He had been on this side of the continent for only about a week now, and still he had found no land that he thought suited his family. He took a deep breath, eyeing the water that dared to lap at his paws from the wading pool. He had come here to catch some fish, but instead had been caught up in his thoughts. The elders had sent him here in hopes to find a new place for their pack, their family, to call home. The lands that the Gøran's lived in now had been started to be overrun by a war. It was nothing that their warriors couldn't handle -- for now. There was fear of it getting worse, and with the hunts being worse than usual, it was time to start looking for options. He sent a silent prayer to Arnau, asking the goddess to give his family good hunts while he was gone. He didn't know how long he would be in these lands, at least until he found something worth taking back. Him and a few others had been blessed to be picked to be the ones to go out and look, and he didn't intend to come back with nothing at all. He had chosen these lands, one he had heard being called Alacritia. He wasn't sure if the others by chance swam here as well, or picked some other land mass to explore. As of yet, he was the only Gøran that he knew of here. Hopefully he could keep it that way, he didn't need to be helped, he could prove himself further. Gwen had worked all his life to prove his worth, and wasn't about to stop trying now. Letting out a sigh he flopped to his rump, the familiar weight of his wreath of roses at his shoulders giving him comfort. He would rest here for a bit, and then move on with his exploration. "Talk" "You" Think

Ayla oddly enough took to the travels better than one might expect. She didn't complain too much, didn't fuss over the mud in her fur. There were more important things...like catching up with a certain grumpy guss. All her life, as long and short as it was, they had never seemed to get along. They both poked at each other, and she seemed to know exactly where each of his buttons were. Her very presence, her very life seemed to have set him off. Cruel, just cruel! But the moment she had heard he was leaving she had felt an instant rush of anxiety, of panic. The very thought of not having him around to tease was...it was just really weird. And besides, he would need the help! He would need her and her innate ability to do things perfectly on his side. He would need her help to find their possible future home, right? She was a seer, it was her job to help and guide and show the pack the paths the gods chose for them, right? So why not get in there first hand, make the whole job quicker and easier on everyone. But it wasn't that easy, was it. He had had a head start on her, and no matter how she prayed the gods just didn't want to grant her a dream of vision of her brother's whereabouts. But luck would turn to her side, just as it always did, when her muscles burned with the need for rest. Just as she stopped to take a breath and maybe find a place to rid this mud from her fur, a certain scent crossed her nose. The familiarity was instant, and she knew exactly who it was. A bright grin would cross her lips before she turned her course and moved towards the scent. It didn't take long before she saw the bespeckled warrior sitting on the shore, and a fantastic idea sprung up in her mind. With a smirk and narrowed eyes she'd lower herself closer to the grass, slowly tiptoeing as quickly as she could towards his back before, at the last moment (if he hadn't noticed her), she would spring forward. Her paws sought to crash into his back, a laugh on her lips. "Knew I'd catch up with you, Fawny~" She sang, a laugh on her lips. Oh, today was a fantastic day. "Burn Baby Burn"

Ideas of moving on early crossed his mind when tiny paws soon struck his very large backside. It could have been a leaf at how soft it was, but then that laugh. Gwenaël tensed up right away, his whole massive form growing rigid just at the sound of it, and the voice that he knew all too well followed it. He growled, brown head spinning around to lock on her purple and yellow form. Ayla was here, of fucking course she was. His teeth were bared as his ears hugged his skull, displeasure in his green and yellow eyes at the sight of his half sister. He had thought that he had been rid of her for awhile while he came here, but nope, of course not. Maybe Feridun himself had cursed him after all, with this tiny little devil in a fun sized package. No matter what happened they tore at each other, even though they shared a father. He was a lot closer to his litermates than he was Ayla, the only pup born in her litter. While they sometimes played nice, his gaze roaming to the rose behind her ear in a point, they were always at each others throat. He hadn't liked her from the moment she had been born. She was blessed, chosen to be a seer, when he had to work his ass off to get where he was. A high ranking elite was not something that they just handed out. He had to prove that he had not been cursed like his one white sibling who had been killed, or like his mother who was sentenced to death. She had refused to leave his fathers side when she had fallen pregnant with Gwen and his litter mates, as was their custom. And when confronted, she insulted their laws and their ways, and because of it was killed. Gwen had to work extra hard to show that he was worth every bit of the Gøran name. But her. She had been handed every little thing, no matter how large. All because she had been blessed, and not him. He worked day in and out, and still was not as highly respected as Ayla. "Why in Ivet's name are you here? And don't call me Fawny." He said with a growl. She took the name that his siblings have given him out of endearment and twisted it in her usual ways. "Talk" "You" Think

"Oh big brother!" She'd laugh happily, moving around to his side rather than behind him, her golden eyes gazing up (and up!) at him. She was used to being really small, especially beside him. Must've been her mothers influence, or the will of the gods. Either way..she had felt a slight bought of jealousy growing up when he always towered over her. But then she decided her small stature was what made her cuter! Why would she want to go hulking around when she could be adoreable 24/7? So shed look up at him, a large smile stretching her lips as she did. "I wanted to help!" She'd grin then and look at the water in front of them. Tilting her head, shed step closer to the surface, watching the fish mill their way about. My, food seemed to be plentiful here...didn't it. She'd hum lightly then, turning to look back at her brother with the usual sweet smile on his lips. Her eyes blazed with mirth and humour before she turned back to him again. "The gods told me to come, you know. Incase you got yourself in a bind. Besides, I could probably be a much better navigator than you. Since, you know, I'm talented." Her voice was sweet, loud enough to reach the mountain of a man, with no real ill will in the tones. At least for those that might be listening in. Not that there was ill will, she was just teasing him after all. Her smile faultered then as she looked towards the ground. Besides... "It's never as fun without you around, Fawny. You know how to give me a good laugh." Besides, she would have been lonely without him there. Clearing her throat she looked up again and looked around. "So! What are we waiting for! Let's find this place and get home. I'm hungry." "Burn Baby Burn"

The gods surely had it out for him, bringing her here. She laughed again and called him big brother, his ears so tightly pressed against his head that they didn't even look like they were there. As Ayla moved to his side he stood up, looking down at her with his green and yellow eyes narrowed. She was so small he could sit on her and flatten her, but that would hardly go over well. Besides, there was a small, tiny, itty bitty part of him that did love her. Deep, deep down. Very deep down. He huffed at her words of helping, teeth clenching almost painfully. "And the elders let you come? After all that is going on at home, you don't think they need their all powerful seer back home?" He asked, an obvious sneer in his voice. But apparently the gods sent her to him, which just furthered his believe that they had it out for him. And after everything he had worked so hard to get! He rolled his stocky shoulders forward, the bushel of roses on them moving up towards his neck. She just went on and on about being talented and good at what she did. Grumbling to himself he began to walk around the rock face, careful not to slip into the icy shallows. While he had been hungry before, all sensation to eat left at her being here. But maybe... maybe he could chew on her a little bit. He smirked at the thought, but kept moving along the shore until he came up to a large bolder, itching his left flank on the barnacle covered stone. She was getting under his skin already, he could almost feel her purple and gold body worming its way to every button that he ever had. Her comment about it not being fun with him had him looking back over his shoulder at her, almost losing her tiny form in the bulk of his flowers. His brow raised, he guess that it was a... sweet sediment. His anger melted away a bit at seeing her look down, no matter how much he wanted to bite her ear off sometimes. But before long, it was gone, as Ayla spoke of finding a new home and food. Oh for the love of all... He was going to have to feed her too? "To bad you aren't a flanker." he grumbled, kicking at a stone at his paws. His once again narrowed eyes looked over at her, and then to the shallow waters below them. Fish darted away from his massive, looming shadow, and he licked at his chops. He had to admit, at the thought of food his appetite was slowly returning. "But as long as you are here," he said with a big, heaving sigh, "we might as well get something. Are you up for seafood or should we look for something a little more... warm?" "Talk" "You" Think

Ayla's bright gold eyes watched as he moved around the rock face, following his massive of a form. He was so large in life that she wondered why he wasnt snow capped like the godsgiven mountains that surrounded then. So large in stature and, she had to admit, in determination. While her focus was always on her social standing, how those felt about her, and ensuring it was always a good thing. But him...he, was always fighting against others opinions of himself. She had to give him that, he never stopped. And she wasnt willing too either. She would turn her eyes away from him then, staring at the stream. Even if he was positively wicked at times, she had to admit he was the closest to a proper "brother" the gods had refused her at birth. Even if only half of his blood trailed her veins. With a soft breath she'd step to the shore, catching up to his words and shed grin. "I believe the gods overcome the elders." She said softly, looking at the water for a moment hopelessly before feeling her signature smile touch her lips once more. "This is just as important, isn't it? Maybe a little more. Finding a new home for our current and future family outweighs trying to win or survive amongst this war, this famine..." She'd lift gold eyes back up to him then, a sad and small smile upon her lips. "Even with the gods on our side and their good faith, we could only survive there for so long before it could catch up to us." And then shed smirk at his brother. "In fact! I believe this is more of a job for a seer. Shouldn't some great warrior as you have stayed back to hold back those forces?" She'd eye him then before a bubbly laughter trailed from her lips as she looked back at the fish, watching as the colors moved through the sheer waters. He spoke of food and instantly her ears perked and she looked at him. Her tongue poked out at the flanker comment. Just because it wasn't her specialty didn't mean she wasn't willing to try. If it meant getting food and, secretly, to help him. Doesn't mean she wouldnt complain the whole way regardless. Her eyes would turn to the water then, humming in thought. "Oh great commander, why don't you decide." she said with a giggle, tilting her head to the side. "Burn Baby Burn"

Gwen eyed the woman thoughtfully as she spoke, head shaking slowly side to side. He could not help but grin softly though, Ayla had always had a way with words, he had no doubt that she was able to bend them to allow the elders to think that this was a good idea. Or better yet, that the gods told her. It wasn't that he doubted Ayla's abilities, but she had a quicksilver tongue, one that he had been lashed by many times. He met her orange gaze with his own as she spoke of the weight of this task, and he sighed as he nodded. Home was not what it used to be, and it broke the warriors heart. He had no idea how many comrades had fallen, how many Hallr has had to guide to their afterlife. His massive head hung softly, sending a quick thanks to the god. It wasn't easy being this far away from home, and he couldn't help but see the truth behind his half-sisters words. "I suppose that the faster we get this done, the better. Then, and only then can we return home and see our family to safety." He grumbled, very careful to not admit that Ayla was right. She would eat that up like fresh kill, if he ever spoke those words. But at her next set of words his head snapped up, narrowed gaze falling on her golden marked face. "I would have preferred to be at home fighting for our family, but the elder sent me. I can't very well turn them down, you know that." he growled, a touch of warning in his voice. He was not happy that he had been sent away, but this could only be another task set up for him by the gods to prove his name. To show that he was nothing like his mother. More than happy to move onto another topic, he stood and stepped away from the pool of fish. He didn't feel like falling in, or being tempted to push someone else in. "Something warm sounds far better." he said, turning away and heading away from the waters edge. He wasn't sure what kind of large scale prey would even be around here. He doubted that they would see any rabbits in these rocks, but some more sure footed beasts just might dare to wader this way. Nostrils flared as he tried to pick up the scent of anything, and was surprise to catch the smell of seals. Ears pulled forward as his large frame crouched close to the rock surface, creeping over to the lip. Sure enough, a small group of seals sat sunning themselves, large flippers scratching at their exposed belly. Wordlessly he turned to Ayla, an eyebrow raising in question. Did she want these, or go for something else? "Talk" "You" Think

A grin stretched across her lips as he basically admitted she was right. But he made it sound like it was common knowledge, like she wasn't absolutely brilliant. But she kept quiet, smiling her little smile and just soaking in the knowledge that they were on the same page for once. It was different out here, without direct tasks to do, without jobs and wolves that depended on them right there. It would be easy to grow lazy, easy to take their time, but it also made it easy to just talk to him. Back home he would be so busy with training and fighting and shed be so busy trying to keep the moral up and communicating with the gods. Here they had nothing but the thought of home and their journey. Then he flipped, like a switch, from a smile to a warning sneer. She'd stare up at him, staring at him in this new light. "You could have come to me." She whispered in a soft voice. "I could have said something, made it clear that your place was home defending our lands?" But it was too late now. They were both already here. Her eyes drifted to the earth at her paws, shifting just slightly. "You never come to me for help..." She whispered with a small huff, nearly pouting. As much as he bothered her at times, he was still family, and she had wanted to be there for him a little. She followed after him, this time in rare silence. Her mouth was quiet but her mind raced, thoughts bouncing this way and that and emotions fluttering too and fro. She thought of home, thought of Gwen, thought of their parents and the gods and she prayed for guideance and to be lead to the things she needed. When he stopped and crawled over a rock, she blinked back to reality and quickly stepped after him, being sure to sneak the same way he did to peer at the seals. Orange eyes blinked, wide, at the creatures she had never seen and she looked at Gwen curiously. Were these even good? Did they taste okay? Or like fish? She inclined her head to him, hopefully conveying that it was his choice. She was fine with whatever, she only hoped these guys were easy to hunt. "Burn Baby Burn"