Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think Two down, Gale thought as she wandered the obsidian shoreline, more mindful of her pawsteps on the shimmering black sands because of the lateness of the hour. She was not typically one to stay up late and often enjoyed curling up in the warm den with all of her siblings. But the communal space was not quite the same as it had been when they had first claimed the territory. Voltage typically stayed away, sheltering his small family minus one member from the rest of them, either for comfort's sake or because mixing both lives was too complicated. She could understand his distance, somewhat, but it did not make his absence any easier to bear. It was mostly Glacier, who acted as her personal fluffy heater during these times when the cold started to settle in, that really made her feel out of place. She should have been happy that he had a lovely little ray of Sunshine to love and dote on, and she was. But only to an extent. It had not crossed her mind when her siblings guided her and her littermates to this new land that their relationships would change. She had assumed they would stay a tight knit family, depending solely on each other because they were all they could trust. But one by one, slowly, the natives began to creep in. Voltage had a mate - and kids - and she had no doubt that Glacier would soon too. She had no idea where her younger sister Astrea's boyfriend had wandered off to, but there was another. They were all making friends, making lives, outside of the one they shared with each other. Gale, in comparison, felt stagnant and left behind. And there was also the matter of her fifth birthday coming up in the next season. I am not getting old. Needing something to keep her mind occupied, especially because sleep inside of the emptier-than-usual communal den felt like a far off thing, the lavender-marked Elementas girl trekked around behind the caverns where her family rested and began the short climb to the clifftops that stood against the back of the rocky dens. Maybe a moment looking at the stars, something she had not done in quite some time, would take her mind off things, allow her to rest if it proved not to be exceptionally cold all the way at the peak. Expecting to find the locale empty, Gale went unhurried and absently along the path, letting her attention be drawn heavenward as she crested the top.

Astrea Elementas Astrea hummed softly to herself. Things have calmed down a bit now that her return was not a shock and the shock of Illume's disappearance has died down a bit... Astrea felt like she failed her brother and niece but what could she do? She was not there that day and could do nothing for them... She does plan to go out every now and then and look for her but without any though of where the current would take the pup she was at a loss of where to start. She blinked looking back up at the stars. "Give me strength..." Another thing bothering her was that she expected Ten to be around... But he was nowhere to be seen and no one seems to know what happened to him... Her heart felt heavy at the though of his name. Not that she blamed him for going, she had after all left him first but she still had hoped that they could make up and move on but... She could not wait for him forever. He would forever be her first love and she would hold him dear to her but she needed to continue forward. That was after all the main reason she made a pilgrimage across the land of Alacritis. Astrea hummed and lifted her paw to her opal, hoping Ten all the luck in his life and hopes he thinks the same... She tilted her head placing her paw back to the ground, her eyes lost in the stars like she does every night when movement and Gale's scent reached her nose. She turned her head watching the path. That was a curious occurrence, Gale never came up this way, her nature was not in the sky... Well it was but it was also near the ground so she did not feel the pull to get up high like her and her littermates did. She waited until she came into view and smiled at her elder sister. They really had not had that much of a chancre to talk and was delighted that she came up to her domain, where or not she came to see Astrea was besides the point. "Gale! Nice to see you, come sit with me, I always enjoy company on clear nights." She hummed turning back to the sky. "What brings you to my perch, sister?" Whatever brought her air sister up close to the sky it was nothing good and Astrea hoped that she would be able to help her, as she wished to help all her siblings if they only came to her.

Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think It was definitely a good night for star gazing, Gale could tell just with a quick glance. That was promising considering she doubted she would be able to fall asleep anywhere very quickly. There was the matter of the quiet that she had not considered, the perfect conditions for her thoughts to go a little crazy all on their own without her being able to wrangle them in, but she hoped the clearness of the sky would allow her to focus solely on the stars, on their placement, and their uses in navigation. It was a field of study she had been wanting to devote extra time to, and now seemed a perfect time as any to start. Only she anticipated being alone. She was not used to coming up this way, at least not during the night, and was surprised when, as she lowered her grey-green gaze, she spotted her star-studded sister already sitting there atop the cliff. Surprised, Gale froze, stopped, and stared, allowing a moment for her mind to quickly wrap itself around the situation while Astrea welcomed her warmly to her private little hideaway near the stars and encouraged her to sit. Though she had not been expecting anyone to be there, Gale sighed with a relieved sort of smile. What better way to brighten her thoughts than by spending some time with her sister? "Thanks, Stargazer," she responded gratefully as she did as her sister suggested and traipsed closer to sit at her side. Her head tilted back and her eyes went skyward as her sibling questioned her being there at this time of night - surely she noticed this was not one of Gale's typical visits. She did not answer right away, sort of letting herself adjust to the fact she was going to be speaking her woes aloud, and after a moment sighed again. "I couldn't sleep." Of course it was not quite so simple as that. There was a particular reason why sleep was so evasive this night, but it was a start at least. "Laying there wasn't helping. Figured I'd come up here and clear my mind instead."

Astrea watched the the shock quickly pass her sister features and knew for sure that she had not come up this way to see her per say. Not that Astrea she was disappointed really, just that she wished that if problems arise they would come to her... Maybe soon, after she proved herself further to her family. She smiled at her sister, "Come Gale, where else did you expect me to be other than looking at the stars?" She hummed then turned her head back up to the sky. She traced the now very familiar paths of the shapes she had made, feeling the slightly nippy wind toss her feathers in the air. The Star Dreamer felt her sister draw close and sit next to her. She hummed softly pleased that she had not just turned around and walked away. She never moved her eyes from her name sake as the talked turned to sleeplessness. Yeah Astrea understood that, she had been sleeping a whole lot less recently. Instead she was up and about during the hours that she normally slept. "Star gazing is always a good way to wind the spirit down..." She smiled to herself. "Well at least for myself, I would thought you would have gone for a run or something." She tilted her head then looking sidelong at Gale. Humming to herself she came up for her own conclusion about why her sister had come up to the cliff side, whether it was right or not. "What is bothering you sister? Why is sleep not finding you?" Astrea knew why she had trouble sleeping, the mornings where cold, oh so cold. Astrea inwardly sighed, she missed companionship. Life just seemed empty lately, yeah she had matured and had found her place in life that she was happy with but she found that she missed the nights where she and Ten just looked up at the stars, where she was naive about the world and its harsh treatment. She would not say she was sad... But lonely yes.

Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think Gale laughed, grateful for it, as Astrea wondered at her being there upon the clifftops instead of racing across the beach. That must have been the impression she made on all of them, an energetic little beast that was only happy when she was running. While it was not altogether untrue, Gale knew herself better. Running was possibly the quickest and easiest way to feel the wind hitting her face, to feel it carry her along as she exerted her body and became, as close as she ever would, her element. But there were also the quiet moments, the stillness that was only disturbed by the faintest rustles of a breeze, gentle brushes that would have been lost had she not learned to slow down and wait. "The wind doesn't always howl," she informed her starry sister through a relaxed smile, "it whispers too." As it currently was, given the way Astrea's feathers rustled. Stargazer was too clever for her though. Gale's simplistic excuse for being there was seen through almost immediately, and she was called out on it in a gentle manner that was more coaxing than it was prodding. And because of that gentleness, the grey-lavender girl felt inclined to bare her secret. "Do you ever feel like your getting left behind?" Maybe that was not the best way to explain it. "Like...everyone's busy making lives of their own, and you're stuck with the same-old-same-old?" She probably did not. After all, Astrea had made friends, dragged some spotted guy home, even if he was no longer around. "I feel...left out," Gale admitted, lowering her gaze with a saddened expression. A sudden self-consciousness stole through her, causing her ears to tuck and her cheeks to redden slightly beneath her pale fur. "This probably isn't making any sense to you," she laughed humorlessly, shaking her head with a slight bitterness to her smile. Could she really be the only one who felt that way?

Astrea smiled at her sister wise words. She was indeed in tone with her element, that was good. It was always good to be in tune and understand the nature all the siblings where born with. Astrea nodded, her pale eyes beaming, "Well said sister." She turned to her fully then, her head away from the stars. She knew whatever brought her sister up to this cliff top looking for the calm in the elements was nothing good. As her sister laid out her innermost feeling to Astrea. Feelings that the Star Dreamer more than understood. She burst out in laughter. "Boy do I know how that is sister." She thought back to the time when Voltage and Glacier was telling the family about the roles that they where going to undertake in the fledgling pack. At that time Astrea had no idea about her worth or calling and she had came to this cliff face to brood in the feeling of unworthiness. It was only when Voltage came to her and comforted her, telling Astrea that she was needed for a role, the very role she now held. But that was not the last time Astrea felt that stagnant feeling in her life. No she had left her family in the spring for that same reason, she felt that she was not who she needed to be, that she was again not moving forward, that she was standing still. But even now it seemed that all her trails to improve herself and make herself a better wolf was all for nothing, she took two steps forward and now she was standing still yet again... "All those times I improved myself and changed for the family, when everything is all said and done I go from running to standing still." She gave Gale a sad smile. "Sister, I am the youngest of us all and my element the furthest away and inescapable. Where you can feel the wind on your face, I can only look at the stars and wish to, maybe, one day touch them. I feel left out just about every day of my life." "What you say make perfect since to me." Astrea this time let her sigh go. She felt more lonely now than she ever had, at least before she had Ten to lean on but with him gone she now knew that he was more of a rock then she first thought he was. "I do not know about you Gale, but I am more lonely today then I was when I turned two and everything I knew was ripped from me." She never looked away from her sister, her pale eyes showing more maturity than she ever had, more than even a simple journey out into the world should have given her. She had saw more then she thought possible, and not a soul has asked her about what happened those months away... ""

Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think The sudden laughter from her sibling made Gale noticeably jump in place, her head swiftly turning to look with a startled expression at Astrea. Where had that come from? And why in the world was what she said so funny! It was not meant to be. Before she could get defensive, her star-studded sister surprised her yet again by confirming that she knew how Gale felt. The grey and lavender Elementas girl blinked, feeling her skepticism rise. How did Astrea know how she felt? The blue-eyed girl had always been quiet, but it was the kind of quiet that struck her sister as composed, content, and thoughtfully looking toward the future. She had never detected any kind of unrest, except maybe when she had left the pack to journey for a bit. It hit her then how out of touch she was with her siblings. All this time, Astrea had been suffering from a similar sense of stagnation, of being stuck while everyone else raced on ahead with their lives. The surprise on Gale's face softened, sank into a look of sadness and guilt the longer her sibling spoke, the more she bared her own thoughts in return for what Gale had spoken to her. And each word of it cut straight into Gale's heart. Here she thought she was the only one to suffer from these pains. Now she wished she really was. Tears stung the backs of her eyes as she leaned into her sister, awkwardly wrapping her neck around the slightly taller girl to draw her into a much needed hug. "I'm sorry I never noticed," she apologized guiltily, her ears folded to her head in shame. "I thought, this whole time, I was the only one. I thought everyone was happy but me." And that was not altogether true. She was happy, most of the time. But there was always that lingering thread of fear, of worry, that she would never have the same happiness as the others. "I wish you didn't feel it too."

Astrea had not expected Gale's reaction, not in the least. She seemed almost shocked that Astrea had battled with herself, with her low confidence. Astrea lifted her paw to the opal, the only thing in the beginning to give her courage. "I have not always been as confident as I am today, Gale." No she fought out of the shadows to have the confidence she had today, no matter how little it was. Her eyes where intense on her sister face. As she watched Gale face change from disbelief to almost pity Astrea floundered. She had not wanted pity from her sister, in fact that was the last thing she needed at this moment. She had only told Gale those thing so that her sister was not alone in this world, that she always had someone in the family who understood her problems and that she had someone she could lean on if she needed too. "No Gale, No pity or sadness. I am stronger because of all of the pain and hardship." The Star Dreamer gave her wind sister a more genuine smile. "But I do understand the loneliness of not having your other half by your side. I once thought that was Ten... But maybe our relationship was more fragile then I thought..." Astrea then tilted her head, trying to think of a way to improve both Gale's and her own heart ache. Then it came to her, she had meet a fellow on her travels, it would be a most unusual match, but if nothing else they could become friends.With that thought a devious grin spread across her maw. "Sister I have a idea, I meet a nice guy on my travels... I think you two would get along." She gave her most winning smile then. "What do you say? Let your ever lovable little sister the chance to help you find a companion?" And she would even if she had to go behind Gale's back to, it was her role in the family after all. Terrae looked after the families physical health and Astrea made sure their soul was looked after. And one thing Astrea knew was that sleepless night and restlessness generally meant the soul was not getting what it needed to be happy... Not just content but happy.

Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think True to the vastness of the stars above, there was much more to her sister than Gale saw on the surface. Astrea had always been pretty, sweet, and a tad quiet, but here and now Gale was seeing the strength and passion that the girl hid away behind her distant, thoughtful looks. She was full of wonder and wisdom, much more than someone of her age should have been, but it was reassuring to the Elementas messenger. Astrea had learned to cope, to be happy even when she felt miserable. If she could, and in secrecy no less, then Gale thought she could do the same. She would follow her little sister's example, and turn things around to change the dismal future that she dreaded was waiting for her somewhere up ahead. A smile, still somewhat sad but mostly happy, reassured, optimistic, gently tugged at the corner's of the grey wolf's lips as she drew back from her embrace around her sibling, remaining quiet as her sister spoke of her misguided relationship. She had always wondered about that, whether Spot had gone off of a mutual agreement, left before Astrea did, or if her sibling had been the one to leave first. But the mechanics of it no longer mattered; it was done with, and even in that her sister taught Gale another lesson, though perhaps not the one she had intended. Relationships did not always last, so it was best to enjoy the moment while it was there. "At least you got a pretty necklace out of it," she whispered through a teasing grin to her sibling with a gentle nudge to her dark shoulder. Unexpectedly, it was Astrea's turn to grin with a devious intent. Gale could not for the life of her understand it, and her brow furrowed even though she continued to smile, as if confused but wanting to be in on the joke. Even as her sibling spoke, it did not fully settle into place, though the idea her starry sister presented was immediately fascinating. "Find someone?" she repeated, chuckling even as she spoke. "You mean like a date?" That...actually sounded quite fun. Gale grew thoughtful, the smile upon her face widening as she considered the possibilities until she chuckled again but louder. "Alright, I'll let you do that. But only if I get to do the same for you," she challenged, her grin daring as much as it was amused. This sounded far too fun to pass up.

Astrea gave her sister a small smile as the conversation moved on to the gift that Ten had given her. She loved the gift, love that he had gotten it for her even though they had not really been seeing each other. But frankly she much rather have his companionship over the little trinket that reminded her day in and day out about what she had missed out on. "Yeah... I did get my star opal..." But she moved on from that thought, she would dwell no longer on her lost and in stead looked to what lay ahead and oh boy did she have some grand planes coming together. And when her sister gave her a small chuckle of disbelief and then acceptance her devious thoughts became more frantic, so her sister was not going to fight Astrea in her schemes? Well... maybe Gale would grow to regret her ready acceptance, for she had no idea how mischievous she could get. After all Astrea was the sibling to take a back sit in most things, and never let the spot light fall on her, but in this she was willing to flash her pretty stars and take center stage if that was how to get her sister happiness. "Sure big sis. I will go on blind dates if you will, no backing out after you agree. I will not let you." With that Astrea smiled at her sister and then looked up into the sky trying to organize her thoughts. Yes she would start her grand plan soon, and boy would her sister be in for a shock, for a cute little vulpine was part of the plan. A odd paring to be sure but sometimes the oddest couples made the best match.

Gale Elementas Walk | Talk | Think Suddenly being alone and single lost its lonely aspect. Sure, she had felt that way to start, and especially since her siblings were pairing off one by one and proving that they were capable of forming lasting relationships with wolves who were outside the Elementas line. But this, what her sister suggested, made it almost a game. It would have been something outside of her reach had she already settled down, if she had already set her sights on someone that she wanted to potentially court and bring him to meet her intimidatingly big family. And just the thought of seeing who her quiet, starry-eyed sister would find for her made it impossible for her not to smile. Better yet, Astrea even agreed to let Gale play matchmaker for her as well, and the lavender-marked wolf wiggled a little excitedly in place. "Oh, man, this'll be fun," she chuckled softly, already trying in that moment to recall if she had anyone in her memory bank of recent acquaintances that might be suitable for the cause. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a shorter list than she thought it would, and with no options jumping immediately out at her she made up her mind then and there that she would need to venture outside of the pack's border more to round up some potential dates for Astrea. "Promise I won't," she assured her sister with a firm nod of her head while her mind continued to whirl. Boy, if she had had trouble sleeping before, her excitement was surely going to keep her awake even longer now. "I'll find you some nice guys to stargaze with. Maybe someone who doesn't mind just sitting here quietly while you watch the sky," Gale offered, brainstorming her thoughts aloud while she had her sister's ear. Maybe even someone who knows some stories about them, she thought, or knows how to follow them. That would be fun. Even she was interested in that. She cast a quick glance at her sister beside her, and reached out to nuzzle her shoulder in a sudden farewell. "I'm gonna think on it some more. I'm going date hunting for you in the morning," she teased through a bright grin, and with a wag of her tail she uttered a quiet goodnight and departed to think to herself within the quiet of the communal den.