His dreams of a pack were not yet forgotten, nor was his hopes of seeing Shiro and Obscoro once again. Though Ganta was pretty happy at having seen Roza again in his visit to the East. It’d been nice to see a familiar face by the lake and he was quite happy that she’d been there when he was. Ganta couldn’t remember the last time loneliness had been chased away like that. It was clear that the young man needed some friends... But something about those in Ivalice still seemed a bit... Well, he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, really. But they certainly didn’t seem the most approachable in some respects. Was he just not trying hard enough? He had wandered back North, though he wasn’t quite ready to go back to Ivalice just yet. His plans for Dragoste were being tossed back and forth within his mind, hope that he might one day form the pack flittering in his heart. As he shifted his ghostly gaze to the waters of the falls he perked his ears and breathed in the cool crisp air. Soon winter was going to be upon them and the world of the North would be a blanket of white. He could hardly wait. "Talk" "You" Think

*Navigation, Waterfall Peek

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai While she knew that it was dangerous to wander so far away while she was in heat, but it was something that was in her blood. After her little... run in with Xeph she needed a little space to breath. So she found herself strolling through the north, not really paying much mind to where she was going. She pushed through a few patches of thick undergrowth, surprised that so much could grow in a place so cold and normally dead. Then again, she had run into quite a few large forests. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice that her scarf had gotten stuck on a branch of brambles. Paw step after paw step her scarf grew tighter on her neck before she even noticed, and by then it was already tangled around. Choking as it yanked on her, she scrambled backwards and saw that both ends were getting clung to by large thorns. A strangled gasp left her maw, but it was more about her lovely piece of fabric than herself. A few scratches at her neck loosened it up again, but her poor scarf! Whimpering, she leaned down and nipped at the branches until she snapped right through them, ignoring the needle sharp thorns that dug into her face. It took several moments for her to free up her gray neck warmer, pouting when she saw the holes that had been left in it. Well this would not do, not at all! At that moment she realized that she had cut up her face pretty good, one deep wound above her eye was starting to drip down her face. She should probably go and check that out... Sticking her nose towards the sky she sucked in some of the chilly air through her nose, smelling passed the tang of her coppery blood. Ah, there was water nearby. Freed from the brambles, she headed in the direction that she had smelled the water. It didn't take long for the sound of the waterfall to reach her ears, which perked towards it. A fall, up here? She didn't think that she would find something like that in the north, generally most bodies of water seemed to stay frozen solid. Pulling herself through the brush, she walked towards the edge of the small pool and peered down at her reflection. Right away she saw the cut above her brown eye, it was the deepest one for sure. There were a few more around her snout that bled freely, but they weren't that bad. If only her silver knight could see her now, he would for sure have something to say about it. Too focused on her bleeding face she had no idea that there was someone else at the waters edge. The smell of her own blood as well as her heat was doing a pretty good job of washing out anything else that might have warned her about her company. She was pretty impressed that she had smelled the waterfall in the first place, perhaps it was desperation. "SPEAK"

Ganta turned his head when he heard someone else approach the water... Ghostly white gaze turned towards the female, seeing her in a bit of a state. Cuts upon her face particularly caught his attention as one ear flicked back. What had she been doing to get those kinds of cuts? Oh, and it seemed she was taking notice of him too. Offering a small smile Ganta flicked his ears forward before he spoke. “Seems you’ve had a nasty run in with something.” Little did he know that the run in was actually with some brambles, rather than another creature. Ganta shifted on his paws, deciding to offer his aid to the female, if she’d have it. “Do you need some assistance cleaning up the blood and cuts? I’m not an advanced healer by any means though I know some basics. Cuts like that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.” Ganta stayed where he was for the moment though, not wanting to alarm the femme by coming closer when she hadn’t given her permission. “You... Smell of another pack. One I’m not familiar with. Where are you from?” Ganta added, curious to see if she might offer up the information. "Talk" "You" Think

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai Jaelle frowned as she looked at the cuts on her face, hoping that it wouldn't leave a scar. She wasn't a vain wolf by any means, but she had never really found scars particularly attractive. She was already so plain, adding a few scars to her face wouldn't help her in looking any better. Letting out a soft huff, her ears twitched as a voice sounded beside her. She looked up from the pool of the waterfall to spy a boy with rather long fur on the top of her head. Blinking her one working eye, she gazed at the rather pretty wolf. It took a moment for her to answer, looking back at the water as a drop of her blood fell in, dispersing over the liquid until the red faded away. "Thorns. The bastards ate my scarf so I gave them a piece of my mind," she said softly, shaking her head to scatter tiny beads of blood into the calm waters. Stupid thorns, they had torn a little hole in her fabric too. Pouting down at her precious scarf, she licked the small nick before looking back up at the younger wolf. He offered to help her, and Jae wasn't a fool. It would be impossible for her to clean the wounds, but a stranger cleaning her face was... a tad odd. She couldn't help but smile though, plopping down on her rump as her head tilted off to one side. "Shouldn't you take me out before you offer to lick a ladies face?" she said teasingly, her lips cracking up further as she let out a soft laugh. She did dip her head down though, because it would be a huge help if he could at least clean them. She wasn't too worried, they would close up pretty fast here anyways. It was an invitation for the hairy wolf to help her, her bells jingling as she shifted her position slightly. What he said next surprised her though, her brown and blue eyes looking up to catch his own gaze. Smelling like a pack? Her? She sniffed at her own coat, noticing the very faint scent of Vyper on her monochrome fur. Oh ick, had she been there long enough to actually smell like them? Her nose wrinkled slightly, which pushed a bit more blood out of the cuts on her muzzle. "Not really from a pack, more of an honorary member," she said with a bit of a grumble, not liking that she smelled like them. She had nothing against Xephyris, but she only joined because he had asked her so nicely. "It's called Vyper though, here in the north. Xephyris runs it with some brown woman who I don't recall her name," she did but Limno needed no more credit than she already had. Clearing her throat, she casually shrugged her shoulders. "I come and go a lot, go more so than anything else. I don't like being tied down but Xeph is a friend of mine, and I promised I would help out." Stupid man had her twisted around his paw. Huffing, she let out a small snort afterwards. They were good friends though, she was just too nice for her own good. "SPEAK"

Thorns huh? He looked at the thing around her neck, curious. Was that what a scarf was? His silvery-white eyes blinked with surprise though, however, once the pretty fae spoke again. Take her out…? He felt his cheeks burning fiercely as he took a step back, immediately becoming a bit flustered. “Ehh!? No no it’s not like that!” The brute could be selfish and self serving, but he was by no means a flirt or the sort to try and hook a lady up for a one night stand or anything. She didn’t think that, right? Was she just teasing him? When she dipped her head down, an invitation for him to help her Ganta moved forward again, ears perking up again slightly. He was curious as she said that she was an honorary member of a pack called Vyper. ”I…I gotcha. I’m kind of like that with Ivalice, to be honest. I’m planning to start my own pack sooner or later… but the Chief was kind enough to allow me to stay within her ranks until I’m ready.” He paused, feeling a little better now that the subject had shifted. “Sorry to be forward… I’m not really the sort to beat around the bush… and I’m also not the sort to let someone go if they need a paw. Ahh yeah! I’m Ganta by the way. Ganta Hellstrom-Lore.” It was here Ganta fell silent, inching a bit closer and letting his tongue roll out across her face. In his mind he remembered his mother, how gentle she was whenever she cleaned them as children, and doing his best he made to mimic that motion, not wanting the female before him to become uncomfortable. "Talk" "You" Think

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai When the younger man got flustered she tried to hold back her laugh, biting down on her lower lip slightly. But then he spoke, and she sputtered as the giggle burst forth from her maw. Grinning from ear to ear, she slowly shook her head back and forth so she wouldn't scatter blood everywhere. "Don't be so gullible, or I will have to poke fun at you more often," she said with another chuckle. Jaelle has always enjoyed teasing others, but when they made it easy like this it was just all the more fun. Her tail swung behind her as her bells rang out in a joyous tune, blue and brown eyes inspecting his flushed face. Yes, it was just far too easy to make them blush, mm? That's what made it so fun. "I mean, why would you turn down a nice date with a pretty lady, though? You should have snatched that up when you had the chance," she said with a wink of her blue eye. But that was enough of pestering the boy... for now. Dipping her head, she offered her bleeding face to him to clean off. She was grateful for his assistance, she didn't really want to dip her head into the icy falls. Peeking at it with her brown eye, she scanned the overflow of water, absentmindedly wondering what was on top of it. She wasn't a healer by any means, but she had a distinct feeling that it was a hot spot for herbs. All wet places were, right? That's why this alcove was so hidden away, the brush living around it were all constantly fed by the never ending water. She smiled slightly at the thought of it all, but pushed it away as the male started to speak again. Apparently the male had a similar agreement with his pack, although he said that he wanted to start one of his own. Her nose turned up at the thought, flinching slightly from the sting it caused across her muzzle. What was with all these wolves and their stupid packs? She honestly didn't get it, she didn't see the appeal of it at all. Life was so short, why spend it stuck in one spot? A huff left her mouth, ears pulled back slightly as he spoke more about it. Her heat was making her emotional, but there was no doubt that she was irritable. "What's the appeal here? Why does everyone and their cousin want to be leaders of a pack?" her irked tone was mild enough, but it was quite clear that she didn't understand it. He apologized for being forward, to which she just shrugged her shoulders. It wasn't unusual to her, but it was pretty silly how... proper he was. She was a pretty casual wolf in a few sense of the word, so it wasn't something that bothered her. He introduced himself, making her peek up at him as a smile touched her lips again. It was a pretty long name, and she dipped her head ever so slightly since it was already lowered. "Pleasure, Ganta Hellstrom-Lore. I'm Jaelle Rosemary Canirai," she said with a chortle, feeling the need to throw her whole name in there. It wasn't usual for her to toss in her whole name in the mix, but he had so she felt like joining in. He stopped talking, slowly leaning forward and steadily lapping at her wounds. Jae froze for a moment, a sudden course of tingles running down her spine. Crap, she had forgotten that she was in heat for a moment, but the gentle rhythm of his tongue was a little more pleasurable than she would have liked to admit. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and the woman pulled back suddenly. The abrupt movement caused her bells to call out in alarm, a single breath coming out more ragged than the rest. Quickly she cleared her throat, turning away from the man and looking back at the waterfall. She didn't want to comment on it, eying her cuts in the water below. "How about we explore a little, Ganta Hellstrom-Lore. Perhaps we can find a cave," she suggested, an uneasy laugh leaving her lips. Rising to her paws, she started towards the incline that lead to the peak of the flowing river. Glancing back, she eyed the hairy wolf to see if he would follow her. Her tail lay still at her hocks, tucking ever to slightly to try and hide her scent. "SPEAK"

Ganta frowned a bit as she told him not to be so gullible. Well who poked fun at someone like that, really? At her next response though he couldn’t help but feel flustered all over again, adverting his gaze once more before he answered her. “I guess I’m not exactly looking for dates with pretty ladies just yet.” He shifted a little, feeling a tad awkward. It wasn’t that he thought the woman before him wasn’t pretty, it just hadn’t crossed his mind to do such a thing. He was still fairly young after all… and perhaps a bit on the oblivious side of things. He decided not to answer her about the pack, at least for now. She sounded irritable about it… though at lease she gave him her name. Jaelle. It sounded pretty… a fitting name for her, Ganta thought. He was going to continue with cleaning her face when she suddenly pulled back, startling the young man. He looked upon her with surprise, arching a brow, but he decided not to question that either. “Sure… we can do that.” His ears perked back up curiously, paws carrying him after the female. Sure he had noticed her scent, but it wasn’t something that drove him completely crazy like it did for some males.  “Sorry if my mentioning about making a pack upset you by the way. For me… It’s more a personal thing. I feel drawn to it, but that doesn’t mean I’d force anyone into a pack if they didn’t want to be.” Ganta’s gaze trailed away from her again. “Though I do have to wonder if you’re not so keen on them why you’d be in your friends pack… Is it the freedom that makes you feel better about it?” "Talk" "You" Think

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai She almost felt bad for her teasing words, it was obvious that the younger man was taking things far too personally. But he had to learn in one form or another, right? It was just her mannerisms, she had always been the type to say whatever came to mind, all with a sweet overtone of course. Her ears flickered slightly on the top of her head, but otherwise she didn't pay him too much attention. Thankfully they were on the move soon anyways, her never ending drive to explore pushing her onward. Jaelle hadn't missed his raised brow in question, but her heat was a topic that she didn't feel like discussing right now. Slowly her paws moved upwards as she took it slow up the hill, the underbrush grabbing gentle at her gray swathed fur. Glancing over her shoulder at Ganta when he spoke of packs, she laughed and shook her head. "No, no, don't worry your pretty little head about that. It wasn't your fault, it's not that I am upset per say..." she trailed off, pausing when she asked her why it was that she had done it then. Humming softly, she turned away from him and took a few more steps towards the peak of the waterfall, the sound of rushing water growing steadily louder with each step she took. "I do feel better that he lets me come and go as I please, but he knew from the get go that I wouldn't always be there. Let's just say that I owe him one, he helped save my life at one point and this is me repaying the favor," At that point and time he hadn't had her heart either, or any sort of interest besides trying to figure out why he was so uptight all the time. A fond smile touched her lips and she skirted a large rock, tapping it with her bell-clad tail as she walked passed. They were getting closer to the rise now, the slope was greater here and it took more effort to move along it. The walk-able path became more narrow the higher they got, so she knew that it would make it a bit harder to converse since they couldn't walk side by side. Oh well, such was the risk of going exploring. Jaelle was slightly disappointed when no cave came into view, her bangles rattling on her front legs with every step. The wind was a bit stronger here, stinging the wounds on her face. At this point it was nearly impossible to hear anything but the rushing waters of the falls, letting her know that they were getting really close now. "We're almost there!" she shouted over her shoulder, pausing while the wind picked up and twirled around her form. It filled her with almost a giddy excitement, her head twisting and looking over the bush to her left to see the view. Before long she would be able to see so far around them, making her pick up the pace. She knew that she needed to be careful, she had already injured herself enough for one day. "SPEAK"

Ganta listened to her once more, giving a slight nod here and there as Jaelle spoke. The sound of the water was growing louder, almost intimidating and also comforting at the same time. “Just don’t let your debt get the better of you, miss Jaelle.” He frowned, mind trailing to his own parents. For a little while Ganta walked on after her in silence, focusing on moving and pushing onward up the slope. His mind worked as he padded along, going into overtime as he wondered what it was like to owe someone your life… what sort of heavy burden that may bring you. Ganta peeked upwards, becoming a bit winded the farther they traveled. Apparently though they were almost there… though to where he didn’t know. “What are we looking for exactly?” The brute called over the wind and water, hoping Jaelle would be able to hear him okay. He truthfully wanted to rest, not used to climbing like this. But perhaps whatever they were looking for would make the climb worth it. "Talk" "You" Think

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai The wind stung the cuts on her face, but it wasn't enough to deter the woman from reaching the top. Her ears strained to hear Ganta's voice over the increasing gusts, a few of his words getting cut out. "What... looking... exactly?" It was enough to understand what he was getting at, and she stopped once more to look at him. He seemed to be struggling somewhat up the incline, hardly keeping up with her now. She couldn't help but let out a chuckle, her bell-clad tail twisting behind her. The sound of her bells was drowned out in the wind, and she knew it would be no use in trying to yell at the man. So she just shrugged her shoulders and took off again, not caring if he lagged behind. Poor dear, getting dragged into exploring with her. As they got closer to the peak of the hill, the water was loud enough to cut through the wind. Mist was carried on the breeze, clinging to her gray coat as she slowed down slightly. Her blue and brown eyes scanned the area for any signs of a cave, or something that would bring them below the river and under the waterfall. She would love to explore something like that. Wiggling slightly, she finally came to the very crest of the hill and stood once more on flat earth. The river was about five paces ahead of her, the wind cutting down as the roar of water took over the atmosphere. She drew in a deep breath, the air almost feeling more crisp out here. Without hesitation she bounded towards the edge of the water, plopping her butt down beside it and facing the world. From this vantage point she could see far across the northern lands, not yet claimed by the snow that would be here soon. She quivered in her excitement, trying to drink in everything that she could lay her eyes on. Jaelle had nearly forgotten that she had company, twisting around to see if the furry-headed male was still here. There was an apologetic gleam in her eyes, she got carried away sometimes when she was in new lands. The need to find every hidden twist and turn was almost all-consuming, her claws flexing against the hard packed dirt at her paws. "Sorry," she called above the waterfall, "I like to explore, a lot. I didn't mean to drag you up here for nothing. But gods, look at that view!" Her voice was so full of whimsy and nearly breathless with wonder. They lived on an amazing world, that was for sure. She could sit up here all day and not look at the same thing twice. This is why she liked her freedom, and didn't like to be tied down. This was the main reason why she would walk to the ends of the world if she truly could. "SPEAK"

Well he certainly didn’t get much of an answer. He thought he saw Jaelle shrug though he couldn’t entirely be certain. It was hard keeping up with her though, and Ganta found himself lagging a little further behind with each step. Still he didn’t give up. He wouldn’t give up until they had found whatever it was they were looking for. Even if his new friend didn’t exactly know what that was… surely they’d know when they found it? Heck, the sound of the wind and water were now loud enough that Ganta could feel the sounds vibrating through him. When they arrived at the peak Ganta was thoroughly winded, taking the last few steps to sit beside Jaelle. He definitely needed more exercise. But the landscape that he laid his eyes on, Gods above it was breath taking! Ganta watched for a long moment, shifting his gaze to Jaelle as the female apologized. He smiled warmly, too out of breath for the moment to say anything but he gave a nod, showing that he wasn’t upset. Then white orbs cast out over the lands again, seeing places he didn’t know, places that might be good to raise a family… to protect. He saw things a bit differently than the femme beside him, but that didn’t mean he didn’t appreciate nature’s beauty. Once he’d managed to get his second wind Ganta managed to speak, his voice soft, though loud enough to be heard over the water. “Don’t worry about it.” His mind was beginning to trail off. “It was worth the trip, I assure you.” Gaze shifted back to Jaelle as he tried to reign in his thoughts. “Do you plan to explore all that you can see here?” He called, ghostly orbs holding a mysterious sparkle to them. Perhaps this wouldn’t be the last time he ran into the unique woman. "Talk" "You" Think

Jaelle Rosemary Canirai She could hardly take her eyes off of what lay before them, trying to recall which lands she had been to and which ones she had yet to navigate. There was an obvious excitement surrounding the female as she took it all in, only peeling her eyes off of it to look at Ganta when he spoke. Nodding her head quickly, she wiggled in place as she scanned the horizon once more. "I plan on it! Anywhere I can go I want to see. If I could map out this whole world I would be one happy gal." Jaelle said wistfully. Spending her days exploring was all she could really ask for. It was nice when she had some company, but she really didn't mind doing it all by herself. Her bell-clad tail moved across the hardened earth, the mist from the falls starting to cling to her fur. She had come up here looking for a cave, but right now she was far too taken by the view. That's why it was always worth the climb, because she got to see this. Where else can you look out at the area like a bird? Hardly ever. She would remember this place, probably returning again when she got the itch. It was pretty often that she felt the pulling desire to navigate, it was in her gypsy blood. Staying in one place for too long made her ache, it was a struggle to even stay at Xephyris' side. While they weren't a couple by any means, she enjoyed his friendship and she had made a promise after all. Letting out a bit of a sigh, she flipped her head back to the furry man. "And what of you, Mr. Ganta? Do you plan to see the world?" It seemed so odd to her that wolves didn't have the desire to see anything but their own claimed territories. There was so much more out there than this! She had been to places she couldn't ever imagine, landscapes that twisted and turned, forests held in suspended animation under a frozen lake. It was something she couldn't even picture in her own mind, but now she could because she had been there. How was that not a desire held within everyone? She really didn't get it, but she knew that she would never understand it -- or even begin to. Licking her lips, she stretched her front legs out in front of her. Her bangles clattered around her legs as she did so, and she rested her paws over the edge of the cliff. Her head lifted up as a breeze ruffled her fur, the fresh scent of pine and water filling her nostrils. Ah, this is what she lived for. "SPEAK"