It wasn't too hard for her to adjust to new surroundings, though she was very unfamiliar with the new territories, she was getting used to it pretty fast. Change, after all, was inevitable. And with the passing of Malleus and Pyrrhic stepping down to give the throne to Eligos, things would definitely change. Eli, of course, had wasted no time in leading them elsewhere. She couldn't say she missed the lands she was born and raised in, all they held for her were unwanted memories. Now, however, they were occupying lands closer to the mortal wolves of Boreas, and she was curious and also hesitant to know what kinds of beings she'd be running into now that they were less isolated. The teachings she had grown up with thanks to Malleus and living among her cousins/adoptive siblings (or what have you) had shaped her into what she was now. Granted, she was pretty reserved and quiet compared to most of the others, she was also very observant. One of the western packs closest to her had very few members behind their stone wall, possibly even matching Aerie in numbers. She didn't know anything about them, but she aimed to learn what she could about the packs they now resided among.

The evening was cool and the sky was clear, stars began to peek through the veil of purples and blues and blacks as she patrolled the perimeter of the border closest to the neighboring pack (Valhalla). She was skeptical about living so close to the unknown, and wondered what had caused Eli to decide on settling here. Perhaps she was too used to being secluded from the lesser beings of the world that she was being slightly paranoid. At first, she thought she was afraid of the unknown. But she was far from that. She didn't see the mortals as a threat, but she also didn't know what to think of them. She had seen their vulgar displays of attempted dominance among one another, spewing venom and banter about this and that and the other thing the last time she had been here. In her mind, she got the notion that the mortal wolves seemed to breed between their own kin. Inbred. Perhaps that's why they'd always be lesser beings compared to the Abraxas wolves...

The evening was pleasant as he moved along the border in a patrol. The pups were soundly sleeping in his cave back at the ravine, so everything was still and silent as he slipped along. So far Valhalla had shown no signs of testing the boundary, but he was as wary of that border as any of the others. Eventually, he knew, one of them would be tempted to learn more of their potential enemy and attempt to spy. They'd not find Aerie sleeping at their posts...

His head came up like a hunting hound to test the wind when a figure came into his view and he slowed further out of caution. The scent was a familiar one, though - Proserpina his older cousin. He sped back up into a smooth trot, moving beside her. "Ina," he greeted softly, dipping his head to her. She was easier to see in the twilight than he was, and he noted absently that he hadn't spent nearly as much time with her as he should have been. Malleus had taken her in to train her personally after she'd been abandoned by her own mother. It was Ina and Thalia who drove his desire to see all the Abraxas truly unified and loyal, so that no Abraxas would have to grow up alone again.

She was soon joined by her cousin - and Alpha - Eli. Her ears perked at his voice and she turned to look at him as she offered a dip of her head in greeting. "Good evening, Eligos." While she wasn't as close to him as she would have liked (or any of the others for that matter), she wanted to be. Perhaps with the coming and goings of their family and the abandonment of others, she was holding herself back. Keeping herself from getting close to them because well...she didn't want to feel hurt again if they left. Or even left with the feeling of disappointment. Did she trust her Abraxas family? That wasn't hard to answer. She had her reservations about some of them after observing them all, but others she knew she could trust without question. Eli of course was one of the latter. She had a lot on her mind that she wanted to speak to him about...most importantly, her mentoring another. She had been assigned to mentor Thalia, but she had yet to do so for fear of failing the youth or making a fool of herself. Not only that, but the thoughts of the unknown that now surrounded them plagued her mind heavily, and she couldn't shake the feeling. She didn't know what to expect of the wolves in Boreas...she had gotten used to the isolation of Auster. "I know we haven't the chance to really just...speak about non-business matters, but there is something I must confess," She glanced at the ground for a moment before clearing her throat, "I know I'm supposed to have been training Thalia, but...I fear I might fail her. That I might not be good enough." She thought back to Malleus and everything he'd taught her. He was an extraordinary teacher..."What if I'm not as good as our f-" She immediately stopped herself before switching her words, feeling embarrassed as the heat rose to her face. Although Malleus had been like a father to her and she had seen him as one, she didn't want to feel like she was taking that away from Eli and his siblings..."As...as Malleus? He was an extraordinary mentor...I want to do his memory justice and pass on the things he taught me, but...I think moving among the unknown has kept me more distracted than I'd like to admit." There. She said it. Would he think her stupid for having those kinds of thoughts? "Speak"

He was surprised when Proserpina began to speak. They'd never been particularly close - not that they didn't get along, or anything like that. They were both just very private individuals in general, both quiet, and she was older than he was besides that. So he wasn't expecting her to confide in him, though he obligingly turned his full attention to her confession. When she finished he tilted his head, gaze going distant as he clearly mulled over her words. Finally he spoke, his voice quiet and slow as he thought out loud. "Being a mentor isn't simply about teaching skills," he said. "Strictly speaking, a mentor doesn't even need to share a skill set with their apprentice - they could learn from the pack as a whole, in group training sessions, and simply through experience. A mentor is... different than a simple teacher. They... we... guide and support our trainee on a deeper level than that. It is a bond more like... family. So I can understand your concerns. I share the same concerns about myself, both as a mentor, and as alpha." He met her gaze calmly, his red eyes dark with memories. "Knowing what I know now, I suspect that Father wasn't always as confident in his path as we as children believed. He had worries just as we do. He made mistakes. He moved on from them, and he did the best that he could. He gave us the benefit of those mistakes and his experiences. That's all anyone can do, as a mentor. The first step is always the hardest, worrying about if you will fail or fall. But once you start moving, it is easier to stay to the path." He gave her a soft, rare smile. "I have faith in you, Proserpina," he told her gently. "Like Father did for us, I know that you will give your best to Thalia. It's never too late to take that first step."