While the rest of the Pirates wasted time trying to come to a decision, Aresenn had decided to break away from the lot of them in the following days to do a little sight-seeing for himself. Come to find out, the pack that he had suggested for their next raid was one they had already raided in the past … but that was before he had been born. It was called the Hallows, and he was pretty eager to make himself acquainted. And while he would be careful not to cross any boundaries while he was alone, he was certain that simply looking couldn’t hurt anyone.

It was a fairly quick journey, as ‘Castle Town’ lay just beyond the land bridge in Auster. The further south he went, the more he noticed the drop in temperature. However, being a coastal pack, the ocean did a pretty good job of keeping everything regulated as far as he was concerned. The young Pirate skirted his way around the grove- sticking to the beach before cutting into the undergrowth as he began working his way inland. After he identified a scent marker, he did his absolute best to give it plenty of room- as he didn’t want to be accused of trespassing. His goal was to keep walking until the castle came into sight. Then, he would get as close as he safely could and see what he could find. Though, when the trees began to clear and open up into a plain … he hesitated. There was literally no cover except for the tall grass, and while he was certain he could cross the expanse fairly quickly. He was also sure that if anyone was watching, he’d be easily spotted by his starkly different coloring. Damn. He’d have to stick to the forest, which meant his trip wouldn’t be as direct as he would have hoped. Instead of coming to a decision, Aresenn chose to linger … trying to weigh the likelihood that someone would actually notice him. It wasn’t that he was lazy- he just didn’t know how long it would take for him to be missed. This was supposed to be an in-and-out excursion, after all.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Now that Andy and Kite are down in the Hallows, the purple girl feels a certain calm about… everything. No matter what follows, she is bound and determined to enjoy her time down here with her sister. The change in temperatures is dramatic but Andy has a thicker than normal coat that helps to stave off the chill of the cold northern climates. Which means, she is completely comfortable as she strikes out on the overcast day, the wind biting at her but finding no purchase. The grove is a familiar place with the pleasant, heady scent of ripe berries filling the air.

Andy decides that, the next time she sees Briar, she will compliment the Hallows on their ability to cultivate the multi-seasonal fruits. Suddenly, the wind brings a familiar scent to her nose and smirk slowly tugs at her lips. The girl is great at remaining hidden; her natural stealth having been honed into more of a skill while she was still in her youth. So, without a sound, the girl picks up the boy’s trail, easily filtering out the surrounding scents, and carefully tracks his progress. Slender paws pad quietly through the forest, the clouds lengthening shadows that help to hide her lavender form.

Finally, as the plains open before the pirate, Aresenn pauses, looking out over the wide-open grass. A smile tugs at her lips as she almost sees the wheels turning in his head, questioning if he can make it across the area before being spotted. Silently, Andy detaches herself from the shadows, stalking up behind him so that he, hopefully, does not detect her before she wishes him to. When she is almost on top of him, the girl softly says, “My, my. Are you following me Aresenn? Or, perhaps you are here for more… nefarious reasons?”

Andy keeps her tone light as she comes to stand next to him, pale blue eyes shining with humor as she turns and cocks an eyebrow at him.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Just as he was nearing the point of giving up on the idea of crossing the plains alone, he was suddenly struck with the surprise of a familiar voice as it caught his attention. On a momentary reflex, Aresenn tensed his muscles in preparation for conflict. Though, as he was flooded with recognition of how he knew the voice and who it belonged to, a spirited one-sided smirk crossed his features. Turning to face the antlered girl, he relaxed himself into a more casual posture. Though as he turned, he was quick to answer her. “See, there you go making assumptions again without any consideration for my feelings.” While his tone might have a pointed edge to it, the amusement was ever-present in his amber gaze. After hesitating a moment, he'd continue. “But what can I say? I’m the bad guy, remember?” He’d offer, paired with a shrug of his shoulders as if it were simply something that couldn’t be helped.

The truth was, he didn’t want to tell her the truth as to what he was doing. But the Fatalis Princess was a bright individual- too smart for him- that could likely get a pretty good idea without having the entire picture painted. Still, he wasn’t just going to come clean. Disguised in a playful light, he’d answer that questioning glance of hers. “Just thought it was a nice day for a little stroll. I’ve only passed through here before. Never got the chance to look around.” Aresenn responded- laying it on pretty thick as he leaned into a stretch and a yawn. At least that wasn’t an outright lie. As he righted himself, he’d take his own turn being the one asking questions. The girl was clearly out of place herself. “And what about you, hmm? You’re even further from home than I am.” The Praetor boy asked, waiting expectantly to hear her explanation.

"Aresenn Praetor"

*psssst* Hover over the image to make it go opaque.

It does not escape her notice that he tenses at the sound of her voice and a smile flickers across her lips as her plan to surprise him seems to have worked. Pulling to a stop alongside him, Andy allows her gaze to sweep the plains quickly before turning her head so she can cock a brow at him. Aresenn is quick with a comeback and the lavender girl snorts out a small laugh at his words before heaving a gentle sigh as he calls himself the ‘bad guy’ again. With a soft shake of her antlered head, the girl quickly says, “And there you go, putting words in my mouth, again.”

Eyes sparkle with unvoiced humor as she shrugs her shoulders and says, “I never said you were the bad guy, Aresenn. True, I think your morals are more… ambiguous than mine but I also know that the world isn’t made up of just black and white.” Another shrug of purple shoulders is offered before she turns her pale blue gaze back out to the plains. If the world had been made of only good and evil, black and white, then the interesting boy with the fiery markings wouldn’t be here. But, Andy is not a fool and knows that he is, more than likely, here to scout out the Hallows. At his next words, she simply says, “Uh huh.”

The act he puts forth does not the deceive the lavender girl but she decides to let the subject drop… for now. Aresenn’s question has her snapping her head around to lock eyes with him as an amused smirk tugs at the corner of her lips. Does he not know the tie that binds the Hallows and the Armada together? Canting her head, the smirk falls away as she realizes that he actually might not know, so Andy offers, “I am here visiting my sister. And making some star charts when the weather allows.”

That is mostly the truth and the purple wolf has no problem omitting the other, greater, reason for this whole visit. Heck, she isn’t even sure Briar knows that reason yet. Turning to look out over the plains again, Andy suddenly moves forward, pulling herself around the front of the fire-kissed boy until she is blocking his view ad pointing away from the plains. Pausing, she looks to Aresenn and lifts and brow, asking, “Well, you coming? If you really are out for a stroll then I can show you some places that do not have a pack in them.”

A smile ghosts across her lips as she inclines her head toward the tall Aspen trees that make up the land next door and waits to see what he will do.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

As Aresenn had turned to face her, she came to close the distance between them- only stopping once she had come to linger at his side. His attention settled on the Fatalis girl, looking her over as she scanned the rolling plains before them. After a few moments, he too returned his gaze to the open territory. Partially to see if she had noticed something of interest, but mostly so he wouldn’t be caught staring. It would have been an easy act to commit. As she accused him of putting words in her mouth, he couldn’t help the breathy chuckle that escaped his nose. There was no purpose to arguing with her- she was exactly right. Even more so in her philosophy of ambiguous morals which seemed to be a reoccurring theme in their conversations. Her words were said easily, and he didn’t doubt their light-hearted origin. Though they cast a momentarily solemn shadow over their interaction. If only things were simple. “No, I know you never called me as such ... I just don’t want you to forget.” Aresenn mumbled while staring straight forward. It was more so to himself than to her, and after only a couple of heartbeats of hesitance, his own dry-humored nature returned. Amber eyes brightened with a sort of amusement to mimic her own.

He didn’t have to be a mind reader to hear the blatant disbelief in her tone as she acknowledged the reason he provided her to explain his presence. He knew there was no point in trying to convince her further, either. Instead, he adopted that devil-may-care half-smirk, followed by another casual shrug of his shoulders as she continued on to explain her own purpose for being in Auster. A far more worthy cause than his own. As she explained that she was visiting a sister, he wondered if the sister was similarly a high-ranking individual in the Hallows. It would only make sense. “I see.” He responded simply. The idea of charting the night sky was certainly an interesting one. He should have expected that even her hobbies would be brilliant. “Is there something you’re hoping to achieve with your charts? Or is it just something you enjoy doing?” He asked, casting a glance of genuine interest her way as he sought an explanation for her intrigue.

Suddenly, the Fatalis girl strode forward, steering his attention towards the southern aspen forest as she circled out in front of him, venturing a few strides in that direction before hesitating. As she extended an invitation on the grounds of leading him away from pack territory, he couldn’t help but narrow his eyes- though entirely out of amusement. “After you, Princess.” Aresenn answered, gesturing her onward as he moved to follow her. Truthfully, he’d rather spend time with her anyways. Though as they started off toward their unknown destination, another thought crossed his mind. “Are you ever going to grace me with your name?” He asked a little flatly. “I feel like I’ve earned it.” She knew his after all … her proper introduction would have only been fair.

"Aresenn Praetor"

*psssst* Hover over the image to make it go opaque.

As Andy accuses him of putting words in her mouth, the boy mumbles a reply that has her gaze suddenly snapping over to him. In her pale gaze rests the unvoiced question of why he keeps trying to paint himself as such a bad guy. While she does not know Aresenn very well, the purple girl would be willing to bet that there is a kind heart that beats underneath all his bluster and guff. Still, there is something in his simple, mumbled reply that strikes the girl straight in the heart and she suddenly wishes that he wasn’t so certain that, one day, he would be the villain in his story.

The conversation moves on, with Aresenn stating the ‘reason’ he is here and she gives a simple, yet unbelieving, reply. Humor lingers in her eyes and the lines of her face as he adopts his devil-may-care half-smirk and her heart suddenly leaps into her throat as she realizes just how handsome the boy is. If he wasn’t so dead set on turning evil, the girl could see herself spending a lot more time with him. As Andy gives her reasons for being down here, he asks about her star charts and the girl’s eyes brighten and she softly replies, “I chart them so others may use them to travel with. But, honestly, I do it because I just enjoy it.”

Andy tilts her chin back, turning her pale blue eyes up to the overcast sky and a dreamy look settles over her features. In her mind’s eye, she can see the night sky with the thousands upon thousands of stars shining like diamonds in the inky darkness of nighttime as the silver goddess crests the horizon to begin her nightly journey. Voice still soft and now, faraway, the girl explains, “I… never really felt like I fit in with my family. Don’t get me wrong, I love them dearly. It’s just… I have always felt older than the meager year of life I have. But, when I look up there, it just feels… right.”

It is as if a dam has burst in the girl and the resulting cascade of information reveals more about herself than she realizes. Brows lift slowly as sadness begins to tug her heart and a strange sense of homesickness settles into her stomach while she continues to talk, “They have names, you know. And stories given to them by generations now long dead. Every time I look at them, I feel this… irresistible tug. As if, learning about those cosmic beings brings me closer to them.” As if the spell she was under has suddenly been broken, the girl’s eyes widen and she snaps her attention back down to Aresenn. That information she has kept from her own family and yet, here she is, giving it freely to the boy she hardly knows.

Brushing off the trance of mere seconds before, she strides forward, turning in front of him to direct Aresenn to the Aspen studded area that rests close by. His narrowed eyes and amused words have Andy huffing indignity and rolling her eyes as she quickly replies, “I am not just a Princess, Aresenn.” While it is true that has been her title within the pack, the girl feels that she is so much more than only a Princess. As they begin to walk, the girl settles into a leisurely stroll while making sure to keep the boy beside with her.

His request for her name has the girl stopping in her tracks to cast a long look at him. For a moment, her gaze is intense, weighing and judging something that only she seems to understand. If he really is going down such a dark path, why should she offer her name? She believes that names have some hidden power and yet, he already has her last name. Plus, the girl really has been wishing to share her name with him. What harm can come from it? A gentle smile breaks across her face like the sun appearing after a long, dark night.

Her gaze softens as well and she drops into the half-bow, half-curtsy that her father had instilled in her for formally greeting others. While dipping her head down, the girl confidently offers, “Andromeda Fatalis, Princess and Trader of the Armada but really, a stargazer at heart.” Most of it was the introduction her father had taught her with the girl adding in the last bit just for Aresenn. Straightening up, the girl looks at him with a gentleness that she has yet to show and adds more softly, “But you can call me Andy. Everyone else seems to.” Well, there it was. She had given her name to the boy and, if she continues to believe the books she spent hours upon hours reading, their fates are now forever tied together. Okay, so maybe Andy enjoys fairytales too.

With that, she begins to walk again.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

It seemed that she might have perked up a little as he inquired for more information on her own personal interest. He would commit that detail to memory. The Praetor boy hadn’t ever paid much attention to the night sky himself … but if it were something she enjoyed talking about, he might just have to learn for himself. The girl started with: she was charting them for the benefit of others. However, the next bit sounded like an admission of a guilty pleasure. “Just because you enjoy it, doesn’t make it any less admirable.” Aresenn lightly assured, though she likely didn’t need any affirmation for him. Even in the nefarious crowd he had taken up with, the commendable intention of her project wasn’t lost on him. Fun or not, her maps would likely be a great asset to those that followed her family.

It took him a moment to untangle his mind from thought and being- blinking away the former in time to hear the girl continue on to where her interest and perceived connection to the celestial bodies came from. Her voice was distant, though he listened closely. Aresenn quietly followed her glance to peer up at the sky for a moment, though he instantly recognized it wasn’t what she was looking at right this second. More likely imagining the layout of the night sky as she remembered it to be. Returning his attention to her once more, it became that much more difficult to follow along. He could practically see the stars in her own eyes- and they were prettier there than he had ever noticed them to ever be before.

Aresenn waited until she had finished before answering. He almost felt a little pity for her- wanting something that she couldn’t have, and not being able to find her place among those who were closest to her. The pirate boy could relate on some scale- though it clearly bothered the Fatalis girl more than it ever had him. Echoing her softer tone in one of his own, he cleared his throat softly before beginning. “I would assume it’s natural when you have a family as large as yours to feel a struggle in finding a place among them. Of course, I’m no scholar, but it doesn’t seem all that common for so many in one bloodline to remain so tightly knit.” Of course, he didn’t know how many siblings this girl had exactly, but he had gotten the impression from word in passing that it was a huge family, and that was something he hadn’t personally encountered often in his lifetime. Though, it did finally occur to him that she wasn’t necessarily looking for a solution to her feelings, more than she just wanted someone to hear them. He did. “But I’m glad you have found some comfort in stars. I suppose after spending so much time getting to know them, they might come to feel like family as well. At lease one you got to choose.” It clearly didn’t subside her feelings of longing, but at least it was something.

As the accusation of princess rolled off his tongue, it took her very little time to round on him. A smirk broke his features as he came to an immediate halt in order to not pressure her space. Though, her reaction was quite amusing- she was quick to establish that she was more than just a title by blood. “Is that so?” He asked, maintaining a playful light. He couldn’t tell if calling her such truly bothered her, or if it was just the game that they played. He’d have to pay more attention. Regardless, she joined him in their walk towards the Aspen forest- leaving the Hallows territory behind. Or at least … until he blatantly requested her name for his own purposes. Aresenn expectantly returned her stare as she weighed the advantages of an introduction in her mind. When a soft grin tugged at her lip, he would raise his brow in waiting. Andromeda Fatalis. A unique name for a unique individual. It was perfect. He wanted to tease her, to point out that it hadn’t been so hard, but decided against it. He thought that might have been a challenge for her, and didn’t want to immediately mock her for it. But you can call me Andy … everyone else seems to. He answered with his own grin. “Well, I see that I have made a grave error, Andromeda Fatalis, Princess and Trader of the Armada- Stargazer at Heart.” He finally answered, his tone a little overly valiant as he tested out her identity on his own tongue with a little added grandeur. Returning to something more conversational, he continued on.  “Do you like being called Andy though? You kind of seem like Drama to me.” He echoed, his grin broadening a bit more. Okay, he couldn’t help poking just a little bit, but he would immediately back off to a sentiment more sincere. “But I’ll call you whatever you prefer.”

"Aresenn Praetor"

*psssst* Hover over the image to make it go opaque.

For some reason, the more the purple girl talks to Aresenn, the easier it becomes to share important things with him. His words about her enjoying stargazing has the girl shooting him a sideways glance while a gentle, thankful smile lightly tugs at her lips. Her attention turns to the sky and she gives the boy more information about herself that she normally wouldn’t share with… well, anyone. These are the deepest secrets of her heart and she is freely giving them to the fire-kissed boy as if he is the only wolf in the world could understand the mysterious workings of her soul.

Part of her screams to shut up and hide away what she kept so close to her chest for so long but, as she brings them to light, she feels a strange peace settle over her. Aresenn waits until she is done talking before he clears his throat and begins to speak; his tone is softer than before. Andy bobs her head in agreement, knowing that many of her siblings have already branched out beyond the Armada to start their own paths. The fact that he is listening, interested in the inner machinations of her mind and soul silently baffles the girl because, for the first time in a long time, she actually feels like she is being heard.

With a small sigh, she nods her agreement at his words about the stars being the family she chose but, to her, it goes far beyond that. It is impossible for her to voice just how deeply those celestial bodies are woven into the fabric of her being, as if she was born out in the inky heavens but forced to wear the skin of a wolf down her. Maybe, someday, she can sit down and try to give voice to all those complex feelings but, for now, she is thankful to accept that Aresenn is actually hearing to her.

The talk comes back down to earth and he shoots back the Princess word which has her informing him that she is more than just that. Finally, after a moment of hesitation, the girl shares her name, title, and what she is at heart. The boy’s tone is bold, adding some grandeur to her name and title that has her eyes rolling and a soft chuckle falling past her lips. Aresenn then asks if she likes be called Andy and dubs her ‘Drama’ which causes the girl to blink wide-eyed at him. Confusion, humor, and finally mild amusement crosses her features.

Blowing out a small sigh, the girl softly replies, “What does it matter if I liked being called it? Andy has followed me since the day I was born and it will probably follow me to my grave.” Andy strengthens her tone now that the serious part has passed and she infuses the next words with unvoiced humor, “You are the first person to call be Drama but, given our history, I can understand why that is your chosen nickname for me.” Eyes sparkle with joy as she moves out of his way, waiting for him to join her before once more leading toward the land of Aspens.

As they walk, the girl says, “You can call me whatever you like Hot Shot. So long as it isn’t something extremely derogatory or foul.” She looks at him, smirking at the boy a moment before turning to  look out ahead of them.  A few moments pass before Andy suddenly asks, “What about you Aresenn? What hobbies do you enjoy? Besides trying to get under my skin?” The last part is a joke but the girl really is interested in the red-clad boy, wishing to know more about him and what makes him tick. Maybe, if she can understand him better, the girl can figure out why she has become so intrigued by him.


"Andromeda Fatalis"