She had some names of the land now, but mostly ones she had given to them. With no formal map, Eden roamed without a single care. It was nice to just walk and walk, discovering and learning as she went. No pressure, no worries... Pure bliss. She decided to head up to the Bifrost if she was able. A few wolves she had met on her travels told her another land connected, that there was more up north, and was that not wonderful?

She had a small, soft smile as she walked. A gentle hum in the air as she went. Acceptable weather, the land of Auster had. Even if she thought it could be unbearable at times. Wandering into the thicket, she was small enough to go under most foliage. Wiggling out on the other side, Eden's mouth dropped slightly. It was dark here. Almost intimate. She shivered on the spot, excited to go about exploring. "Hello...?" she called out, her voice drifting over the silence.

It would be amazing if someone talked back.

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It was rare Sota traveled far from lands inhabited by The Hallows. Though he'd been raised to be a wanderer at heart, as he grew older he'd come to realize he was content to largely stay in one place, surrounded by familiar wolves and familiar things. Occasionally he found the urge to stretch his legs a bit further than usual, and it seemed that today was one of those days. Seeking refuge from the heat under the trees, Sota navigated carefully through the forest, as nimble and silent on his paws as ever. The thick grapvevine overhead provided a much-welcome relief from the relentless sun and he was happy for a break from its rays, even if only for a short while. It seemed he wasn't the only one with this particular idea today though. A soft voice drifted through the ambient sounds of the forest and it took him a long while to orient himself and figure out where it had originated from. Swivelling his head around, the tiny man made his way to the source of the voice, letting a friendly grin creep over his features long before he saw whoever the voice belonged to. "Hello to you too!" He called back, peering around a tree to search for the stranger.

What a delightful reply back!

Eden smiled at the warm greeting, seeing a bluish-white head peer around a tree. She approached, finding herself drawn to the smaller wolf. He was even tinier than her! How cute, in a not at all derogatory way! She had been staring before blinking, wetting her eyes and focusing on the older wolf. "Oh, my" she began, a giggle escaping her lips "I am sorry; I did not mean to stare at you" She did not seem embarrassed, just stating a fact "I... have never met a wolf smaller than myself! It seems to suit you - for what that is worth" She smiled at him, rather than down at him "they must breed giants in this land, no?" The dire wolves especially.

Eden turned away from the man, gazing around the Cathedral. "It can be lonely, to look up at everyone" She bit back a sigh, trying to focus on the positive. A new potential friend? An acquaintance? Either way "so I am quite glad to meet you, sir. My name is Eden Hart... and you are?" She glanced back at him over her shoulder, finding the man no threat. Not because of his size, mind, but because he chirped warmly at her before. She saw no reason to not trust him - a bit. She was not going to give herself over to a stranger, though. Not emotionally. There had to be a degree of caution. Especially with new encounters...

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Before long he saw her, and his smile grew slightly. She was a sight for sore eyes, a lovely female with green markings that contrasted nicely with her mostly dark coat, and emerald eyes that matched. She was a smaller wolf than most he tended to meet, though she still practically towered over him, which was not at all a surprise considering everyone he met did. She seemed stunned initially, staring at him for a period some might deem as uncomfortable, but truthfully Sota was used to the staring - both in regards to his size as well as his okapi markings. He let out a small laugh when she finally started to speak, shaking his head as if dismissing her apology entirely. "It's no worry. And you're right - these lands are filled with giants. I was terrified of them when I first arrived," he admitted easily. He remembered perched high in the trees looking down at them, wondering how he could ever possibly face one. That time in his life seemed so far removed from present day it felt strange to recall it now. "A pleasure, Eden," Sota replied, bowing his head low in a sweeping, almost dramatic gesture to the ground before rising again. "You can call me Sota. Are you new to these lands?" If she needed somewhere to settle down and make a life for herself he'd gladly recommend The Hallows, but he thought maybe he was getting ahead of himself. It was hard not to though when his pack had changed the course of his life completely; he couldn't imagine living on his own now.

"Oh, yes. They can be a bit scary" she giggled with good humor "but so far, they are the gentle type!" Sparrow and others aside, she had a pleasant experience so far. Eden smiled happily at his grand and sweeping gesture. If she was a maiden, she would have taken the hem of her dress and curtsied in return. Alas, she had no lovely dress. But she did try to copy his bow! Her paws planted on the earth, she lowered her front body to him while her rear remained raised. Her skull even bowed, touching the ground as she stared at it. Giving him the center of her attention while also not looking at him.

"It is equally good to meet you, Sota" she replied after one, two, three... Annnnd, up! She righted herself in a fluid motion. "yes, yes I am" Eden admitted to him "I like to wander a bit, I think" She grinned sheepishly "I was training to be a healer, though not many patients came my way. I suppose that is a good thing, the health of the land is shown" She raised a paw to gesture around them "I would not wish anyone hurt, just so I can take a look at them." Her paw lowered back "and where do your skills lie?" It was nice to chat about experiences and skills. She had a feeling he'd make a good scout, with how agile he seemed. Not for the first time, she noticed the smell of a pack.

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Sota gave another gentle laugh at her words. "Most of the giants I've met have been quite gentle, you're right," he agreed readily. The pleasant wolves he'd met, especially the ones of larger stature, quite easily outnumbered those who weren't quite so kind. He liked to think that most wolves were just naturally good-natured; he was naturally optimistic like that, choosing to see the best in others whenever he possibly could. For most wolves it was easy to see the good they possessed and Eden was no exception there. He looked surprised at her bow, though delighted just the same. Most wolves reacted differently to the formal way he tended to greet others; her reaction was a refreshing change of pace. "I would've considered myself a wanderer in my younger days too. Bit of a homebody these days though," he admitted, a little sheepishly. Though he was proud of where he'd ended up at this point in his life, occasionally his mind strayed to his family and the Songa and what they might think of him now. Those moments of reflection were few and far between but that didn't mean they didn't creep back up sometimes, making him doubt where he was - even if just for a split second. "My skills?" Briefly Sota looked taken aback by the question, having not quite expected it. "I suppose I'm a jack of all trades, if anything at all. I'm not especially good at anything in particular," he admitted. At least not in the way it seemed she might be - he'd never really delved into a field of expertise. He didn't sound terribly upset about his admission though. He knew he was perfectly capable of contributing wherever he was needed and he didn't worry about falling short in that regard. "Though I have to admit I'm quite good on my paws - I even know how to climb trees." He grinned a bit wider, wondering how she'd react to his fun fact. It was something not many wolves knew about him but a fact that he enjoyed sharing, especially given how others tended to react to it.

"You can climb trees?" How wonderful! What a daring skill! There was a beat and she leaned in, curious and eager.  The greens of her eyes sparkled "can you... teach me how?" Surely she was light enough to climb a tree? Eden had never bothered to do such a thing before now. Sota's words seemed to make her carry a desire to learn this useful skill. She kneaded the ground in excitement. If she couldn't learn, if he didn't want to teach her... She could still probably witness the feat.

"I-If you wish, of course!" she added in a hurry, remembering her manners. Goodness, she shouldn't sound so eager. That was quite off-putting, yes? Men did not like overly 'bouncy' women, no? She didn't know. Her experience with men was exactly zero. This was platonically speaking of course. Sota was a kind and handsome man, sure, but she looked for friends. Not romance. It could be fleeting and hurtful. She wanted to enjoy the moment.

"The view from up high must be wonderful..." she sounded wistful. Not for the first time, Eden wished she was a bird.

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Her interest in his words didn't go unnoticed, and his own silver gaze sparkled with amusement. "Perhaps," he started, deciding her light build made her a suitable tree-climber, at least compared to many of the giants he knew. "The trees here don't seem suitable for climbing - though maybe..." It seemed he was considering at least climbing a tree himself if not teaching her, the way he began to pace around a few of the nearby trees and look up at them, searching for one with low-hanging branches. It took him a bit of searching, but finally he called out to her, sounding overjoyed at his discovery. "Here, here!" Sota had found an oak tree that had thick, strong branches that were hanging near to the ground. Though they were covered in thick grapevine, they were clearly older branches that could support his weight. "I'll show you how I do it, but I won't encourage you to do the same unless you feel like you're safe to do so. Tree climbing can be dangerous." He warned her gently. He wouldn't reflect on how he'd been down and out for a few seasons, if not longer, after a nasty fall - it was an implied danger and one he didn't want to dwell on for long. Making sure she was watching, he carefully tested the tree trunk before making a great big leap upward, putting most of his weight into reaching the first branch. Scaling the trunk to the first branch was always the hardest feat. He balanced carefully there, seeking out his next steps with careful precision. "Once you reach the next branch you always have a second to leap back to the other. You need to make sure it can support you, and sometimes you only have a split second to make that decision, so you have to be fast!" After a moment of deliberation he moved one branch higher - and then another - pausing between each leap to test the branch before fully committing to it and letting it sway beneath his small weight, making sure he wouldn't fall.

It was hard not to buzz at the potential lesson. Sota was a good wolf, a good man, and she felt happy around his personality. Eden followed after him as he searched for a suitable tree, keeping quiet so he could concentrate. Once he rounded a bend, away from her sight only to perk up and call out. She skittered best she could toward him, staring up at the oak. "Okay" she said calmly, watching as Sota went up the tree. It was also hard not to dash after him, but she calmed herself. He didn't want her to get hurt! "be careful!"

She didn't need to say it, but he also said it was dangerous. Even an experienced climber could plummet to earth. She didn't want to see that. Sota explained the process, or rather his process, to her below. His voice began to sound far away as he scaled the branches. Eden's eyes were huge, wide, and almost awe-fearful in expression. She had a dumb look on her face as she watched him, resisting the urge to pace below. "Ooh..." she said instead, mostly to herself as she viewed the scene.

Giving a bit of time for Sota to work, she rose and approached the oak's base. Circling it once, she placed her paws on the trunk before lifting herself up. Eden paused, frowning at the first branch. While she was excited to try, she didn't want to make a fool out of herself.

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For a moment he worried that maybe he shouldn't be teaching anyone else how to climb trees, but he tried to push away the feeling as best as he could. Eden was ultimately not his responsibility, though he didn't doubt for a second that he'd feel endlessly guilty if she hurt herself trying to mimic him. He knew tree-climbing was harder if it wasn't something you'd been taught since birth. He couldn't imagine how difficult it might be for him to learn now. After he navigated a bit higher he paused to watch as she made her way up. She looked a bit wary to climb and he didn't blame her whatsoever. "The first branch will definitely hold, but it can be a bit tricky to figure out how to pull yourself up the trunk to get started. It's not exactly... natural," he admitted with a laugh. Not natural for most wolves at least though the process felt like second nature to him, even though he'd spent far more time on the ground than in the treetops for years now.

"It is a useful skill to have, but I will be careful learning it" She didn't miss Sota's worry, and Eden would take it to heart. She pushed off, her longer length helping her grasp the branch easily. She huffed, momentarily winded as she hugged it to her chest and hoisted herself up. Teetering on the first branch, she looked uneasily at the ground and back at her new friend. "I think I'll just stop here" she told him, unwilling to risk her safety for the sake of showing she could do it "nobody else is around to help, if one of us falls."

Eden was a healer in training, but Sota didn't seem to know any medical mumbo. If she fell, she could hit her head and bleed out. If he fell, she had a fighting chance to save him. Logic and reason seemed to win in the end. She tried to angle herself to hop back down to the earth, aware Sota needed the branch she was on too. There was no fuss to be had as she did this, slipping only when she was on the semi-wet tropical floor. Her paws scrambled against solid floor.

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Sota paused and gave a serious nod to her words. "Better to be cautious when you're climbing, even if you feel confident in your skills. A few years ago I had a nasty fall that kept me from climbing - or really doing much walking, if I'm being honest - for a long time." That was how he'd found The Hallows, who'd allowed him to take refuge there while he healed. He'd liked settling down so much that he'd never left, even moving to a new continent with his pack when they decided to settle down elsewhere. It'd changed the course of his life for the better, but it hadn't necessarily been an ideal injury to receive, not for him or anyone else for that matter. "It's a good place to stop, I agree." Sota paused his own ascent to carefully make his way down from the higher branches. Eden was much lower than him, though safely made her way down to the floor, only then beginning to lose her balance. "You okay?" He wouldn't panic unless he needed to, being swift but still careful and balanced as he leapt from one branch to the next, taking only a few more moments to reach Eden's side.

She turned her head to smile kindly at him. "A little overwhelmed" Eden admits to Sota "and a bit nervous, but I am close to the earth. I shall be fine, thank you" She turns to hop off onto the ground, landing lightly due to her size. She turned to wait for him to descend too, more expertly than she had "I'll have to practice when others look" She would not proclaim to think she could do it alone "they will be amused; a small little wolf like me... Climbing a tree like a cat!"

She giggled.

"I bet many of them had the same shocked expression when they have seen you do it, Sota?" she added, smiling with amusement. He was older than her, it seemed, and had been around much longer. Imagine the experiences he had in Auster, in Boreas... So many, it felt so many to Eden "but you can scout much, much faster. And follow others undetected. Yes, I think it is useful to practice such things. Even if I am to be terrible at it." She joked. Knowing not if she would be good or not, she took it one step at a time.

But.

"I am sorry to hear you fell... Did you at least have friends or family around to help you?"

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

Thankfully she was fine, and Sota was pleased. Being a bit overwhelmed, especially from one's first climb, was completely normal. It was a good kind of exhilaration though, one he had no doubt she'd look back upon fondly, even if she never climbed another tree again. He let out his own chuckle of amusement, giving an enthusiastic nod. "Indeed they will. It's not something most wolves I've met here are used to." He'd definitely had a few wolves looked quite shocked when they noticed him sprawled in the treetops overhead, and he allowed himself another bout of laughter. "Indeed. Especially the biggest wolves I've met - they can't imagine a tree holding their weight." Some had been in awe of them as he had been of them, though in time even the biggest dire wolves seemed less foreign to him. Some he found he had quite a bit in common with, even, which was something his younger self could've never pictured. "It's an especially good skill for scouting." And thieving, but that was a life he'd chosen to leave behind, and not necessarily something he wanted to bring to his new friend's attention. He was a changed wolf now, "I was fortune enough to end up on the borders of a pack named The Hallows. I'm still a member, but they offered me a safe place to recover so long as I contributed where I could." He was infinitely grateful for what they'd done for him and he'd made a home for himself there long after his recovery - his voice made it clear just how fortunate he felt he was for finding them. "Speaking of them, it's probably time I think about heading back home. It's been lovely meeting you, though!" She was fine company and he couldn't help but hope he might run into her again someday, even if the odds weren't high, he could still hope.