She had been living somewhere that had no reason to be named. Edelweiss knew her makeshift dens had been left cold once she moved on, content to wander as she went about her life. If she was lucky, another wolf or two came across the burrows and took shelter. If they needed to, that is. While not on any pack's land, she was aware they would be left cold once or twice more. Too vague to be of any use in the long run. This day, she came across a hot spring. The chill of winter had left and she was here to embrace spring. Perhaps she would join a pack, even if they could not offer the education that Abaven could have. It felt odd to roam on territory that had been claimed, but she had made quite sure Abaven was gone before treading on it. With the once-chosen pack land behind her, she faced the hot springs with polite curiosity. Her fur was bristle-like from the harsh winds of the bare season. She needed to wash clean. Approaching the lulling water, she began to submerge herself. It prickled uneasily, and she gasped at the hot water, but eventually, she waded deeper in once comfortable. Edelweiss glanced back, bits of white-silver fur and muck exiting her body. She really had let herself go in winter. A snapping caught her attention now. The girl's solemn features lit up in concentration, ears flickering to an alert position. "Hello...?" she called out softly, quite aware another being was in the vicinity. Who was to disturb her cleaning? "she speaks" 265 / 1500

Winter had done her fur dirty. Quite literally to be frank. With more snow than expected and rarely a time where the ground was dry, Celeste had tried her best to keep herself clean. Not that Kuroki really cared to help. Did he even care if she was clean? Or appeared presentable? Ugh, not that she cared. No, she would only show as much care and emotion as he cared to return. She preferred to appear pristine in any environment, any season, any situation. Her appearance mattered to her and that's all she cared about.

As winter finally gave away to a warmer, but a rainier season, Celeste was going to take her chance. A chance at finally stripping her coat clean and looking like a true beauty once again! Bringing her midnight coated and matching horned Maine coon with her, the cat yowled in protests the whole way. "Zip it, you! Your fur is matted to hell." Celeste chastised him in her native language as they ventured out from Ashen's lands and toward the hot springs. Thankfully Armada had moved their territory so the trek was shorter than it used to be.

Breaking through the willows nearby, Celeste grinned happily at the sight of the bubbling pools. Luck was on her side today as well when the rain decided to hang out over the ocean for a while. Taking no time to pre-brush her coat out, she approached a rather large and steaming pool. Due to the curtain of steam, she didn't notice the other female who had already submerged herself. Not until one of her petite paws stepped on a branch and a loud snapping caught the stranger's attention. The soft hello caused her to pause as she reached over to grab her companion by the scruff.

"Oi, don't mind us. Just need a bath," Celeste replied through the fur clenched between her jaws. While the cat was no small feat to pick up, especially with him kicking and yowling the whole way, Celeste managed to drag him up and plop him into the rather hot waters. At first, the cat was fully submerged and she wondered for a second if he was going to drown... "Sorry if he splashed you," she said off-handedly, a slightly sheepish smile on her ivory lips while she waited for the feline to resurface.

Once the sputtering of the cat came above water, Celeste grinned at him with crinkled eyes. "See, you'll feel better," she said to the cat before wading in herself. Keeping near the edge so she wouldn't slip under herself, she let out a relieving sigh as her aquamarine eyes fluttered close. Had it been rude of her to not ask if the other girl was okay if she joined? Hm, possibly, but too late now! Reopening her eyes, she glances at the pale-coated girl with a friendly expression. "I'm Celeste. Apologies if we crashed your party," she wasn't actually sorry, but better to not piss off someone you just met.

767/1500

A woman carrying a cat of all things came into view. She tossed the feline into the depths, and Edelweiss hurryingly turned herself to it. She seemed much more concerned about the familiar than the woman, her brows knitting together in worry. The cat eventually broke for air, while the wolf swimmingly breezed an explanation. "Edelweiss" she replied, almost curtly but realizing she didn't have anything to be offended about "it is fine." About her silence being broken? About the cat being tossed like garbage? She didn't know. Half-expecting to see someone else here, close as she was to Habari... No, she would not think about that. It was the season, making her needy and moody. Spring did that to a girl. Celeste ventured into the depths too, allowing herself a respite from the chilly spring air. She let her chin rest on the surface of the water. "I was just washing up." That much was certain, but she felt it prudent to say. To explain. "You had the same idea" obviously "ah, what is the cat's name?" she added, staring at the feline. She felt sorry for it, but it had to have stunk to high heavens. Now its fur was sleek and shiny. A good thing too, since matted fur was horrible. "she speaks" 981/1500

Her outwardly annoyed familiar had safely made it to the edge of the pool to climb out. Midnight fur wetted down to his oversized body and was no longer fully matted and covered in mud. Unsure why the wolf cared much for him, but he did curl up nearby in case she wanted to brush his fur. Of course, Celeste wouldn't, at least not for now. Too concerned with getting her own fur cleaned, she swept her long tail into her paws. Taking her claws carefully through each strand, she slowly picked each knot out, one by one.

With her attention mostly on herself, she hardly noticed the emotions and awkwardness the other girl was going through. Glancing up through her lashes at this Edelweiss, Celeste smirked. "He doesn't have a name. Really, it was one of those situations where I saved him from tragedy and now he's stuck by my side," her shoulders shrug as she tosses a glance at the feline. Whether he understood the common tongue or not, the feline paid no mind to her looks.

Turning her attention back to the girl, Celeste looked her over as she continued to comb through her fur. "So are you here to just bathe or are you also hoping someone shows up?" Maybe that was why she didn't seem too pleased with new company. Celeste didn't blame her. She was always hoping Kuroki would follow her around like a sick puppy dog, but he wasn't that type of guy. A little gossip never hurt anyway and if someone could share in her pain of wanting a boy that was never really going to commit, Celeste would be pleased.

1260/1500

It was strange that the woman didn't name the cat. Didn't companions often get named by their masters? "Oh" Edelweiss couldn't really contribute to the conversation as it was "I see" Yes, she thought it was indeed strange the cat didn't have a name, stranger still that it hadn't given one to the woman. Celeste, not 'that woman'. "What sort of tragedy?" She was ever curious about such things. History and the likes of Boreas and Auster. Perhaps she would go into archiving eventually. It was a decent sort of work, she felt, and also useful to others. She did want to secretly be useful to others. "Huh?" Edelweiss nearly choked when yet another wolf asked if she was waiting for someone. First Voodoo, now Celeste. Did she have a sign on her forehead that said 'help I am crushing'? And what was the point of crushing, when they were in two separate situations? Ghoul would never leave Habari, and Edelweiss didn't know if she'd stop roaming around. It was also much too soon to believe anything would work out between them... "No" she tried to gather herself, replying to Celeste "I was trying to bathe. Remove the muck of winter. Make myself..." What exactly? Pretty? "acceptable." She decided on that instead. "Why?" she asked, frowning as she turned to Celeste "do, uh, do you have someone to wait for?" And who was worth waiting for? Maybe subconsciously, Edelweiss could glean some information about relationships. Maybe. But she felt the woman was a bit, ah, sharp. The question could turn back to her easily. She wouldn't know what to do about that. Maybe she would finally admit it. Fat chance. Looking back at her silver-grey coat, she found it was clean. Edelweiss resisted getting out until she felt lightheaded. "she speaks" 1500/1500

Celeste glanced over at the cat with a tender smile. Maybe she did enjoy his company more than she let on. It wasn't hard to see that she did care for the cat, but hadn't really accepted the fact that he was hers. That was something she hadn't come to terms with yet even though they hosted a similar appearance. Even the curling horns on his head were near identical to hers. "Ah, well," she paused as she glanced over to Edelweiss. "You see, it's a rather long story," Celeste's lips pursed as she tried not to remember the Long Night.

"It happened when I first came to Boreas. The natives called it the Long Night. An infectious plague called the Ooze was killing so many and when I found my companion, he was near death. I couldn't let the poor thing just die so I took him and helped nurse him back to health. Honestly, I'm surprised I never got it," she reached a paw out to pat the cat on the head. Withholding the tale of her losing all of her fur for a season only to be gifted a longer and silkier tail was a story for another time.

As their conversation shifted to her question about waiting for someone, Celeste giggled as Edelweiss choked on water. Was the other girl going to make it so obvious? Grinning like a monkey who had just stolen fruit, her chin nodded as the other girl tried to chalk it up to her only needing to bathe. To be acceptable, mind you. "Mhm, of course, one must look presentable at all times," Celeste agreed, the smirk still laced across her lips. That was until Edel asked if she had someone to wait for.

Furrowing her own brow, Celeste huffed. "Yes and no," she admitted as she looked at the girl. "He's been moody lately and I haven't seen much of him so I'm not sure where his feelings lie," her shoulder shrugged, trying to brush off the feeling that she had fallen for someone who didn't quite share the same feelings. Sighing to herself with a roll of her eyes, Celeste leaned over and rested her chin on the outside of the pool. "Why are boys so stupid?" She asked openly, not caring for an answer.

Meet Someone New 1/3

An ooze, killing many. It was the first time she heard of this. It was the first time she was gladdened to have come to Boreas so late. Edelweiss nodded, taking the situation in quietly. "Has it gone, for good?" she asked Celeste "do you know... if pockets of this disease still exist?" A pack wolf was privy to many, many things that vagabonds had to find out naturally. Though the woman remarked that making herself presentable was a good idea. "It is, yes" she shuffled in the spring "especially if one has someone waiting for them" Which she assumed the woman had. The wolf wasn't her type, but she could appreciate the beauty. A slow, knowing smirk crossed her otherwise emotionally distant lips "boys... can be quite stupid. Yes." She agreed with that. Ghoul was a smart one, but even he had his ignorance. "Mmm. I did lie to you. For that, I... am sorry" Celeste was willing to open up, but Edelweiss really had not been at the time "there is... a boy. I believe he likes me, yet he wishes me to join his pack. He has made that move several times. ...Yet I am not sure if he merely wishes to keep me close - as a friend - or if he feels anything more." "she speaks" 1/3 - met new wolf

Celeste let out a huff of air as Edelweiss spoke about this boy of hers. Curious and interested eyes lingered on the pretty girl and wondered if she too would be caught up in a whirlwind of emotion. Boys sure liked to do that, didn't that? Pursing her lips again, she shoved off the thought of the ooze as she reached a paw up to tap her chin. Waving the same paw in Edelweiss' direction, she scoffed. "Don't be sorry. We have our reasons for lying," Celeste shrugged her shoulders and knew the girl hadn't lied to harm her.

"Has he said he likes you more than a friend? Boys don't beat around the bush so if he's come out and said it, then I'd believe him," she tries to assess Edelweiss' expression to see if she's on the right track. "Don't be like me and fall for a handsome lug that isn't ready to fully commit," Celeste rolls her eyes as she leans back against the wall of the hot spring. The bubbling water feels nice as she continues to relax in the steamy waters. "If you expect anything more than the effort he's showing, you'll be only disappointing herself," the girl gives Edelweiss a raised brow look to see if she's right.

Meet Someone New 2/3

The girl felt her lips turn into a frown. Did Ghoul like her more than a friend? He had never said it. She assumed, but she didn't want to seem like a lovestruck fool. Nothing was said to Celeste as the woman spoke, giving advice. But she already had lied before... "I do not know." It was the truth, though. Edelweiss felt herself panic somewhat at the thought. Was he just being friendly, concerned over her safety? Celeste continued to admit things. So, she had a man but he wasn't ready to commit? How sad. Really it was. "You need to bite him" Edelweiss advised back, half serious and half amused "at least ruin his handsome features a bit for the next woman who looks at him." Then every time Celeste looked at him or saw him briefly, she'd remember the scar. She'd feel powerful. Confident. Able to move on. "she speaks" 2/3 - met new wolf

Oh. Well, Celeste had not been expecting that answer. Not that she was entirely surprised. If the boy she was infatuated with was anything similar to Kuroki, the girl would probably never get a straight answer. Those mysterious types, you know? Letting out a sigh, Celeste lifts a paw from the water to wave it in Edelweiss' direction. "Ah, do not fret over it too much. Perhaps if he wants to bring you home to his mother that is a good enough sign," she lends her another curious look to see if they were back on the right track. Didn't want to go giving the girl worries for no reason.

"Bite him?" Celeste gawked at first, eyes blinking wide a few times before a hearty laugh leaves her. "You know, that might actually work!" She chirps as she gives her head a gentle shake. "He might like that too much though," her teasing smile curls her lips as she sends Edel a wink. Or she might like it too much...

Meet Someone New 3/3

Celeste was knowledgeable about relationships. She nodded, her worries disappearing slowly but surely. The girl left it at that, only remarking further when the woman laughed. "Like it or not" Edelweiss huffed, unable to hide her amusement "he'll be reminded of you - whether he wanted it or not" She points out, already keen to try this out on Ghoul... "so if he does not commit, you'll be able to look at him satisfactorily." Instead of regretfully. Edelweiss would continue the conversation with Celeste. In the end, they departed from each other's company on good enough terms. Or so she assumed. The woman was friendly enough, even if Edel wasn't the type to speak a lot. Now that she smelt and felt better, she sought out Ghoul. Perhaps it was time to commit herself. She'd leave the Hot Springs feeling refreshed. / end "she speaks" 3/3 - met new wolf