Ever since watching the fight over the remnants of Abaven, Edelweiss hadn't known what to do. She had crept up to Ghoul and prepared to tell him she would be joining the school in order to be a worthy ranger of sorts... Until it all cracked and collapsed. She had watched the results of the claim before moving on, somewhat disgusted with the former pack land becoming a sideshow for all to see. The alpha, Theory, had not shown up to claim what was her own. Edelweiss was relieved she had not pledged herself to such a weak leader, though the thought of now deciding to join another pack... Was nerving. She roamed the Falls, where she had met Gimli months ago. Finding not him, but Ghoul there, she approached. They were far beyond the call for formality, so she did not call out to him to announce herself. "Hello" she said to him quietly all the same as she neared "that... does it happen often?" She was referring to the land claim. "she speaks"

The boy had been surprised to see Edelweiss at the challenge. Albeit glad to have her nearby for company, he had been distracted. Only having attended for official business for Habari's sake, there were consequences that needed to be doled out. A couple of someones had made their way outside of pack lands without permission. With that still on his mind, Ghoul had parted ways with her on the promise that they would meet up soon. Stopping to take a short break at the falls for a sip of water, he was mid-sip when her scent washed over him. Lifting his muzzle with water droplets still falling, he turned his ruby gaze toward the approaching Edelweiss. "Afternoon," his rumbling tone was deepening with age as he greets her with a soft smile. Waiting until she stopped, he took a step back and faced her as she asked about the challenge. Thinking on it for a moment, he let out a quiet hum. "It is the first I have known about. Most packs do not absolve like that, but from what I know, if there is a challenge, it does draw a crowd," he pauses as he assesses her reaction. "Typically leaders go to see who will be leading the new pack. The others who show up are in support of one side or the other. And if the Pirates arrive," Ghoul sighs with a roll of his eyes, "they're just trouble in general," there is slight disgust in his tone. The boy looks her over once more and notes that perhaps she might be concerned. "Are you okay?" He asks apprehensively, unsure if he should do anything.

"It was just... disappointing." She frowned lightly. Coming to terms with the fact she had wished to join the school. Having arrived too late to do anything of use, or learn anything promising. She had wanted to grow. To be useful. To one day eventually find a pack that would take a more experienced young lady in. That blew up quite fast. "Your cousin, Voodoo" she dropped the name of the young woman "was going to take me to meet Theory" Edelweiss supposed there was no hiding it now "I was going to... enroll in Abaven." Would Ghoul be upset? She had blown him off when he asked her about Habari. "I assumed if I learned more, I could be useful to a pack" she admitted softly "I am not a very strong hunter, nor do I have much skill in conversing." Obviously not, with the way she spoke. Too formal, too stiff. Not enough like her age allowed. "she speaks"

Ghoul shifts his weight back and forth as he hopes that whatever she was going to tell him was something good. The feeling of his heart smashing into his chest was what he heard others call anxiety. He didn't like it. Letting his ears fall back slightly and his deer-like tail droop against his haunches, he listens to her carefully. What she told him was not what he had been expecting. Not the disappointing part, that much he agreed with. Much of the behavior shown at the challenge had been immature and emotional. Not what he would expect from other pack leaders. Truthfully, it had put a sour taste in his mouth, but it wasn't any of his business. The next part was the surprising part. Firstly because he didn't realize he had a cousin named Voodoo. He wasn't sure if she was an actual cousin or a far-removed cousin... Either way, that didn't exactly matter; he could ask mother later. The thing that caused his head to tilt from curiosity was Edel's admittance to wanting to join Abaven. She wanted to learn, that much he agreed with. Everyone should be sufficient and highly skilled in his opinion. But why couldn't she have learned that with him in Habari? Humming quietly under his breath, Ghoul thought about what his response should be. He wasn't upset, no, she wasn't his and she was free to do whatever she wanted. But did he want her around more? Sure,  he enjoyed her company almost as much, if not more than, Macabre's. "I can teach you how to hunt," Ghoul stated simply as he rights his head and decides to sit down for comfortability's sake. "Not much skill in conversation if you can get your point across," he was a rather straightforward boy and didn't know how to beat around the bush. Rather being direct was a better approach. "Abaven was a good school pack," his chin nods lightly as he hopes that adding that on will deter her from thinking he was upset about her decisions. "If you wish to roam, possibly we can meet for weekly hunts?" He hesitates, unsure if that was too forward. "I mean, if that is something you would be interested in," his throat feels dry as he casts his ruby gaze over to the waterfall. Feeling a tad nervous, he tries to swallow away the knots forming in his stomach.

It was clear to her that Ghoul still wanted her to join Habari. Even if he shoved the outward emotions away, Edel could still see it plainly. Maybe because - no, she didn't want to say they were that close... It could be because she knew him. As friends. Yes, that's it. Friends. "You want me to join Habari still." She was direct and to the point. There was no use beating around the bush. "I didn't want to" she says before he could confirm or deny "I felt inexperienced" Around pack wolves, that is "I did not feel worthy" She didn't feel worthy still "your bloodline runs strong in Boreas and Auster" Edelweiss continues swiftly "what would be the point of joining a pack that has been established for so long?" She would... be an outsider "it wouldn't be fair to ask you to be around constantly. Just because I felt left out." She had no family here. She was a vagabond, and worth nothing. "I thought if I joined Abaven and learned, I could contribute. That I could be someone worthy" Her ears pinned against her skull and she looked confused and irritated "yet you still want to meet up? What would happen if I never joined Habari? W... What would that make you do? I can't ask you to leave; that's selfish. But at the same time, I don't want you to stop being my friend, Ghoul." Would he be forced to choose between friendship and family? She waited for his words, wondering what he'd say. The next part was oh so important. She chose her words based on his. "she speaks"

It was not her forwardness that caught him off guard. It was the way that she could tell what he was feeling even without him expressing such. Truthfully, he was typically pretty good about hiding his emotions - whenever he actually felt them. He was the stoic, quiet, and reserved pup that never gave much away. Yet, here this girl was telling him exactly how he felt. How strange and frustrating that was. Letting his ears flick backward as she continued to speak, Ghoul had to look away. Had he not been perfectly clear that it was okay if she lacked skills? That he would gladly train her? Were her insecurities so deeply rooted that she wasn't willing to give him a chance? Except, he understood in a way. Not that she knew it, but he was in the running to be next the heir. Potentially, not that mother would care, it would be best if he brought home capable wolves. Yet, the ones who sired his siblings and himself were nobodies so did it really matter? Letting out a frustrated huff, he patiently waited while she spoke. He had never been in this situation before. Previously, all of his friends had been his littermates and they all still resided within Habari lands. She was asking something that he had no idea how to answer. His mouth opens briefly before shutting, trying to find the words that would be appropriate. Silence seemed to stretch between them as he didn't dare look at her. Both eyes stared at the falls that poured down into the pool beside them. But what if she never did join Habari? Would he waste every day hoping she would stop by for a visit? Would that ever be enough? No matter what he said, it wasn't going to be enough. "Edelweiss," Ghoul started before his mouth shut tightly once more. Forcing himself to look at her, he let out a sigh. "I would never request you do something that you would not be happy doing," hadn't he made that clear already? A frown tugged at the corner of his lips as he let his ruby stare linger on her face. Something about that face made his stomach twist into knots. "I... just want to spend time with you is all," his tone grew soft as he finally let his gaze drop to the soft grass beneath his paws. Why was his heart beating so fast?

He didn't get it. "I know you said that it wouldn't matter, that you can train me... That you would spend time with me" Edelweiss didn't choose carefully this time, trying to sharpen the point toward what she had been patiently attempting to do. But he was a man, even if he was young "I know you don't seem to care what others think of you" and yet "and true, I don't know you well, but I would like to." She waited to let that sink in before going for the kill. "Ghoul, I wished to be worthy of you." Edelweiss searched his gaze now, her neck rearing like a serpent ready to strike. She looked plainly at him, frowning softly as she continued her semi-plea. "It wouldn't do to join Habari, and we... spend time together. More than now. I don't know what the future holds, but your family is there. They will look at me judgmentally. I don't know them, yes, but... You speak so proudly of them. I only wanted them to look at me with favor... I wanted them to assume I was good enough." A gentle blush creeps up her face. She finally drops her eyes, unable to look at him as he stares so intently at her. Her ears were pinned against her skull. "I didn't feel good enough... being so talentless. Th... That's all." It isn't fair to ask Ghoul to train her when he had duties to Habari and his family. But at the same time, she wants to hear him. She wants to hear him say it didn't matter. That he would make time for her. That he'd be there for her. "she speaks"

Her words were a sharp point driven into his chest. He stared at the ground with his ears turned toward her. How could he have been blind? Well, he was a tad inept at understanding emotions... Social cues weren't his strong suit either. Maybe she would forgive him. Maybe he could fix this if he just tried to listen to her better. And he did. He stayed quiet through her strained words as he felt her eyes stare daggers into his soul. Finally, he glanced up as he noticed her own eyes were staring at the ground. He knew he had done it now and with that, a nearly silent sigh left his lips. Closing his eyes for a moment, he stood up and closed the gap between them. Inches away from her, he lowered his nose beneath her chin to lift it up until he could look at her minty gaze. It was hard to think when he was looking at those eyes as his chest fluttered making it hard to breathe. "Edelweiss," Ghoul whispered, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he kept his muzzle beside her's - nearly touching. "You are worthy of me. You are not like other girls," truthfully he didn't know many other females, but the ones he knew, she was indeed very different from. "I am conflicted. I know my family would not judge you, but I also understand how you feel. There is potential in you and I see it," he pauses because the next part is difficult. "If I had not pledged to become the heir, I would leave home in a second," his voice trembles as he searches her expression. He hopes she understands that he cannot just leave his crown in the dust. "Could you not give me a chance? I will make time for you. Every day, I will lose sleep if I need to, it doesn't matter. If you do not like it or if I fail you, you would be free to leave," Ghoul wants to look away but knows if he did it would not drive his point home. "I want to be worthy of you as well, Edelweiss," he finally whispers as he touches his nose to her's.

He forces her to look at him. Edelweiss feels the beginning of embarrassment. His nose touches her chin and drives it up, but all she can think about is why. Why did she say these things? Why would he even glance her way, if he had a pack and family? She was a vagabond, a nobody... But his words cause her to start gently, and as much as she fears them she also hopes for them. Ghoul speaks. It's his turn. She must listen to him. "You are a fool." But her words do not carry malice or hate in them. They are weary, tired but also somewhat amused. Edelweiss lifts a brow to him, and otherwise, an emotionless expression replaces her features. Her voice carries like a knife, even if she is not intending to drive it deep into his chest. No, she is wary about dancing. She never was a very good one. He says he could fail her, and if so she was free to leave. If she didn't like it, she could leave. But that was not why he was a fool. "I do not like someone who has no aspirations" she said finally "and I would be a selfish one indeed if I allowed you to walk away from your crown" True, she did not know how important these proverbial crowns were... But if he was ambitious enough to want to become a ruler... Surely, he had need of a queen one day? Ah, she would not get ahead of herself "but are you sure... if I joined Habari, I would not slow you down?" Or distract him from his goals? She bit back more words, instead focusing on the important parts. "You did not acknowledge my test, Ghoul" Edelweiss continued as he drew near, pressing his nose against her own "I thought you were smarter than that" her eyes twinkled with some amusement "it is fine to throw everything away for... whatever this is. But others? They do not have much to throw. You have a lot. You would indeed be a fool to throw your shot at a kingdom away for a girl you barely know." Different or not. Happy it made her hear those words, she had to think of him. "If you promise to try to spend time with me and tend to your duties... Then I shall join Habari." "she speaks"

The feeling of their noses touching was comforting in a way as he willed his heartbeat to settle. Wishing his throat would calm and moisten as he swallowed hard as she spoke, he blinked a few times. Taking a step back so that their breath no longer mingled between each other, he let his head tilt toward the side. He wasn't sure how to explain how he felt about the girl, but the way she spoke to him made his feelings all the more confirmed. She wanted someone with aspirations, someone who would go places. That, someone, was him. Ghoul was going to go somewhere in life, not just sit and wallow out of self-pity. "Forgive me for being so daft to your test," he teased back with a wink. That was a first, an improvement on his lack of emotional capabilities. Truly, it was why he was such an idiot at times, but dishonest he was not. "I assure you that if you stay in Habari with me, I will be able to spend more time with you than if you were elsewhere," his words are firm now as smiles at her. Ghoul could tell she was amused, but not disappointed and he took that as a good thing. "Would you like us to go now or do you need more time?" His head tilted back toward the other side. Waiting and hoping that she was ready now, he was eager to introduce her to his mother and the rest of the pack.

"Mmm..." she squinted her pale gaze at him as he continued, apologizing for failing her little test "pray that you do not fail the others." She teased him but was also a bit serious. She would throw hurdles at Ghoul and make him jump. It was not fun to see him stumble, and if he was to be a leader one day... She was there to support him, but also to make him grow. What sort of... ah, girlfriend was she if not? Was that the right term? "Meet me back here in a few days" She parted from him regretfully but knew she did need the time he offered "I'll remain here in case you want to visit but... I do need some time to adjust myself." Gods willing, Edelweiss was able to ramp up her training until then. She did not want to look like a fool in front of Ghoul's family. She didn't know what to make of this yet, but she was somewhat eager to start. Get it over with, gods willing. "she speaks"