The land beyond a land. Wren had seen this before, in the not-so-distant past. The place she had chosen to settle, the pack she had decided on... It had a land above another. That's where the invaders came from. She repressed a shiver, recalling how she had almost lost her life. She had been forced out of the final battle, scattering.

Stop it. She grunts, crossing the Bifrost and venturing deeper in. At once, she hit this Grove. A heavy scent of a pack was on one side of the location. She veered away from it, going to the eastern side. Auster was... strange. The land above was heavy in summer, it seemed. Just like the tropical region of her previous home.

Wren's ear flickered forward, swirling to catch wind of noise. The wind buffered her medium-length coat and for a moment all was peaceful.

"Speech"

Hattori liked the Grove well enough. Enjoyed the change of scenery, the burst of colour to push aside the green maze that was his home. The air was warm and muggy, far hotter than he'd like, but the maple trees all around provided plenty of shade as he padded along. Moving with ease, not even a ghost of a limp in his steps despite his missing toe. It wasn't something he thought about, not even in passing, after all the past was said and done. No use in lamenting over what he couldn't change, what had to be done.

A welcome waft of wind threaded itself between the trees, rustling Hattori's coat and bringing an unfamiliar scent to the dark of his nose. A stranger, a loner at that. It felt as though it had been quite some time since he'd met an unfamiliar face, someone unburned by whispered exaggerations and assumptions. A clean slate, but with baggage of their own all the same. He thought for a moment if he would prefer to swerve away, leave them be, but there was something about this place that felt off. Like they weren't quite alone. Was it the slayer of that wolf he'd found hanging the other day? The idea of leaving the loner to such a fate left a foul taste in his mouth, jabbed at his sense of mortality as he padded his way further into the Grove. Just to make sure.

"Speech"

The wind brought change and new scents. She sniffed, twitching her olive-colored nose. It smelt strongly of a pack that she hadn't tried to avoid yet. Wren turned at the right time, spotting a man of multi-hues. On his skull were horns. He was approaching but didn't seem to be intentional about it. Like, aggressively. More casual.

"Hey." Unaware of his status, she could only be casual right back. Would it matter though? She was a free woman. She didn't bow to any man or woman. Wren turned her body to face him, lifting a brow curiously. She'd seen lots of pelts but this one was somewhat new to her. Piebald was a thing in other places.

She paused before continuing. "You... aren't part of that pack I smelt over there" she went right at it, but it wasn't prodding. Ocean blues angled past them to the location "could you tell me the name? I'm new here. Trying to learn every place I can." And where to avoid. "It's fine if not" she added, giving a nod "some folks like to keep to themselves. I get it."

"Speech"

The stranger regarded him for a moment, her gaze speaking volumes as she eyed him up and down. Got a feel for his character, what she imagined he was capable of. The Kaicho rarely, if ever, acted with bluster or made a show of his posture. He simply moved and held himself firm, certain in his intent but not overly forceful. Had nothing to prove, and his mannerisms always said as much. And so he wasn't taken aback by the stranger's casual tone, preferred it to needless honorifics that got old fast. As long as they were polite and cordial, Hattori would treat them the same. Social encounters never needed to be more complicated than that.

"I am not."  The alpha supplied easily enough, following her line of sight to work out which pack she was referring to. "The west coast homes The Hallows. And the east Fenmyre."

He understood where she was coming from, felt her need to situate herself and figure out the lay of the land. What smells and borders she ought to steer clear of , all very basic but important things a loner such as herself had to take into account. Lest she found herself on the receiving end of judgemental tooth and claw.

The Hollows. Fenmyre. Names she hadn't encountered before. Wren thoughtfully chewed on this for a bit before her head dipped to the man. Grateful at least for the assistance. "Thank you" so far, Armada was the only pack she knew by name and had a face to it. Basilisk, up north. Far from this place. She wondered if she'd encounter the lad again or if it was just one meeting. "but you aren't from there, are you?"

Her eyes held no mischief. They plainly spoke as much as her lips moved. Wren glanced away across the Grove again, giving a thoughtful hum. "You don't have to tell me though" she added, in case he thought it was rude "you just smell different than those places. At least the Hollows" she assumed they were closer than Fenmyre "I guess... I'm trying to scout places. Not walking up to their border, or anything like that. But respectfully." She shrugged.

"It's tough as a loner, even if I can manage" barely "and I do miss being around others."

"Speech"

She was slow, methodical in how her line of thought seemed to progress. The silence didn't bother Hattori in the slightest, he welcomed it with open arms, yet when she spoke again her words were expected. Both logical and reasonable, gathering pieces of a puzzle one by one. Her approach was far less brazen than many of the loner's he'd met so far, and though he wasn't fond of back and forth questioning he saw no reason to deny her this. Once he'd been in her shoes, a loner in a foreign land, with only the fur on his back to call his own. Everything else a mystery.

"I am not, and it is fine."  He supposed, his ear flicking slightly at the tip. "My clan is far to the south of here. At the very tip of Auster. Tojo-kai." He told her, no fluff or pomp. "You will find more packs to the north, in Boreas." Practically a whole world away, all separated by the Bifrost. "If you require shelter I am certain someone would take you in."

Did she need it though? Going it alone was difficult for sure, but she didn't seem to be any worse for wear.

He put up with her words and questions. Wren shot him a grateful look, knowing he didn't have to. The man's words were enough to get by. Tojo-kai, a foreign word. She wasn't averse to hard work and participating. Hell, she had been a beta once upon a time. But now she is alone. "My name is Wren" she gives him, finding the man stoic but polite "Boreas is the name of the place above us?" She hummed thoughtfully.

So Boreas and then... Auster? This was Auster. "You've given me information nobody else has so far" she told him "could I ask you to tell me about your pack? If you've time that is. Wouldn't want to keep you for more than I have." She chuckled, shaking her head. Tojo-Kai seemed farther away, from the man's words but she'd listen. If they needed folks, she could probably provide. If not, no skin off her back. She'd find somewhere else.

"Speech"

Wren. Like the bird? He supposed they looked similar enough, all soft browns blending as one. Unassuming, but perfectly fine as is. Didn't need to be anything more than it already was. She'd offered her name up readily enough, maintained the sense of distance between them without pushing or pulling. He could make do.

"Hattori." He then said, offering a dip of his head.

He was somewhat surprised to learn no one else had been so forthcoming. Why so many sealed lips? It seemed as though he'd been outright chatty compared to those who'd come before, giving so much away and asking for little in return. Not like him, but he saw no loss in this. Saw no need to play his cards so close to his chest now that things were settled, ordered and neat as they should be.

"It is fine, I have nothing to hide. The clan is based after the culture of my homeland. Order, and self-sufficient. We do not trade and make do with what we have, fight for it if we must. There is a place for all if they are willing to work, to keep what we know to ourselves."

Self sufficient, private and seemingly uninterested in the affairs of others. An ear twitched at the word 'fight', wondering just what he meant by that. Hattori seemed open to telling her things, which she appreciated, but knew he would draw the line at pack related things. Considering Tojo-Kai was seclusive, she didn't blame him.

"It sounds nice" Wren replied neutrally, though not unkindly, at first "being able to stand on your own with no help is the type of thing very many do. They rely on trade and promises, and sometimes those promises are actually void over time." She scoffed, shaking her head. Whether it be political or personal, she had experience with it.

She shrugged finally. "Honestly, it sounds better than most places. But I'm not ready to make a commitment yet. Thanks for telling me though. I suspect if I do make a decision, I'd be welcome near the border? That is, if I decide to join you all?"

"Speech"

Hattori knew she would cast her judgement and yet cared little for the conclusion she would come to. Whether she was just being polite or not, it was hard to tell, Wren played her cards so close to her chest they pressed against her fur. Revealing little. Tojo suited him just fine and his clan mates seemed to follow the same line of thought, why else would they have followed him so far? Either way, he found himself pausing at her question, the white of his brows furrowing in thought. For the most part all were welcome near the borders, he'd never chase someone away due to their proximity, but the same could not be said for their intent.

"If that is what you wish." He said, rather neutrally. "The land beyond my borders is free space." He was not as possessive as some might think.

His borders.

Wren gave a nod. It was the first time he slipped and told her that he was more than met the eye. He must be the alpha of the place. There was little else to say, considering his curt-but-not-rude words. He spoke neutrally and almost emotionless. She didn't know what to think about that. If she felt she couldn't joke with a wolf, she sorta avoided them.

"If I haven't come to Tojo-kai in a month" Wren began to move away from the man "I won't join" She had a feeling he wouldn't wait for her, which was fine she supposed "either way, it was good to meet you. Thanks for the information." Hope to see him around, and all that jazz.

She moved off, letting the Grove swallow her up.

/end

"Speech"