She had returned from the challenge with pride welling in her green chest, feeling rather satisfied with Fiori and its leadership. In the beginning she had slightly doubted her friend and his choice to move here. Of course, she hadn't know what to expect. It was different compared to Borealis, that was one main point. A leader that fought for their pack and emerged victorious was a leader she liked and wanted. Would her mother have done the same if she had found herself in a similar position?
Being relatively new to the pack, she needed to go out and be productive. Although she was unaware of it, her friend was already an archduke. Now that said something. As much as she didn't like wolves, she knew she had to eventually meet her pack-mates and somehow cope with them. She couldn't cling to her friend forever. Setting out through the mangrove, her nose searched through the scents, finding mostly old, stale smells. It looked like she'd have to continue searching. Where was everyone?
Life her seemed really...different....she was relieved that Leo had won the challenge, now she didn't feel so afraid of being controlled by a man she didn't know. She had a terrible fear of them ever since that night...but little did she know he was dead now. The tiny girl left her secluded den to walk around, her...pup...was somewhere around Fiori, but she couldn't bring herself to care about him. He was a product of something she didn't want to remember. Something she never wanted. She felt terrible, but at the same time she wasn't ready.
Walking through the territory was a different change of pace for her. She was wary, but it made her feel better to he out of her den for more then eating and relieving herself. She hadn't met any of her packmates yet, but that was sure to change today. The little woman would eventually come across something odd...a towering figure that was the oddest looking thing she'd ever seen. As she came from the trees, she stopped in her tracks and stared. Her tail wagging slowly behind her. This was a woman though, she didn't have to be scared! More then that, she seemed younger too. Not that it mattered to her. "Hi! You have a pretty coat! Were you born like that?" She asked curiously.
A feminine scent tickled her nose, making her snap out of her daze. A pack-mate at last - someone she could meet and talk to. She swivelled her head around in the direction of the paw-steps, her scarlet eyes resting on the much smaller frame of an older woman. The brown in her alabaster coat reminded her of Kait, and the pleasant memories ignited a warm feeling inside of her. Sure, the two hadn't ever been particularly close, but that didn't mean she couldn't miss her sister. She couldn't help but to wonder how her family was back in Borealis. Were they well? Did they miss her too?
The smaller female greeted her in a friendly manner, which was a positive seeing as the green girl had already gotten off on the wrong paw with another pack-mate. She even took a liking to her unusual fur coloration, which was the second time anyone had ever complimented her looks. Maybe everyone in Fiori was this nice, and if so, she had made the right choice moving her. "I was born with it," she answered with a faint glimmer in her crimson gaze. "My family have colourful pelts like mine." Well, some of them did. Her father and sister didn't. "I'm Zephyra. What's your name?"
The towering green and black girl caught sight of her, confirming her question. Ashe tilted her head, looking on with obvious curiosity and awe at the brighter colors of the larger woman. She hadn't really met anyone else from the pack, which was bad on her part but she was still trying to get used to it. She had been a Loner for years, the memories of Valhalla as a pup were vague and fuzzy, but at least here she could make new memories. Like meeting this oddity.
"Ooh that's neat! And Zephyra is a pretty name too! It fits!" She smiled, her tail wagging more. Finally, someone to talk to! "My name is Ashelia! All my family has are normal plain coats like brown and stuff. And even cousin Leo has a more interesting coat then i do, but my mommy and daddy were plain old timber wolves. I wish I was born with a more cooler color like green." Yeah...green sounded neat to her! Too bad it didn't run in her family. "Is your family in Fiori too? I haven't seen any other wolves like you, then again I haven't been here long." "Listen to me talk"'and know my thoughts.'
The woman seemed rather optimistic and cheerful, and Zeph couldn't help but to feel that contagious happiness rub off onto her. In fact, she was feeling much better already, just by listening to the female's words. Sure, she did carry on, but that didn't matter. Perhaps that was what she had lacked in her life, someone who could turn her foul mood around with a radiant personality. Or maybe she had been a brat from the beginning, regardless of how nicely her family tried to treat her. Yeah, that felt more accurate.
"Oh, thanks," she responded quietly to the woman's many compliments. She always found it difficult to thank wolves somehow, though was grateful this female was taking time out of her day to socialise with her. She barely knew anyone, so one familiar face was better than none. "Leo's your cousin?" she repeated with a curious tilt of her head. That meant she - Ashelia, as she had heard - had to be an Adravendi, and definitely related to Riv. What a large family they were! "No, they're not." With the conversation still on the subject of families, she shook her head, melancholy twinkling her scarlet eyes. "They're in Borealis."
