It was late in the evening when the young female was roaming the territory. She was slowly exploring and learning the lay of the land, perhaps just allowing her paws to go wherever rather than actually paying attention to her surroundings. Her steps were casual, not making an attempt to hide or make her presence known to whoever may be lingering. Head held at shoulder level to allow her lavender-hued gaze to stare ahead, tail swinging with the sway of her hips. She was lost in her own little world, many things flying through her mind but unable to actually focus on just one.

The gentle touch of drizzling rain would finally catch her attention. Paws came to a stop and she would cast her head to the sky, eyes squinting with the droplets against her face. The sky had darkened considerably since earlier, the sun making its way towards the horizon as well as the greyed clouds filled with rain. It didn't bother her though if anything it brought a relief to the young female. She closed her eyes and took in a long breath, ears angling out and body relaxing as she allowed it to clear her senses. It was one of her favourite things, to just sit and listen to the rain. Preferably at night with a low rumble of thunder.

Despite taking most of her time to settle down in Lirim, her newfound home would not hold her back from exploring the nearby lands. A proper healer could not be confined to a small section of land, after all - how would that allow her to collect the herbs she truly needed to be useful for her pack? Today her paws carried her east, across the river that lay near the northern section of the field of willow trees, and back to a land painfully familiar to her. The Range was where she'd been born, where she'd spent her earliest childhood with her parents and siblings, and the memories she held from that place were especially fond to her. At the same time, the memories were painful as well, reminding her of wolves she knew were gone from this world. As much as she tried not to live in the past, she couldn't help but feel somewhat nostalgic as she veered around the side of the large barn that stood at the northern edge of the territory. This structure had been a popular one when she'd been a child, a good place to seek shelter from the elements as well as a welcome place for pups to explore. Of course, she'd always been one to look outward - far more interested in what the earth itself held rather than artifacts left behind by creatures long ago. She realized suddenly that it had started to drizzle as the evening drew on, light enough to not be a bother. Ara squinted against the rain as she peered up at the sky, though braced herself against the gentle spring rain and continued onward. It didn't take long before she saw movement up ahead, attention snapping downward and to the stranger in the distance. It was nobody she knew, though Ara still let a gentle smile grace her features as he paws carried her closer - she'd been heading this way in the first place, and company was never unwelcome, not in her mind at least.

The sound of approaching steps would stir the young female, eyes opening and body slightly turning to face the source. Gentle, lavender eyes fell upon a woman of tan and black with beautiful blue eyes. There was an immediate feeling of comfort, finding the woman baring a smile and her pace more casual rather than driven or suspicious. Perhaps it was also because the stranger was a woman like herself. Either way, she would feel no reason to keep a strong guard up. She took a breath, allowing her tail to wag calmly between her legs, inky lips pulling into a small smile. "Hello there.' A sweet voice reached out, a single ear flicking as a rather cool droplet of water hit it just right.

With the distance between them growing smaller as the stranger had approached, Loccia found herself just examining the other. A woman of medium build, not overly stocky or thin. With no visible signs of scarring or injuries. She also had unique little markings under her blue eyes, darker than the tan of her face and belly. But it wasn't till after she realized that maybe this was creepy or uncomfortable to the other, finding herself looking to her paws suddenly with embarrassment. It was a habit since she was a pup, not quite breaking out of. So she could silently scold herself, giving a faint shake of her skull and lifting it once more to smile at the woman.

She had been a few feet from the doubled barred fencing, travelling along it in thought. There wasn't a destination really for today, just kind of wandering around and getting a feel for the place.

Ara's posture, as it normally was, was the epitome of nonthreatening - she was acutely aware of how other wolves perceived strangers, and in turn was just as conscious of how she approached too. Her ears tilted forward, her smile growing slightly, in spite of the rain as Loccia began to examine her. She'd take no offense to it, taking a moment to get a better look at the younger female as well. Something about her felt vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.. and she wouldn't be at all surprised if she was completely mistaken. In her long life she'd met so many wolves that it was hard to remember them all - and perhaps it was simply another symptom of her advanced age, but she preferred to think otherwise. "Good evening," Ara greeted Loccia in response, dipping her head respectfully to the younger female as she drew a few steps closer. Only briefly would she pause, shaking her head to rid her face of some of the raindrops that had accumulated there. "Have you explored this place before, by chance?" This place - The Range, as they called it - held history she knew went far beyond her existence had even been dreamt of. It was likely far older than even her parents, or their parents. The history that she knew of this place though was more than enough for her, and she wondered if this stranger knew of it as well.

It came as a big relief to hear friendly tones come from the stranger, calming those nerves that caused some rumbles in her stomach. Perhaps this place could work out she wondered, wasn't as horrible and dangerous if she was just careful about things. Try to be careful. Loccia could only hope that this continued in a good direction. So ears would perk up, head tiling with curiosity as she focused on the woman. A simple question was brought up, to which the young woman gave a slow and simple shake of her skull. "I have not yet, just slowly working my way around the edge of this place." She admitted, lavender gaze drifting away and trailing along their surroundings.

After a moment or two, she would bring her gaze back to the woman, feeling a sense of more behind the question. Or overthinking things, that could mainly be it. "Have you?" She returned the question, motioning towards the land with a gentle smile. With a slow exhale she would take in a breath, enjoying the coolness on the air and the scent of rain that filled her nostrils. So pleasant, giving a fresh feel. This was what she was seeking, something she desired. But oh! She quickly cleared her throat and took a step closer, smiling once more and even offering a wag of her tail. "I'm Loccia, by the way."

The young woman (at least, she was relatively young in comparison to her) admitted that she hadn't really explored this place yet. It was definitely a unique terrain, from all the places she had ventured to, and she hoped this stranger might enjoy it just as she still enjoyed visiting, after all the years that had passed. "I have," Ara admittedly easily, nodding. "I was born in these lands. There's two more structures like this one, if you follow the fence south." This one, the larger of the three, was the one that held the most interest to her, though the one that stood in the center held contraptions that she was sure would be of interest to some. "And if you head that way-" Ara gestured to the west of where they stood, where a once-plowed field still stood, some crops growing sparsely after all these years. "-there's some quite interesting plants growing out there. Lots of prey, too." She remembered fondly the days of her youth, and remembered chasing mice through those fields, even though her time spent in these lands had been short. The stranger introduced herself after a moment, and Ara mused over her name for a moment. "And I'm Ara," she greeted gently, though her head tilted in curiosity as she got a better look at her. "You wouldn't happen to know a woman by the name of Loccian, would you?" The name Loccia couldn't be terribly common, but she wasn't one to make assumptions either. Her own tail wagged in pleasure at the possibility, having remembered Loccian fondly from her childhood.

Upon hearing the woman's response to exploring the land, Loccia appeared to perk up at the answer. A shimmer crossed her gaze, seeing a good opportunity to ask the other to possibly show her around and reveal some secrets perhaps. Her features even shifted to something of surprise, finding a small amount of joy in learning that this woman was actually born in these lands. Housing two more similar structures as well, if she followed the fence south. This was definitely news for the girl, her steps moving her away so that she could gaze down the fencing in said direction. By now her tail was fully in the air and wagging in excitement.

With the voice continuing, the girl would twist back around to see what direction she spoke of. Lavender gaze shifted towards the west, trailing along a field that held some plants poking up in a sparse pattern that she could only compare to baby sunflowers. “Oh?” It would slip her lips in a hushed tone, finding herself moving forward a step or two in wonder. The thought of prey made her mouth water, feeling a small rumble move across the bottom of her stomach at the thought of catching something nice. She would have to try hunting something down after this encounter, otherwise it was going to drive her mad.

Alas, she would be able ot place a name to the lady rather than stranger or woman. Ara. It was simple and sounded pleasant. But then a question would come up, catching the young girl off guard. Did she know a woman by the name of Loccian. Without meaning to, her ears drew back partially and a low breath slipped past inky lips. “I do...” Confusion was clear on her features as she tried to process the intent behind his question, understanding very well that bad things had happened in the past and could very well resurface. Could she trust the woman? Surely she could, Ara didn't seem like she would do something bad. Then again, they had just met.

“I was named after her.” The girl would have to test the waters now, see how things went from this moment on. So many times she was taught not to give someone your complete trust right up front, for some would take advantage of it. She had to keep some kind of guard up, whether physically or mentally, just so she was always prepared. But she didn't want to be suspicious of others, giving them a chance to show that they were could and she could become friends with them. “Loccian is my grandmother.” She added on after a moment or two. Where would the conversation go no? Was she overthinking things again?

Ara had always thought fondly of these lands, despite having not lived here for long. Her parents had been born here, and though they'd been content in these lands, they had wanted to spend the rest of their days among closer friends - and thus they had moved further east, to live with the Destructions. And yet she always enjoyed coming back here, especially given how quiet these parts tended to be. She watched as Loccian followed her gesturing, noting the excitement in her eyes, and she found herself glad to be able to share whatever knowledge she had of this place with her new.. acquaintance? Friend? Either way, her soft blue gaze was alight with joy and wonder at her honestly genuine reaction. Perhaps she could show her around this place, if she was interested? It'd been a long while since she hunted with anyone, and the thought of finding some decent prey - rather than the small rodents and birds she was used to subsisting on - was quite appealing to her. Her own stomach, as if in quiet agreement on Loccia's own thoughts, rumbled in low agreement. She had a good feeling about this woman, and about a potential friendship (or at least a feeling of camaraderie) that could form between them. She hadn't anticipated such a reaction to the stranger's question, and if she had there was no doubt that Ara would've thought about it twice before asking her. She was normally rather observant, and timid when it came to asking for information from others, but memories of her first mentor had resurfaced suddenly upon hearing this girl's name. Though she meant no harm, obviously Loccia couldn't tell that, and Ara found her own ears flattening slightly against her skull in response to her own visible discomfort. "I'm sorry, maybe that question was too forward of me," Ara offered gently, shaking her head. Her voice was softer now, as if apologetic for asking a question that caused her to react in such a way. "I knew your grandmother. She helped train me when I was young, in the field of healing." Ara gestured to the bag of herbs at her side, gently twisting around to nose it open and show the bundles of herbs within. "She was a lovely woman. I'm not sure I would've gotten so interested in herbs if it wasn't for her." The smile she wore now was a wistful one, clearly remembering the days of her youth quite fondly.

At that moment the girl had allowed for immediate emotion to come over her features, coming off as confused and maybe even wary. It wasn’t how she wanted to react, preferring to keep such actions to herself and remain rather calm on the outside. How silly she felt, seeing the response from Ara with the flattening of her own ears. A paw stepped forward once, lips parting to speak but nothing would rise from her throat. She could keep her guard up without being too direct, keep things on good terms between them and apologise for her reaction. If the woman wasn’t already offended to some degree.

Ears pulled forward as Ara spoke, apologising for the forward question. Loccia shook her own skull in a gentle manner, wanting to tell her it was alright and that she shouldn’t have overreacted. It would seem, however, that her body wasn’t done with exposing how she felt. The woman continued to speak of how she knew her grandmother, actually helped to train her when she was young in the art of healing. What? Herl lavender gaze drifted down when she reached around to open a bag, revealing herbs hidden away in safety. To hear her speak fondly of her grandmother was strange, having only heard stories she shared of her homeland and the people she cared for.

“I… I’m sorry…” She began in a soft tone, allowing the information to really sink in and process. “It’s just, I’ve always been told to be careful with new people and you knew my grandmother’s name…” Her gaze drifted down to the ground, sweeping around before finally coming back to meet Ara’s gaze. “She was troubled when they arrived at my home, my uncles remembered it was tough without grandpa there. But I think, she would appreciate your kind words.” Inky lips pulled into a warm smile, letting a breath slip by. The stories her grandmother shared began to come back to her, feeling a warmth within her very being.

There were many moments and stories where the girl could feel her grandmother’s pain. Whether it was guilt or anger for things that did and didn’t happen. How emotions could cloud one's judgement and cause problems, or even when you make what you think is the right choice comes crashing down upon you. “I’m actually here to see what her home was like.” Loccia would finally admit, feeling a small weight be lifted off her shoulders in those few moments. “Where Seracia once stood and where her loved ones are buried.” It would be nice if she could learn more about the old kingdom and perhaps tidy up the graves of the deceased who once roamed these lands. Would Ara know anything about them? And was there anyone left?

“speech”

Though Loccia had immediately seemed defensive, and almost afraid of her, any hint of those emotions slowly ebbed away - melting like a gentle spring thaw to reveal that same warmth underneath. Showing off the herbs tucked within her bag only seemed to help ease her worries, and slowly her own smile returned, gentle and genuine. "It's okay," Ara assured her, nodding slowly. Though she was not a woman prone to sudden fits of emotion, she might become a bit disoriented if someone brought up her father or mother around her - or even any of her siblings. It was obvious she had simply stumbled upon something that caught Loccia off-guard, and she wouldn't fault her for it. She wouldn't pry into the younger woman's slightly vague words; it was clear that her family had suffered in some way, and she didn't need to rehash the past, even if she was curious what had befallen her old friend Loccian. Now that she seemed to recognize Ara meant no harm, she seemed more nostalgic about her grandmother rather than wary, and for that the elder was grateful. "Yes, the Kingdom of Seracia," Ara mused softly, feeling even more nostalgic herself now. She sighed, though the sound was as contended as it was pained. "I didn't live here long, but my childhood was quite lovely here. My parents ended up traveling east to live in a pack with a few of their family friends." And, eventually, her future mate. She felt more pained at the thought of Novel, but thought better than to bring it up. She'd spent so long dwelling on her first and only love that digging it all back up seemed fruitless now. The memories, though, would be treasured forever. "I do remember a grave from back then, though I'm not sure where it lies. Perhaps we could find it?" Ara asked gently, offering a slight - and barely noticeable - shrug.

Skull tilted as the girl listened to Ara speak once more, the Kingdom of Seracia. It drew her attention, finding her ears drawing forward to soak up any information the elder woman had to share. The woman had lived here for a short time in her childhood and had some good memories it would appear, her parents eventually moving east to live with friends. The girl could remember a little information like that her grandmother had shared, that there was a point in her short ruling where members began to leave. It was a hard blow that hurt for some time, but life was always changing.

When it came to grave sites, Loccia could feel a sting in her chest. A tightness in her throat. Ara could remember a grave in those early days but was unsure of its location. She even suggested that they could try to find it. There was perhaps some uncertainty in the way the girl glanced around them, feeling as though she would desecrate the site in one way or another if they did manage to find them. She could remember... there was maybe several graves near a... cornfield...? ”If we could... that would be great.” She began, looking back to the woman. ”I believe my grandmother mentioned something about a cornfield, somewhere by a strange structure.” She would offer a simple description from what she could pull from memory.

”speech”