Once again Hanako found herself beside the sea, sitting all dainty and proper with paws crossed as the sun slipped beneath the horizon. The sky was blaring mix of orange and red hues, similar to the spots that littered her coat. It was then she wondered if this was where she'd gotten the colours from, had she stolen them from a twilight sky? She smiled at the thought and her tail swished behind her, leaving streaks in the shimmering black sand.

Though she couldn't quite put her paw on it, there was something about the ocean that called out to her, provoking a feeling of longing she didn't quite understand. It was all rather silly, of course, and she quickly chalked it down to the fact that like any young girl she liked pretty things. But...well, she liked to daydream and though she couldn't remember much of her parents she knew  for a fact that she didn't look like them. That for some reason or another she was different and maybe, just maybe she was like this for a reason. The sky and the ocean surely had nothing to do with it but again, a girl could dream right? That's all it was, harmless daydreams, idle thoughts that swam through her mind like fish in a stream.

It was almost strange how quiet and subdued she was, the last time she'd been on a beach she'd been prancing around without a care in the world. But now it seemed as though it'd be a waste to just let this moment pass by, to ignore the spectacle that was laid out before her in all its shining glory. Besides, it was getting late so it didn't seem like a good idea to get all exciteable and worked up before she settled down for the night. Instead, Hanako pulled in a long steadying breath as she inhaled the salty sea air. Of all of the places to be she was glad that she was here, that fate had nudged her down this path.

The dawning of spring brought along his second year with it. He didn't feel much different than he did in the end of his yearling days, but he still acknowledged the fact that he was officially an "adult", even though he wasn't sure how that changed anything in his life. Perhaps how he should take the ranks he was working for in the pack more seriously now or maybe he should be training even harder... but for today he was going to enjoy a bit of time to himself for his birthday. He didn't often go looking for alone time or adventure very far from his mother, but the spring weather was lovely and he felt like it was only right to enjoy it.

The gray and white male followed the quiet crashing of the ocean waves, the sound getting louder and louder until the dark sands came into view. He was a bit surprised by the blackness of the sands since it was so unlike any beach he had come across before, but it made the trip out this way feel all the more worth it. At the very least he was getting to see some new and unusual sites while he was out. It also helped to give him a more distinct land mark in his mind so he would be able to find his way back here again. Maybe he could bring his cousins out here on a short day trip at some point - especially now that Aunt Daelos and her daughters had come to live in Valhalla as well.

Distracted by his quiet musing and planning, he didn't immediately notice the speckled woman as he began to walk along the shore. It wasn't until he finally pulled his muted pink gaze away from the sands in front of his paws that his eyes landed on her and he paused for a moment. Her unusual patterns and coloring might have taken him aback more if he had come across her prior to meeting Regulus and Aurielle, but after meeting more of his mother's family unusual coat colors don't seem nearly as strange as they once had. As it was, it mostly just made him intrigued by her and he debated for a moment whether he wanted to bother her. After all, she seemed awfully peaceful and he'd hate to disrupt her if she had come here specifically to be alone.

His friendly, personable nature finally won out though and continued down the length of the shore toward her. "Hello there," he said in greeting as he got closer, making sure to say something before he was close enough to startle her with his presence. He kept a respectful distance, the manners he was taught firmly implanted in his actions. "Sorry to bother you. I was just walking by and thought I'd stop to say hello." That was as good a reason as any, right? "I'm Nolan."

"Speech" Thought

Any other wolf would have been alarmed, frustrated that they'd allowed a stranger to sneak up on them, but not Hanako. She thought nothing of it as she turned, her ears tilting a little as she faced the newcomer. To say that she was naive was a massive understatement, but considering her upbringing it wasn't entirely her fault. Being alert and on her toes was such a foreign concept to her, so much so that it didn't even occur to her that she could've been in danger, that she'd needlessly put her life on the line time and time again. And would continue to do so till it bit her on the arse.

Instead she studied him from nose to tail and noted that he was much larger than her, by at least 8 inches or so. His coat was a soft mix of greys and whites, and his face was sharp and handsome, accented by pastelly pink eyes. Her gaze then wandered to the necklace that lined his throat, all shiny and gold with a pendant that was a very close match to the colour of his eyes. Rather belatedly she took a sniff and realised that he was a pack wolf, not from the Armada of course but it didn't matter much to her either way. He seemed nice enough, friendly and calm and Hanako found herself following suit. No better way to make friends than give them a taste of their own sweet medicine, right? The habit was so ingrained in her that she didn't even realise that she was doing it, that she couldn't tell where her personality ended and where the facade began.

"Oh hi!" She shook her head, quick to wave his worries away. "You're not bothering me at all."

Then she patted the sand beside her with a sweep of her tail, inviting him to come take a seat. Unlike her meeting with Azure she didn't feel the need to offer this man any grand shows of respect or submission. In a situation like this it'd no doubt come across as a bit strange and Hanako had been instructed to think long and hard about how she wanted other's to perceive her.

"Honestly, I'm sort of glad you did. I'd feel a little selfish if I kept this view all to myself, it's beautiful isn't it?" And then she dipped her head in acknowledgement of his name. "I'm Hanako."

He was very pleased to see that his slightly sudden appearance beside her hadn't startled her. In fact, she seemed surprisingly calm and happy at his greeting. Nolan's signature friendly, slightly lopsided smile spread across his muzzle when she mentioned that she was happy to share the view. He was more than willing to take the silent invitation she had given him with her tail, sitting back onto his haunches beside her. Now that he was close enough to really make out her features he was quite struck with how lovely she was. The blue of her eyes really contrasted with the red and black patterns that were splashed across her white coat. "A pleasure to meet you, Hanako," he replied when she introduced herself in return, committing the unique name to memory.

After a moment he allowed his rose colored gaze to turn toward the wide open ocean view ahead of them and gave a small nod to confirm her earlier comment about the view. "It really is very beautiful. Beaches are some of my favorite views - that and mountains. I was just thinking how interesting this beach is as well when I was walking down it a moment ago. I've never seen a black beach like this before. Although, there wasn't really many ocean beaches where I grew up either... mostly just lakes and rivers." He suddenly felt like he was beginning to ramble so he tried to stop himself, though he wasn't sure how successful he would be. It was his natural inclination to fill the silence, especially when he was meeting someone new. He let his eyes shift back to her after a beat of that quiet that he wasn't sure how to handle, offering her another smile. "What about you? Do you have any favorite places?"

He wasn't sure what had gotten into him today. Sure, he wasn't necessarily the most suave and confident male out there, but something about her striking looks really seemed to bring his nerdy, uncertain tendencies fully to the surface. He tried to reign it in a bit and let himself focus on her response instead of worrying about if he was making a fool of himself or not. Hopefully she didn't notice or maybe it was all just in his head and he was worrying over nothing.

"Speech" Thought

Hanako listened, her ears tipping forward in an obvious show of interest. She had always been a good listener and even without all of her training it just came naturally to her, like following the flow of a river. That wasn't to say that she was incapable of taking the incentive and leading conversations, but it always felt like she was fighting against a current, that if she made the wrong step she'd be swept away and her reputation torn to shreds. But as Nolan rambled on she smiled, her eyes narrowing into happy little squints. Whether he realised it or not, his excitable mood was awfully contagious. But more than that, it like a breath of fresh air to know that Hanako didn't have to worry about the weight of her words around him, that she could be as open and as free as she pleased.

She noticed him attempt to bite back on the urge to keep on rambling and Hanako was smushed by a warm, fuzzy sense of endearment. It was just so reassuring that she'd found someone who could appreciate pretty scenery in the same way she did, even if she was little more subdued about it.

"Mm I feel the same, I've travelled a lot too but never seen anything quite like this." She sighed wistfully, wondering what else she'd missed out on too. "Hmm, my favourite?"

She had to think about that. Having travelled so far for so long there were plenty of places that sprung to mind, but none of them really stuck out as her favourite. This beach was really close to the top, a leading contender but to claim it as her favourite now just seemed like a bit of a cop out, like she wasn't even trying. But she did want to try, if not for herself then for Noah.

"I don't think I've found it yet. But I think it'd be something like..." She then saw it in her minds eye and she began to babble on, just as Nolan had before. Her tail wagged, all fast and earnest. "A big pond,  or maybe a little lake with lots of trees. Hidden but not too much, just somewhere safe and quiet. Have you ever been somewhere like that?" She turned to him, a hopeful gleam shining in her eyes.

Her attentive listening and the smile she gave him helped to ease a lot of his nerves and anxiety. His rambling, eager speech didn't seem to bother her - if anything she seemed to be responding positively to it so it encouraged him to not try to pull himself back. It made a slightly relieved smile tug at his muzzle and made him happy that one of his few interactions outside of the pack was off to a good start. He had never thought of himself as a nervous guy, but he also realized that he had never really approached a stranger on his own before.

He was just as eager to hear her thoughts on the topic and his ears were perked forward to listen. It was nice to hear that he wasn't the only one that was surprised by this place with it's surprisingly dark sands. Even though he had recently made a pretty drastic move from where he was raised to living in Valhalla, he still hadn't seen that much of the world. Seeing this place did encourage him and give him a bit of inspiration. Maybe travel and exploration would be a more common thing in his life now - once he wasn't as worried about being him with his mother as much.

When she started to describe what her favorite place might look like he smiled and nodded in agreement. A calm lake with trees sounded like a great place to be. It would be peaceful and relaxing and he was sure somewhere like that would have plenty of options for food as well. His head tipped thoughtfully to the side and he hummed to himself as he tried to think through all of the places he had seen so far - which unfortunately wasn't many. He really didn't want to disappoint her and he wished he could automatically tell her yes and offer to show her, but he wasn't sure if he honestly could.

"There was a place similar to that where I was raised, but it's pretty far from here..." he mused. "It's not really a lake or a pond, but there is a place near the pack I live in that has lots of trees and it's more secluded than some other places I've been. It's kind of a wet land and has lots and lots of birds so if you like listening to birds sing then it's really nice to visit. I also heard there's a really pretty oasis in the desert on the other side of our territory that has a big, clear pool of water surrounded by palm trees that I've been wanting to visit! I haven't been in this continent all that long so I haven't gotten to explore much yet, but I'd really like to go see some more sights eventually. I've just been so busy taking care of my mother so I haven't had a lot of time yet."

"Speech" Thought

Hanako leaned forward, captivated by his words as her tail happily thumped the sand. The soft flow of Nolan's voice made it easy for her mind to set the scene and when she closed her eyes she could see it all clear as day; the ground was all wet and marshy, with long grass than swayed gently in the wind. She even tipped her ears forward as though she'd be able to hear the birdsong if she just listened hard enough. Hanako sighed, smitten. But before she could ask for more info he mentioned another location, an oasis hidden in the depths of some far off desert and once again she was enthralled, the bird-filled marsh forgotten.

As though it would help her absorb his words even faster, Hanako scooted a little closer to Nolan till their shoulders were almost touching. By then only a slither of the sun was still visible, barely peaking over the ocean as though it was snooping in on their conversation. The stars, on the other hand, were just starting to reveal themselves, shining and sparking like the black sand beneath her paws.

"I've never seen an oasis before. Maybe we could go together one day, that'd be fun." She wasn't exactly sure how that would work, or even if she'd be allowed to, but Hanako wanted to believe that they could visit the oasis together some day. Even if it was a long while off. She would have kept up the light mood but then he mentioned his mother and her brows smushed in a show of concern."Oh I hope she's alright. But it's a little sad you haven't had the chance to explore as much as you want to. I know how that feels."

And that wasn't an exaggeration. Sure, she travelled a lot but she'd always been following in the wake of her Keepers, going wherever they said she needed to be. It was only in Boreas that she was able to pick a direction and head that way, the sense of freedom nearly bowled her over at first but she quickly began to love it, like it was her dirty little secret.

Nolan almost didn't notice how she had shifted closer to his side. He was throughly enjoying describing these places to her, especially since she seemed to be so enthralled by the descriptions that he honestly felt couldn't quite capture the beauty of the places he was trying to convey. It wasn't really until she spoke to offer that they might visit the oasis together one day that he finally noticed how much closer her pretty form was to his. It made a soft blush pull to his cheeks which was luckily hidden by the shadowy night that was starting to fall around them. He swallowed before he spoke again, hoping that he wouldn't stutter his words and grateful when they were delivered as he intended. His voice grew a bit more soft and hopeful, wondering if the warmth in his chest came across as strongly in his expression. "Yeah, that would be fun. I'd really enjoy getting to see it with you."

Was that too much to say to a wolf he had just met? It didn't feel like too much in the moment. He felt like he was constantly worrying that he might do something to disturb this peaceful moment, but so far things seemed to be going well. He didn't know how long she wanted to remain here and talk with him, but he didn't want to be the one to part ways even though he knew his mother would be wondering where he had gone off to by now. Speaking of... "She's okay, but she's a bit older and has been sick for a long time," he explained a bit solemnly. "I'm her only son so I try to help her when I can." He knew how badly his mother wanted him to still get out and experience life so that she wouldn't feel like she was holding him back, but it always felt like there would be plenty of time for that later. There were only so many days left before he lost her.

He gave a small shake of his head and pulled a warm smile back onto his muzzle, giving a small motion with his muzzle toward the sky. "There's lots of stars out now. I bet if we both wish on one of them that we'll get to explore and see the world then it will definitely come true."

"Speech" Thought

Hanako wished more of her encounters were like this, calm and peaceful without having to go through the motions of small talk. Sure, it had its place but going 'hey how are you, where are you from' over and over got old fast. If anything, Nolan felt like close old friend, as though they'd known each other for months not moments. The fact that he was clearly so at ease around her solidified that feeling and the warmth of his words rolled over her like sweet honey. It should have dawned on her that maybe she was leading him along, toying with his affections but Hanako-for as easy as she made it seem- had very little experience with matters of the heart. Not only was she still young and dumb but she'd never been given the chance to explore either,  having always been kept on a short leash by her Keepers.

"She's lucky to have you." Because if she was being completely honest, Hanako wasn't sure if she had the patience to do that. Or at least to keep it up as long as Nolan clearly had.

And then at Nolan's direction she looked to the night sky and her eyes shone with wonder, like stars reflecting off an frozen over pond. In typical Nolan fashion, his idea was as pretty as the night sky itself and Hanako's gaze roved over the horizon as she looked for the one. Only the biggest and brightest star would do, anything less and it would surely put the wish in jeopardy of not coming true. She hmmed as she looked for it, her eyes narrowing in focus only to widen when she saw it, lingering in the centre of the sky and shining as bright as could be.

"That one." She gently nudged his shoulder to get his attention then pointed it out with her front left paw.

Locking eyes with Nolan, Hanako dipped her head 3 times, silently counting down to one so that they could think their wish at the exact same time. She would have uttered it aloud but everyone knew that if you did that or told someone what your wish was then it'd never come true. She wasn't sure why it came with so many rules and stipulations, but who was she to judge the stars? The silence lingered on and Hanako was reluctant to break it, her ears tipped forward as she listened to the soft hiss of the ocean that was wonderfully accented by the flow of Nolan's breathing. In and out, both the waves and his breaths.

When she finally did speak her words were led by a smirk. "So when the day comes where will I find you? Or are you gonna hunt me down instead?"

Either way it sounded like fun, a harmless game of cat and mouse.

When she told him that his mother was lucky to have him he gave a small, uncertain smile and nothing more. He liked to think that he was doing the best he could for her, but he never felt certain about it. She was his mother after all - wasn't he supposed to care for her the same way that she had cared for him? He had promised his father before he passed away that he would do everything he could for her, but... Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to be more care free like some other wolves his age. He wasn't resentful by any means, but sometimes he was curious and occasionally the thought crossed his mind.

He watched as she looked up at the sky, clearly taking his suggestion very seriously. He had a hard time looking away from her as she gazed up at the night sky, the cool light from the moon and stars casting a lovely light upon her features. She was captivating in a way he hadn't really experienced before and it really wasn't until she had made her selection and nudged him to get his attention back to the task at hand that he finally looked away. His pale pink gaze lifted to focus on the star she had chosen, picking it out fairly easily as she pointed to it. Indeed, she had done a fine job choosing the brightest star in the sky.

His eyes met with hers once again and with her silent count down he made his wish as well. It had felt like a silly suggestion when he made it, but now it felt like the most meaningful moment in his short life. He knew he was far too invested and reading much more into this simple moment, but when sweet, meaningful moments like this were few and far between it made them even more impactful. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to get this silly smile off his face and he wasn't really sure he wanted to. This had been a nice escape - no matter how short or fleeting it might have been.

He chuckled softly when she asked about where he would be or if he would come to find her. "I live in the west in a pack called Valhalla if you decide you want those adventures sometime before I'm able to find you again," he replied, leaving the invitation open for either option. He would certainly be happy if their paths crossed again, but he knew life could be twisted and fickle. Hopefully it would let him have this one thing and let him find Hanako again. "Thank you for sharing this beach with me," he added and after a beat of slightly nervous hesitation he leaned down to press his nose to her cheek before rising to his paws. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew he really should have been back by now. "See you soon!" he called back over his shoulder as he turned to leave despite really knowing if it was true or not. Wishful thinking and all that.

"Speech" Thought

Hanako nodded, storing the pack name and it's location somewhere safe in the back of her mind. She'd never really explored much of Boreas yet so his directions didn't really mean a lot to her now but that didn't mean it would always be the case. She was pretty sure that given a enough time she'd probably find a reason to wander that way, and if she saw Nolan again then...she'd really like that. In her not so humble opinion there weren't nearly enough friendly wolves around, those who liked to indulge in her softly softly approach. Sure, small talk was nice but moments like this where the world was at it's prettiest were few and far between. She almost didn't want to let him go. Words lingered on the tip of her tongue, she could have easily asked to stay and he might have but...Hanako simply leaned into his touch and allowed him press his nose against her cheek. A very sweet gesture if she'd ever seen one.

Hanako climbed to her paws, her toes digging into the black sand as she watched him go, heading west just as he'd described.

"See you then!" She called out to him, her tail wagging high as though it was waving farewell.