She was working on eventually making her way back home.She'd been gone for a few days, but she was insistent on scouting around a bit. On the way to the Rio Grande she'd come across a scent of a fairly new pack that had established itself where Imperium used to be. The border scents had already begun to fade though and a frown creased her muzzle. If it was new why had it fallen so quickly? Had the old Imperium wolves driven them off or had something else happened? Feeling confident in going past the old borders (because who was going to stop her) she strolled through the territory at a lazy gait. It was just as warm here as it felt in Celestial, though the south certainly lacked the same dry desert lands that surrounded her pack's territory. She could see why the range and the Rio had the popularity that they did. She could smell the orchard from here and with the river right next to it it gave any prospective pack a great water source. She could only assume the prey here was just as bountiful. She traveled for a little while longer before she paused at a strange formation of stones. She'd never heard of humans before so little did she know that it used to be an old farm house. Now it was just crumbled rubble. She'd hop up onto the foundation and put her nose to it to sniff around. This place was so strange and the west certainly lacked such strange and curious things. In fact the only time she could think that she'd seen anything like this was when she'd found Adrian in the giant metal thing. Strange. Were they related at all or was it just coincidence? She couldn't tell. Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars On his hunt to find Peregrine, he made his way back to the range where he had set up shop for a bit. The grey marked man had left some of his personal stock there, but he just sat and stared at it. He didn't have a home right now, but he didn't feel like coming back to this place. It was an already set up garden, and he felt like he was stealing. Without somewhere to go though, he was unsure of what to do with everything. Alone once again, since Cedar was off trying to find the chocolate female as well, he grabbed his items and headed towards the degraded barn. His ears were flat against his head, a sad look in his teal eyes. For now, Oleander would store his things where they would remain dry, he was planning to tuck them under the wooden planks that made up parts of the strange elevated ground. When he reached the building though, he realized that he was not alone. He blinked at the red and white female, standing there frozen for several moments. He was such an awkward wolf, and because of the mood he was in he wasn't in the mood for interactions. So he just dipped his head and walked past, unable to speak with the bundle of herbs and seeds in his jaws. He marched right passed the stranger, hopping up on the last bits of sheltered area and digging at the ground. He was able to pry up one of the floorboards with ease, and he dropped his fur wrapped bundle under it. Stomping his paw back down on it, he leaned down and dragged his teeth across the wood until he dug little rivits in it. This way, he wouldn't forget where he had stashed his things. Hopefully the fur would hide the scent, keeping rodents off of it until he found a more permanent place to start his own garden. The fur on his back stood up slightly in unease, having a feeling that he was being watched. Looking over his shoulder, he glanced at the female once more. He was bad at any conversation, but with the opposite sex... well that made it even harder. His tail wagged a few times behind him, but it was slightly tucked in his unease. Not sure what else to do, he looked back at his paws and dug his nails through the lines he had made with his teeth. Oleander just stood there and played with the scores in the wood, if she wanted to talk she would have to start things up. There was no way in hell that Ollie would start things. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

Her sniffing around would cease when the sound of another wolf caught her attention. She raised her head and peered at the wolf as he approached. She noted the bundle of herbs in his mouth so she just watched him curiously. He obviously had a plan in mind so she decided to wait to say anything. She felt kind of like a creep for just watching him, but there was no way he'd be able to talk with his mouth full so she accepted the strange feeling of stalking for the time being. To her surprise he went to the rotted floor board and pulled a piece of wood back. Stashing his bundle there she was even more curious when he dug rivets in it with his teeth. Was he saving it for later? She titled her head at him curiously and studied it for the moment. It seemed like a nice storage place. It really wasn't a bad idea at all. It took her a moment to realize that he still hadn't said anything to her. Was he shy? Could he even talk? Was he just grumpy and didn't feel like talking? Either way she wasn't about to just stand there and let each other stare awkwardly until someone left. So instead she offered him a friendly smile and a soft tail wag to the spotted male. "Not much of a talker?" She teased lightly, not intending to make him feel bad. "I'm Faite." Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars He kept looking at the grooves that he made on the wood, feeling the female staring at him. The fur on his back rose a little bit from the uncomfortable silence, even he noticed it. So when the stranger did speak, he jumped slightly at just how loud her voice sounded. He couldn't just stand here and ignore her, but her teasing tone was lost on him. Ears back he looked over his shoulder with an almost wounded look. Was she making fun of him? Who wouldn't, though? He just stood there with his butt facing her, staring at little marks that he had made on the ground. Oleander was quite foolish, and he knew it. Nodding his head in a curt way, he turned around to face her. She said that her name was Faite, and for a moment he just looked at her. She was a rather interesting looking wolf, he liked the deep red that covered her face and back. Realizing that it had been several moments, he knew that he needed to talk. "Salutem, Faite. I am Oleander," he said, offering a greeting in Latin. The grey man had a habit of mixing the two languages into one. The male suddenly longed for Cedar to show up, feeling odd without him there for so long. But then, as if he had heard his brothers thoughts, the jackal hopped up on the decaying structure, eying the female with cautious amber gaze. Looking at his wolven companion, he nodded his head and sat at his side. He had just caught her name from Ollie's speech, and as he took a breath the jackal turned to the female. "I am Cedar. Excuse my brother, he's not much for talking," He had been with Oleander for as long as he could remember, so it wasn't hard to pick up on his brothers feelings. Had the woman said something that had made him offended? Humor often went right over his head, and it made for even more awkward conversations. They were bad enough to begin with, and the smaller canine often had to come to his rescue. The male's pale marked head turned back to Faite, and it was obvious that he felt more relaxed with the jackal at his side. "Yes, contristatus, I am sorry," he said slowly, chewing over the words as they left his lips. His grey tail curled around him as he seated himself on the hard wood below him, dipping his head to further add to his apology. There would hopefully be a point in his life that he got a hang of conversations, but today was not the day. He also felt rather uneasy around females, to be honest they scared him a little bit. Through interest in his garden, he had warmed up to Peregrine rather quickly. But all he had done currently was pretty much give the stranger the cold shoulder and mutter a few words. He needed help... "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

Oops. It seemed like she had upset him. She noted how he pinned back his ears and her own would flick back apologetically. She'd only been teasing him and certainly hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. Of course she could talk enough for the both of them - but it would certainly help if she didn't scare him off before they could actually get a conversation going. She supposed if he was rude he could just leave. He looked horribly uncomfortable just standing there with his back turned towards her. Well actually she would probably be the one leaving now that she thought about it. He obviously had been here first in terms of living if he knew exactly where to hide his stash of herbs. "Salutem, Faite. I am Oleander," Oh. Oh! He talked! He actually talked! Her tail waved behind her as he introduced himself and the foreign greeting flew right over her head for the time being. It wasn't enough of the different language to register in her brain that he'd even spoken anything different other than the common tongue. She was more excited by the fact that he'd said something to her. Despite how happy she was on the inside, she calmed her outward appearance so she wouldn't scare him away with her silly antics. She was a strange one and probably a tad bit too friendly. "Nice to meet you Oleander." The smile she flashed him this time was genuine and in no way teasing. She blinked as a creature came from practically nowhere. Blue and gold gaze peered at him curiously as she studied the canine creature. He almost looked like a coyote except certain features were noticeably different. So he wasn't a coyote but he was something for sure. She was a little bit more surprised when he introduced himself as Cedar. Once the shock wore off she offered the... thing the same friendly smile she'd offered Ollie and even a chuckle as he excused his companion for not being so talkative. "It's quite alright, I don't mind, but it's nice to meet you Cedar." "Yes, contristatus, I am sorry," The male still seemed uneasy, but a little less so with his friend nearby, or so she observed. She was less focused on his lack of talking and more on what he had said so far. She definitely caught on to the strange word the second time and now she was more than curious. It wasn't a language she understood, but she liked the idea of it. "What language is it that you're speaking?" Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars He saw her ears go back as well, which confused him for a moment. Why was she upset? Was him being upset causing her to be unhappy? Oh… that was a very odd thought. He blinked at her, his brows knitting together as he tried to figure that out. It was a strange thought to him, that a complete stranger would react to him being sad like this. She didn’t even know his name and yet she was concerned about his well being? In the next moment her tail was moving when he spoke, she was obviously excited about the fact. The woman seemed to be quite an emotional one, but that didn’t bother him. It was new, but he didn’t think any less of her for having feelings. Everyone had them, but his were just a lot more closed off than most others. Seeing her react to his speech and motions was pretty unheard of for him, but for some reason it made him feel more at ease with her. She showed her heart in her eyes, and her feelings in her actions. This was a wolf he could get on board with, she didn't seem to have anything hidden within walls. That was the one big thing that Oleander had issues with others, when they were closed off and kept everything hidden. It was hard to see who they truly were, and that was something that frightened him. She smiled at him, a real and true smile before she introduced herself as Faite. He settled somewhat, not as tense but still obviously uncomfortable. "You are very genus, kind, Faite," he said in a quiet voice, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards into somewhat of a smile. It might be a strange thing to say, but he could tell. There was a small blossom of hope that he would like her, he was so alone in this world. Cedar could see that the strange wolf was looking at him, and he just looked at her with narrowed eyes. What was she staring at so hard? But she seemed to snap to it when he introduced himself, and he calmed himself. He was very protective of his brother, that much was clear. Sitting at his side, he felt the wolf lean into him with a sigh. They had been apart for quite some time, but he was glad that he was back where he belonged. She said that she didn’t mind Ollie’s manners, to which he rose a brow. It was surprising, but before he could say anything on it his brother cut him off. When Faite asked about his language, his tail thumped on the wooden floor. "Latinae, or Latin in the common tongue. I have a habit of mixing it into my oratio, my speech. It is just more natural for me, makes things seem less awkward," he said with a slight chuckle. His head tilted to the side, teal eyes studing the female. "What is your Mater Lingua, mother tongue?" Most wolves he had met had no idea what he was speaking, and it made him a bit sad. He missed speaking it with others, right now it was only him and Ollie. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

She was beginning to see a little more signs of him relaxing, though something about the male made him seem very reserved. It was either the way her humor had flown over his head or maybe it was the way he seemed to regard her curiously. Either way she'd noticed as he leaned into Cedar how he seemed to be slightly less tense. Whether it was because his friend was there or he felt more comfortable around her... well that had yet to be seen. Either way she certainly wasn't taking his presence for granted. She had a feeling he'd really leave if he wanted to. Her smile faltered as he called her kind. While the comment felt genuine and she felt honored he though so, she was still surprised by it. It wasn't something she'd expected to hear out of him, but regardless a grin broke out across her face. "I'm glad you think so." Was it an admission of him feeling okay in her presence? She certainly didn't want to make him feel like he had to stick around to talk to her if he didn't want to, but at the same time she wanted to know more about the male who wouldn't instigate a conversation. Cedar still caught her attention more than once. She wasn't sure what he thought of her staring, but she was glad when he gaze was drawn more towards Oleander. She didn't want the smaller creature getting angry with her for staring at him even though she was dying to know what he was. Instead he found it easier to focus on the language Ollie shared. Latin. Her head cocked slightly as he said this and she tried to remember if she'd heard it anywhere before. She couldn't recall anything which was a shame. It sounded like an interesting language. She was enjoying the topic nonetheless. It made her think of Jorrvaskr and her interesting native tongue and how she intertwined common tongue with her own. "I speak common and Gaelic." She grinned. "Though sadly I only get to speak it to my family. It doesn't seem to be a common practice anywhere else." Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars Her face seemed to fall when he called her kind, leaving Oleander's mind reeling. He had no idea what he did wrong, he thought that she would be happy with his words. His own features grew more stoic, back more ridged until she once again smiled at him. A large breath rushed out of his lungs as he relaxed with the exhale, his own small smile regrowing on his maw. This whole social construct wasn't something that he was good at... at all. Hopefully after a bit more practice he could do this with ease instead of stressing at every twist and turn. He just nodded his head when she spoke, shifting his weight across his paws. He needed to learn a lot faster than he was, Cedar wouldn't always be here to make him feel better. Plus, what would happen if Cedar ever decided to go off on his own? He would be left to his own devices, and there wasn't much he was good at besides anything to do with herbs and plants. Now that he could spend hours and hours on. But talking? Nope. Oleander's tail batted on the hardened ground below then when she said that she spoke another language, but it was not one that he knew. He frowned slightly when she said that no one else spoke it, that was exactly how he felt about Latin. Only his own kin seemed to speak it, there wasn't a soul he had met here that had understood him. "I am the same, we suffer in the same way," he said quietly, falling silent again for several heartbeats. His brows furrowed together, he wasn't the best teacher but perhaps they could share? "What if we teach each other, commercia linguae, trade languages. Maybe then we won't feel so solum, alone," It wasn't one of his best ideas, but it was out there now. There was no taking it back now. His grin turned into something a little more awkward, afraid that he would be turned down and called foolish. The brute felt like a child all over again, seeking confirmation from a perfect stranger. This is why this whole talking thing always through him though a loop, there seemed to be unspoken rules about conversing and he was not privy to them. Letting out a soft huff, he waited with a slightly cocked head, teal eyes intent on the female. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

Faite had to admit she still didn't understand the male. She'd noticed the way he'd stiffened when her smile had faded for the moment. He'd merely surprised her and yet she could see that he'd noticed. He still came off as awkward but Faite wasn't phased by it in the least. Especially now that they had a conversation going. She was still intrigued by his language. She'd never heard anyone speak Latin before, but it sounded like a pretty language nonetheless. Then again she was always fascinated by such things. Jorrvaskr had made an attempt to teach her a few things, but she hadn't seen the female in a while. It was rather disappointing to say the least - she'd been looking forward to adding a third language to her list. It seemed she'd still get the opportunity to. He offered to teach her and her grin broadened considerably. It may not have been what Jorr was teaching her, but it was something exciting and new and she found herself nodding almost instantly. "I'd love that!" She beamed. She was glad they had found some common ground. To her it was the first steps towards friendship and she had to admit she was rather eager on becoming his friend. He was a little shy and awkward, but she didn't mind. "I live in a pack called Celestial. It's down in the western corner of Boreas if you ever wanna come for some lessons. I definitely am eager in learning your language as well." Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars She spoke of a pack that she lived in nearby, making his tail swish behind him slightly. He had made the choice to join a pack, but when the alpha disappeared it fell apart. His ears flickered back slightly, an almost longing sigh leaving his maw. "Packs here are new to me, very alium, different than I am used to. My family worked in a more unusual manner," he said softly, a touch of sadness lingering in his voice. It would be nice to be a part of something again, he had been excited to test this out with Peregrine and her pack. Turning to look at Cedar, who looked very disinterested in the whole thing, he cast his gaze back to the woman before him. Perhaps he would take her up on the lessons that she offered, and see what this Celestial was all about. She seemed like a very sweet woman, he was interested to know about the home that she had chosen. "Would you mind telling me about your domum, home?" There was a slight hesitation in his tone, was it asking too much to learn about it? He just wanted to know if it was someplace that he would like to visit, if not live in. It would start to get colder soon and he only had so many herbs gathered. With the harshness of the seasons he wasn't sure if he could sustain himself through the winter. Looking for a place to live would be a good idea, he knew that for sure. There were a few things that he could plant in the coldest season if the ground was not too hard, but in the west he was sure it didn't freeze solid. How lovely would it be for him to have a garden again, more purpose in his life? Never had he thought that a pack would give him that, not until Pere opened his eyes to it. "The seasons grow more harsh and sustaining myself is not easy. I would like to find a home, somewhere were I can let my skills luceat, shine," A small smile took over his maw, his tail thumping on the ground behind him. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

Faite eyed the male as his tail swished at the mention of her pack and she didn't miss the sigh that left him either. She couldn't help but to wonder what that was about, but she didn't want to come off as nosy so she politely refrained from questioning him about it. Ears perked up instantly when he mentioned that packs around here were different than what he was used to with his own family and she couldn't help the intrigued look that overcame her facial features. What was so different about his own family, other than the Latin, that set them apart from everyone else? She opened her mouth to ask but clamped it shut again when he started speaking again. She was more than happy to explain her pack to anyone who asked so she smiled brightly at him. She still felt like she sucked at telling anyone about her family and how the pack was run, but she was always willing to do it regardless. She could only hope she didn't butcher it. More than once she'd run into someone, made friends, and had gotten interest, but more times than not it didn't go through like she'd planned. "Well it's my brother's pack, but he's been really busy lately. I've been doing most of the things. A good majority of the pack is family and close friends, but everyone is welcome. We work as family, even if we aren't related, and my mother was keen on making sure everyone learned everything they could. Everyone is expected to learn the basics of fighting, even healers, though lately all the pack seems to be healers. You'd most certainly be welcome though! You'd be able to pursue whatever field you felt most comfortable in. It's a lawfully aligned pack..." She trailed off and was unsure of what else to say. She'd said a lot and yet she wasn't quite sure if she had explained all he was looking for. What was he even hoping for exactly? She hadn't quite picked up on that yet. A place to stay during winter was always nice, but if he really was going to join she wanted him to be happy. Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars Oleander listened as she spoke with an odd amount of focus. He had always thought that packs wouldn't be the place for him, but the more she spoke, the more longing he felt in the pit of his belly. She said that they had a lot of healers though, and he faltered slightly. Oh, would that mean that a wolf of his stature would not be welcome? Licking his lips slightly, he mulled over it for a moment before finally breaking the silence. "If you have many healers, I will not ask for an invitation. Although, I am not an average healer. Me and Cedar grow hortis, gardens. Many herbs and even fruit and vegetables, though mostly plants. He suscepit, protects them, while I focus on their growth. I know about healing, but my main focus is on my plants," he explained slowly, glancing down at the black-backed jackal to see him nodding in agreement. It was usual in this lands, he had found out, but back home that is what their sole purpose was. Here... well there seemed to be little need for them. That, or the wolves here didn't know the splendor of growing a garden. The feel of the dirt between your claws as you dug a resting place for a seed, watching that tiny little speck grow into something of wonder and have a great use. There were herbs to heal and protect, and plants to nourish and aide in their diet. Coming back to your plants day after day to see them sprout, watch them becoming what they were designed to be. It was such a wonderful and blissful feeling, it made him appreciate his place in the whole cycle of things. When they died they became a part of the earth, giving it nourishment and helping the growth of things around them. He would become part of what he shrived to protect every day of his live. It was a hard feeling to explain in words, for no language had the full appreciation from the euphoria that was given to him through all of it. It showed on his face, an almost otherworldly look in his teal eyes. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

Oh no! She frowned as she spoke and she came to the realization that she had made it seem like more healers wouldn't be welcome. As much as more fighters and hunters would have been a great idea, she couldn't ever bring herself to turn away someone useful. She almost opened her mouth to interrupt him but she closed it again when he mentioned gardening. She thought of Kavdaya and the rest of them and she realized that they had never grown a garden, none of them, and then she grew excited. She was practically bouncing now as she grinned at him. "Oh, Ollie that's such a wonderful idea! Our Master Healer I'm sure would adore that. I've never met a wolf who grows plants before. Our healers just scavenge our own lands and others to find the plants they need. Of course your skill set would be welcome!" She glanced between Ollie and his jackal friend. She liked the dynamic between the two and it seemed almost poetic in her head. Ollie gardening and Cedar protecting them from the various herbivores and whatnot. She had to remind herself that they hadn't even agreed to join or anything, but she couldn't stop the buzzing excitement that coursed through her. Walk, "Talk" Think

Cause we're counting on stars He let out a soft chuckle as he watched Faite's excitement grow with each word that left his lips. His tail gave a few small wags behind him, it was very similar to the reaction that Peregrine had given him when she had learned about his craft. It reassured Oleander that he was a welcomed change to the lands of Ardent, to see two separate wolves react with such enthusiasm. The idea of scavenging for herbs was absurd to him, of course it was necessary to find enough herbs and seeds to start growing things. But to depend on that alone? Crazy! He wasn't sure that he wanted to leap into this right now, he hadn't given up on finding the chocolate woman. A grin on his features, he dipped his head to to gracious woman. "I will keep this in mind, Faite. I have not given up on finding an amicus, a friend. If you think this pack will take us in, I will cogitare, think about it. May I call upon this at some other time?" He really hoped that he wasn't being rude in getting her excited over the idea only to turn her down for now. He wasn't saying no indefinitely, but he needed to keep looking for his friend. He had promised to grow her a garden first, and he wouldn't let that go just yet. "SPEAK" -- "CEDAR SPEAKS"

She was happy Oleander was in a good mood. An ear flicked as she chuckled and she continued to smile at him. It was interesting to hear about his craft and how amazingly different it was. Not having to scavenge for herbs would certainly be an improvement in many packs. She had a glimmer of hope that he'd accept her offer. She was sure he'd be welcomed into Celestial, but a part of him wanted to hoard him for herself. Her plants to branch off and make her own pack hadn't been forgotten and she wondered if he'd be interested in the rising of a new home. His words threw off her hope again until he asked if she minded if he called on her some time. She could see that he wasn't telling her no so she nodded. There was still lots of time before she did her own thing. Regulus and Kavdaya had to make it home and after that she needed time to prepare. She could certainly afford to be patient. "Of course. You're welcome to visit any time and I hope you find your friend. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know." Walk, "Talk" Think