Rain fell steadily across his back as Brandr followed the crystal blue waters of the falls to where they would flow into a creek. He held far back as flickers of foreign scent tickled his nostrils. A chill gust of wind cut through his pet as he gazed across the strange lands, certain that he'd finally come to the realm of the Risen Empire. The realm of the Abraxas. Brandr had no desire to get much closer and so he started stalking adjacent to the border while his mind whirled with stories he could tell if he were to get caught her. Honestly, just finding the pack seemed like an accomplishment but slowly he stalked forward, dipping his head to sniff at the border, taking in the scents and there were many of them. Goodness… how big was this pack? This was no mere band of rabble-rousers. "Talk" "You" Think

Ashiel stalked quietly through the rain, ignoring the mud that squished between his toes as he patrolled the border of the Risen Empire. It was almost time for him to make his move. Nerves had been settling in his gut and he'd been struggling to decide how best to deal with them. What was he nervous for? He was a descendent of the fallen god after all. Surely, his victory was all but assured? Yet, what if it wasn't? What if he was walking entirely down the wrong path and would be struck down as a fool at any second? Ashiel paused as he spied a large, golden wolf near the borders. The man smelt of pack… but not one that Ashiel could immediately pinpoint. "You are near the Risen Empire, mortal. You smell of pack." "Talk" "You" Think

Brandr continued along the border, gazing through the sheets of rain as he took in the lush lands of the Cattail Creek and the Grapevine Cathedral off in the distance where the scent continued. It seemed they had set up quite a little paradise for themselves. Surely they could be content with this? A voice caught Brandr's attention and he turned to see a young male as large as himself staring at him with piercing green eyes. "My apologies if I appeared suspicious. I'm Brandr, I didn't know there was a pack here and I was just following the border to see where it ended so that I could go around and continue my way." Brandr wasn't sure why but he couldn't quite bring himself to just outright lie, certain that he'd be caught if he tried. Though if the conversation went on much longer he might not have a choice. "Talk" "You" Think

Ashiel continued to stare the stranger down as he tried to untangle the scent from the man, Brandr's, pelt. It seemed familiar but he couldn't be sure. Despite having travelled significantly Brandr had only really come across one pack, Dauntless in the north. Thus it was the only scent he was sure he could recognize apart from Talis for obvious reasons. "Our pack came to be not long ago, perhaps that is why you didn't know?" He took a few lazy, languid steps toward the stranger as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Perhaps, you can tell me what business you have this far south? If you need I will escort you around our borders. It would be a shame for there to be any… accidents." He grinned. "Talk" "You" Think

Brandr resisted the urge to fidget under the youths gaze. He was surprisingly intense for one so young and Brandr could only imagine what the adults were like if this was how their young presented themselves. "I was just out scouting for prey, don't worry I will respect your borders and not come any closer, I assure you." He wasn't sure how to feel about the escort and was starting to wonder if perhaps Sparrow had chosen the wrong wolf for this job. He wasn't sure who would have been better suited of the pack though perhaps the two loners she'd hung out with would be better. Brandr knew that if he were a good and proper sort of spy that he'd take the youth up on his offer of an escort and continue the conversation in hopes of gleaning more information. Nerves were threatening to boil his stomach though. Any minute one of the adults could show and then he'd be in real trouble. Brandr just wanted to leave. "Ah, I appreciate the escort but that is unnecessary. It smells like your packlands must go right to the sea and I am hunting deer." "Talk" "You" Think

Ashiel watched the man, his quiet stare taking in all the little movements and nuances in the other's behavior. Brandr seemed nervous. Ashiel wondered if that was from some ulterior motive or if the man was afraid of getting mauled for getting so close. Perhaps he wasn't being entirely truthful and the Abraxas' reputation was spreading. He narrowed his eyes at. "They do, indeed. You'd be better off heading back east, there is nothing for you here. Although, before you go perhaps you will satisfy my curiosity. We know all of the lands of Auster and have never once come across another pack apart from Talis… which pack did you say you're from again?" He knew the man hadn't said and he had a sense that the other was deliberately hiding the fact. Had a new pack sprung up in Auster unbeknownst to the Abraxas? "Talk" "You" Think

Brandr filed away the information that the pack lands extended all the way to the ocean. That made sense. They minimized the directions they could be attacked from. Brandr nodded at the mention of heading east. That sounded good to him, anything to get away from this border. He was about to turn to leave when the boy asked the question he'd been dreading. His stomach flipped and he resisted the urge to wince. "My pack… is called the Bone River pack. We're nomadic and have been dwelling in Auster for the winter. We're heading pack to Boreas now though. Don't worry we won't bother you again. Farewell." His words felt slippery in his mouth as he shuffled them out. It wasn't a complete lie really but he could feel his anxiety catching up with him. Brandr turned and quickly left with his senses straining, fearing at any moment he might feel teeth in his back. -exit- "Talk" "You" Think

Ashiel accepted Brandr's information but he was terribly suspicious of it. Something was off in the young man's deliverance of his explanation though Ashiel did find it was entirely possible that there were nomadic packs roaming all about the land that one could only run into by chance. He nodded and watched as Brandr turned and left. Ashiel to, moved to continue his patrol but he paused and called over his shoulder. "Good luck on your hunting Brandr. I would advise you not to be creeping around our borders again. I don't think you want to know what we do to liars." He let the words dodge the rain and ring out in the air before he vanished back into the mist. -exit- "Talk" "You" Think