Océan took to talking to the blacksmith Song after the raid. He asked about the raid and though the older warrior was knocked out early he relayed all the information the boy wanted. The two of them were out on a day trip now, Song thought the young boy could use some time outside of the pack. The young Ancora enjoyed seeing the new sights and exploring beyond his little world behind the pack borders. Everything went much father than he expected, but he enjoyed every moment. He could take his mind off his father’s death.

Song took him on the route that winterfell had taken on their way to Abaven. Océan enjoyed himself, asking a few intermittent questions but mostly just enjoying the scenery. They wandered apart when they reached the plains of short grass and rock. Océan’s curiosity drew him forward, his tall frame loped easily over the rocks until he found one that gave him a better vantage of the lands belore. Océ hopped up to the platform and surveyed the countryside with a quiet contemplation.

Motif would relay the raid multiple times in her head. She knew her heart hadn't been into it. She had gone easy on her opponent, because she hadn’t wanted to hurt her. That shouldn’t have mattered, she should have thrown her all into it, just like her father and sister did. Perhaps then her loss would have been a victory.

She was growing all-too-accustomed to losing, and it rankled her. She had lost every spat in the Empire, and despite training with Poem, had still lost her fight in the raid. She kicked the rocks in front of her, frustrated with herself, with everything. Her long tail trailed in the dirt behind her, she paid no mind to the tangles she was gathering along the way.

She almost didn’t notice the pup too, head too busy looking downwards, but something caught her eye, and she looked up, and would find him there. His platform giving him the vantage of looking down on her. He was dark-shaded, with a line of white under his eye. She startled in surprise, was he related to her? “Hello?” She asked cautiously.

He should have been training by now, and he’d made it to the little puppy party that had been called but he still didn’t feel like he knew very much. Still, he wanted to be a warrior and help Song in his crafting. Maybe his brother would train beside him, since their dad’s death he’d felt removed from everyone more than he should have. They needed to band together during such a hard time, but here he was going on an adventure and trying to forget.

It was easier to forget when the older girl came into view, she was a bit taller than he was but they’d likely be the same height when he was fully grown. Océan tilted his head curiously as she approached, not seeing him until the last possible moment when she looked up to him. He blinked back at her quietly, silver eyes meeting blue and lavender. ”Hello.” He returned back, tail beginning to wag at his hips. ”Who are you?” He asked her a follow up question, not thinking to introduce himself.

The Destruction girl curled her lip up into a partial smile as the pup gave a tail wag and returned a greeting. She was surprised the young one was out here by himself, then supposed she wasn’t much older herself. She had been… she had… she buried the thought of where she had been when she was his age. Instead, she swallowed, and pushed out her smile again.

“I’m Motif Destruction, from Abaven, who are you?” she returned. If they were related, this would be her chance to find out. She figured the odds with 50/50 with that colouration. She likely had a lot of family she didn’t know about, what with the way Rhyme was estranged from his family… his other family, the half that didn’t matter because who wanted someone around that didn’t love their sweet puppa.

He liked the girl’s soft smile, oddly reminded of his father’s memory. Maybe it wasn’t incredibly odd, Océan thought his father to have been everything good in this world. If this she wolf had a piece of that in her he could honor his father’s memory in their interaction. For a moment he looked back up to see his escort, and Song’s white form was visible a ways off. He could continue what he was doing.

Her name was Motif, and she was from the pack that Winterfell had just went to raid. His silver eyes opened wider as his grin grew over his dark features. ”Hello, Motif.” Océan greeted her again softly, his voice light despite his size. ”I’m Océan Ancora-Desrosiers!” He announced proudly as he lifted his head, though his voice was still soft. ”I’m from Winterfell. My friend Song has been telling me all about the raid.” He told her as he looked around for a way down to her level.

The boy carefully made his way down, his curiosity obviously taking hold of him tightly. ”Did you fight?” He asked with mystified eyes. Someday he was going to be a good fighter and he would raid. First he had to get over his fear of brawling...

She chuckled as he greeted her again, this time with her name attached. He gave his own name, and she would hear from his family name that they had no relation. Interesting, and intriguing, that there could be wolves out there that shared some of the same colouration as her own family.

She blinked in surprise when he mentioned Winterfell, and how his friend had been telling him all about it. She nodded her head slowly, wincing slightly at the memory. “I did. I fought Tsunami, but I didn’t want to hurt her, so I guess I didn’t really try. She won” Motif explained, perhaps giving a little too much detail with her words. But he looked so interested, and he made his way down, coming closer to her. He was just a little thing, but she suspected he had a lot of growing to do.

He made her smile, and Océan decided he liked her laugh. The young boy would have to try and continue to make her do so. He grinned back and joined her on the ground. His dark tail wagged at his hips as he enjoyed his meeting with this stranger. Not stranger, new friend. He’d never met anyone outside the pack before but so far he liked talking to Motif.

Silver eyes grew wide and his mouth opened in awe as she admitted her participation. He hardly noticed that she lost, what excited him was that she had been allowed to join in. ”You fought!” He announced excitedly. ”You will do better next time.” He assured her with a wag of his tail and an innocent grin. ”I can’t wait until I’m good enough to join the raids. Poppa would be so proud of me.” He offered with emotion as thoughts of his recently deceased father filled him.

She bit back another laugh, being around young wolves was good for her. Their enthusiasm was so innocent and sweet. It made her feel old, even if she hadn’t been acting it lately. A part of her wanted to shelter him from the world, to keep him and others like him from feeling the hurts she did. That was what Abaven had been all about of course. Shaye, and now Theory, fought for those wolves, and they always would. It was why she would always be proud to be a part of Abaven.

“I bet he will” she agreed, not hearing the past tense in his words. “Though maybe lets hope there's not a new raid anytime soon” it had hurt Abaven moral, to have what should have been their allies attacking them.

He could tell that he was getting much more excited about everything than she was so the youngster tried to tone it down. Océan wasn’t usually a boisterous child, but talking about the raid with Motif brought it out of him. Talking about his dad didn’t help anything either, Feli’s memory sombered him and he seemed to sink into his seat as Motif answered and told him that his father would indeed be proud of him. The boy forgot about the raid and averted his silver gaze away from Motif.

”Do you think he’ll be proud from heaven?” He asked quietly, dragging one paw over the ground nervously as he asked his heartbreaking question. Océan missed his father and wished desperately he was still here with him.