Even in the tight grip of autumn, the undergrowth in is dense. Leera picks her way across the forest floor slowly, paws touching down to the soft earth gently so as to coneal her presence. So far, the east has been pleasant. She respects the expanse of grey mountains that loom in the distance, the cliffs, the sprawling forests... and now, this place. The femme finds herself drawn to the constant, almost lyrical rush of water this area provides. She steps along the wet rock, touching her nose to the crystal-clear water that pools at the feet of the falls, mulling about what kind of wolves would make their home here. In terms of livability, there isn't much this place is missing. There is fresh water, the cover of dense canopies, and an abundance of prey-life. She can only imagine what the falls were like during summertime. Deciding to rest here a while, Leera finds a dry spot near one of the falls and settles down. She drops her narrow hips and her body follows, and she gives the area a final scan before resting her chin on her paws. It's true that she's growing tired of being alone -- she'd probably strike up a conversation with a squirrel at this point.

The male went out for a hunt today, seeking to catch a meal for his two growing fox kits. So far he had managed to catch a single rabbit, the dead creature hanging limply from his jaws. The titan male was making his way back Abaven, thoughts of what to do for the day turning over in his head. He figured it'd be a good day for patrols, maybe even thinking about calling for a training session for the apprentices. There were so many things he could do, but he wasn't sure where to start. Would they be interested in fight training? Stories? Hearing about grand tales of monsters and heroes? He thought perhaps a lot of the young members weren't quite young enough to be interested in stories, but he wasn't sure. He didn't really know anyone else in the pack besides a pawful of them. Maybe that's what he'd do...get to know the rest of the wolves he lived with. Lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't see the woman up ahead until her scent crossed his path. Right away he raised his head, nostrils flaring as he tried to see which direction the scent was coming from through the heavy scent of dead rabbit. Turning his head, he saw the monochrome woman lying down near the water, and he was much too close to pretend he hadn't seen her. Judging by her scent, she was a loner. No traces of a pack lingered on her. Curiosity drew him in, so he uttered a soft bark to alert her of his presence so as not to startle her. He placed the rabbit on the ground before licking his lips clean. He kept a respectful distance from the woman, deciding to start off with something casual. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He spoke, referring to the falls. speech action

Leera spots him long before he speaks to her. His scent rolls through the thickets, heavy and pungeant, causing Leera to freeze and narrow her searching gaze. The faint, lingering fragrance of other wolves on his scent tells her that the stranger is probably a pack member. Chocolate ears fold against her head as she sees him approach. She doesn't answer his small, polite bark, but rather sits up and watches him through a hard, pink gaze. He's handsome -- healthy, snowy white fur, a captivating pair of eyes -- but she keeps her expression vacant, dark tail twitching upward at the end with caution. "Beautiful, isn't it?" the stranger says, and Leera watches him in return for a few moments, trying to pick out the detail about him. "I've seen better," she answers after a moment, voice light. Her tail curls and she tilts her head at him, at this point not caring if he notices her staring. She raises a paw and begins to groom it, almost feline in her movements. But she's after something. If he's part of a pack, like she's almost certain she smells, then she'd enjoy hearing about it. "You're a pack rat, aren't you? I can smell it on you like blood, all your friends... Why don't you come join me for a while and tell me a little bit about it?" Leera hungers for information regarding the packs of Ardent, curious to see which holds the highest reputation. After all, she isn't going to settle for anything less than pinnacle. speech action

Not an answer he was expecting, but alas what could he do but shrug it off? He didn't miss the way she stared at him. Almost as if she were studying him, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he kept his gaze on her. The woman gave off a strange vibe, and with recent events, he thought it best to remain on guard. Of course...she was also very tiny, so if it came down to a fight, he was sure all he had to do to subdue her was to sit on her. "You're a pack rat, aren't you? I can smell it on you like blood, all your friends... Why don't you come join me for a while and tell me a little bit about it?" Well...that was an interesting way to put it. He eyed her, gauging her. Trying to figure out if she had any ulterior motives. Even at her request to join her, he remained where he was and sat there instead. He fixed his gaze on her, watching her movements. "Yes, I am part of a pack. Abaven, the oldest and longest standing pack in the lands." He sat tall, gaze unwavering as he watched her. "And you? Your scent tells me you must be just a common rat.." Yes, he dared test her. He didn't like being called a rat. "speech"

The small, cryptic smile does not fall from her dark lips as he denies her invitation to join her. Instead, a short chuckle rises in her throat; yes, be wary of me. The alabaster wolf stays put and in return watches her with a sharpness in his eyes, nearly as sharp as her own. Long, fluid tail ticks with thought as Leera mulls over his words. Abaven. This is the first time she's heard the name -- strange, if it truly is the longest surviving pack. "Hm. Hardly heard of it," she dismisses, but there's still a fiery light in her eyes. His decision to shoot the word rat back at her is amusing and she takes no offense. Lips meld into a smirk again and she nods. "Common rat, yes -- although, not for long. You may call me Leera." speech action

Hardly heard of it? So had he before he joined. He knew they were there, but he didn't know anything about them up until then. "Many packs are unheard of, " It was true, after all. For instance, he was aware of Tyranis' new pack, but he didn't know a thing about it. But knowing him, it was probably similar to what Elias envisioned. She smirked when he called her a rat in return, saying she wouldn't be for long and then offering her name. "Acere Praetor," He would have added "a pleasure" to that, but so far it wasn't. He wasn't scared of her or what she might do. She was a lot smaller than he was, so he knew he could handle himself should she decide to get aggro with him. He had proven himself time and time again victorious against all odds if his scars old and new were any indication. This little ankle biter didn't know what she could be in for if she decided to test him. "So, what brings you to these parts if I may ask? Just enjoying the view or something?" "speech"

The petite woman watches him, studying him, taking note of his every expression and tonal switch. Her ears twitch to catch his words, and they are silly words: "Many packs are unheard of." At this, Leera does not conceal the low snicker that rises from the back of her throat. "A pack whose existence goes unnoticed is no pack at all," she says, with certainty. What's the point of becoming a king if the entire world does not remember your name? But, of course, Leera hasn't heard of any other packs, though she is certain they are out there. Perhaps she's just picking away at Acere, seeing what kind of rise she can get out of him. Either way, the cream-hued femme settles down and dips her chin in greeting to the white male when he gives her his name. "It's a pleasure, Acere," she cooes, tacking on what he has left off. Her tail ticks slowly. "I find myself returning here often. It's peaceful -- I can really think here. Figure things out. Tell me, Acere, is there anything on your mind?" speech action

"A pack whose existence goes unnoticed is no pack at all," She was smart, he had to give her that. But she was both wrong and right with that remark. "On the contrary. A pack who goes unheard of stands longer, safer from the threat of being taken. Whereas a pack who goes around trying to be known by the world makes itself a target. Especially to their enemies. Perhaps it's why Abaven has stood for so many years, while other packs have crumbled within a pawful of seasons, if not less." Throughout his time in Boreas, he had heard the challenging calls, with the challenged packs often being uprooted. Whereas Abaven it seemed, had yet to be challenged...unless he counted the temporary Abraxas intrusion, but that had never been an official challenge. Just fearmongering. A cowardly act if there ever was one. "Along with that, a pack going around trying to make itself known to the rest of the world is more than likely trying to compensate for something it lacks." He knew many an alpha in his time that tried to use such tactics to cover up the fact they were shitty fighters or weren't the kings they thought they were. Using fear instead of being a respectable or respectful leader. She answers his question, explaining why she's here. In a way he can relate, nodding his head. It is peaceful here, that much was true. But when she asked him if there was anything on his mind, he gazed steadily at here. What kind of stranger asked such a question to another? He was suspicious of her, yes. And he didn't know what was going on in her head that she thought he would outright tell her what often troubled him. "No." A simple yet curt reply. Whether she believed him or not was on her. He didn't trust her, especially considering she was nothing more than a stranger that he just met no more than a few minutes ago. "You seem keen on trying to pry into mind. So if I may be so bold, what's on your mind?" He was curious as to why she even asked him. Was she just expecting him to open like a book? "speech"

Leera watches him with a knowing expression in her eyes, her you're wrong, as she folds her limbs beneath her in a graceful sit while listening to his claims. He thinks a pack whose name is sung through the streets of the world is an easy target, but as Leera has said prior, she believes the opposite. The world fears those whose names touch every ear, are spoken from every tongue, are written in every book. For they are the strongest, of course, alive in the minds of creatures far and wide. She's known this since even her earliest days. "Perhaps." is all she murmurs at the end of his lecture, a small, secretive smirk tugging at her maw. "Perhaps not." Then he denies there's anything on her mind. Leera watches him with a blank expression, the end of her tail ticking is the only thing that tells she isn't a statue. "There is a lot on my mind, Acere. There always is. There are always things to unravel, to peel back from the seams," she crones, voice like a ghost's on the wind. She looks away from him now and watches the distance, her studying stare flicking between the trees. "I have a plan, Acere, but knowing it comes at a price. Things like this always do, as you know. What can you give me, if you care to hear it?" She'll take time, information, even something as small as a promise to part on good terms in exchange for him to learn her scheme. Perhaps a pack rat could become an ally? Leera knows she's not the most amiable wolf to roam the earth, and she doesn't need her pile of foes growing any more than it has. speech action

Her responses to his thoughts about the packs was expected. They had opposing views about it, but he supposed it all came down to which packs were truly worth fearing. After all, he was sure there were quieter kingdoms out there that have taken things over. And because they were quiet, nobody saw them coming. It was all a game, of course. It was a dog eat dog world. You either won, or you lost. In the end, survival above all. He had seen many wolves do what was necessary for their own survival, whether it was to stand against your enemies, or switch sides and stand with them if it meant you had a better chance of surviving. And yet, despite his denying anything on his mind (a complete and total lie), she decides to open up and share with him what's on hers. He listenes quietly as the seal point babe spoke. "I have a plan, Acere, but knowing it comes at a price. Things like this always do, as you know. What can you give me, if you care to hear it?" His eyes narrow slightly. She wanted him to give her something in return for knowing her plan? He thought it kind of ridiculous considering he hadn't outright asked nor begged her for it. He was simply trying to turn the tables and steer her away from trying to probe him. Though he had to admit...he was curious. "What do you want?" He questioned. He didn't really know what to offer. Eventually, he would seek to bring his own plans into frution in the near future. Then again..."Perhaps...depending on what it is, I may offer a proposition." speech action