The east was familiar, if a bit too hot for her liking. The phantom had been born here, and she wondered if it had changed since. A dim memory of this place being devoted to a dead forest, floor covered in ashes. Now, there was a fresh and gorgeous forest rising from the grave. A phoenix grove. Dark paws slid across the ground, skimming the low grasses with her toes. Each branch was covered in new blooms, nothing more than buds at this point. Low hung tiara swept to and fro as her moonlit optics observed the surroundings.

Long tail swept gracefully across her dark heels as she wandered between the saplings. Young birds were indignantly chirping for their parents to bring them food. Age had made her tree climbing endeavours few and far between nowadays. She wondered if, should she teach a younger wolf how, such a wolf would retrieve the succulent young chicks for her. How wonderful that would be. She missed snacking on unsuspecting hatchlings.

She was Queen now, there was a lot to take in. It almost didn't feel real yet, then again she'd felt like that with being princess as well. The gravity of the situation was worse considering she had a weight on her shoulder like no other. Yet, at the same time it wasn't as if she was alone. There were a lot of hard working wolves within the pack and while they had a lot to do it wasn't as if anything was going to change drastically. In the midst of her thoughts she spotted a female, in the nook wandering about. Judging from the scent of things she was around her fathers age. Regardless she smiled and decided to approach the lone wolf. "Hello there, nice evening isn't it?" really it was. Spring had come around and Heather had found it to be her favorite season. Her birth season. "Talk"

ooc. it's short, I'm sorry D:

Attention stolen from the trees, the dame turned to look upon the visage of whoever had addressed her. A smaller femme, with a dappled pelt and brilliant eyes. This was a young one, but she held herself with pride. Ah, an important girl, she must have been. The ghost smiled softly, barely more than a gentle curve to her inky lips. Perhaps this one would get her a snack?

"That it is, love." Soft vocals would croon, tongue curving around a heavy accent of Russian origin. Limbs would twist as she swivelled to face the stranger. The shift in direction disturbed the feathers from their place at her breast, and they twirled briefly in the draft. "And, pray tell, what might have drawn you here at such an hour?" She questioned, raising one delicate brow.

Heather smiled at the other as she was asked why she was out here at such an hour. Looking off to the side she took in a deep breath before letting it out once more. "Taking a quick walk to clear my head I guess. My pack isn't far off from here, I recently took over as Queen after my father retired." she explained quickly. Looking over the stranger, she seemed to be older in age. Yet she couldn't underestimate anyone, she'd seen blood and all that stuff among older members. If they had fight in them, they had fight in them. "Do you happen to be from these lands?" she asked. Heather hadn't been too exposed in her youth. She had traveled to meet many of Talis' members. Which reminded her maybe she should have a chat with Dragon it'd been a bit since their last spar. In which case she flicked her tail trying to keep her thought from wandering around. "Talk"

The girl explained her presence all in a rush, the words tumbling from her lips in one breath. The phantom blinked at her, wondering why a Queen might be so worried to reveal herself as such. If she was a leader, surely there was a reason for it, a reason that shouldn't give her to fear of strangers. However, the lass quite obviously gave her a look, scrutiny barely removed from her gaze. She wasn't a foolish leader. A question would leave her maw within just the next few breaths, and it was an easy one.

"I was born here in a rather magical mangrove, with my brother." She said simply, smiling wistfully. Perhaps the girl- the Queen, would know of the mangrove. It had been a long time since she had gone back there, and last she has been it was occupied by a pack. Not her old one, though. No one seemed familiar there.
"That was a long time ago, though. I left after my first year, and sought out my mother's people." She waved the thought away with a flick of her tail, mercury gaze flitting across the blooms of the trees.

A magical mangrove, her ears twitched for a moment. It couldn't be that this woman had been born where Fiori stood. Where she too had been born. "That wouldn't happen to be the lover's mangrove would it?" Heather questioned for a moment, a small smile appeared on her face. "I think once upon a time Fiori was Ludicael, before I was born at the grove with my family. You know, Fiori could always use some extra members. If it really is the place you were born I'd love to open it's borders to you." Heather's tail moved slightly. Perhaps her recruiting skills sucked, she didn't know. Either way if she got this wolf to join she'd probably be really proud. Older or not, her wisdom is something Heather did want for herself. At the end of the day wolves who were older knew a lot more, if Heather could get on their words and make them her own then it was all the more better. "Talk"

Mention of the mangrove seemed to resonate with the young Queen, who twitched her ears in a thoughtful way. The ghost quirked a brow in question, wondering what this girl might know of the place where she was born. The name of her birthplace was mentioned, in a dubious tone full of question. A soft laugh would pass her lips, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a faint, wistful smile.

"It would, dear." She replied, listening intently to the story the queen told. The young royal was born in just the same place, with her own family. Surely quite some time after Lirika herself had gone. An offer was extended, in the shrouded tone in which leaders would sneak in an invitation. An offer to roam her old haunting grounds? A lesser wolf might have cried. This was truly a young leader with much to learn, but the phantom was already prepared to teach her.

Mercury gaze would traipse across the visage of the young royal. This was a small girl, who seemed earnest in her ways. This was what she had been waiting for, a sign from above. The heavens had dropped this into her paws, and she couldn't ignore the gods. Alabaster banner would sweep giddily across her heels.

"You would make an offer of that weight to someone like me?" She questioned, thick accent cradling the hint of disbelief. Not many had done the same.

Something curious came from the female before her. Her brain was moving in her head. "Your age does not take away your right to live as you please. I don't want to be the Queen that's seen as weak no, but I refuse to be a tyrant either. My father's reign was peaceful - the most action I saw was when my cousin tried to challenge him and he quickly shut him down. So I wish to protect Fiori and offer it's peace for generations to come." Heather smiled painfully for a minute, looking away. "A yearling in the pack was a pup when he lost his parents. A bear came onto the territory and killed the parents. Soon after we couldn't find his siblings either. At the moment most of our members are older and I know I should be looking for more able bodied wolves but wolves like you have the wisdom of a thousand tongue's to share to young wolves like me and my siblings." She didn't quiet know how she got to talking about this. "So I'll take on that weight, to offer you a home. Especially since it's your homeland." She had suddenly forgotten that she had never introduce myself. "How rude of me, My name's Heather Adravendi. If we're going to be living together I should know your name." she smiled. Tilting her head off to the side. Right now, she didn't feel odd. She didn't feel like her world was crumbling like she usually did. The fight with her mind was at ease and it was touching up on the reason she'd worked so hard to get here to begin with. "Talk"

The girl was quick in her response, assuaging the fears of the older woman. A lengthy explanation, in which a story was told. A youngster lost their family in one fell swoop, and the remaining pack members had been older. This made the woman wonder if this was truly a good decision to allow yet another elder, or at least someone on that track, into the ranks. However, it was not in her to question someone in a position of power who was offering a kindness. The queen explained that there was wisdom within the ghost's mind that she sought, in hopes of advancing the youths in the group. A soft nod was the chosen response of the alabaster princess. She grinned uncontrollably when the young woman offered to take her into the ranks, allowing her access to the place where she was born.

Introductions were made. The queen identified herself as Heather Adravendi. The surname was familiar, and the woman wondered where she had heard it before. It was a question for another time. The ashen girl questioned after her own title, to which the phantom felt shame. They had gotten so far into a conversation, yet she hadn't introduced herself! The soft smile compelled her, she was going to join this girl.

"Lirika Vera Lunashka-Bane, at your service, my Queen." The heavily accented vocals would announce, and the knees would bend to dip the taller femme into a bow. Tiara would lower in a reverent gesture of submission. It was rarely seen from her, but she was ready to bow to this one. Heather would be worthy of her service, and she hoped she could be of use.

Heather always felt a chill run down her spin when wolves did that. Somehow it felt wrong, even though she knew they were just showing her respect. She carefully shifted, lirika then. "No need for that around me. I'm just normal Heather. Lirika, let's head out then but tell me. Are you a healer, fighter, hunter or would you like to be a scholar. Scholars are our members who can't seem to find their place in any of the three or find it easier to share their wisdom and opinion within the pack as a scholar." Heather said as she dipped her head. Then raised it again and went to head towards the pack lands. She certainly did hope that it was better than Lirika remembered. Perhaps just give her a sense of happiness when they arrived there. Her ears focused on the woman, this was her first time bringing someone to the pack. It was much more than excitement that she felt shivering through her veins. "Talk"

ooc. this is really behind I'm super sorry D: if you don't wanna continue this, you don't gotta reply
~
The woman shook off the formalities as gracefully as she could, which the phantom respected. She offered to head out, possibly to the lands of her new home? The taller femme opted to fall in step with her new queen. She began to fall into a rhythm, and listened to the spotted damsel speak of the rankings of her pack. Lirika listened intently, charcoal toes skimming delicately over the fresh grasses as she did. The pallid dame hummed thoughtfully to herself, tail flicking across her heels.

"I believe Scholar fits the bill quite well, dear. I do not have much wisdom, but what I do know I would enjoy offering to others. Perhaps even yourself." Dulcet tones, thickly accented, fell softly from her lips. Lirika was not much, a good hunter perhaps, but she knew enough about the world to help. Hopefully. The faint scent of a pack reared up, and began to grow stronger. Turns out she hadn't paid enough attention to where she was, for they were quite close.

The ghost could sense the other woman's excitement. It made her a little giddy herself, and she felt like a pup. Tail would wag softly behind her, watching her new queen as they approached. "Truthfully, Heather, I did not leave this place on the best terms. I'm glad to be returning to it on good ones." She said softly. It felt right to entrust the younger femme with this knowledge, of anyone. The only other one who knew this was Svet, but she didn't know if he was even alive.