Mortis was practising his movements on snowy lands. The Amarda hadn't been hit too hard by the stuff, but other terratories not too far off had been. He found his way to redbud nook, and discovered the winter paradise that awaited him there. After exploring nocks and crannies under skeletal trees, he found an open space in a clearing, and taking calming, slow breaths, he began to work on his fighting moves.

He got lost in the motions, the cool wind in his coat, the freshness of the winter air. He didnt realise how much time had passed until the sun began to fade. And there was the moon, poking out in the distance. Only... the moon wasnt so white, or low to the ground. He fell still, squinting into the distance.

Aurielle Adravendi

She would be so very glad to be home and dead asleep in her alcove. Even with all the rest stops and breaks, and even naps on occasion, she was definitely much more tired than normal. It was to be expected, certainly. Now that she’d stopped at Abaven, she was on her way home. Though it was possible that she should stop by Ashen itself and speak with Deathbelle, she didn’t know if she was ready for another round of politics. In a way, she admired the Klein Empress. Look how powerful her pack had grown, and how strong the Armada was, from a surprise neighbor just last year or so. That took hard work, respect, and probably a lot of family members. Valhalla was growing in its own right, though. It wouldn’t be long before the numbers would grow. The thought brought a fresh, fond smile to her features as she padded with her usual grace through the nook, mind wandering back to her conversation with Sirius. The man was an interesting puzzle. Gruff, proud, and deadly. She could certainly say she looked forward to sparring with the man regularly. It wasn’t often she got to fight someone that big. Speaking of big. There was a dark form in the snow a way ahead. She watched as the figure shifted and moved, and realized that it was a wolf pup. A wolf pup who bore wings. If she had not known much better, she might have thought it was the winged male from the festival who had mistaken her for a deity. Dear heavens, what might that wolf do if he met her now, when she glowed like a goddess of the moon? The pup noticed her, squinting, and she padded forward, stopping at a respectful distance and taking him in, now that he was more visible. After a moment, she smiled. “You must be one of Sirius’ sons.” It was obvious, with his coloring, size, markings, and long teeth. It seemed long canines and sabers were becoming more and more common as the seasons went by. Would the whole of Boreas and Auster become like Red’s homeland, where mutations were so common Red hadn’t batted an eye at her own appearance? She dipped her head in respectful greeting as she introduced, “I am Aurielle Adravendi, Spirit – or alphess – of Valhalla.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The moon approached, which was actually rather a peculiar act from the orb. He stood there, squinting like some sort of idiot, until it finished approaching him, and took on the shape of a wolf. He sat down, frowning hard. The moon was not just a wolf, but a girl one at that, with long flowing hair, and words, words! truly, moons weren’t supposed to act like this. If he thought the moon might come down, he would have suspected it would be more like snow, which he and Asla had first mistaken for stars. He wouldn’t have expected it to be a wolf. There was only one fantastical creature he knew the name of, so when she spoke and called herself Auriella… and knew him by his heritage, he only frowned harder. “You're not Abraxas then? My dad said he’s not real, but then the moon isn’t supposed to be a wolf, either. " "Mortis"

Aurielle Adravendi

He was a thoughtful boy, that was certain. It was clear he wasn’t sure she was a wolf yet, and as he spoke, her head cocked slightly. Then she shrugged slightly, smiling as her haunches lowered into the snow, tail flicking habitually to send that cascade of glowing, shimmering white hair pooling and curling around her hips and paws. “I’m not Abraxas. I’m sure he’s real, if only to the wolves who believe in Him. But beliefs change between cultures, packs, and even families. My own family believes loosely in a group of deities. Luneil is the goddess of the Moon, and said to be the mother and creator of us wolves. Her twin brother Somneil, is the god of the sun, light, and the goodness in us all.” She smiled and added gently, “There are others, but those two are the most commonly spoken of, because the Sun and Moon are always present above us. But as long as belief does not harm others, I don’t really care who believes in what. It’s their actions that makes the wolf.” Her eyes lifted to the sky briefly. It was already dark again, and she still had so far to go. Perhaps it would be best to tuck herself into a nook and sleep until morning came. Those eyes dropped to the boy once more. “You look quite like your father. I spoke with him yesterday evening, and he was kind enough to walk me most of the way to Abaven.” She’d also met his brother who, save for the defining physical differences, was this boy’s twin. But there was something infinitely more likable about this boy. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Well, that was a lot of words and gibble gook, that didn’t really register to the young boy. Sirius had been very adamant that Abraxas did not exist, and treated the idea with scorn. Even if a glowing wolf-moon-thing told him that he could be real, to some people. How can something be real to some, and not others? And then what she believed in, which did relate to the moon. He groaned and rubbed at his head. Way too much.

“I hear that a lot, but I don’t really feel like i’m like him” the boy told the moon-wolf-Aurielle-sprite-Valhalla, ect, ect, wolf.

Still frowning at the spirit, he realised he was being a little bit rude. Maybe she was the moon, maybe she wasn't, it still wasn’t call for bad manners. “I’m Mortis Fatalis” he introduced himself. “Can I touch your fur?”

Aurielle Adravendi

She grinned slightly as he answered that he got that remark a lot. “I get asked if I’m a ghost a lot, myself. Really, I’m just a flesh and blood wolf like you. Although,” She laughed softly, lifting a paw to grin down at the glowing-furred limb, “I wasn’t born already glowing. Just shimmering. This cropped up around summer this year and reached its peak this autumn. It’s taken a lot of getting used to.” Her head dipped as she brushed the top of her wrist over the violet mark over her left eye adding, “This marking came in around the same time, too.” His introduction was polite, as though he’d realized he had forgotten the niceties, but his followup question was all pup, and it brought a laugh to the woman’s lips. “I don’t see why not.” Her fur was soft to the touch, silken where the mane and tail grew long, downy in other areas, especially around the neck and ruff. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

“A ghost, not a goddess?’ he asked in surprise. She wasn’t see-through, she was glowing. His first guess was the moon, and he was still a little uncertain if she wasn’t exactly that, despite her words. His second guess would be some sort of sprite, a spirit or an aspect of some kind. Like a little piece of a rivers heart. When he asked if he could touch, she laughed, and allowed it. He reached forward, a little tentatively, as through he wasn’t certain if she might bite - or vanish - at his touch. He stretched out a paw, and it sunk into soft fur. He frowned, and prodded a little harder, feeling skin and muscle beneath it all. Very much real, flesh and blood. “Hmm” he said, as through contemplating the universe. “Alright” "Mortis"