Pale sunlight illuminated the thin, low clouds, lining the bottoms with gold. Thicker clouds hovered on the horizon, their majestic curling tops hinting at another change in the weather. Brandr hurried along, still getting used to the feeling of being back in Boreas. It was strange to be back. He could feel part of himself wanting to just settle down and stay in one spot for a good long while and another part that still urged him to move, to travel. So he bid his mate and daughter a fond farewell as he headed south to visit Celestial. Now that he was back he was wondering how everything was going with the southernmost pack. Especially now that Abaven was sitting in a better position in relation to the Abraxas threat. He still was wary of this uneasy alliance he'd heard about but it was much better than living under an Abraxas overlord with their alpha diminished to a puppet. Brandr approached the wall just as the sun touched the horizon. He tipped back his head to call for the leaders of Celestial. He hoped they were well. "Talk" "You" Think

Gwen was drowsing in her den as night approached, when she heard the familiar call. Despite the hour she was more than happy to answer it, though it took some time to get all the way to the border. She had to stop often to combat her dizziness and coughing fits, but she was in high spirits when she came into sight of the younger hunter. He looked well, she was glad to see, and she was quite surprised to detect the faint scent of Abaven about him. She wondered if he had decided to rejoin his old pack now that Shaye had won them a measure of freedom. She was saddened to think that he wouldn't be returning to Celestial, but she knew that Abaven had had his loyalty even before he'd ever joined Celestial. "Brandr!" she greeted him with enthusiasm despite the breathy rasp of her voice. "I'm so glad to see you are well. How are Corentine and your children?"

Aurielle Adravendi

It was with a desperate scrabbling that she sank her long upper canines into the throat of an exhausted old doe she’d been tracking for hours, not giving the deer any chance to rest weary bones or fill an empty belly. The deer was lamed, which helped immensely—the laming had been Aurielle’s own work, and she’d received a hard kick in the ribs for her efforts in ambushing the deer. She’d lain in wait, downwind of the trail where she knew the doe tended to go to get water at the streams. When the deer had drawn level with the wolf camouflaged in the snow, Aurielle had burst out with a slash of canines for the deer’s lower left haunch, damaging muscle and tendon and leaving the doe with a severe limp. That had been at early morning, and she’d been hounding the beast ever since. She rose as the deer finished spasming, satisfaction rising in her breast as she lifted her head to howl, letting the pack know there was a fresh kill open for any who wanted a meal before it was quartered and stored away. A familiar howl came just after, and she spun to face it, in the next breath leaping into a flat out run. As run ragged as they all were this winter, it heartened her to hear Brandr’s voice. She did hold herself to some reserve—perhaps he was merely visiting, and not rejoining. She slowed to a more dignified trot as she came around the curve of the wall into full view, slowing to stop beside Gwen and smiling at the hunter. “It’s good to see you well, Brandr. How have you and your family been?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Brandr settled down to wait, enjoying the slightly warmer weather of the west. Winter still lay heavily across most of northern Boreas but he remained hopeful that spring was on its way. Soon, he saw Gwen approaching and he stood, tail wagging lightly at her approach. It was good to see her face again and he hoped she was doing well. However, as she drew closer he noticed that she didn't look so good. Something was definitely off and his brow furrowed in concern. He knew she was quite a bit older than he was and that only added to his worry. He was about to answer her question when Aurielle appeared and asked a similar one. He smiled at both woman. "It is good to see both of you. We are doing fairly well. Settling into Abaven after a long journey. My son wished to stay behind with my mother's nomadic pack so my daughter is a bit heartsick. Beyond that we're just hoping to decide what to do with our future as well as visiting old friends and family." Hence his visit to Celestial. He appreciated the concern and words of wisdom the women had offered him as well as Regulus with food and shelter. "If I'm not to forward, how are both of you? Gwen, you seem under the weather. Is there anything I can do?" He'd be happy to do something, even something small like hunting a meal for her. There was also the possibility of holding a large group hunt between Abaven and Celestial, perhaps a feast. He'd have to ask of course. He did not know for sure where the packs stood in terms of alliance. "Talk" "You" Think