The sun had only started to show its bright smile again. The warm rays were drying up Sparrow's mushrooms and already she felt like she could breathe better. Since she was feeling somewhat better, she decided to do some scouting. She had seen the outside of the castle and adored it, but there were also the plains. The land was flat in the dawn (or was it dusk) light, spanning for ages with little detail to note. Sparrow stayed on her side of the border, but peered over where she could. It would be a good party ground if you had a lot of folks over, but nowhere to duck behind for private moments or conversations.

Sota was fortunate that he hadn't gotten sick since the start of all this strangeness, but even he felt a bit better since the sun was show its face again. Already he saw the growths beginning to wilt away, as if shying away from the sun's rays. He hoped the sickness that had been inflicted upon his packmates would dissipate with the same swiftness. Some of them were worryingly sick, others nearly on the brink of death, and no cure had been found... at least until now. Perhaps it had been out of their paws this whole time. Either way, now that things were beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy Sota felt comfortable scouting the borders again, able to avoid the strangest of the growths now that the faintest hint of sun peeked over the horizon. For the first time in months his spirit felt a bit lighter, no longer completely bogged down by doom and gloom. Maybe there was some hope to be found out here. Or... just a stranger, peering across their lands. Curious, though withholding any sense of urgency, Sota trotted over to her and gave a polite smile and low dip of his head. "Hello there. I'm Sota, and these lands belong to The Hallows. Are you in need of something?" Perhaps she was seeking refuge from something, though her scent told him she was not necessarily a loner, but he waited for her answer instead of assuming.

A strangely marked man made his way towards Sparrow and she took her time looking over him. His purple and murky shite coat contrasted into stark markings. He stood small, and at first Sparrow thought him a fox or some other creature- god knows that wouldn't have been the weirdest thing she'd seen these past few months. He greeted her, telling her this was the Hallows and asked her if she needed anything. Sparrow surveyed the flat land behind him. He seemed alone- bold for such a tiny wolf. Sparrow plopped down into a sitting position, giving her still-weak body a rest, "Nah... just looking really. Y'know I've visited almost all of the lands, but my friend Jynn has probably seen them all. I once came to the castle nearby, met a dog dude with a cowboy hat- Deus? Or someone like that." Sparrow moved her gaze back to Sota, "I thought he was pretty cool. I'm Sparrow, by the by."

She wanted to ask but she didn't really want to offend. She tossed her eyes to this and to that while thinking about it for a while. She decided what the hell, "Did that weird firefly guy give you those fur marks? OR is that- uh... natural?"

It didn't strike him as odd that someone might need to seek help during times as strange as this, and he decided quite quickly that he'd keep his distance. The stranger looked unwell, and he couldn't risk spreading whatever sickness she had to the rest of The Hallows... not that something hadn't been going around for quite awhile anyway, but he wouldn't risk it regardless. Though he was temporarily distracted by her condition, her words grabbed his attention next. A wolf who had seen all the lands? That sounded like a lovely story but he had trouble believing it, not that he'd question a stranger like that out loud. The names she mentioned didn't mean anything to Sota but he nodded along. "We inhabit the castle as well. It's quite lovely. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sparrow. he said warmly. It really did look like she could use a bit of a rest, but it wasn't his place to invite her in, though if she asked he'd gladly call for someone. Her question earned a little bit of laughter - when was the last time he'd laughed, anyway? It was hard to say for sure. "Firefly guy?" He asked, his nose wrinkling with amusement. "No, I've... uh, always looked like this." What an odd question. He knew he looked quite a bit different than most wolves he'd met, but the question was still entertaining to him. "Are you from around here then, Sparrow, or just passing through?"

It didn't seem like this guy knew Mr. Cowboy hat nor Jynn. That was a shame, they were both lovely. He also didn't seem to know much about the firefly guy. Maybe his pack went into lockdown? She wasn't sure.

Sparrow listened to the man as he spoke. So those markings were natural? Well she guessed she did have eye markings from the Imperialis and Destruction ancestors. She just wondered how they could be so... elaborate and... solid. How many generations would it take to blur those lines, wax or wane that moon on his head? Genetics was weird and Sparrow didn't pretend to understand. Maybe Talon or Alarr could explain with their sheep... Maybe.

He asked if she was from here or not, Sparrow chuckled, the lightest bit of raspy cough threatening to break through. "Nah, not Auster, anyways. I'm from up East some- Fireside initially. Lots of family about, so I decided to break off and do my own thing." She tossed him a smile as she spoke. She couldn't really imagine growing up anywhere else. "What about you? Got family around these parts?"

It wasn't a surprise that he might be seen as unusual here - at least when it came to his markings. He'd always stood out quite a bit even in his youth, even back home. His height was hardly unusual there either though it seemed much more jarring to the wolves in these parts. At least now he could laugh about it; if he'd met Sparrow when he'd first left home he no doubt would've ran in fear of her sheer size. Now he was used to wolves nearly as tall as her, though she was definitely on the larger end of the spectrum. "I spent a little time in the east," he admitted with an empathetic smile as her throat rattled slightly. If she'd been one of the infected, it seemed to be breaking, and he was sure she was glad for that. He'd seen what he could consider the worst effects of the Ooze and he wouldn't wish it on anyone, even the most cruel of wolves. "No, none of my family's from around here. Though the wolves in my pack may as well be family to me now." Though he tended to be fairly reclusive, he'd gone through more with those wolves than his blood family - they were as good as family, as far as he was concerned.

In the dark morning sky, the ebony form of a raven swooped across the plains, keen eyes scanning about the edges of the forests that surrounded Hallowed lands. Its head snapped in the direction of the two wolves at the border—a Hallowed wolf and a stranger. The raven circled smoothly in the air, eyeing the two lupines once more before it took off with a strong flap of inky wings, soaring across the plains to its master. Artorias was conducting his morning patrols, wandering the edges of the pack's borders and scoping out any remnants of the Ooze left behind now that the Long Night had ended. Thankfully, most of the pestilence seemed to have burned away with the return of the sun. The world was gradually returning to normal, though the horrors of the nightmare would not soon be forgotten.

With a graceful flap of his wings, Corbin swooped down from the sky to settle on Artorias' back. "Master Artorias, there seems to be a stranger at our borders conversing with Sota," he informed him in smooth English lyrics. Artorias' ears flicked back, a steely look of cautious intrigue cross his features. A stranger had shown up to their borders without calling for any wolves of the pack? How bizarre... But Artorias would not assume the worst, not without validation. "Show me." Corbin bobbed his head in a nod and took to the sky, leading the dire wolf across the plains back to where Sota and the stranger were. Artorias followed at a swift trot, arriving across the sea of grasses to find the Hallows' smallest member speaking to a wolf almost of equal height to himself.

"Good morning," Artorias greeted both wolves as he approached, dipping his head to Sota, then turning curious eyes to the stranger at their border. Though the light wasn't the greatest in the dawn, he could make out the markings in her natural-colored coat. Her scent held hints of other wolves; this was a pack wolf, though not the scent of any pack he recognized. A new troop, perhaps? "I wasn't aware we had a guest. Who's your friend, Sota?" Artorias withheld introductions for now. Once he had a better idea of why another pack's wolf was lingering at his borders, then he'd determine if this was a friendly encounter or not.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

Oh, so this guy had been out east. Sparrow flashed him a smile. "Well if you're ever out that way, there's a great Orchard for alcohol making if you're into that." He also said that he didn't have any family around here and said his pack was his family. Well, that was sweet. Speaking of the pack, here one was now. Sparrow greeted the wary-looking man with a smile. He asked who Sota's friend was and Sparrow sucked some ooze-snot to the back of her throat before swallowing it. "Oh, I don't know about friend," Sparrow said. "I was just wandering around and he came to tell me I was near the pack here- which I'd have known if I could, yanno, smell anything." Sparrow snort-sucked at the glowing mucus again, which was more for effect, but backfired when it caught in her throat and sent her into a coughing fit. How embarrassing to die choking on your own spit? She didn't die, however, and eventually recovered. Voice now raspy and eyes watery, she continued, "Knew some wolves in the castle up ahead. One named Deus, wore a cowboy hat. You heard of him?"

An orchard that was good for making alcohol? Sota looked amused for a moment, giving a little shake of his head. That didn't sound like anything that would interest him, not the latter part of her statement, though perhaps it'd be a lovely place to visit anyway. Someday, maybe. Truthfully he didn't feel the need to go far these days - the Hallows was his home and he'd long since decided exploring the world wasn't what he was meant to do. Maybe he'd never seen the eastern edge of Boreas again, and he was okay with that. He nearly opened his mouth to reflect on that when he heard the arrival of none other than Artorias. Instantly he dipped his head low to the ground in greeting, lifting it with a smile. "Morning, sir," he greeted him swiftly. Sparrow spoke before he was able to continue on, so distracted by pleasantries he was, but finally he chimed in. "Never met her before. I just saw her near our borders and wanted to make sure she didn't need help. You know, with everything that's been going on," Sota explained quickly. "But it seems she was just exploring these parts." It seemed unfair to ignore someone who potentially needed help, but at the same time he recognized the need to keep the borders well-guarded and under careful watch. One could never be too careful.

The stranger smiled at him, but wouldn't give herself the credit of being called a friend. Artorias raised a quizzical brow, somehow less assuaged by the woman's choice of words despite her honesty. She explained what Sota had been up to, which was corroborated by Sota's explanation a moment later. This was a chance encounter. She was exploring the lands and happened upon the Hallows. Artorias nodded his head, particularly to Sota's rationale. In the wake of the near-apocalypse, wolves needed to be able to rely on one another for support now more than ever. Who knew how many lives had been claimed in the endless darkness of the Long Night?

As if on cue, the stranger snorted up some phlegm to emphasize her lack of ability to smell—and almost immediately began to cough and choke. Artorias' expression grew concerned and he took a couple steps closer to the stranger in case she suddenly needed first aid or resuscitation. A healer he was not, but his sister had taught him enough about basic triage that he could keep a dying wolf alive if needed. Fortunately, his mediocre medical skills would not be put to the test, as the wolf recovered from her ooze and spittle induced suffocation. Artorias released a sigh of relief.

She mentioned she knew some wolves from their castle and again Artorias' interest was piqued. That is, until she referenced a name he'd never heard of before. Brows furrowed a touch over amber eyes. "I've never heard of Deus before. He's not one of ours, at least." He did think he knew who she meant when she explained the canine that wore a cowboy hat, but he hadn't been seen in a long time, and his name wasn't Deus. "What's your name, miss? What pack or band do you come from?" he asked, giving her a moment to respond before continuing, "That congestion doesn't sound too good. Our healers might be able to help with that." Though he didn't know her and her entire appearance seemed suspect, Artorias held to his mother's creed—all would be welcomed on promise of peace and medical aid available to those who needed it. If she was a survivor of the Long Night as well, they could help her, whoever she was.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

The tiny man greeted the larger one with a nice and respectful bow. He explained what happened and the guy- who seemed well respected at the very least- and the guy seemed to accept that this wasn’t some scheming thing, which was good, since the last time some of her cohorts went near a pack they were fought after immediately.

Apparently this man had never met Deus either. Sparrow tilted her head. Maybe this was actually a different pack than it used to be. “Huh, weird. I feel like it wasn’t all that long ago either… Hope he’s alright and all.”

After her coughing spill, the man offered her healers after he asked her name and where she came from. Sparrow shook her head lightly, “Nah, I’m already much better than I was. A little alcohol oughta take care of the rest of it.” To his question, Sparrow flourished a bow, “I’m Sparrow of Pirates Plunder, a rag-tag group of rascals and misfits. If you ever need some alcohol or a party, I’m sure we could trade.” She flashed him a smile, she wasn’t sure about commerce and all, but why not pitch it while she was here? “And you, good sire are…?”

Even with everything he had experienced in life, Sota tended to think the best of others. Not that he was completely naive - he knew the horrors that wolves were capable of and he recognized that most people were neither good nor bad but somewhere in between. He'd happily give this stranger the benefit of the doubt, perhaps more times than he ought to given the most recent events that had plagued these lands - or maybe the whole world. Sota had no idea how far-reaching the darkness has been. Sparrow introduced herself again, this time for Artorias, though she elaborated on who she was a bit more. Her group didn't sound like the type of place he'd fit in but he instinctively thought of his childhood friend and wondered if he would've liked a group like that - or he'd forever be chasing love, or glory. Thinking to himself, he was quiet while they continued to speak, having nothing else to add.

Sparrow dismissed his offer of medical attention, citing her own preferred high-proof medicine as the reason, and then introduced herself with a flourishing bow that had quite the showmanship behind it. This wolf was one for drama and theatrics, it seemed. She pitched her pack, Pirate's Plunder, as a pack of misfits looking for a good time, and offered alcohol and parties should it please him. Artorias couldn't help but grin and chuckle. The alcohol he could definitely get behind, but the only parties he'd ever experienced were the formal feast and festivals of Ashen. No doubt the pirates' parties tended to be a bit more... hedonistic. He quietly wondered if these pirates were anything like the ones that had abducted his sister so long ago. Were all pirates the same, or did they vary, just like packs did?

Artorias smirked and gave a dismissive wave to Sparrow's formal address of himself. "There's no need to stand on formalities, please. Meetings are stuffy enough on their own. Artorias, alpha of the Hallows." It was bad enough when his own wolves were bowing to him, but "good sire"? Gods, he didn't need that sort of attention! Artorias had never felt more important or higher than anyone, and he didn't intend to pick up that mindset now. "Well, Sparrow of Pirate's Plunder, you had my interest when you mentioned alcohol and parties. Likewise, the Hallows is open to all wolves who come in peace. If you and your fellow wolves need shelter, supplies, or medical assistance, you can come to us." A twinkle in Artorias' eye gleamed as he added, "And since you sound like you know your way around a bottle, we also have plenty of wine, grown and made right here in Auster. If you're ever in the market to trade." Though he was young, Artorias had found a lively appreciation for alcohol. It helped ease the pains of his past and made the pleasures of the present all the more fun.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

The strangely marked man silenced himself and let the other two converse. The other man introduced himself as the alpha and readily offered up goods and services if the pirates came in peace, which was a tall order for a group of actual pirates. Besides, being given things was boring. He also said he was up for trading and alcohols. The man spoke of many resources openly- or he was lying. He listed many an item Sparrow would be interested in, but she was more interested in his tenacity, his resilience behind his cheerful demeanor. Playing nice was easy, safe even, but forming something competitive and bound through blood was exciting.

"Well Mr. Alpha Artorias, I have a feeling we should be seeing each other soon. Uhh before I go, though, since I can’t smell, can you tell me if there’s any packs between here and Boreas?" Sparrow flashed an apologetic smile, wondering if the alpha would steer her wrong.