Autumn had arrived, leaving the land to shed into all sorts of colors. Heather had half a mind to try and explore some of the forests - but part of her didn't want to do it alone though she knew she needed some sort of independence. Beforehand she had wanted to leave but now she attached herself to Fiori like a rock. If she was to be a princess - she needed to be aware and interact with others of the pack. So bright eyed and bushy tailed she smiled and walked along the middle of the territory in search of some sort of companionship. She was no longer anything other than a student, but she would not be under minded. She had to ask questions. Lots of them to everyone around her. Do her job and learn everything she could. Perhaps with some permission on herself she could head to the battlefield for a spar. Unless she sought out someone within the pack. She didn't really know how that would work out. "Talk" "You" Think

Ara hardly knew anyone in Fiori. She'd seen them, sure - but anything more than that was basically nonexistent. The woman was quiet as she moved through the mangroves, wondering how she'd ever found this place strange to live in. It was second-nature now, to weave among the roots of the trees and to avoid the damp earth that seemed to surround them on every other side. Closer to the falls, the forest was a bit less swamp-like, and she drifted to the drier parts of the territory today, happy to avoid getting wet on this cool autumn day. It wasn't long before she found the scent of another, which wasn't a surprise; Fiori was a large pack, albeit a quiet one at times, and she knew that she was closer to others than she realized much of the time. Feeling unusually eager - she wasn't the most social of wolves, despite her altruistic nature - she trailed after the scent. It belonged to a young woman, and Ara wore a smile as she came into view. "Afternoon!" she called out, her voice soft but kind despite its insecurity. "Your name is Heather, right?" Ara was good at putting names to faces, especially at pack meetings - it wasn't difficult to tell who Leo was speaking to, or about, most of the time.

Heather was called to, making her attention turn to Ara. Blinking for the fact she had been approached she smiled kindly. These would be the people she would lead so she had to get to know them right? Heather would hold herself with a sense of pride as Ara tried to guess her name right. "Yeah, and it's.. Ara right? Trying to get to know names from meetings and otherwise." Heather confessed as she shifted a little bit. "What's your rank ara if you don't mind me asking?" Heather wanted as much training as she could grab with fighting and advice. Whether it was what she was doing was wrong or otherwise. She hated the thought of others looking down on her, perhaps that's what this ambitious led her to do. "Talk" "You" Think

The girl was young, and had an undeniably youthful air about her. She was a child still, though Ara knew most yearling didn't take kindly to being called children. After all, being a year old felt far different than being a few months old. She remembered the feeling each summer when she reflected on her life, since she'd been born in that season - each year she felt distinctly older. Her smile grew as she gazed at Heather, who knew her name. "That's me," she assured her with a gently flick of her tail. The question about her rank was one that took her by surprise. She'd never cared much for achievement - all she'd ever wanted was secure a safe home for her and her family, no matter what it took. Here, she was available as a healer. If she was never needed, that would be fine with her.. but she was happy to contribute when needed, though much recognition made her uncomfortable. Ara was happier to side on the sidelines, and to keep to herself, while contributing all the same. "I'm a Viscountess, I suppose," she said, a bit uncertainly. The title sounded strange to her. She was little more than a healer, though that was the title they were given in Fiori. "What about you?" Ara inquired, her voice gentle and conversational as she strayed a bit closer to Heather. "Where do your interests lie?"

It seemed like Ara was friendly enough. Heather didn't need to worry about being rejected or something. Of course her head would still worry about such things but she didn't say that out loud. So Ara was sort of like a healer then? Her aunt ama was a healer though Heather had never really spoken to her. Only her dad and siblings, it made her realize how distant she was. If she wanted to be the princes she had to try harder. "Ahhh actually I was looking into training to be the princess. Though I want fighting to be my strong point." Heather lowered her head a little shyly. Her ears pulling back, this didn't sound stupid did it? After all - there was no king nor queen without the people that follow them. "Talk" "You" Think

Ara was not one to pass up a friendly conversation, especially with a packmate. Leo was giving her one last chance, and she was determined to not fail him this time. As hard as it was to keep to herself, to wonder off in search of her family. She couldn't. She needed to keep this place as a home for them all. She tried to not dwell on when they would come home too much; she wasn't normally so dreary by nature, though lately it was hard to fight such thoughts. She was grateful for a distraction, that was certain. She smiled slightly at the girl's words. She wanted to be a princess! To inherit Fiori, then, Ara figured she meant. The woman couldn't help but wonder how Leo would decide who to take over. What if someone other than one of his children was better fit for it? Ara knew neither of her sons would've ever aspired to rule a pack - though she had not placed such values in them. Surely Leo valued ruling more than she ever would, or ever could.  "A princess," she repeated lightly, tail batting lightly at the ground.  "I can't say I know much about that. I do know that appreciating all sorts of knowledge can help you there, and listening to others who offer advice to you." She had known a few good rulers, and even a poor one. The good ones were the ones who listened, who were open to suggestion and to change - she shivered as she remembered how things had been briefly when she'd lived under Jupiter's tyrannical rule, though thankfully that had been short-lived. Without that, though, perhaps her family might all be together. Some of them, at least. She'd learned of her parents' passing, but what had become of Steel and the friend he had been traveling with? What of Faolan, of Mercury, of Isolde? She'd seen Jendai most recently, and she was faring well.. but being without all of them wasn't fun at all. She could see why Leo would want to train his children to take over, to keep them close, to keep the family together. She totally understood.

Heather was finding herself interested. Of course she had always been curious but now more than ever it wasn't just Ara it was everyone she wanted to know about. She wanted to know who they were, their names their stories. She never had felt such a strong urge to build a connection and try to keep that connection all the more. As such though she blinked, surprised that the other had reacted well positively somehow. Heather was always worried about rejection, she never made it known but the fear was very real for her. Something of her mother was to blame for that. "Well would you have any advice for me Ara? Is there something you'd like to see in an aspiring leader like me?" Heather asked. It was important to know what was expected of her right. At least she could grasp an idea of what others thought a good leader was. Heather thought of someone like her father, a role model - someone who others could depend on. Though she was still young and she had a lot of training to go through. Barely starting out on her fight training it was like she was a pup all over again. For heavens sake she'd be two years old coming soon. That was a scary thought in itself. "Talk" "You" Think

Ara wasn't really one that gave advice, truth be told. Only when it came to things such as healing and plants did she feel like she was in a position to offer knowledge. The woman was a far better listener than a speaker, and so her brows pulled together slightly at the younger girl's words. What advice would she have for an aspiring leader like her? It wasn't an easy question to answer, not at all, and she mused over it for a moment before speaking.  "I wasn't lying when I said I didn't know much about that sort of thing,"  she said with a gentle smile, though eyed Heather warmly. Perhaps she'd been selfish in that way - she'd always spent her energy caring for her family first and didn't have the mindset to care for many more than that. She wondered if such leadership qualities were ones wolves were born with, or if they developed over time. Ara knew she could never do it.   "But I'd say empathy. Never leave room in your heart for cruelty or judgment. Always look for the best in others and try to understand what they have gone through." Perhaps that all went without saying, but empathy was a quality that not all wolves had. Her smile wilted slightly as she shrugged, a bit uncertainly.   "You have plenty of time to learn along the way what a good leader is made of. Your father is a good leader, I can tell you that much. He'll teach you enough to get started."