She had been walking for what felt like forever. It had been over a season since she last saw the male who stole from her, a thief who took more than just a thing  - he took a piece of her history, her late mother's gifted bracers, her most prized possession. Her nostrils flared as she picked up the faintest of scents, a muddled trail that she hoped - and had hoped for weeks now - would lead her to him.

Her strides were purposeful, though the longer she walked, the shorter they became. The landscape stretched out before her, an endless sea of green and gold. Just another vast, open space that seemed to mock her prolonged adventure. Vanta's emotions were beginning to get the better of her: the burning anger at the thought of the bracers in the paws of another, the piercing stab of loss, and an underlying current of fear. What if she never recovered them? What if this was all for nothing?

As the sun finally set, Vanta conceded to her exhaustion. With a heavy heart and a tired body, she laid down, resting her head upon her paws. There, under the vast sky, she allowed herself a moment of vulnerability. She was far from the feared and respected warriors of her family, yet here she was, driven by a knight's valor and on a seemingly impossible quest. How would she ever find him?

"Vanta"

Lia left the Hallows feeling full in both heart and body. Seeing Art and Briar again had lifted something inside of her. Their easy acceptance of both her, and her choices was almost enough to bring her to tears. They had also loaded her up with some provisions and a good meal. Perhaps leaving them again was not the best choice, but she knew it was the one she had to make. She felt that her strength was swallowed in their kindness, and she wanted to learn and grow outside of their sphere of influence. They had given her a new chance at life, and she wanted to truly seize it.

She slept in Gambit Briar that night, and the fitful sleep left her with the memory of her mothers fangs raking through her coat. She awoke touching her scar, and some of the peace Briar and Art left her with was gone.

That day's travel took her further into Boreas, where she explored the lands around the briar, searching for… something. She wasn’t sure what, but surely she would know when she found it?

The horned wolf found herself in the Prairie as the sun began to set, and as she trotted across the expansive meadow, she caught the scent of wolf. She paused, touching her nose to the air


"Speech"

As the setting sun bathed the prairie in a warm light, Vanta's ears perked. She inhaled deeply, sorting through the myriad of scents the prairie offered. Among them, the distinct aroma of another wolf caught her attention, a scent unfamiliar.

Raising her head, she scanned the horizon. The prairie, vast and almost endless, offered little in the way of hiding places, yet the stranger remained unseen. Her tail twitched with a mixture of curiosity and caution. Was she friend, or was she foe? Perhaps, if Vanta was exceedingly lucky, this stranger might have knowledge of the wolf she had been hunting.

Shifting her weight to her paws, she moved forward. The scent grew stronger, leading her towards the figure of a horned wolf, her fire-kissed form almost camouflaged against the backdrop of the fading light. Vanta's stomach lurched as memories of her mother surfaced, memories she had tried in her grief to forget. Fire, her mother's voice. One moment she was blinded by the light, and the next her vision cleared just long enough to watch the horned woman fade into the flames.

She realized she was staring and caught herself, swallowing hard. Her upbringing as a Fatalis princess had taught her the value of both strength and diplomacy... even when the world felt like it might be ending. "Hello there." She forced her tone into one of calm assurance. Into the voice of a wolf who knew her place in the world. "I'm Vanta. I didn't expect to find anyone else out here."

"Vanta"

Lia scanned the surrounding area, blinking to adjust to the change in light as the sun faded behind her.  The wind was against her and she didn't catch the scent of wolf again. Perhaps the other had already left the area, and she had caught only the last remnants. But she found she couldn't relax, not really. Her heart kicked up a little in her chest, proving she has overcome her fears yet. 


She took a few steps forward - and then a giant of a wolf appeared over the next rise. The stranger was a pale woman, with swirls of blue brushing almost ethereally over her coat. But even that paled to the wolf's eyes. Oh, God, her eyes. The shock of blue reflected the sun like fire, glinting against the many angles that made up the whole. Like they had been carved from precious stones. She'd never seen their like. She felt an icy chill up her spine. She didn't believe in ethereal beings, in God's. She knew no God existed in the same world as her mother, as slavers and abusers. Justice wasn't given by someone you prayed to, it was forged by those who fought for it. Like Art, and Briar. Which meant this wolf was made out of flesh and blood. Just a wolf, and one who was speaking to her. She realised she was staring, and she blinked, trying to steady herself. She dipped her head low in a respectful greeting, manners beaten into her long ago. “Good evening, Vanta. I'm Lia” She said, her voice quiet. “I didn't mean to disturb you, I was just passing through” actually, she'd been looking for somewhere to bed down. But Vantas words indicated surprise at finding another wolf here. She ached to ask if the wolf's eyes were a gift/curse of the long night, as her own stone horns were.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the prairie, painting both wolves in hues of amber and gold. Vanta observed the slight tension in Lia's posture, the way her chest seemed to rise and fall just a bit faster. "It's quite alright, Lia." The princess replied, her tone gentle, meant to reassure. "This prairie belongs to no one. We're all just passersby here."  Vanta was familiar with the look of someone who carried burdens and doubts, who viewed the world with a wary eye. That sort of suspicion was not uncommon in the Armada.

Vanta's crystalline features had caught the last light of the day, reflecting it back with an otherworldly intensity. She lifted a paw to her brow, shielding her eyes from the light - it was the least she could do. Fortunately, the way her crystal-touched fur was layered trapped the glare within, and her fluorite sabers were smooth and without deep facets to refract. Giving Lia an apologetic tilt of her head, she offered a wry smile. "Sorry about that." She chuckled lightly. "The light sure does love to play."

She moved a step closer, bathing herself in Lia's shadow. "You're welcome to share the prairie with me for the night. It's safer with another nearby." She did not need to state aloud what evils lurked in the shadows; the fresh scar upon Lia's face and the uncertain way in which she carried herself spoke volumes to the woman's experience with the dangers in the dark.

"Vanta"

She'd been so distracted by the eyes, she almost missed the sabres. They too were as hard as gems. A startling and unnatural glint of crystal beneath the woman's muzzle. She did not consider her beauty a gift, and she wondered somewhat regretfully if her own horns were as eye-catching. 


When the giant of a wolf stepped forward, she fought the instinctive urge to bear her neck and lower herself to the other. Some instincts were difficult to overcome, but she forced herself to hold steady regardless. “I would like that” she said, aiming for a thoughtful tone. She was deeply fascinated by the crystals that adorned this wolf. But more than that, she had chosen not to live in the comforts of the Hallows for a reason. While she would have happily stepped into the roll of their cool and maid, she found herself desiring more in life. She had been to so many places in her life, and had seen none of them. She wanted… she wasn't even entirely sure. Facing her birth mother had been terrifying and satisfying in ways she never would have expected. 


“Did you have a camp nearby?” She asked, wondering if the other wolf had already chosen a spot to settle in for the night.

Vanta watched Lia closely, noting the subtle shifts in her demeanor, the way her eyes lingered on the crystalline sabers before steadying herself. There was a resilience in Lia, a quiet strength that Vanta couldn't help but admire. The ongoing battle between the woman's ingrained subservience and independant determination was nearly imperceptible, but it was there. Old habits were hard to break.

"There's no camp," Vanta gave back with a shake of her head. "But don't worry, I've spent many nights under the open sky. You're perfectly safe with me." The crystal-touched princess stepped forward, her movements deliberate yet gentle, ensuring that Lia felt no pressure to yield or submit. "And, if the night grows cold -" She continued. "- we can always find warmth in each other's fur. Mine is not quite as sharp as it seems." Vanta's smile was inviting, a silent promise of companionship with no strings attached.

She folded her haunches, settling down in the bed of tall grass just far enough from the fire-kissed woman to still be respectful. "What brings you here, Lia?" Vanta asked, her head lowering to rest comfortably upon her paws.

Lia looked up at the taller wolf - that impressive height all the more obvious as the crystal wolf stepped further into Lia’s personal space. Lisa held steady, looking up at her, and wondering why the other wolf continued to move closer - until her next words fell free. Ah. To Lia, sex was transactional. Sometimes it was a price to be paid, other times it was leverage, or a way to wield power over others. Usually others weiding it over Lia.

If the cost to sharing Vanta’s camp was sex, it was a price the fire marked wolf could pay. As she looked up at Vanta, the taller wolf moved, settling into the long grass. Lia watched her for a moment, and then reached into the pack that Briar and Artorias had gifted her. She pulled out the fire starter, and got to work gathering stones to make a safe spot to start. Keeping busy was natural for her, and having a job to do helped to bolden her. “I was just leaving the Hallows, that’s a pack down in Auster” She explained, in case Vanta didn’t know. “As for where I’m going? That's a different question entirely, I’m not sure yet.” she explained. She finished making her stone circle, and grabbed some fallen twigs, and other things that would burn. Asking questions was almost foreign to her. Curiosity was punished, and to do otherwise felt as if it was going against the grain. But Lia had already had every punishment devisable delivered to her. Really, what was the worst this stranger could do? “Your crystals, are they from the long night?” She asked at last.

Speech

As Lia busied herself with the fire, Vanta watched, her crystalline eyes reflecting the growing flames. She listened attentively as Lia spoke, her ears perking as she mentioned The Hallows. A grin spread across her maw. "The Hallows is my Aunt and Uncle's pack." Vanta chuckled. That explained much of the girl's uncertainty. She had come from a sanctuary, a place to mend the broken. Did the fact that Lia was here now mean she had been mended? She remembered Lia's earlier hesitation, the look in her eyes that spoke of hard-earned caution. Perhaps not. "It's brave, stepping out into the unknown, searching for your own path. I respect that. I'm doing the same."

The fire crackled to life, casting flickering shadows and light over both wolves. Vanta settled comfortably, her posture relaxed and open, ensuring her presence was reassuring rather than imposing. "I was born some time after the Long Night." She explained with a smile. "I've heard tales of it, though. Is that where you received your antlers?" Vanta nodded to the mutation. "They're absolutely beautiful."

Lia’s eyes shot up from her task, and settled directly on the crystals of her companion. Surprise darkened the fiery oranges of her own as she followed the grin across Vanta’s maw, finding sincerity in it. She only knew of one relation to Briar and Art outside of the Hallows, though likely they had more. “...Sirius?” She asked, cautiously. Had fate led her to another of the Warlords children. Briar (and Art) had been the most impactful and surprising introduction to her life.

“I guess that is what I’m doing” she agreed, feeling her posture relax, just a little. If Vanta was a sibling to Art or Briar, if she came from that lineage of heroes… she was no longer simply a stranger. “Yes, they came as a direct result of it. That, and something different happened to my eyes. I can’t fully explain it…” She trailed off, and shook her head. Stepping back from the firepit, she moved closer to Vanta, and settled down across from the other wolf. She found herself looking for similarities in Vanta. If she had to guess, she saw more Briar in her than Artorias


Speech

Vanta's eyes, bright and attentive, watched Lia's every expression. She noted the subtle relaxation in her posture, the cautious hope that seemed to weave itself into her words. At the mention of Sirius, her grin grew broader. "Yes! Sirius is my father." She confirmed proudly. "It seems the world is smaller than we think, or perhaps it's fate."

As Lia relaxed, Vanta felt a surge of familiarity; a bond beginning to form that went beyond mere coincidence. "It's a hard journey, isn't it?" Vanta mused, her tone encouraging. "Stepping out from the shadows of others and seeking to find our own light." Her paw reached out, aiming to come overtop the other woman's in a reassuring gesture. "I'm glad our paths have crossed this way."

"Vanta"

She settled her head on her paws, leaning her antlers back, out of her way as she looked at Vanta. She had heard of Zee, but had never really met her for herself. She wondered how much of Briar’s mother was in Vanta, how much of Sirius. She was definitely seeing similarities now in Vanta and Briar. She felt a little… something in her chest, something akin to hope and awe. “Your father saved me from some pretty nasty stuff, and gave me to Art, he and Briar… they gave me everything” She said, giving Vanta this piece of her as an offering of trust.

Vanta’s words touched on something, and it was strange how well the other wolf could see her. Perhaps those crystals in her eyes went beyond cosmetic, it was as if she saw exactly what Lia was thinking, what she needed. “How did you know?” She asked quietly, wondering if Vanta would tell her if it was so. When Vanta reached out a paw and touched it over her own, she didn’t move, instead looking up at Vanta with a small smile. No, she certainly wouldn’t mind paying a price at this camp.

Speech

"My father has always been a beacon for many lost souls." Vanta acknowledged with a soft, reminiscent smile. "And I'm glad to hear that Art and Briar have been so good to you. They're remarkable wolves, both of them." The Hallows had always been open to her family, and without their support Vanta did not know how any of them would have survived their mother's death.

Replaying the words in her might, it was Vanta's turn to be confused. With a tilt of her head, she asked a cautious question. "He.. gave you, to Artorias?" The pieces began to fall into place. Someone had broken Lia, but who? She insisted Sirius was her savior, but then.. he gave her away? Something was still missing. A truth that Vanta could not quite grasp.

Her smile faded as she considered this piece of information, her brows furrowing over her crystalline eyes. Lia's question nearly passed her by entirely. It lingered in the air, a whisper of curiosity and a hint of something deeper. "Know what?" She asked, distracted. "Oh. Well, perhaps because I see a bit of myself in you. We're all looking for our place, aren't we? Trying to find what feels right. What feels like home."

She fixed Lia with a careful, curious stare. "Is there a reason the Hallows did not feel home enough for you?" She ventured.

"Vanta"

Lia nodded her head in response to Vanta’s question. Of course he had, he was the Warlord, it was his right to give whom he pleased to whomever had pleased him. She had been a slave, bought and paid for from his supplies. She had expected to enter a world much like the one she was leaving. Where wolves would prize her for her beauty, use her for her desire, and hurt her when it pleased it. Never her face of course, for no one had ever dared to mare that perfection. She smiled, and thought of the scar above her eye. She had earned that one.

“He purchased me from slavers that had shipped me in from another continent, they intended to sell me on as a sex slave. I was new to them, so they were partaking every night. Sampling the wares, as it were. Many, many of them” She still remembered what it was like, lying on that stone floor. Hurting in so many places, waiting for the next one to come to her. She placed her spare paw over Vantas, idling tracing it slowly up the paw the silver wolf rested on hers. “He was teaching Artorias about the kind of wolves that existed in dark places, he paid a hefty price for me, and sent me with Art to his sanctuary. There, life… wasn’t like what I expected.”

“The Hallows is somewhere peaceful and wholesome, where wolves stepped carefully around me, and praised me for the strength to rise in the morning. I love them truly, I do. But I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable there, if I don’t learn who I am first.” She pushed herself gently forward, leaning into Vanta's space, trailing her paw up to the silver wolfs elbow. "You asked me to warm you bed." she said softly, making it clear with her intentions that she was ready to fill that price.

Speech

Vanta's crystalline eyes widened, a flicker of shock and deep empathy passing through them as Lia recounted her harrowing past. The stories of her enslavement, the painful details of her abuse... it struck Vanta to the core. Her heart ached for the suffering Lia had endured, and her respect for the wolf before her grew the longer she spoke. It was one thing to hear of such atrocities, but quite another to see their impact in the eyes of someone who had lived them.

"Oh, Lia," Vanta whispered, her voice barely above the crackling of the fire. "I'm so sorry. No one should ever endure such pain, such... degradation." Her eyes, reflecting the flames, shimmered with unshed tears.

As Lia moved closer, her intentions clear, Vanta's shock deepened. The offer, so plainly stated, was unexpected. There was a very large misunderstanding here somewhere. "Lia, no." Vanta said firmly, her gaze one of profound concern. She withdrew her paw, not in rejection, but to emphasize her words. "That's not what I meant. Not at all. You don't owe me anything, especially not... that."

Vanta's head shook, the motion slow and sad. "You're safe here, with me. I want nothing from you but your company, and only if it's freely given." She reached out once more, this time to gently guide Lia's gliding paw back to her own side. "You're a survivor, a warrior in your own right. What you've been through... it's unimaginable. But here, now, you are free. Free to just be Lia. Not a possession, not a prize, but an individual; worthy of respect and kindness and..." She sighed.

The revelation had shifted something in Vanta, a new layer of determination and care wrapping around her like a cloak. "I vow to you, as a friend, that you'll never have to endure such darkness again. Not while I'm here." It was a fierce declaration, a promise.

"Vanta"

Lia frowned a little at the empathy in Vanta’s eyes and found herself wondering… if that wasn’t exactly what she was running away from. Vanta had read her well up into that moment. Her talk of looking for her place, and stepping out from the shadows of others struck a chord in her. She wondered now if she had blundered in speaking so freely of her past. She regretted seeing that understanding shift to pity, and a need to protect. If she wanted protection, Briar would have sheltered her from anything that wished her harm.

When Vanta pushed her paw back, Lia reached out and grabbed it gently. Locking her eyes onto Vanta’s. “Sex is nothing to be ashamed of, Vanta” She said softly. “There’s power to be found in sex, even by those that have no power of their own. You’d be surprised what people will do for it.”

Speech

Vanta's expression shifted to one of confusion and embarrassment as she processed Lia's words, her disappointed expression. She stammered slightly, trying to find the right words, her usual composure momentarily faltering.

"I - I'm sorry, Lia," Vanta began, her voice both apologetic and earnest. "I didn't mean to imply that... It's just that my protective instincts are strong, perhaps too strong at times." She gave a small, self-deprecating chuckle. "An inherited trait, I guess. My father, Sirius, he's... well, you know." Her head gave a disappointed shake.

Glancing at the scar beside Lia's eye, Vanta continued. "You are a wolf who can stand her ground, and I apologize for not acknowledging that. You've defended yourself recently, even, have you not?" She gestured to the mark.

Gathering her thoughts with a steady inhale, the flustered woman spoke further. "It's not that I'm ashamed, but, to me, sex as a transaction, it's... it's abhorrent. It's a crime as morally black as they come. I'd rather face death than be a part of that. I swore not too long ago to face death fighting it." Her crystalline eyes burned with a fervent, passionate light. "Sex should stem from love, from a burning passion. It should be an explosion of feeling that happens when that love can not be contained for.. for even a moment longer. It should be about connection, not obligation or currency."

"Vanta"

Well, she had just left a child of Sirius, and found herself in the company of another. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised at seeing sharp lines of parallel between them. She didn’t know the Warlord's protective trait, but she had seen it in those he had raised. She sighed and released her grip on Vanta. She finally. finally gave in to the urge to touch the scar, and raised a paw to it. Brushing against the raised skin lightly. “A gift from my mother, actually. Her last gift to me, her first being my life in slavery.” her smile was wry.

As Vanta painted a picture-perfect image of sex and love, Lia laughed. A genuine, surprise laugh, that bubbled out of her unbidden. She immediately slammed a paw over her muzzle in shock. She hadn’t meant… that had been terribly offensive. “I’m sorry, I’ve just… never heard love put so… romantically.” She said, tailoring her words before she gave any further offence. “Are you ashamed to be in my company?” She asked, her voice curious. “For the longest time, sex was the only weapon available to me. I’ve used it like a fine-tuned weapon. For food, bedding, warmth.”

Speech

Vanta listened to Lia's laughter, a beautiful sound that seemed to hold so much - surprise, perhaps a touch of cynicism, and something else, something deeper. She watched Lia cover her mouth, the laughter giving way to a more solemn moment of reflection. Before the woman could punish herself for the perceived slight, Vanta once more covered her free paw with her own. "No need to apologize." Vanta reassured, her voice gentle, an understanding smile touching her lips. "Maybe I'm wrong, I admittedly have no experience in the matter. Just dreams."

The question Lia posed next made Vanta pause, her crystalline eyes searching Lia's. "Ashamed? No, not at all!" She answered, firm in her conviction. "You've wielded what you had to survive, and there's no shame in that. It's a brutal reality for too many, and one I hope to change." She paused, her gaze drifting to the fire, watching the flames dance and flicker. Remembering her mother's face, the horns that crested her skull.  Turning back to Lia with renewed purpose, she smiled.

"In fact, that's part of why I'm here, on this path. I seek to create a pack, a force for change, a collective of individuals who seek out darkness not just to shelter from it but to actively dispel it." She let the words hang for a moment, allowing the gravity of her words to settle between them. "We'll stand against the atrocities that have become far too common, like those you've endured. It's about reclaiming power, not just for ourselves but for all those who have been wronged. It's about fighting back, making sure that what you've suffered doesn't continue to be the fate of others."

Her gaze intensified, the crystalline facets of her eyes shimmering with passionate fire. "I want to gather wolves who are tired of turning a blind eye, who yearn to make a difference. Wolves who have known pain, yes, but who also know the strength and resilience that comes from surviving it. Together, we can be a beacon of hope, a force of retribution and justice."

Vanta's eyes held Lia's, pleading. "I don't know if our paths were meant to converge for a night, for a season, or for a lifetime - but I would be honored if you considered traveling with me, even if just for a little while. Help me build a sanctuary for those weary of fighting alone, for those looking for a place where they're valued  - and not for what they can give, or what's been taken from them."

"Vanta"

“I made the mistake of believing I was purchased for Artorias as a sex toy. His response was much like yours…” She teased, adding a little more levity to the moment. It seemed she was doomed to misread wolves in regards to such things. Or perhaps she was just walking in the wrong circles these days. Or the right ones, depending how you viewed it.

Vanta however had much, much more to say about things. She stilled, and listened to the cristaline wolf, listening to the conviction and passion in her tone. It was the sort of speech that inspired rallies, and began movements. It was spoken by one who truly believed in what she was saying. “I… to be at the very beginning of something, to be the start of change, instead of just the benefactor of it. I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life, or where I want it to go. But perhaps it would be… interesting to see where this goes. To see where you go.” The second part she didn’t say out loud. She didn’t think Vanta would appreciate it, but she owed the Fatalis, she owed them a great, yearning debt that she wasn’t sure she could ever repay. Perhaps helping this Fatalis wolf would do some good in that. And to be seen, not as the victim? But the one who made change? “Besides, a little crusade sounds fun” She added, grinning at Vanta.


Speech