The place around Meme was quiet. No birdsong, nor the buzz of insects, invaded the still air as she padded onward, carving out the path that she and her companion Jacques were taking. Most of the morning had been walked in silence, not that the man nor young woman seemed to mind that very much. They simply pressed on, traversing Auster with the faint hope that maybe, just maybe, they might come across some trace of Memento Mori’s family. They had encountered one other since their return to Auster although… they were not one of the ones that Meme was searching for.

“Do you believe your family is still here? Jacques asked suddenly. “We’ve been in Auster for a few days now, you know? Is there a chance that we could find them?” He asked as he picked up the pace to walk beside the femme. “How long has it been since you’ve seen them last…?”

Memento Mori frowned and shook her head. “Not sure anymore… after I got in that fight with the Abraxas, or at least who my mother assumed was one, well…” She furrowed her brow. “She was so obsessed… I don’t want such an obsession to drive me to the edge… still… I wouldn’t think she’d leave these lands…” Memento Mori lifted her muzzle towards the canopy of leaves and took in a few breaths.

“Besides… I kind of provoked it too. He wasn’t a good guy, no, but that doesn’t mean I had to go running my mouth like I knew what I was doing.” Meme shot Jacques a cocky smile and the jackal groaned.

“Yet you’d do it all the same again, wouldn’t you?”

“Hell yeah! What are a few scars if you live to tell the tale? Might as well have fun while you’re here, right? I can’t live my life like some scared little pup!” Meme broke into a run, calling to Jacque’s over her shoulder.

“Come on Jac—” Just as Memento was going to call her companion’s name her paw happened to get caught on one of the many thick vines and well, down she went! An “oof” slipped past her lips as Memento hit the ground hard.

Ouch… okay… so maybe running in this area wasn’t the best idea…

It wasn't that often that he went this far out from The Hallows and he really didn't think he had since the world started to go crazy with the onset of the ooze, crystals, mushrooms, and fireflies. Now that things were returning to normal and Eska was recovering from her illness he was reintroducing himself to the idea of venturing out into the world again, but before they really made any plans for the vacation he and his mate wished to take he wanted to do some scouting and make sure things were truly back to normal or if they should wait a while longer. As he made his way toward southern Auster it seemed like things were mostly as he remembered them which was encouraging. He was eager to sweep Eska away for a while, give them both some time to relax now that his job was done as an alpha of the pack. He had already been its alpha when he met Eska so at no point in their relationship were they allowed time to truly be alone and to themselves so he wanted to do just that.

He stepped into the shade of the Grapevine Cathedral, padding through the quiet grove of ivy choked trees while his silver eyes examened them curiously. Here and there sometimes he'd spot a random odd mushroom or a crystal that hadn't quite gone away because of the fact that the sun couldn't quite reach them in the shade, but otherwise everything seemed pretty normal. As he was walking he suddenly herd a thud somewhere off to the side and it made him stop, ears perked as he turned his head to look through the trees. He didn't see anything at first, but a bit of movement caught his eye and he moved toward it curiously, wondering if there was someone else here.

Who he found caught him off guard and for a moment he stood there with wide, shocked eyes. "Meme...?" he asked with disbelief. Considering how recently he had the ghostly encounter with his father it felt like such a strange coincidence to suddenly find his niece again, but once the initial shock wore off he was flooded with relief and happiness. A chuckle escaped him as a grin pulled across his lips and he hurried over to her, helping her back to her paws and pulling her into an embrace. "Meme! I'm so glad you're okay... Where have you been?" He held her at arms length after a moment, looking her over and making sure she wasn't hurt.

Ulric Adravendi

The next voice Memento heard was not Jacques but rather one even older in her life than he was. She could hardly believe her ears as she lifted her head and saw him there; her uncle. Her heart skipped a beat and Meme grinned widely as she called back to him. "Uncle Ulric!" She had found the first of her family and that filled her heart with hope she'd find the others.

After being helped to her paws the girl returned the embrace her uncle gave with a wide grin. "I was finding myself." When he drew back she looked upon him with her ghostly gaze. "I had to discover some things for myself… and I even ran into a new friend."

It was at that moment Jacques approached, caution in his stance. "Uncle Ulric, this is Jacques. He's been helping me in my journeys outside of Boreas and Auster. Making sure I don't get into another bad fight."

"A pleasure to meet you, sir." The jackal rumbled. "From my understanding the fight Meme is mentioning is the one she got her maim from." He frowned. "Don't let her fool you, she's still as reckless as ever."

"Jacques!!" Meme felt her cheeks get hot. He was right, sure, but she didn't want to get her uncle worried this soon after seeing him again.

Ulric smiled and gave a little, understanding nod when Meme explained that she had to discover and find herself. He didn't really care what the reason for her being away was as long as she was okay, healthy, and in one piece. With how Philomena had disappeared he had feared the worse for his niece, but here she was. His ears perked with curiosity when she mentioned that she had made a new friend and his gaze was directed toward the jackal in question. He gave Jacques a nod as he was introduced, silently glad that at the very least Meme hadn't been completely alone this whole time. "A pleasure to meet you as well," he replied.

He couldn't help the little smirk that pulled at his lips as Jacques refuted the idea that she had become more responsible and cautious, chuckling at the pair as Meme's companion called her out. "Well, thank you for looking out for her, Jacques. I appreciate it." Looking back to Meme, he gave her a curious look and asked, "Are you going to be around Auster for a while? I've been a part of a pack called The Hallows for a couple of years now. They occupy a castle a little bit north of here. If you're going to be staying near here you're more than welcome to visit and rest there as much as you'd like."

Ulric Adravendi

Jacques gave a small nod at Ulric’s words. “Likewise.” It was interesting to meet someone else in Memento’s family, especially after the girl had spoken so highly of them all. At his next words, Jacques chuckled in response. “Someone better, lest she gets in another scuffle.” The jackal shook his head. “Heard about what happened between her and that supposed Abraxas fellow.”

At the mention of the fight in which she had gotten her scar Memento flicked an ear back. She really didn’t want to drag that thing out - it was over and done with. But as her uncle directed his attention back to her Meme smiled a little. “The Hallows, huh? Sounds pretty neat.” Her tail began to wag back and forth as she canted her head to the side. “I’d be interested in joining them, actually… especially if it means being close to family again.” Memento Mori’s ghostly white eyes began shining brightly.

“I think I’ve satisfied this wanderlust for now. I want to be where my family is, and hopefully find the rest of them.” Meme glanced towards Jacques. “...and build us stronger than before. Wolves and other creatures alike.” The girl could feel her heart swell with pride. “Maybe sharpen my skills as well.”