The woman was once more drawn to the islands of Ibis, the largest of which calling to her the most. It was the place where she had run into Siarvon one of the few times they had chanced to meet, but now there was a possibility that he might not show up, maybe the autumn furred man would not be there if she gave birth to her and Magnus' children. The alabaster princess let out a small whine as those thoughts clashed inside her infinite conscience. What could she do without her best friend, her partner in crime, at her side? Trotting towards a small brook, the ivory dame lapped up some of the cool aqua with her long salmon tongue. Lifting her delicate cranium, the giantess padded to a bed of ferns and sat down, watching the world go by, lost in thought. Colourful birds created a cacophony in the trees, dwarfish ungulates and small boar scuffled around in the brush in search of food. She could easily have killed one of them, but her thoughts got the better of her, distracting her infinite mind from the hunger that was beginning to gnaw at her stomach from the long swim over here in the warm, tropical waters.

Bhaire lounged in the shade of a palm tree, the picture of ease. Even if the mainland was trapped ever yet in the jaws of winter, the island air was fair and pleasant. The smell of the sea was lulling his mind into a state of ease. Bugs buzzed near his ears and he snapped lazily at them. In his opinion, it was not yet a day for action. Of the sound of the waves rolling onto the beach, he could not hear the soft footfalls on the sand, and had no prelude to the pale female stalking into his field of vision. His ears perked, the bugs forgotten. He could not hear her footfalls, but the whine she let out was not beyond him. Bhaire stood, sure that he had been fairly well camouflaged before. He didn't want to startle the fae, but he could not just let her pass without attempting to assist her. What was wrong with her? He saw her staring into the brush farther down the beach, seeming distracted now as well. Bhaire stepped into the sunlight and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, miss," he said. "I couldn't help but notice you seem a bit distracted. Is something wrong?" He maintained respectful distance, of course. He'd hate for the female to feel threatened. Of course the closer he drew the more apparent it became that she was quite a bit taller than he, and he wondered if perhaps he could be the one in danger.

A voice to her right startled her, and the giantess whipped her delicate cranium about to cast her liquid mercury gaze upon the wolf. A male, a bit smaller than herself, but he seemed to mean no harm. He inquired as to her well being, and the icy rose offered a half hearted nod. "My apologies if I have worried you with my distracted behaviours." She murmured, ethereal tones falling into the air smooth as silk. One could easily detect the Russian accent in her words, and it spoke of her origins. The giantess smiled, letting an introduction quickly escape her regal maw. "My name is Aurora Porcelain Anima Lunashka, but please, call me Aurora." She told the male, smiling softly as she dipped her cranium in respectful greeting. She had always loved her full name, even though others found it a mouthful. Which is why she always added what they could call her, so they wouldn't struggle to guess which she went by. Standing, the woman approached the strangely marked man, moonstone orbs flicking over his frame, taking in his appearance. In those eyes was a sorrow that none should ever have to endure, there was wisdom one her age should not likely have, and there was knowledge that few wolves possessed. She stood before him, silver optics fixed upon his own gaze, as she awaited a reply. She made sure not to be too close, the man seemed quite wary of her. The alabaster femme had often been treated with respect that bordered on fear, simply due to her size, and the lithe but obvious muscles that rippled beneath her thick angelic coat. The lass remained a few paces from him, so as not to intimidate the wolf with her presence, since it often had that effect. Behind her, the woman's long tail swung slowly across her heels like a pendulum, twin raven's feathers twirling in the breeze created by the movement. Often she had told strangers the story behind them, and would most likely be telling that story for the rest of her life.

Bhaire waved off the fae's apology with a toss of the head. How could she have done anything wrong? It wasn't as if she had inconvenienced him, he only wanted to see the lesser emotions vanquished. He listened intently as she went on to introduce herself. Her title was impressive, if lengthy, and unfortunately Bhaire did not know if he would able to remember it all. He chuckled a bit at how bland he would seem next to her. He coat gleamed int he sunlight, ornamented and plush, whereas he was as brown as tree bark, plain. Even his name left something to be desired. It did not trouble him overmuch of course, he was a simple wolf with simple need. One did not need beauty to hold a conversation. Bhaire grinned a silly grin and took a shallow bow. "An honor to meet you, Aurora. I have the pleasure of being Bhaire. Just Bhaire, of course, I've no family name." It was true. He envied this woman, who seemed to know so much about herself and where she had come from. Bhaire felt as if he knew next to nothing. He hardly even know where he had been physically, let alone ancestors. The band of nomads that had adopted him had found him abandoned, on the brink of death in an empty den. It didn't exactly provide a wealth of information, though it did leave plenty open to the imagination. "So what brings you to the islands?" Bhaire asked, not wanting the silence to stretch on any longer than it had to.

The she wolf watched calmly as he waved off her apology, and for that the she wolf liked the man a little more. As the man introduced himself as Bhaire, no last name. Dipping her cranium respectfully, a soft grin played at the dame's features. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Bhaire." She replied quietly, simply because of the societal dictations to do so when one met a stranger. When his inquiry met her tall ivory audits, the dame shrugged, unsure really what had drawn her to the islands. "I've been here a few times, and once I ran into an old friend.. I guess I was just looking for some company." She murmured, her liquid mercury optics taking on a sorrowful glint. She had never been the most social wolf, but she did not mind meeting others. She only made a few friends, and she hadn't seen Song or Siarvon in the longest of times. All she had right now was her beloved Magnus, and her pack. Seating herself upon the terra, the icy rose's long ivory banner would wrap around her broad, powerful paws while she examined the brown male before her. His pelt was bold, unique, and it suited him quite well. Her own pelt was quite drab, her appearance quite washed out in her opinion. Once more ebony lips would part as her ethereal vocals were released into the warm winter air. "What about you? What brought you to the islands of Ibis?" She asked, tilting her deceptively delicate cranium to the side slightly quizzically, moonstone optics fixed upon the face of her companion. A breeze ruffled her thick fur, relieving her of the heat for a moment, and blowing her scent of lavender and ginger along with it. A pair of ebony feathers embedded into her tail would rustle and dance for a few heartbeats before falling still and laying flush with her silky fur once more.

Bhaire grinned, appreciating the fae's calm, quiet demeanor. He'd met more wolves her size than he'd cared to who had grown into a bite first, bark later countenance. While he knew absolutely nothing of her past, that she seemed to have developed differently restored a bit of faith in his species. He listened carefully as she spoke, wanting to drink in every word. That she had met wolves here before caught him with particular gusto. Bhaire was desperate for company recently, and had even gone so far as to begin searching for a pack. When she turned the questions over to him, he smiled. "It sounds like you and I are more alike than I would've guessed. I'm just looking for something to catch my eye. Anything from a pack to new plants or fish." Bhaire had a certain fascination with the world around him. He had dedicated himself long ago to learn as much about it as he could. That very morning he had spent a long while tracking a family of crabs moving from one side of the island to the other. They were as large as his paws, without legs, and might have made good eating if they were not so interesting to watch. He had no idea what to call them, and knew only that their coloring was a brighter red than he had ever seen before. He turned back to Aurora, not wanting to get too lost in his thoughts and leave her in reality. "I enjoy traveling to new lands, and experiencing them all fully as I can. It whiles the time away rather pleasantly," he grinned. It keeps you distracted from your thoughts, a voice whispered to him, and he held in a wince.

As the man spoke, the woman smiled. He seemed quite adventurous, maybe he would find the beauty of the Mangroves one day, maybe even join her pack. Otherworldly lyrics escaped dark lips before her mind could catch up and decide whether the statement was a good idea or not. "I am from a pack that calls a quite magnificent Mangrove it's own. Maybe one day you will come and see it." She murmured, curious. The glowing waters of Ludicael's Lover's Mangrove attracted many wolves, it's unique water's beheld by few who did not marvel. She remembered her own travels, which had been endured for a reason that was likely much more different than the reasons for this man to be travelling. "I am quite happy to be settled at home, myself. I am done travelling for now." She told the man, the faintly accented words nothing but the truth. She would not be leaving her eastern home for a while now.

The land Aurora spoke of sounded exciting, if only because it sounded foreign. A mangrove? He had seen only one before, in a land quite far from where they stood now. It had been a swampy, muggy, muddy area full of biting bugs, poisonous snakes, and lizards so large they could crush a wolf between their jaws. It had been a horrible experience. Yet, the way Aurora spoke of her home, it did not seem as if this mangrove would be the same as the last. The tone of her voice alone painted a serene, tranquil, comfortable place where one might relax. Could this be, or was Bhaire over thinking it? He knew the only way to clear things up would be to ask. "No offense meant to your pack, of course," he began, hoping to avoid the fae's ire, "But I've been to a mangrove once before in a different land. It was less than pleasant. But I get the sense that yours is much different. I think I would like to see it someday, regardless." If nothing else it was another land, another place he had not been, countless sights he had not seen. There were wolves to meet, stories to hear, legends to learn, and just the thought of it set his paws to itching.

The male was cautious as he spoke, like he was afraid the giantess might lean over and rip his snout fight off of his face. The woman never hurt others unless they asked for it, or deserved it. So far, this man had done nothing to earn her dislike. She smiled, waving off his warning to offenses she may take just as he had her earlier apologies. His immediate change in tone as he spoke was strange, but the dame paid it no heed. "I can guarantee that the Lover's Mangrove is much different from the one you visited." The alabaster princess replied calmly, her face content, yet still not showing her true character. Not many wolves got to see her true self, not this quickly, anyway. The woman wasn't quite sure what to say next, she had never been an expert conversationalist. Once more the princess brought her attention to the lack of a last name for the man whom she was speaking with, and was curious as to why he lacked such an important facet of life. "Where are you from that you have no last name, Bhaire?" She asked, curious. She herself had two middle name's, as well as a long last name. So that someone might only have one title to call themselves by was strange, unheard of. Tall ivory audits shoved themselves forwards, intent to hear the story behind it, the past of this man.

Even as the echo answers to the voiceHibiki no ko? ni ozuru ga gotoshi. Bhaire found his interest in the land she spoke of growing astronomically. Something about it seemed... well, just interesting! His resolve to see it grew as well, and he wondered if it would be too presumptuous of him to ask the fae for guidance there. Surely she had better things to do, pressing matters that had brought her here. At least, though, he would ask her for bearings that he might discover it on his own. She turned the topic of conversation back to him and he thought deeply on her question, not wanting to be dishonest but having no idea how to honestly answer her. There simply was no answer! Where was he from? Should the information have come suddenly into his mind he would have gladly shared it with her, but not before shedding a tear or two of joy. He smiled as he thought, and decided finally to give the femme what he could. "You might call me an orphan," he said. "But I need no pity in that. I was raised by a loving band, who each cared for me as if I were their own. They had no surnames themselves, not even a pack name to call them by. We had no home of our own, but instead roamed wherever we pleased. It was a good life." He said simply, fighting to keep a crushing pain from illuminating his eyes. And then they were taken from me, and only the gods know why, He thought to himself. Had he been given the choice, he would have much rather been drowned and ripped asunder along side them, and entered the heavens by their sides. But instead he was left here, in hell, waiting for his time. "Talk" Think "You"

After a moment of what was no doubt thought on how to respond to her inquiry, he responded calmly. How interesting, such a past. How could one live nomadically? It would be so tiring, constantly moving about. The icy rose preferred to remain stationary, have somewhere constant to return to after a few days of exploring. "I do not doubt that, Bhaire." She responded in kind, smiling softly. She was intrigued, hearing about a history as unique as her own. "If your life there was so wondrous, why are you here in Alacritis?" She asked, tilting her delicate cranium to the side and raising an eyebrow quizzically. She had moved to these lands because she had nowhere else to go, and no one to keep her safe or keep safe herself. That seemed to be the reason many came here, but there were often other reasonings. Ivory audits shoved themselves forwards eagerly, awaiting the reply that would no doubt be as interesting as the history.

Even as the echo answers to the voiceHibiki no ko? ni ozuru ga gotoshi. The ivory femme seemed to soften a bit as Bhaire spoke, and he took comfort in that fact. It was not every day he found such an empathetic stranger. Not to say, of course, that he sought empathy, only that it was a rare and pleasing sight. He shook himself out of his thoughts. It does not do the dwell on the past, he reminded himself. His present, at the moment, was indeed wandering. He could understand how this fae might find it odd, being a pack wolf. But without the only family he had known, it felt like betrayal to settle down without them. If he wasn't fulfilling their wishes, how could their legacy go on? He would love, of course, a pack to call his own, and a family too. He was in all ways a kind, social wolf who thrived among the company of others. He chuckled, wondering how he might explain the emotions he didn't fully understand himself. He scraped at the sand under paw, wondering how he might be eloquent and truthful at once. "Alacritis is very unlike other lands I have traversed," he began slowly. When he spoke again, his voice was very low, and very quiet. "I believe my adoptive family would have loved it here. However, a season past, they were taken from me. I do not know why, only that the gods must have willed it." For all that he tried to keep his voice level, he could not control his thoughts. Aye, he blasphemed. And they were brutal enough in it, weren't they? He winced away from his thoughts, hating them as soon as they surfaced. The anger was still there, they damn anger he could not wash away. It stained him. How could he present himself to any sort of pack this way, and hope to help them? He could not even help himself. "Talk" Think "You"

His reply was filled with emotion and a painful history, his response speaking of the sorrows he held in his heart. This man, Bhaire, was like the ivory femme in more ways than one. Reaching out a broad paw, the pale lass patted the male's shoulder softly, letting him know he was not alone. Things like that could do things to you, drive you right off the edge, no one would ever be the same after having something like that happen to them. "The gods do many things that one cannot always understand. All one can do is keep moving forwards." She replied calmly, soft otherworldly lyrics soothing, faint Russian accent fading ever so slightly. A deep sigh shuddered through her chest, petite shoulders heaving as she remembered her own traumatic past. "I know what it is like to lose the one's you love. I know that pain, that horror, that loneliness..." The alabaster giantess murmured, her voice filling with pain and her accent thickening to put a burr in her words as she trailed off. Steel gaze would fall to the sandy terra as she fought to hold back the onslaught of emotion created. She did not want to remember her past, she wanted to move past the inner turmoil and agony; get on with her life in Alacritis. Returning her focus to her companion, a sheepish smile played at her features as she tried to draw the focus from her emotions.