Avantika, the foundling, had been with them for a few days. The pups seemed to have taken well to her and she seemed to be acclimating somewhat. Because of her fearful state, Resin had given the girl her space. It was time though to take her aside and have a talk. Though she was a child and she was not of Resins blood, that didn't mean that the girl didn't have free will. If she wished to go elsewhere, she could. If she wished to stay with The Hallows, then there would be rules and she would need to know them. The giant, scarred woman was up early as always. She had run her first bit of patrol with Artorias and had come back to drop the boy off so that he could finish his training. Since she was here, she would seek out Avantika and have her finish the patrol alongside her. They would get to know one another and they could talk about what the girl wanted. Having sent the charcoal and blue boy off to finish his training, the maned woman moved in close to the den. Rather than go inside, she simply called out in her low, gravelly tones. "Avantika, follow me." She expected her request to be obeyed. Hopefully the girl was awake, though she knew some of the other pups might be sleeping in as always. "Speech"

Avantika was awake, although her eyes were closed and she was curled up as if she was. It was chilly out that early morning. It would have been warmer if she'd slept with the other puppies. But that wasn't going to happen. Not for a while, at least. She liked being alone at the end of the day. The last few weeks had been the most amount of time she'd ever been around other wolves. The noise, the smells, the chaos of it left her feeling overstimulated sometimes. Since she'd started learning to fight with Rudy, she practiced as a way to calm it all down. Somehow the action of it cooled her off and left her feeling all smooth inside, like the smell of the ground after a storm. She had practiced her form the night before, her lips peeling away from her teeth, though she didn't growl in fear that someone would hear her, and forced herself to stand as big and tall as possible. She'd stretched her muscles and dragged around her bed in her jaws. It definitely wasn't strenuous exercise, but she didn't know how to find anything better to do. She was still laying, contemplating what she should do that day, when Resin ordered her out. Instantly she froze. Her stomach churned. She yanked herself up to her feet. Was she going to make her leave? What had changed? What had she done wrong? Tail between her legs and head down, the pup slinked outside. She turned her eyes up to the woman, forcing herself to look her in the eye. She was so big and strong. And those scars. Avantika wondered again how she had come by them. And what had happened to the one who'd given them to her. "Hi." Rudy. Bowen. All the wolves I haven't even met yet. She would miss them. "speak"

Fear emanated from the girl and Resin furrowed her brow. Avantika had been with them for a few days. She should have known by now that this was a safe place. It seemed that she would have to remind the girl. "You don't need to be afraid. I just want you to walk with me." With a pull of her blocky skull, she motioned for the multi-hued girl to follow. The giant woman kept her pace slow and leisurely so it wouldn't be much of a strain for the pup to keep up. Following one of the well worn paths, Resin led them both to a quiet spot beside the river that wound its way to the falls. Once there, the ashen fae settled down upon her stomach, giving her body a stretch as she did so. She then turned her singular gaze upon the pup. "I hear that you've made friends with some of the pups." Bowen liked the girl and Rudyard couldn't shut up about her. "Tika, they call you. Do you like that name?" Obsidian ears perked as she waited for an answer. If the girl liked the name, then Resin would use it as well. Turning her head, Resin looked out over the river. She felt that it would make the girl more at east if she wasn't being stared at. "I hope that you like it here, Avantika. I understand that you're frightened and I'm not sure why, but I can only assume that bad things happened to you before I found you." She turned her head again, fixing the girl with her lone, sulfur yellow eye. "I won't keep you here against your will. If you wish to go find your family, you may do so. However, if you wish to stay here with us and be part of my family, you won't have to worry about being hurt again." The child held all of the signs of someone that had been abused. Again, Resin wished that she could sink her teeth into the ones that turned what should have been a happy pup into a fearful child. "So what do you want, Avantika? The choice is yours." "Speech"

The girl half-cowered, waiting for a reply. While the time was really nothing at all, it felt almost excruciating to her. She hated not knowing things. Especially things as vitally important as this. Her velvet blue eyes narrowed, and her tail pressed even further against her stomach. 'You don't have to be afraid,' Resin said. But was it true? Avantika wished she could see the future, to know what would happen. That would make this so much easier. But, of course, that wasn't possible. She could only use her own observations about the world and the people in it, and those observations were somewhat inconclusive so far. On the one hand, her parents, the ones she doubted she would ever really be able to talk about, but, on the other, Rudy and Bowen, and even Resin herself. They had been kind to her. They had taken her in and talked to her. But then, that could change. She probably wasn't good enough for them. She followed the woman obediently. Wherever she ended up after this, she knew she couldn't fight Resin with her amateur fighting "skills". She knew very little about anything resembling real battle. A little sparring with another kid even younger than she didn't count. It was best to obey and not risk punishment in situations like this. At least she knew that. It was all she knew. Cowering and hiding and groveling before everyone she saw. It had helped her survive so far, but she couldn't suppress a twinge of bitterness. Regardless, this was now. She only had to worry about now at this moment. So she'd obey. Grovel as hard as she could if necessary. It was all she could do. She'd listen and be the very best she could be, and then she'd be okay in the end. Hopefully. They arrived at a spot beside the river, and Resin stopped. Avantika took a step back as the woman lay down before her. She remained standing. Well, crouching, but that was basically like standing to her at this point. She smiled nervously as she spoke about the other pups. Bowen and Rudy, Rudy and Bowen. For some reason, she started thinking their names like a chant. Or maybe more like a prayer. She didn't know any gods or had even heard about the concept of them in general, but whatever void people cast her wishes into had to have listened to her once, or she wouldn't be here. Not that she had specifically wished to leave the palace caves, but the point was there. If she could stay, it would be the closest thing to blissful heaven she could know. Oh, how she wanted to stay! She wondered what Resin meant by talking about how the others liked her. And asking her if she liked being called "Tika"? That seemed to imply that she would see her again. Otherwise, why would she care what to call her? Her heart thumped. Don't get your hopes up, she warned herself. The air could still turn. Nothing really lasted, and nothing was perfect. That was just life, so she couldn't be happy until everything was decided. And if she had to leave, she'd figure out something to do then too. She'd be fine as long as she remained cold and impassive. While it had seemed like hours of pondering in her mind, there wasn't more than a few seconds pause between Resin's question and her reply, a quiet "Sure," that was as achingly neutral as an agreement could be. She liked being called that nickname mostly because the other kids called her that. Bowen had even said that nicknames meant two people were friends. Was Resin a friend? She seemed too old and strange for that. Avantika didn't think she was bad, exactly. But didn't friends have to trust each other? She trusted no one really, yet, so definitely not someone who could break her neck with one snap of her jaws. Maybe she should be her friend, just to make sure she'd like her. Although that was more like a fake friend. Was that okay? The woman looked away from her, and the ocean-eyed foundling almost sighed in relief. That one eye was strong. It felt like gazing at the sun sometimes when she looked at her. Resin kept talking. Most of it wasn't too easy to decipher, but she garnered the meaning in a way that at least looked right. The word "bad" tugged her off track, and down to times when she'd heard that word before, pointed like a knife straight at her. She shivered from more than the chill then. But it wasn't about her now. From what she heard, bad was other things. Things that had happened to her. She stood in silence, thinking about that. It was bad. It made her feel bad. She was scared all the time there. More scared than she was now. She was hungry and thirsty and bored out of her mind and a million other things like that even when she had a break from being really terrified. Yes, it was bad. She didn't want to think about it, even though she wasn't there anymore. Maybe she'd never know how she'd ended up so far away from the palace, but she was grateful that she had. Grateful like she hadn't ever been before. So grateful she wanted to howl it from the highest rock in the world, just so everyone knew. Soul grateful. Maybe that was why it was so crushing to think about leaving the one sanctuary she'd ever known. When Resin looked back at her with that bright yellow eye, she tensed, and her nerves spiked again. Then she spoke, and Avantika's mouth gaped in amazement. If you wish to stay here. It was true! She wanted to scream, or dance, or run right into the woman and never leave her side. She would repay her for eternity if she had to. The Hallows, her--she could barely even think it--new home. It couldn't be perfect, nothing ever could be, but it was the closest thing she'd ever get. It was hers. Resin and Bowen and Rudy, Rudy and Bowen and Resin. Everyone she hadn't met yet, other than scents and little cameos in her vision. All of it. All of them. She would never give them up. She couldn't imagine ever wanting to. This was all she needed. Love and affection and joy. She would return the favor with everything in her. She realized she'd forgotten to reply. Eyes shining with stars and elation, and her body not cringing anymore but standing as confidently as anyone could and telegraphing her happiness in every little detail, she spoke. "I want to stay. With all." Even her language troubles couldn't sour the moment for her. She still could barely take it in. She was home. "speak" Word count: 1,127

Resin could see the anxiety in the rigidity of the girls frame. Though she admitted that she liked the name Tika, she still maintained her frightened state. "Tika," Resin used the name that had been gifted to her by the children. "You're safe." The grey and black woman felt the need to reassure the frightened child. The giantess tried to put herself in the childs pawprints. She was young. She was alone. She had been abused, Resin was sure. It was obvious that whatever family she belonged to hadn't spent any time with her. Though older than the pups, her speech was that of a toddler. The girl was filled with such blatant anxiety and fear... it disgusted the woman. Not the child herself, but the fact that she had been allowed to become this way. Each wolf had its own personality. Some were naturally skittish, others were confident and strong. But this... Tika had been made this way. And Resin hated it. When asked if she wanted to stay, it was the first time that the multi-hued girl showed any sort of backbone. She vehemently said yes and the scarred woman smiled. "I'm glad." It was good to see that Tika wasn't just telling Resin what she wanted to hear. "Since you want to stay, you can be part of my family if you'd like. A good family." She made sure to pound that part in. Resin fixed the girl with that singular eye once more, the promise of her words pouring from its citrine depths. "I'll keep you safe, Tika." The girl needed to know that she didn't have to be afraid anymore. It would take time, but Resin hoped that she would eventually grow out of her fearfulness. In that moment, the normally brusque and stoic woman wished to pull the child into an embrace. She wished to show her the love and care that she had been denied, but she believed that it was too soon. No doubt Tika's trust had been shattered again and again. The Aegis could wait to show her affections until the girl came to her. That brought her to the next matter of business. "What would you like to learn?" Obsidian ears swiveled forward as she questioned the girl. "Artorias is focused on battle. Rudyard is focused on hunting. Bowen is going to be a traveler." The ashen fae gave her head a slight tilt. "What do you want?" The girl was already behind in her studies, having been neglected so before she was found. Despite her anxious and fearful nature, if she was going to be part of the pack, and more importantly part of Resin's family, she was going to have to hone at least one skill. If she was ambitious, Resin would help her learn and perfect many. "Speech"

The world felt blurry and somehow soft, like someone had stuffed cotton balls into her ears. She couldn't focus as Resin welcomed her in to the family. A good family, she made a point to emphasize. Even Avantika noticed that. The bubble of sunshine in her belly grew and grew until she felt like she might actually be glowing from happiness. The gray woman's gaze was becoming less and less threatening as she grew used to its intensity. Someday maybe she'd be bold enough to ask her about her scars. She was pretty old, from the look of it. Older than anyone else she'd seen before, probably. They could have come from separate incidents. It didn't really matter now, regardless. She remained standing where she was. Reaching out for physical affection wasn't exactly on her radar right then. She didn't really know that it was something others might want. She was a solitary creature, not by nature but by nurture. She'd have to be nurtured right back out of the hole of loneliness she was unwittingly trapped in. Avantika pondered Resin's next question for a moment. What would she like to learn about most? All of a sudden, she realized it wasn't so difficult to answer at all. She enjoyed sparring with Rudy that time, and even practicing on her own. Fighting was a skill she could bet on needing eventually, anyway. She never wanted to feel helpless again. And it wasn't like it wasn't fun. She'd enjoy it even more if she was better at it. "Fighting." She offered up a shy smile. "But--uh... talking, too." It would be so much easier to be around people if she knew more words. "speak"

The girls entire demeanor seemed to change when she came to the realization that she would be a welcome member of the family. She wouldn't have to leave. Tika could stay with the Hallows for as long as she wished. Resin wanted the girl to have a home. A home where she was properly cared for, taught, and loved. Whoever had been tasked with this so far had failed miserably. The negligence was horribly obvious and would take some time to undo. Tika would have to be taught all over again. As the child shared her thoughts as to what she wanted to do, Resin grinned. "Fighting is something that I can teach you. Speaking will come with practice, but we can work on that as well." Black backed ears shifted forward as she stared at the girl. "Did your old family teach you anything?" Though it might make the girl uncomfortable if Resin pried, she needed to know a bit about her background. She needed to know what she was working with and what needed to be undone. "Speech"

Avantika noticed Resin's grin as she decided on fighting. How many people in this darn pack liked to fight? She supposed that that wasn't a bad thing. They could protect themselves and each other. Maybe they'd even protect her. That was a nice thought, though it, as always, came with a shudder of anxiety that it would never happen. Shh, she told herself. Resin invited you in, and the other kids are nice. They're good. They care about people. It was rational. Even beyond a reasonable doubt. Avantika liked to think she was a logical girl. Facts always base-lined her, made her feel calm and like there was something she could trust. She used them to orient herself after panic attacks. But the color of the grass or the sky was very different from other people's minds. Those she couldn't be completely sure of, even if one conclusion made total sense to her. People were different. Or maybe it was just her that was different. She added that to the list of things she wanted to learn. People. She wouldn't tell anyone. Who could even teach her? It would be best for her to study on her own. Resin asked if Avantika's old family had taught her anything. She hesitated. Not purposefully. The answer flickered like a candle in her brain. Her young childhood wasn't something she wanted to think about now, so she hurried to say something. "Not--Not much." She smiled, but now it wasn't from joy. She'd learned things on her own, often even because of her parents, but she couldn't remember them ever sitting down and teaching her directly. "speak"

Avantika's demeanor was still one of a beaten child. In time it would shift, she hoped, into a confident young girl. Resin would simply have to be patient and remind the child that she was indeed safe. It took Tika a while to answer questions sometimes and the girl seemed easily lost in thought. Resin could surmise that it was because she'd had to tread so carefully in her old home, but she wouldn't know for sure unless she asked. In this case, she wouldn't. She would give Tika time to acclimate and wouldn't bombard her with unnecessary questions. Eventually the girl admitted that her family hadn't taught her much. No surprise there. It seemed as though they may have ignored the girl's existence beyond possibly beatings. She was too skittish to not have received punishment for one error or another. Resin would teach Tika to defend herself. She would never be in such a situation again. In time, she would thrive in her new environment. "We'll teach you everything that you want to know. The whole pack comes together to teach the young. Whatever field you choose to be interested in, we'll help you. For fighting, you can train with me, Tamsyn or Askan, though he's a little grumpy." The barest smile lifted the woman's maw. She had a soft spot for the spiny little man. "As for your old family..." she began, turning fully to look at the girl. "If they come looking for you, they'll meet my teeth. The Hallows will keep you safe. I will keep you safe." Resin would turn this girl into a little warrior. That would be a slap in the faces of those that had tried to keep her under their neglectful paws. "Speech"

Resin took Avantika's depressing answer in stride. She simply informed her that the pack would teach her everything she needed to know. As the young castaway heard her leader say these reassuring words, a vision of her future began to fall into shape for the first time. She would study fighting from the other pups, Resin, Tamsyn, and... she supposed this "Askan" character could be a resource too. If the gray leader recommended him, then he had to be, right? She would learn and grow and every day she would prove her worth to the Hallows. They were hers now, as strange as it seemed. Not hers to command, no, not even in her wildest fantasies could she imagine herself taking that role. She didn't even want to. Not yet at least. Not for a long, long time. But hers to run with, and fight with, and sleep beside as the nights grew cold. Hers to love. Maybe someday she would make them proud that they had taken her in. Maybe someday she could be as utterly essential to them as they were to her now. And any pack around would know her name, and they would fear her wrath if they ever dared to hurt her family. She was more than a foundling or an abused child. She was potential. It was the debt she had placed upon herself to pay. Her daydreams faded away as Resin spoke again. The word "family" crossed her lips and Avantika subconsciously stiffened. The Hallows are your family now, her inner voice soothed. They mirrored a few of the scarred woman's words. The Hallows will keep you safe. She didn't miss the more personal touch Resin added. The promise of safety provided by her own teeth. It didn't scare her. She liked that it didn't. She took a moment to take it in. "Thank you," she nearly whispered. She stepped forward, trying to muster her courage. "Can--Can we start now? Fighting?" To her gratitude, her voice came out louder and clearer than she had expected, after the brief stutter at the beginning. She'd learned some stuff from Rudy, but Resin had to have been in more fights than him. She would grow from her teaching. "speak"