Change was supposed to be a good thing, but as Ophie stood beside the sloshing river she couldn't help but feel as though it was the same guff, different sand. Try as she might she just couldn't shake her worries and fears, no matter where she went everything felt bad. Off as though the world was tipping to the side, trying to shake her off and throw her off into the void. She liked to travel and the brisk sea air that ruffled her sand dappled coat felt nice after her journey through the desert. Even with her makeshift mud and sand screen and the colder autumn weather it was hot as all heck, getting so bad at times she thought about turning around and heading home. But to what? Faces that ought to be safe and familiar to her felt like strangers, the looks in their eyes making Ophie all anxious and on edge, like they saw her for what she truly was. A coward, a waste of space and fur.

With a tired huff she dipped her paw into the flowing river. The water was brown and mucky, kicked up sand made it unsuitable for drinking. But that didn't stop Ophie from dunking her head beneath the surface, her nostrils flaring as she held her breath and closed her eyes. The sounds that met her ears were somehow both loud and quiet at the same time, present and unescapable, right in her head as the water flowed on by.  She remained as she was, ass in the air, head held underwater as she just listened, letting the sounds fill smother all other senses and thoughts.

A seemingly endless expanse of sand stretched on forever and ever in front of her, and god was Kaija sick of this place. She wanted to climb mountains and see grand, vast forests, not trudge through sand until her legs were about to fall off. She let out an annoyed sigh as she directed herself away from the stretch of sand and moved toward - well, more sand, but here it seemed harder-packed and broken up by little shrubs and cacti. It was mildly more interesting, but barely still. It was hard to get the thought of leaving the west out of her head once it finally arrived - the world was so big and she felt drawn to explore it, but she didn't necessarily want to leave her family either. She didn't really want to choose though. Why couldn't she have both?

She let out an annoyed little huff as she climbed a little mound and faced a muddy, pathetic little river just below. Truthfully she was surprised there was any water there at all but it'd been an unusual wet month so far, and she wasn't sure that was such a good thing. Sand was a pain, but muddy sand was even worse. She paused to stretch her toes out and flick some stuck sand out of them before she trudged on, catching sight of someone up ahead. That someone was a very rotund someone but all she cared about was getting some amusement out of this terrible place. Company was almost always welcome to her. And as she got closer, it became suddenly clear that she knew exactly who this was. This was her friend Ophie! It'd been a long time since she'd seen her but that didn't deter from the wide grin that sudden broke across her features as she bounded forward, nearly stumbling over her own paws as she barrelled toward her - and then straight into her. It was possible she would send both of them sprawling into the water, though Ophie had already been wading in it, it seemed to her.

Ophie was floating, eyes closed and weightless-and then something big and heavy barrelled into her. Sending her legs tumbling skyward as she rolled over, muzzle cutting the surface as she dragged in a startled gasp of air. Sandy water stung at her eyes and she blinked through the discomfort to see a somewhat familiar form. Albeit much larger and bulkier than what she'd been when last they met. Recognition settled in Ophie's chest and she stared wide-eyed, sandy faced as she sat in the stream. The memories rushed back, washing over her as she remembered how they'd met and the fun spar that followed. It was silly, childish but a fond memory that had Ophie yearning for the past. Easier times when making friends came naturally to her, when smiles didn't feel so forced.

She didn't feel quite so bad now that Kaija was here.

Sitting up as much as she could without getting out of the water, Ophie's tail began to wag, kicking up even more dirt beneath the surface. This was a nice change, good and welcome and Ophie didn't have to force the smile that lit up her features. She splashed her friend again for good measure.

"Hey! Long time no see!"

She tackled Ophie and went headfirst into the water herself. It was all sandy and gross, not the kind of place she really wanted to be swimming around in but Kaija often did things without really thinking about the consequences. That was a trait she'd definitely inherited from her father. She got a noseful of water and nearly choked on it when she surfaced, spitting the muck of her mouth and gasping for air when she surfaced again. At least the river was shallow enough to stand in and Kaija quickly pulled herself upright and tried to get a better look at Ophie, now fully soaked. She was glad to run into a friend again - though Kaija was extremely social, she didn't have many wolves she could consider friends, but somehow Ophie fell into that category.

She beamed widely at her, finally moving to the edge of the little river. Her own tail was waving wildly behind her and she didn't bother to contain her excitement. "Yeah, been awhile!" She exclaimed as she batted at the water in retaliation, sending a faint spray in Ophie's direction. They were both yearlings now, having grown into their frames; Kaija was much taller than her friend, but Ophie seemed quite a bit stockier, not that Kaija was all that small herself. Either way they were both kinda grown up now but Kaija certainly didn't feel like it. "Whatcha doing all the way out here? It kinda sucks here," she admitted a bit somberly. Lately she'd been thinking a lot about heading out on her own or tagging along with her dad in his travels, but she wasn't really sure yet.

Ophie's gaze roved over their surroundings. At this time of year it wasn't overly hot, the wind had a bit of a bite to it even here, but she imagined it to arid as all heck during the warmer months. It was the kinda place that had a sort of empty vibe to it, like the spaces between a and b were more pronounced than the rest of Boreas. It wasn't like anything back to the south-east so it did carry a sense of novelty to it, but it was clear Kaija didn't feel the same way. To answer her question though, Ophie wrinkled her nose, a little hesitant. She hadn't run away-more like toddled anyway- but she was hiding from the world, old habits died hard she supposed.

"Felt like stretching my legs. That and um...skipping training." She admitted with a sheepish grin, all tooth with eyes squinting at the corners. It felt safe to admit, Kaija didn't seem like the judgy sort. "So you're from these parts then?" She never thought to ask last time and in honesty she did have a little trouble imagining her living here, especially since she seemed to be of the mind that it sucked.

There was so much more of the world to explore - Kaija wasn't even sure how much. Even her dad hadn't explored all of it, and though she damn sure wanted to try, she just knew she wanted to explore places that weren't like.. this. She didn't love the feeling of sand sticking beneath her paws and the dry air. She wanted to see snow and mountains and big islands. She wanted to see the world from high above, and swim in the clear blue seas. Not... this gross little river. But she was more curious about how Ophie was doing than about her life's potential direction, or lack thereof.

"Skipping training?" Kaija echoed, giving a dismissive shake of her head. "What kind of training? Training sounds boring anyway." Her mom wasn't really the type to force her and her siblings to do much of anything, especially not training, something that Kaija definitely appreciated. She gave her coat another little shake, moving now to escape the shallows and climb back to shore. "Yeah, my pack's just south of here. What about you, though? I didn't think you were from around here," she asked curiously. She pried some muck out from between her toes but didn't bother cleaning herself off yet as she stood near the river's edge.

Ophie remembered the result of their spar and even now could barely believe it. She was no good at fighting, didn't have the drive or interest and her attacks had always been so half-hearted at best. Like she was worried she'd do lasting damage...which in a real fight was kinda the point, no? She took after Zee far more than she even knew, some days she felt like she wasn't related to Sirius at all. Like they were cut from two completely different cloths, to her detriment it seemed.

"Fighting mostly. Last time was a fluke, completely accidental." No lasting damage was done, Kaija was fit as a fiddle from the looks of it.

As if she could see the pack from here, Ophie looked to the south but saw nothing but dry and dusty terrain stretching on as far as her eyes could see. She wondered how different it was from the Armada, what wolves spent their time doing in this part of the world. She knew wolves came from all walks of life, even some of Ashen spoke a strange language Ophie couldn't understand and had weird splotchy coats. Ophie guessed she just wanted to see more, see how it compared to all she knew and was familiar with. Maybe somewhere in the world they wouldn't force her to have a bath or run laps up and down the beach to lose weight. Ugh.

"Oh I'm from back south, kinda to the east, not too far from the battlefield. The Armada is...a warrior pack pretty much, everyone is real strong and trains all day and night. Just feels a bit too much you know? There's more to life than that...I hope." She offered Kaija a derpy grin, hoping to lighten the mood.

Their little spar had been Kaija's first real fight. Ophie had been smaller than her then and she'd been surprised to lose, but she hadn't gotten hurt and she certainly hadn't spent long dwelling on it. Briefly she wondered now how they'd both do if they decided to fight again but Kaija wasn't really feeling up to it, and it didn't sound like Ophie was either. Kaija didn't like this feeling of restlessness - she had the wanderlust of the Jarvela running strong through her veins but feeling indecisive wasn't characteristic of her and she decided she didn't like the feeling.

"Ew," she shook her head dismissively. Her own upbringing wasn't very studious. She honestly didn't get pressured to do much of anything and she knew she was probably not the most valuable pack member, especially compared to her brother Fidelias, but she couldn't really bring herself to care. Life was too short to get caught up on that stuff, and there was just way too much to see and do. Flicking a little more sand off her paws she came to a rest, sliding down to her belly to lay on the sand.

Ophie explained the Armada was a warrior pack. Being a strong warrior sounded cool, she guessed, but training all the time definitely didn't. Kaija frowned a little at the thought. "Yeah, that does sound pretty boring. I've been wondering the same thing, kinda - if I should be off exploring the world rather than sitting around here, you know? My dad does that. He doesn't like the whole pack life thing. He just goes off and does his own thing. Meets whoever he wants, explores all sorts of places," Kaija explained wistfully. The more she considered it, the nicer it was sounding. She wondered if Ophie could relate to all that or if it was just the work that she detested.

Ophie didn't know much about exploration, to be honest. She'd always been a bit of a homebody, smushed down into a muddy puddle or wet sand, but she'd be a liar if the idea of it didn't carry a sense of charm. Something new and shiny to distract her from the woes of all she knew. Kaija certainly had a way with words as she described it, making it seem as though it was a natural, effortless way of life. That wolves who dug in their roots were really missing out, or maybe Ophie was just projecting, who knew?

She let out a dreamy little sigh as she imagined the thrill of it, wandering off and returning to the Armada as an explorer, something her other siblings seemed to hold very little interest in. Finally, a way to set herself apart from the rest. Except it could never be as easy as that, Ophie knew better than to get too carried away. Life wasn't fair or easy, and the thought of leaving her family made her chest ache terribly.

"What's he like? Your Dad, I mean." She asked with a curious tip of her head as she shifted her stance a little, moving so the majority of her weight rested upon her hefty rump. Not very lady like at all but it seemed like trying to be one was a lost cause by now."Must be brave to do that all alone. Strong too."

Kaija knew a lot of what she was saying was probably romanticized. At least in Valhalla she had wolves to lean on if she needed it. If she was hurt, there were wolves who knew medicine and could patch her up; there were wolves to protect her, wolves to hunt for her if she could not. Living on her own was probably a lot harder than she envisioned, and while sometimes it might be more fun she knew it was likely a lot of work too. She sighed, feeling wistful about the whole idea and eager to have a concrete answer, rather than just restless thoughts and dreams.

"He's, umm.." Truthfully Kaija knew her mom better than her dad, but she loved them both just the same. She just didn't see him as much, though as she got older she had the opportunity to if she wanted. "He's really cool. He knows all sorts of stuff about the world, and he even can speak a different language, he's told me a few words. He knows so many cool stories, and has been to so many cool places!" But there were cons too, she supposed. It wasn't always the easiest thing in the world to find him and it'd been awhile now since she'd seen him. He didn't stay tied down or settle in one place for long, so if he ever needed help she wasn't sure where he'd go or what he'd do if he couldn't help himself. "But sometimes he seems a little lonely too, maybe. Or maybe that's me projecting because I'd like to see him more," she admitted with a soft laugh.

"I dunno if I'm that brave. I'd like to think I am. What about you? What are your parents like? Are they all about hard work and training?" Kaija didn't see Ophie as a failure the way she thought of herself; sure, she was a big girl, but who cared? It was what was inside that counted. And she'd never cared for hard work and all that nonsense anyway. There was way more to life than training and following the rules, at least that was what Kaija thought.

It wasn't something Ophie had ever thought to be envious of, but now the image was planted in her mind she couldn't help but feel a little... disappointed in herself. Like she was missing out. From what she could tell her family put their roots in deep, remaining in one place as a cohesive unit, it just didn't seem like the Fatalis way to ride off into the sunset. Above all else they were warriors, it made sense to have a base of defence, to claim a part of the world and use it as bragging rights. Following in her friend's paw steps she found herself latching onto the idea, wondering if she'd somehow be happier if the world didn't seem so samey to her. Grey in its familiarity.

She nodded along eagerly, maybe a little too eager, and wondered if Kaija would walk that path one day too. It suited Ophie's image of her, laid back in a way that naturally struggled against a pack's sense of structure and routine. And maybe she was giving Kaija too much credit, building her up and plopping her atop a pedestal but she listened like no one else outside her family did. There was no judgement in her eyes, just an understanding that seemed to come naturally to the girl. Like Ophie could grow a second head and she wouldn't think too much of it.

"Oh hm me? Well...yeah, they're pretty strict. But not in a bad way! There's a lot for me to do and learn and I'm not...naturally gifted so..." She waved her paw idly, so on so forth."All my family are real good role models, they could beat anyone if they tried." And now she was the one romanticising the hell out of her family. Sparing all the sharp edges that left her feeling unworthy of it all, a puzzle piece from the wrong box. "It's kinda funny though cause my dad is real tall and my mum real short."

She wasn't sure why the thought amused her as much as it did, but she welcomed any chance to smile. And oh man did she have a smile, too much tooth and slightly lopsided at the corners but earnest all the same.

Kaija didn't have time to stop and feel disappointed in herself. She did fear disappointing her siblings, but she was too present-focused to dwell on such things for long. She didn't really look ahead in the way some people tended to, instead looking to her future with a sense of childlike curiosity and wonder. Oh, the things she could do, the places she could visit! It seemed more appealing every time she considered it, but she knew she'd have to deliberate a bit more before she made up her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was upset her mom or her siblings. She was selfish, but not that selfish, and she really loved them and cared how they felt about things. Not that she was always great at showing it.

"Eh, well, life's not all about that stuff. Life's short, right? Or at least that's what they say. We gotta enjoy it while we can," Kaija said with a dry laugh. It didn't seem short, it seemed limitless, even if she knew it wasn't. The vast stretch of time between even herself and her father seemed too huge for her to grasp, and he wasn't even the oldest wolf she'd ever met! "My mom's normal sized, I think. My dad's a lot bigger. About as big as me." Kaija could sense that Ophie seemed a little sad talking about her family. Maybe not this second, but before, when she'd talked about training and it being too much. "You hungry at all? Maybe we could find something to eat out here. Or explore a bit more before I go back home?" Kaija grinned too again, looking hopeful at the prospect of some fun company. She liked Ophie, really - and she didn't see her as any less because of her size or shortcomings. All that stuff was overrated, she really believed that.