Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa's instinct drove her north to cooler lands. She hoped that the other northern wolves would seek out a terrain similar to their home and she could meet up with them there and decide what to do next. She kept herself moving, knowing that if she stopped for too long the grief would catch up with her and drown her. Drífa had lost her home. The only home she'd ever known and to make matters worse she'd gotten separated from the rest of her pack.

Slipping across the plains she flinched as a bitter north wind swirled down to meet her. It was unpleasant but also comforting. It reminded her of home. Perhaps, if they searched long enough, they could find a territory that bore a striking resemblance to their old haunts, though she had to say, so far the lands here in Boreas seemed much more verdant than the barren lands to the East. Of course, that was likely because it was still summer. She did not expect this land to stay green for long, especially if the chill in the wind was any indicator.

Tipping back her head she let out a call, a loud, even call for her kindred. Her ears flicked forward, shifting in search of the sound of approaching packmates… or danger.

Nerys too sought the familiarity of cooler lands, although to say this was anything like home would be... a bit of a stretch. She had dreamed of places like this since she was a little girl, playing make-believe-heroes with other pups. She would find a place where the prey ran unending and there were no wastelands where you must not go. Or at least, none she had found so far. This was beyond her wildest imagination. A bit of her gut twinged with guilt, but she could not risk the journey back. What if something happened, if she was stuck there or never found herself able to make the return trip? It would kill her to know she had missed out on such a place as this. No, she'd made peace with her decision. Finding the trail of those damn southern wolves had been the best thing she'd ever done. The last thing she expected to hear was a familiar howl. Nerys stiffened, every hair on the back of her neck standing upright. She fought the urge to flee, and froze instead. Had her family really gone to these lengths to track her down? These were northern wolves, of that she was certain, but it took a long and frantic moment before she realized the voice was unfamiliar to her. Relatively close, but unfamiliar. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had in fact been followed, but her curiosity was piqued that perhaps she had simply lead another wayward soul out of the wasteland. Nerys stood for a long time, shifting back and forth. She really would have preferred to just make a break for it. She was quick and quiet, she could probably pull it off. But... She had so many questions. Namely, what if this wolf really was there for her? She had announced her presence, so the odds they wanted to ambush her were... somewhat diminished. Or you're being lured into a trap, she thought to herself with a grimace, even as she turned towards the voice. This oughta be fun. The wolf she found was northern indeed. She was the right coloring for it, if a bit dull compared to some. It made Nerys feel a bit at ease from the start. Her own dull coat had been a matter of teasing from time to time, and while she wouldn't admit to being self-conscious, it was an undeniable fact that she was prone to making snap decisions of the strangers she met. Hers was merely cleaner while Nerys herself was smudged with soot. She called out, "Bold of you to just announce yourself. Who knows whats lurking out there in a place like this." Her speech was quick and choppy, voice rusty from neglect. "Confident or cocky, you think?" She did not mean to be unkind or rude, but Nerys was unaccustomed to pleasurable chance encounters. To find another wolf from home so close on her tail was suspect to say the least. First impressions had never really been her strong suit, anyways. Nerys left a good bit of space between herself and the other female, but took care to make sure her position was known. - Nerys

OOC: Sorry if the coding is janky, I'm fighting with it but otherwise she's nekked rn D:

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa waited for what seemed like ages and nothing. Not a sound. No signs of life. She was just about to go when she finally got an answer. She turned to see a younger woman standing there. Her coat made her seem like she could be one of the tribe and part of her felt certain she'd seen the girl before but it was impossible to say. She would be turning her sixth year at the turning of the next season and though she wasn't ancient she could certainly feel her mind starting to go. But then maybe it had been the war. Maybe it had been the loss of her husband.

She snorted at the girls remark. "I'm simply to old to wander about with no direction waiting for luck to drop my family in my lap. So, neither confident or cocky just to old to fuss. I don't expect the world to have much worse for me than what I've already seen." She'd lost the love of her life to violence and war. "Anyway, you answered so that's a start unless you're here to mug an old lady. I'm curious though, you seem like you are from the Northern tribe. Are you?"

This older woman seemed neither surprised nor alarmed at her arrival. In fact, she seemed to regard Nerys with a bland source of humor that disarmed her almost entirely. What she said left Nerys mollified, and a bit chilled as well. It left her a bit speechless, and while she was blinking through her thoughts, the woman spoke again. Was she going to mug her? Of course not, that's ridiculous, she scoffed to herself. How could anyone steal from another in a land as plentiful as this, what reason could the possibly have? She carried on, "I'm curious though, you seem like you are from the Northern tribe. Are you?" At last Nerys found her voice. "I am." Tacking on for good measure, she said "And to be clear, I have no intention of returning." Maybe she sounded crazy, but that hardly mattered given how often her family had urged her to return home whenever she ventured astray. Nerys still was not entirely convinced she had come across this shred of her homeland simply by happenstance, but older shewolf did portray an air of ease about her. Nerys felt herself relaxing, almost against her will. Might as well explain, before this woman asked any more questions. "My name is Nerys. I left home looking for something more... I don't know. Something with more potential." she tacked on, uncertain of how to really explain it. Truthfully, she supposed she was just a runaway brat. But that didn't mean she wanted to go home. She hoped this woman simply shared her view point, because the thought that her past had followed her so far away was daunting to say the least. Maybe she would apologize for her appalling behavior when she was more certain, but for the time she was just regretting having given in to her curiosity in the first place. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa's question paid off much to her own surprise. The younger woman was indeed from the Northern tribe but she apparently had no intention of returning. That was a sentiment Drífa definitely could not understand. The tribe was like family, how could this girl just flounce off and- Drífa took a deep breath as she felt anger starting to burn in her breast and the cool air worked its wonders, stirring up old memories. Had she not often thought of running away when she was younger? On the days the war got to be too much, on the day she lost her husband? "Well, you don't have to worry about returning. There's nothing to return to. Another great disaster and now everything is in ruins. Everyone is scattered and you're the first of my tribe I've come across." She hoped to find more.

The woman introduced herself as Nerys and explained why she'd gone wandering. "A pleasure. My name is Drífa. I'm not much of a wanderer myself so I'm afraid I don't share the sentiment, but I can understand wanting to get away from chaos and pain. Wanting more of a future than tension and strife." She worried about her own future. She hated the uncertainty. "What do you intend to do now? Just wander until whatever you're looking for smacks you in the face?"

It turned out the woman had news from home after all, but it was nothing like what Nerys had been expecting. Another blow? She held in a perplexed scoff. All those years, all those battle and squabbles over land, and for what? Here with a land of plenty on the edge of reach. But it sounded like... perhaps it was too late. Nerys let out a long, withering sigh. "I'm sorry for your losses," she said in a quiet voice. She introduced herself as Drifa and Nerys gave her a quick, polite bob of recognition. She claimed not to be a wanderer herself, and maybe Nerys detected a bit of wry disgruntlement. No, she couldn't relate to that much at all. "It's nice to meet you then, Drifa. My name is Nerys. I suppose I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I have a hard time believing we're really meant to live and die in the same corner of the world." She shrugged, cutting herself off abruptly before she got too comfortable and said too much. She knew the world was full of unimaginable possibilities. If she was only going to live so many years, why spend them scraping at crumbs? "Anyways, I hope you find somewhere that suits you soon, then. Best of luck in your travels." She was surprised to find that she meant it. The older shewolf seemed a bit world-weary, but kind. It was a pleasant surprise to meet a traveller from home who didn't spout vitriol at the slightest provocation, whether about other tribes or just whatever was handy at the moment. Drifa at least had made for pleasant company so far. Nerys let herself relax, just a bit. "Talk" "Listen" Think

Build me up from bones, Wrap me up in skin, Hold me close enough to breathe me in

Drífa nodded lightly as Nerys softly offered her condolences. The old woman didn't even really know what to say any more. She was becoming numb to it all. Tragedy after tragedy and now to lose her entire homeland… some days she felt like this was all a dream. Surely this couldn't all really be happening? It was though. She knew it. There was no time to ponder the unfairness of it all as the world had no intention of slowing down and waiting for her to process everything that was happening.

Nerys didn't seem to know what she was looking for but wished Drífa luck on her travels. "Thank you, Nerys. I wish you luck as well and I pray that you find what you are looking for. Even if that thing is the journey itself." She turned and started heading north again. She wouldn't try to force the woman to come with her. They all had their own ways of living and while choosing to live away from family was baffling to her she was in no position to be making decisions for a fully grown woman. The wind picked up, biting through her coat, ushering her on.

-exit-