Since officially being deemed a yearling and thus allowed to wander outside Lirim's walls without an escort, the young Aryn had spent much of her time on the lookout for the next territory to explore and the next wonder to see. Her travels were contained to the west for the time being. Although she had permission to wander further it was hard to bring herself to go so far from home, and she didn't want to risk worrying her father over her absence.

The west was for the most part sandy, dry and barren. There were a few lush green territories Aryn had stumbled over, some majestic waterfalls and some odd shaped formations. Each had it's own beauty to it, and the little navigator was entranced. As she followed the sand river further south, a thick and mysterious fog began to lap at her paws. The heavy scent of pack lingered in the moist air, and Aryn assumed this must be the territory of Valhalla that she'd heard so much about.

She craned her head in further, careful not to step over the border. In the distance through the mist she could see formations in the rock, and her tail wagged slowly as she investigated from afar. Never in her life would she dare to intrude on another pack's land, though there was no harm she could see in simply looking.

Aurielle Adravendi

She was slowly trying to come to grips with the fact that every week and month that passed, she was shedding and the fur was growing back… glowing. And it was only intensifying. It was a long time since she’d seen Ignatius, but from what she could remember, she was beginning to rival his light in intensity. When the hell would this stop? She’d become aware of the marking that was growing in around her left eye when her father had finally pointed it out—well, Red had noticed first, but she’d dismissed the initial scattering of color as maybe dirt or something. But now the outlines were defined, and it was filling in, darkening. She couldn’t deny… it had been a very… strange year. An Eruption, her own physical changes… A brush of fresh scent touched her nose and she paused in her patrol through the miasma, head cocked before a smile settled on her features as she placed the scent. One of Torin’s daughters. It wasn’t Lilli, but it was definitely one of his girls, and her path diverted immediately toward the wall, paws treading lightly. She slid from the fog like a specter, a warm, gentle smile on her features as her eyes found the girl. “Welcome to Valhalla, cousin. What brings you to the border today?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

When the faintly glowing she-wolf made her way towards Aryn, she straightened into a much more respectful pose and fitted her lips with a genuine smile. Cousin was an odd way to greet another, but she brushed it off as just a custom - a term of endearment that another wolf might use to be friendly. After all, Aryn had been very young when she first met Aurielle and definitely would have remembered if she'd met a wolf that glowed before.

"Hello! I'm Aryn, of Lirim. It's nice to meet you, miss...." She nodded her head in a polite greeting, the smile still upon her face when it lifted back to address the woman who's name she awaited. "Dad says Valhalla is a sister-pack of ours, I was hoping that maybe I could have a tour of your lovely moor?" The yearling's tail swished behind her with a relaxed but happy motion, and she couldn't help her eyes from straying off the alpha's face into the fog. "I want to see everywhere but, that's hard when packs keep claiming the prettiest lands." The words were lighthearted, and she punctuated them with a good-natured giggle to show that she did not blame any pack for hogging land she wished to explore.

Aurielle Adravendi

The Spirit smiled easily as Aryn gave her name, and as she gave the inquiring trailing off, Aurielle responded with an understanding nod, as she said, “I am Aurielle Adravendi. Your father’s Mother was my Da’s sister, which makes you and your siblings my cousins as well as your Da.” She grinned as the young wolf’s lighthearted quip about the packs taking all the good lands, turning with a friendly tilt of her head toward the moorlands. “I’m more than happy to show you around. Lirim is family, and as long as you let us know you’re here, you’re welcome to stop by and rest if you need. That stands for the rest of your sibs and your parents. Alliances should be something celebrated, not just acknowledged and little more done beyond that.” It was something she stood by—like her father, she had no reservations about giving a member of an allied pack a place to rest up, a meal to eat, and a chance to meet others before they went home. She never expected anything in return except good will and the similar treatment of her own wolves should they be in need and in her allies’ area. As she waited to see if Aryn would join her, she asked, “Is this your first outing as a yearling?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Aurielle introduced herself, and Aryn's face lit up as she mentioned that the packs were not just allied, but family. "Oh!" The yearling gasped. "I'm sorry, I should have known. I'm sure if the volcano had not kept Lirim locked to the island, we might have met more times when I was growing." It shamed her to know that there were blood relations so nearby that she hadn't reached out to, and she decided that it'd need to change at some point. "I appreciate your offer, and would love a tour."

Aryn waited to see where Aurielle would lead her, continuing the conversation as they walked. "This isn't my first, no. I'll admit since the day I was allowed to roam I've been exploring as much as I can." She remembered the waterfall she'd seen, how beautiful the glowshroom cavern was. The world held such wonders. "I thought perhaps that I'd make a path out of it, but I'm not so sure anymore. Dad says Lirim needs hunters and healers, so I'm going to try to learn." A soft sigh tumbled from her, though her lighthearted smile didn't stay off her face long. "The problem is that with so few knowledgeable about those paths, it's hard to find someone to teach."

Aurielle Adravendi

She smiled gently as Aryn responded, nodding her agreement as the young wolf spoke of how things might have been had the eruption not occurred. As Aryn accepted her offer, the Spirit led the way into the mists, moving to allow the younger wolf to keep easy pace with her. She listened as her cousin spoke of how she’d been exploring, and as the girl mused over what Lirim needed, Aurielle reflected that a wolf who was swift and knew the lands would be an invaluable resource in the event of a siege. “Navigation is a wonderful skill to hone. Valhalla also requires that everyone at least learns healing, even if it’s only the basics. The same with fighting. Even if someone doesn’t specialize or isn’t really even good at it, I’d like for everyone here to be able to defend themselves should something happen when they’re out on their own. I should talk with your father about interpack activities Lirim and Valhalla could do.” She pondered, mind turning to Red as she considered hunters, then suggested, “I believe one place we could start is helping you learn more about hunting… I have a man here who knows a fair bit. I’m willing to ask him if you like?” Her eyes smiled at the young wolf as she padded near-silently through the miasma, stopping as the mists parted upon the Circle. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Aryn kept her attention rapt upon the woman as was polite while another spoke, though occasionally her gaze would drift off to observe the moor as they moved deeper through the mist. Aurielle's words made sense and Aryn did see the necessity in learning the basics if only for self defense, though regardless she was glad her father didn't have similar rules. She didn't want to learn to fight at all, even the thought of learning to hunt was daunting to the girl who did not like to spill blood.

"Inter-pack activities sound fun." She agreed lightheartedly, wondering what sort of things the sister packs could do together. "I'd be very glad for the help. Without someone in Lirim to teach me I worry I won't be able to learn enough to benefit the pack at all." Her lips parted in a sigh, though her smile quickly returned. They parted the mist, and before her stood towering stones in a circle. "Oh, wow! It's beautiful, Aurielle!" Aryn gushed, breathless.

Aurielle Adravendi

Aurielle smiled as Aryn agreed that activities between the packs sounded fun. She hoped they would be. And as Ayrn accepted her offer of Red’s assistance, she grinned, bannered tail waving before she stepped aside and let Aryn gaze at the stone circle. “It is. It was likely erected by humans, perhaps even longer before they disappeared. Can you imagine the effort it took to erect these?” She padded forward, a paw lifting to rest on the towering stone at the eastward end of the circle. “It makes a wolf wonder why they did it at all.” She let her paw fall to the ground as she strolled into the circle like a ghost, gazing around at the circle before she turned to smile at the girl. “What else interests you when it comes to learning?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Aryn took a long moment to observe the structure, slack jawed at it's wonder. She did wonder why it was possibly built, but then again she was glad the humans had erected it so she was able to witness it's beauty. "You're lucky to live here." She said softly, turning her gaze off the stones and back onto Aurielle's face. The question on what else interested her was a hard one, and the yearling did her best at an aloof shrug which looked rather clumsy. "I just like exploring and seeing the world. I want to meet many new wolves, start a family one day." The girl blushed at the thought of who her future mate might be, would he be a gentleman and handsome? Would she be a good mother and wife? It was all so far off, but she gave a soft laugh at the mention regardless. "I guess it sounds weird that I don't have much to aspire to." Aryn admitted. The idea of duty and responsibilty was fine, she guessed. Though her true dreams lie in exploration and wonder, not rules and structure and jobs.

Aurielle Adravendi

His side pressed into her shoulder, and she soaked in the provided support with a sigh. When he didn’t open the gift, Aurielle smiled softly in agreement. “This and the Plains are a wonderful home. I mean to expand the borders someday. It will take hard work…” As Aryn responded, Aurielle listened, with interest, a half-smile settling on her lips as she spoke. It was something any young woman should be thinking about. Not worrying about where her mother and brother were, why they were gone, and how she was going to lead a pack a year earlier than she had expected. At Aryn’s last comment, Aurielle shook her head, eyes sad. “That aspiration is not a small thing. To want a love and a family of your own is an important part of life, as is seeing the world and meeting many faces. Those are all part of what shapes each and every one of us.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Aryn smiled gratefully as the alpha assured her that her dreams were not to be ashamed of. She was still unconvinced, the yearling felt an indescribable pull to support her pack more then in just exploring and meeting strangers. To do something important and become a vital part of her family and home. With a soft sigh she banished the negative thinking, breathing in the moor's clean air and looking back over the stones. "Well, if I'm lucky I will find passion in hunting or healing once I start to learn. It would make things a lot easier, I'd sure feel a lot more useful." The girl admitted. If she could only find joy in providing for her pack or healing their wounds, the decision of what to do with her life would be a lot easier. Besides, no matter what the path she decided to take she could still find a mate and have a family. She'd just maybe need to push exploration off to the side, depending on how busy her life as an adult might be.