputation, his ears pulled forward again. He assumed now that with the downfall of Imperium, something that deeply saddened the male, Abaven was the last of the long standing packs. "I hope it's only good things that you have heard," he said with a grin. Shifting down to sitting on his rump, Bass' head tilted slightly to the side as he met Avalon's golden eyes. "So, tell me a bit about your pack." "SPEAK"

Art by Rina

She recalled that the last time she saw odette, she called herself an Adravendi...Whether that changed when Avalon had left, well who knew? She nodded, a smile forming when he said he thought he was dreaming. Odette was younger then her by a year, and her sister had always been more outgoing then her. Avalon knew nothing about her sister having claimed a pack in the north once upon a time, and if she did then she supposed she would call it a family tradition.

Her smile widened to a toothy grin at his congratulations, tail wagging. "Thank you Bass. And yes, we settled in the pines where I was born, next door to Yfir it seems." Yfir she wasn't afraid of though. She had nothing of value for them prey wise or herb wise. "I always thought I would do it at a younger age, but I never had the opportunity until recently. My father was the chief before me, now I hold that title." Looking at bass, she was a little envious that he had started so young, but the result of his hard work and dedication had paid off. She wanted to be like him, and when he voiced his comment she laughed.

"Of course, Bass. While I'd never met you before now, I know you started abaven at a young age. And I'm a little envious, I must confess. I'm late in my years, but I hope I can do just as well as you. I'm new to the alpha life, so I'm not entirely sure what to expect." Oh, she was rambling now wasn't she? She cast an apologetic look and a sheepish grin, ears erect when he asked about her pack. "Well, we're small now, but steadily growing. My children make up half our pack right now!" She chuckled, "As of now, we're neutral good. We'll lend our aid if it's needed, but we aren't pushovers either. I know there are some that consider southern wolves 'soft' but, I was born in the north, and I am by no means as soft as some might think." She looked thoughtful for a moment, how much information was too much information? Could she trust him? Would he use anything she said against her or give the information to another pack? There was always a risk, but honesty built trust, didn't it?

Oh, so she settled in right next to Yfir? His tail wagged a bit, a smile spreading wider on his lips. "Oh, Yfir is wonderful! How is Katja doing?" he asked, obviously excited by the mention of the other northern pack. It wasn't like he was close Katja, but he enjoyed seeing her and the conversations that they had. Maybe next time he should go up there to see how she was doing, with the sickness lingering they might need some more herbs. Shaking his head, he put those thoughts behind him and focused on the woman in front of him. She talked about wanting to start younger, and he nodded his head slowly. He didn't want to bring her up, but his ears flickered slightly. "Did you know that Odette had a pack up north for a little bit? That was the last time I heard anything from her, though..." he broke off, looking away from Avalon for a moment. He shouldn't have said anything, the loss of a sibling wasn't easy. He hadn't seen Motif or Chord for quite some time now, so the pain was a bit fresh for him. Clearing his throat, he looked back and met her similar coloured eyes. He offered her a sheepish grin, shrugging his shoulders a bit. He hid the pain from his face, but it showed a bit in his eyes. When she mentioned that she was envious of him, Bass couldn't help but snort. "I had no idea what I was doing back then. But to be honest, I almost wish that I had waited. My whole life has been spent as the alpha of Abaven. I never got to live like a lot of wolves, or run free. I hear about all of these amazing adventures from my members, and I am jealous. I wouldn't give up Abaven for anything, but I often wonder what my life would have been like if I didn't start it when I was only two," he blinked slowly after the words had come tumbling out, he had never realized that about himself. "Huh, that's the first time I've ever said that. Well, I guess we are both learning new things about me," Bass said with a laugh. When she started to talk about her pack, he listened intently, his head tilting to the side a bit. "Ah, a little similar to Abaven then. Are you trying to steal my ideas, Avalon?" he teased, an easy smile on his lips. "Sounds good though, I hope all goes well up there for you. The North can't be easy." "SPEAK"

Art by Rina

That smile and a tail wag, she would say it was cute, a smile often looked good on anyone and he was a handsome man at that. What are you doing, stop! You're not a pup! Her mind was a strange thing sometimes. He asked how katja was, the male seemingly excited she had moved next door to the Viking group. "She looked well last we sparred in the battlefield, but now? Truth be told I think she might be angry with me." She sighed as a frown took hold, "One of my friends who was a former member of Yfir is in my pack. One of her members came by asking for him, but he left before I could call for him. So I'm not exactly sure what will happen now." Truth be told, it was a dilemma that had been left in the dark. She didn't know whether to leave it be and deal with it when the time came, or whether to take matters into her own hands. It seemed that bass would then take on a slightly more serious tone, informing her that her sister had had a pack up north at one time too. Her tail hung limp, gaze looking down as she felt her heart give way. "I didn't know..." She was glad he told her, it made her proud of her sister for accomplishing what she had wanted. She only wished that she had been there to support her. "I'm glad you told me, I had no idea. I left to look for more of our family, but had I been here then I would have supported her. I only wish I knew where she was now." The pain in his eyes was evident, and she knew it well. She had pretty much lost her whole family, but she learned to live with it. "It gets a little easier as time passes. We'll always miss them, but they'll also be in our heart." He responded to her comment about being envious, and his long drawn explanation was amusing. She'd spent a lot of time as a loner, but she didn't like it. She was born and raised among a familial pack, and always felt that was the type of setting she belonged in. She laughed at his later comment about himself, tail flicking as she grinned. "Well, we learn something new everyday. I know I'll still be learning more about myself as an alpha." When he asked if she was stealing ideas, her face had confusion written all over it. "Erm, well..." The teasing joke was flying right over her head. "We're certainly not mercenaries, but we'll do what we can for our allies." She felt glad in all honesty, that she could have such an easy conversation with him. He had charisma, that was for sure. "Thank you, Bass." She enjoyed talking to him, not wanting to seem like she was doing it purely for business (she was rarely if ever keeping things to pure business, why not make friends in the process?) "I hate to ask, but I was wondering if maybe...you had a spare mentor or two, that could teach a few things to us?" She knew there might be some sort of price, a trade of sorts. And she was willing to make a trade or whatever he had in mind. Of course, if it was within her abilities to do so, then she would. "Talk" "You" Think

Bass' head pulled to the side as he looked at her, his ears pulling back slightly when she mentioned that Kata might be mad at her. The woman was a good and reasonable sort, he could only imagine that one would actually have to do something bad to receive her scorn. Avalon, from what he had gathered, seemed like the kind and gentle type, although her size and bulk told him that she was no stranger to fighting. Well, that and the fact that she said she had been sparring with the dark coated woman. It was no secret that Bass thought highly of Katja, while he didn't voice it it made sense, the way he brought her up. He did like her, he enjoyed their talks together. The larger woman went on, saying that she harbored one of their old members. Right away Bass stood up taller, his hackles raising somewhat in alarm. Katja had come to him describing two wolves that Yfir was looking for, one who abandoned post during a raid, and another who went missing. She thought him a spy if he was still alive. Unsure of which wolf she spoke of, Bass' face grew a touch more wary. He didn't know how much information he should tell her about what Kata shared, not wanting to break the little bit of trust that the two of them had. "Katja is a loyal wolf, and from what I can tell loyalty means a lot to her. If one left her pack without a word, I think she would not take that so well. I don't know too much about her packs and customs, but simply vanishing and then joining a pack next door... well doesn't that seem fishy to you?" He asked carefully, trying to allow her to see how he thought the other northern alpha did. He knew that if one of his members just left without saying anything, only to appear at a shared border, he would be awfully suspicious. And Bass knew that she didn't mention anything about her friend disappearing, but from the information he had gathered he could only assume. "I don't think she has any ill intent towards you, but perhaps you should get the full story from your friend. It feels like something is missing from the picture." Bass was careful to test the waters here, not seeking to offend Avalon but simply give her more insight in the manner. He smiled softly, his tail giving an encouraging wag. "I'm sure you could talk to her. Katja is a reasonable wolf, one that I have had the pleasure of talking to many times." Their next topic took them down a more somber road, and he let out a soft whine as Avalon visibly drooped. She spoke fondly of her family, and he could sympathize with her on so many levels. His own family had left, he hadn't heard from Chord and he had no idea where Rhythm was, or her children. Motif had gone to Auster, and he hadn't heard from her since. His head lowered slightly, his yellow gaze shifting away from her. "Trust me, I know exactly what that's like. Most of my family has gone and I haven't been able to find them, including all my litter mates save one. But from what I saw from your sister, she was okay. Maybe she just went off like you did, being an alpha isn't for everyone you know," Bass said, cutting his gaze back over to her. "I have had a lot of wolves walk out of my life, and it does take some time to heal," his voice was soft, but he cleared his throat quickly. He didn't want to dwell on the sadness in his life, or bring up even more painful memories. Bass couldn't help but chuckle as his teasing words seemed to pass right over her head, his shaking back and forth slightly. "Avalon, calm down. I was teasing you! you pack sounds great, I am excited to see what you have in store. You will be pretty far away so I better get some updates," he said with a wide grin, his pale tail thumping on the ground. She thanked him, and he just shrugged it away. He liked Avalon, she seemed really eager too. When she asked about mentors he perked, blinking at her slightly. "What exactly did you have in mind? I have several healers, warriors, and a few scouts as well. I could lend you some in return for a favor." He almost winked, but he hardly stopped himself. She didn't get his last joke, he didn't want her to take this one the wrong way. "SPEAK!"

Art by Raqinq

His reaction at the mention of having a former Yfir member put her off. It was a reaction she wasn't expecting, so maybe it was more serious then she thought? Her ears flattened as his hackles rose, making her wonder just how close he was to their neighbors. She listened to his words, picking them apart carefully as she thought. Did Vereux tell her exactly why He didn't want to go back? She vaguely recalled him mentioning something about an oath, but even then, he could have requested his leave the right way instead of abandoning them after his incident right? Slowly, one ear cocked forward as new thoughts began to come forth. "I take loyalty very seriously as well...I didn't think about the effect of this outcome." The outcome being her not prying further into why Vereux refused to at least tell katja that he didn't want to go back. "I'm not really sure what to do...it is strange the more I think about it...maybe I've just been too careless and too friendly? We became friends while he was still in Yfir, then a while later I found him again as a loner...said something about being washed away in a storm, but I never really questioned why he didn't go back, or at least tell Katja he doesn't want to be there anymore." Was she still that naive? Still putting her trust into people who told her sweet things but had hidden intentions? The more she thought about it, the more she grew confused. If he knew Katja, maybe he had advice on how to approach her? Avalon knew little of her. All she really knew was what Arian had told her, and what Vereux had told her, and now adding on what Bass knew; his experiences with her were far different then what Arian and Vereux knew. They both seemed....afraid? Her gaze narrowed slightly in thought, the woman quiet for a long moment as she thought. She seemed to be going based off what others said, instead of finding out herself. She had to stop doing that. "Do you think she'll come to some sort of agreement? The last thing I want is for some sort of war to break out over one member, I don't wish to make enemies with anyone." what would she do, if it came down to it? It was all weighing so heavily on her mind now. She returned her gaze to his, listening to him talk about his family. Despite just meeting, they had alot more in common then she would have thought. Even though they weren't very...positive things, they had been through things where they could understand what the other had been through. That was something she respected, not many went through the same things in their life, and many could boast and twist their story to make it sound similar, but in truth, how many truly experienced it? It was a question seldom answered. They were both right. It did take time to heal, and it was confirmed as she nodded her agreement. Enough of the sad stuff! She pushed those away, she was tired of thinking about stuff like that. She had dwelled on it for far too long over the years, and she hated it. She cocked a brow when he began to laugh, both ears perked as he grinned and told her he was joking. "Oh! I wasn't sure if you were serious or..." A sheepish grin spread, heat rising to her face with embarrassment. Laughing along with him now, she too began to wag her tail a bit. It was strange, feeling this comfortable around another alpha she'd just met. Even if he wasn't, she would still think it surreal to be so comfortable around a stranger she just met. "Don't worry, I'll keep you up to date. If you promise to do the same, I think we could be good friends!" At least, she hoped so. She hoped she wasn't jumping the gun here and being too hopeful. He would ask her what she had in mind, listing off the jobs he had available. So far, she had mostly warriors and two healers, one was very scarce and Vereux was the other, but his knowledge was limited as far as she knew. Gryphon wanted to be a hunter, and while she could easily teach him that, it might be useful to have another one to help in the event she got too busy. At least until he could manage on his own. "Perhaps a Healer? We could use someone knowledgeable enough to teach us what we should know. Our Healer is limited in his knowledge, and our other one is, well...scarce. Maybe a scout or hunter as well? I just want to make sure our Novices will be well trained in their fields. I must admit, I probably should have tested everyone to gauge their abilities. But an only alpha testing the whole pack? I think that might take me a while, especially in between spars." Geez, it was all sounding so much more complicated and harder the more she thought about it. But she would push on and keep going. Her gaze returned to his, a smile appearing once again. "Of course, I'll repay any favor you ask if it's within my abilities to do so. You have my word." "Talk" "You" Think

He could practically see the gears turning in her mind, and he chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment. He was nervous that he had been too blunt, said too much about this friend of hers. Had he been wrong in expecting it to help her? He shifted slightly on his front paws, inspecting her features and waiting for something, anything. Had Bass already over stepped the line here? He hoped not, he had been rather enjoying his conversation with her. But when she finally spoke, it was like he had opened her eyes somewhat. He let out a big gust of air, relieve plain to see on his features. The more she spoke, the more he realized just how much information she was trusting him with. If he was a darker wolf, he would be able to take what she had said and twist it to his advantage. But he wasn't, and he was oddly... very happy that she trusted him. It had been quite awhile since he had had a chat like this, even more so with a wolf of the opposite sex. The pale man had started to think that this was Vereux that she was talking about, if it has been Kismit he had a feeling it would not have gone the way it did. Plus, there were no storms the day that she had raided his families pack, from when he could remember. So it was the wolf who left without a word. They had had some bad flooding in the spring, but if the storm was an excuse or reality he did not know. The man sighed softly, a gentle shrug raising his shoulders. "I don't think it's fair to blame yourself, Avalon. Having a conversation is a civil thing, and Katja is a reasonable wolf. It would have been very easy for him to go and talk to her once he returned. She wouldn't have forced him to stay, but I think that speaks a bit about his character," he said slowly, again not trying to offend her. It seemed like the two of them had known each other for awhile. "He had painted a symbol over his eye of her people, that speaks of a strong loyalty. But to not go and talk with her and then join the pack next door... well in my opinion she has every right to be angry. It seems a little off to me, to be honest. I still feel like something is missing from this, or why he just wouldn't go back and say that he was okay and alive. He was assumed dead, Katja came from pack to pack looking for him," Bass bit his lower lip, wondering once more if he had gone too far. "I don't mean to offend you at all, Avalon. I am just speaking my mind. Please let me know if I have crossed some sort of line," Plus he knew that he was repeating himself somewhat, but he couldn't help it. His mind kept going in circles. It would have been so easy to go to Katja, explain that he had been washed away. If he didn't want to be there anymore he was sure that she wouldn't kill him just for that. It was all too easy, which is why he was leaning more towards the other thing that the black wolf had suspected of Vereux; a spy. Avalon fell silent for a moment, and he allowed her as much time as she needed to gather her thoughts. This was a pretty serious matter that they were talking about, and quite a jump from what she had come here to discuss. He watched as her eyes narrowed, it was clear that she was intently thinking over things. He just sat there, not feeling awkward at all in the silence that had spread between them. It was rather comfortable, actually. Allowing his gaze to wander, he looked past her shoulder and behind his own, simply checking to see if any of his wolves happened to be coming by. They had been sitting here for some time now, but a patrol had not come yet. Oh well, they had a large territory. He wasn't worried at all. The dame spoke then, his head snapping back around to look at her once more. She asked him a question, on how to handle all of this. He drew in a big breath, holding it in his lungs for a moment as he thought. "She's not an evil wolf, I am sure that once things are sorted it will be fine," Kata didn't often ally herself with packs, but him and her were... neutral? They had been allies once, but now she liked to keep a gap between her pack and others. She did trade with them though, and he licked his lips as he thought of the beverages she had once brought his way. Snapping out of his daze, he focused back on the task at hand. "But if it does cause an issue in you pack, it is just one member. Is it worth risking everyone else over a mistake that could have been so easily altered? Vereux needs to mend his own issues, it should not fall to your shoulders," Katja might think less of Avalon for harboring him, but if she had no idea, it really wasn't her issue. The northern alpha could come off as a bit cold, but he didn't see her that way. She was a calculating wolf, she didn't show her emotions too often. It was actually something that he admired about her. They quickly moved on to better topics, and it felt good to smile again. He couldn't help but chuckle at her stammered words, he guessed that not many alpha's joked about that kind of thing. She joined in his laughing, his own tail swinging on the ground. "You know, it's been a real pleasure talking to you Avalon. I haven't had this much of an in depth conversation with someone for a very long time. And we just met!" Bass said with another deep baritone laugh. She made a comment about being good friends, and the male nodded eagerly. He had the same feeling, it wasn't every day that he connected to another wolf on this level. He suddenly narrowed his eyes, although his teasing gaze did not leave his features. "Are you sure that we haven't met before? Cause I swear we have known each other for ages." When Avalon asked for a healer, he felt like his heart was being bitten into. He flinched a bit, his ears pinning to his skull. He would have suggested Starling, but he had no idea where his son was. The only healers left were young, or Harmony who was busy enough here. Oh, Vali! He could send her. Perking back up, with only a lingering touch of sadness, he nodded his head. "I could send Vali with you, if she agrees. And starting up a new pack is hard, soon you will find your flow and rhythm. I have taken my ranks and rules and changed them up a few times, I am sure you will too once you feel things out. Like everything else, it takes time," he said, nodding his head knowingly. He didn't comment on why he had gotten upset for a moment, he didn't really want to talk about it. "SPEAK!"

Art by Raqinq

There was oh so much to think about. But the more she talked to Bass, the more she got a better idea about how to handle the situation. Or to try, anyway. She had no idea that Katja had gone looking for Vereux, and whether it was because she wanted to reprimand him for not coming back, or if it was because she was truly worried about him, well, she supposed she would find out at a later time. Assuming Katja didn't bite her head off for taking in Vereux. But then again, she could say she honestly didn't know the whole truth. That was true, anyway. She was getting a headache thinking about it all, and when Bass questioned whether or not it was worth it for one member, she slowly shook her head. Hesitantly, because she wanted to do what she could to protect her pack mates, but it was even more confusing when all of this new speculation about the man she was falling in love with, came to light.

She had mildly zoned out as she thought, but it was quickly altered when the pair laughed. "I must agree, Bass. I've not had an easy conversation like this for a while, not even with Arian or...Anyone really. I feel like I can be comfortable, and not so....business official. I'm not used to the whole official thing." Indeed, she preferred to just be herself. But alot of the time, she felt like she had to put on a stronger front when faced with others. But Bass? He seemed very easy going, and she liked that. Her grin grew wider as he narrowed his eyes at her, and the woman would attempt to playfully swipe at him with her paw as he teased. "It's very possible, isn't it? We could have been twins in another life and not even know it. Now that's a thought, I don't know if world is ready for two of you!" She wasn't. That would be cuteness overload. Or something like that. Not in a romantic way, but personality wise he was cute.

At her request for a healer, his demeanor seemed to change into something...sad. Crestfallen? Upset? Had she said something wrong? She thought to ask him, but then she figured perhaps that was pushing it. This was their first meeting, and while they had grown comfortable with each other through the course of the day, she didn't want to feel like she was prying into his private life. Maybe someday if they ever hit best friend level or something. Still, he quickly returned to himself as he suggested one of his members, and she nodded. "It would be a great help, I'd really appreciate it! Even if just for a season or two, or however long or short a time you prefer. I just need my members to at least learn basics, and I don't know anything." She was sure that she wasn't the only one that didn't know anything. Many creatures didn't know a thing about healing. She tilted her head slightly then, wondering about the favor he mentioned before. "About this favor. Do I find out now, or later when you need it?" She was genuinely curious. Never before had she gone to seek help from another pack, or owe them a favor. Not that she was opposed to it, just curious what he had in mind, if anything at the moment.