The darkly colored male laid on his stomach, facing the water as he watched his own reflection on the smooth surface. His dual-tone gaze stared back at him - equal representation of both of his parents. He was on the opposite bank of the pool from where the solid white female had helped him with his wound a couple of days prior. If he looked up he could still see the dark marks in the sand where his blood had stained the ground. Hopefully it would rain soon so the reminder would get washed away. Of course he could have left, but the wound on his left foreleg was still tender and traveling any kind of distance didn't seem like the wisest choice.

There was also a bit of pride that kept him from continuing on his path. He had been planning on going to find his aunt and cousin to check in with them before he made a decision on what he wanted to do, but coming back to them with a fresh wound after insisting that he would be fine on his own stung more than the bite itself did. This isn't how he wanted to finally face his mother's family. Perhaps he should have just gone with his aunt first before going on the hunt for his remaining family... but that side of his family, the Adravendi side, didn't feel like his family. Not yet. It didn't seem to matter that his mother had been the one to raise him for a good majority of his life. There was still a devision there in his mind that he wasn't sure how to cross.

A pair of voices in the distance made his ear flick and he finally lifted his gaze, turning his head in time to see the source of the sound appear through the grasses. His brows pulled together as he watched them quietly, his brain not quite processing what he was seeing. The larger of the two reminded him of his brother, the solid red coat standing out like a beacon against the greens of the grasses around them. Memories from the stories he was told as a pup crept forward from the back of his mind and made him watch the male with a cautious curiosity. As if that wasn't enough to hold his attention, the female wolf at his side looked like she might very well be a spirit or a figment of his imagination. In a way they both did, just in different ways.

He made no move to get up or approach them, a bit too afraid that his mind had finally snapped to admit that the wolves were real.

"Speech" Thought

Aurielle Adravendi

She and her father had taken some time away from Valhalla to just be a father and daughter. Of course, it hadn’t stayed to typical dad and daughter stuff, and they now strolled amiably through a star-studded night in the basin, with the distant hush-hush of the ocean miles off in the background, and the soft rustles of small prey animals skittering through the sweet, rolling waves of autumn grass. The Spirit glowed brightly as ever in the night, a gracefully gliding, mystical thing on a night with no moon. Her light cast coolly against her father’s brilliant red fur as they walked abreast of each other, heads bent toward each other, murmuring softly. Aurielle mused quietly, casting her eye over the basin as she said, “The fights could be held here, at the bottom of the basin. It would give spectators a good view. The trade tents could be up on the high ground. And the guest tents would probably do best placed inland, so that those from more distant packs will have a place to rest as soon as they arrive.” Steadily they circled the great basin, deep in conversation, and only giving the area a rudimentary observation, enough to be sure no danger was near. It was a good while before Aurielle’s bi-hued gaze fell on a monochromatic frame standing out by the pool and her conversation paused. Her eyes studied him, taking in the injury on his foreleg before she called out, voice carrying easily “Hello, are you alright?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

Regulus was glad to enjoy this time with his only remaining child. He could only wonder where Aramis had gone, and hope that he was alright and would return someday, like his sister had done. Of course, they’d eventually devolved into alpha-talk as they strolled around the basin. It was this place that he had encountered his nephew Dominus, and his eyes scanned the area as they walked, though he gave her his full attention as she pointed out likely places for the next Festival’s various activities. As he studied the lowest point in the basin, he could see it already. It was a perfect view of the bottom. “Where will the bonfire be?” His eyes scanned the area but as his daughter paused in her response, he too stopped and followed her gaze to the young man standing a ways off, watching them warily. Regulus chuckled softly to himself at the expression on the man’s face. He and Aurielle must look a sight. One an unnatural red, the other white, shimmering, glowing, maned, long fanged and long-tailed. “We won’t hurt you, lad. We’re just surveying this area for a possible festival site.” As ever, his voice was rich, warm with his natural friendliness as he smiled across at the boy.

He could hear the faint tones of the pair speaking to each other, but he still didn't quite believe that his eyes were telling him the truth until the pale, glowing woman called out to him and her voice rang truthfully to his ears. He blinked with the surprised realization that these wolves were actually real, glancing back to the vibrant red male when he spoke. A festival? Casso curiously padded closer to them so that they wouldn't have to shout so much to speak to each other. He did his best not to limp, but the dull ache from his leg didn't allow him to walk normally the entire way. "Yes, I'm fine," he replied to the glowing woman first, giving her a small nod. Since she had asked he felt compelled to reply and wave off any worries she might have had over him. "It's already been treated by a healer, no need to worry."

Now that he was a bit closer he could clearly catch their scents and something finally clicked in his mind. Their scent was so similar to his mother and aunt - especially the larger male. His memories finally pieced everything together and he looked at them both with a fresh wave of realization. "You're Regulus," he said as his gaze fixed on the boldly red male. There was no question in his tone. He knew exactly who this man was from the stories that his mother and aunt had told him of the family they missed back in Boreas. A slight smile touched his lips and he chuckled, giving a small shake of his head while his gaze drifted to the ground. "Here I was, trying to avoid the lot of you until this healed up, and you ended up finding me anyway."

When he looked back up at the pair he sighed, but the smile remained on his lips. It never failed - he always found what he wanted, but not when he wanted it. "I'm Casso... one of Zuriel's sons," he explained as he realized that they would have no idea who he was even though he knew who at least one of them was. He wasn't sure who the woman at his uncle's side was, but he had to assume she was a cousin of his from her scent. "I was on my way to find Aunt Baine to let her know how I was doing, but I got caught up in a fight with some coyotes a few days ago. I didn't want her to worry about me so I was going to let this heal before I continued." He paused, giving them both a curious look before he continued, "She and Nolan did find you, didn't they?"

"Speech" Thought

Aurielle Adravendi

Aurielle smiled gently as the younger wolf approached. There was a slight limp, perhaps less than there would be if the male was alone. She nodded as he assured her it was treated by a healer, idly wondering who it was that had helped him. However, his mismatched eyes had fully focused on Regulus and, to her surprise, he recognized the older wolf. Her head cocked though her father had nodded with one of his usual smiles. And then the scent settled in her nose and she realized he smelled like Dominus at the core. Family. He confirmed it a moment later and she smiled brightly. “It’s good to meet you. I met Dominus a while back. And Nolan and Aunt Baine have settled in comfortably. Your cousin’s working hard and making a name for himself, and our aunt is enjoying her rest. Would you like to come se them?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Regulus Anatolii Adravendi

He was glad the boy had decided they weren’t a threat. As he spoke, Regulus found himself studying the boy. It clicked a millisecond before Casso recognized him. One of his nephews. This boy was less…. Chaotic… fractured than his brother. Baine had told him Zuriel had tried her absolute utmost to leave as much of her influence on Casso as she could, and so far, it seemed to have worked. The boy was humble, a bit embarrassed at having caught an injury in a fight with cpyotes. Regulus chuckled, shaking his head and gently chiding, “There is no shame in being wounded. Coyotes that run in packs are hard to fend off when alone. Even if you had to flee, you still will have gained some valuable experience to go off of the next time.” He smiled as his daughter filled Casso in on Baine and Nolan, adding, “This is my daughter, Aurielle. She’s Valhalla’s Spirit, or alpha.”

Casso kept the pleasant, neutral expression fixed on his face despite the rumbles of disagreement that crept up his spine and into the back of his mind when Regulus assured him that there was no shame to be had in being wounded or from fleeing from the fight. He kept his focus entirely on the family members in front of him to keep those doubts at bay, simply giving Regulus a small nod in response. "Well, there had been no fleeing in this case... Though perhaps there should have been to avoid this." His tone was light and amicable, a hint of humor in his tone. He didn't feel the need to tell them that the pair of coyotes now laid dead, carried away from the basin to keep their bodies from attracting larger predators to him when he wasn't prepared to fight them.

His eyes shifted back to the glowing female when she spoke of Nolan and Baine, feeling some genuine relief when he heard that the pair had made it alright. He had no doubts that they would, but Baine hadn't been in the best of shape when he left them and Nolan was still very young - even though he certainly seemed older than he was. It also didn't surprise him to hear that Nolan was already making a splash in their pack. He was a hard working boy if he ever did meet one. What was surprising was that she had met his littermate. He had seen Dominus himself when he first arrived back in Boreas, but he wasn't sure how much contact his siblings had with the family that lived here in the west.

Before he could respond Regulus spoke up, adding in the introduction that he lacked for the interesting woman in front of him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aurielle. It's a pleasure to meet both of you. Yes, I would like to see them," he replied with a small nod. "I promised her I would check back in before I settled anywhere. Actually... If you don't mind, could I stay with you until my leg recovers? I shouldn't need more than a week or two." It certainly wasn't like him to request another's help, but this felt different since it was from family. No, not just because it was from family... because it was from his mother's family. His mother had always been the soft, kind one of his parents, the one he felt safe enough to tell about the voices when they began. "I found my uncle's pack in the north and a couple of my siblings are living there as well. I want to go back and stay with them for a while, but I knew I had to come tell Baine first."

"Speech" Thought