the closer El comes to her impending teenagehood, the more impatient she gets. wanderlust has wriggled under her pelt, itching along her spine until she can scarcely bare it. she spends much of her time napping by the border, casting woeful glances at the territory beyond Ashen’s lands. of course, this isn’t just spurred by a yearning for adventure, but also a yearning for the appearance of a familiar striped face. sure, she likes the letters they exchange, but it makes her pelt prickle to think of him out there conquering a world she’s yet to even see. he could get hurt, without her there! and…and what if he was meeting othergirls? maybe El isn’t the only Princess he visits. in fact, maybe that’s why he’s not here right now; maybe he’s sitting at the border of another pack, gifting someone else those clumsy smiles. Princess snuffles loudly. “i’m not being angsty,” El snaps, shooting the dog an irritated glance. Princesses didn’t angst! it was unseemly to even think of! huffing, El gets to her feet and stomps off to her favourite pond, determined to distract herself. an afternoon of primping sounds like just what the healer ordered. "Speech"

The fiery-colored boy eagerly made his way to visit his closest friend, Elara, the princess of the Klein pack. Excitement bubbled within him as he anticipated their time together, eager to share with her his latest acquisition – a shiny new helmet. With the skull-shaped piece of armor securely fastened to his head, he set off, the hinges of the jaw section causing his jaw to twitch slightly.

Crossing into Ashen territory, once a daunting prospect, now filled him with a sense of relief. Along the way, he picked up a fresh scent, indicating that Elara had recently passed through. Following the trail with determined strides, anticipation thrummed in his veins as he headed towards one of her favorite spots.

As he approached, the figures of Elara and her companion, Princess, came into view. With a mischievous grin, the boy let out a low growl, hoping to startle her – just a little bit. Forgivable, right?

""

a rather undignified squawk burst from her lips as El whips her head around, eyes landing on Red's large striped form. indignation and joy war across her face, and she settles for something approximately in the middle. "don't do that!" she huffs, getting to her feet. she leans over to playfully nudge his shoulder, taking him in with eager relish. a new helmet is fitted to his head, lending him a rather imposing air, and there seems to be something...different about him. it's as though every time he reappears, he's changed in some new intangible way, brimming with stories and experiences she can't share. it only worsens her frustration, and it takes a physical effort to shove the unpleasantness down and focus on the boy in front of her. "hmm...something is different about you," she muses, stepping back to squint at Red. a teasing little smile cuts into one freckled cheek, lending her an almost impish air. "did you...get your fur trimmed?" "Speech"

Redrum watched with amusement as Elara's reaction unfolded before him. Her undignified squawk and the way she whipped her head around to meet his gaze brought a grin to his face. Cheekily he sat with a carefree flick of his tail, his gaze briefly taking in her appearance for any signs of change. No injuries, not a hair out of place, aside from the ones he’d spooked into standing on edge. The vermillion boy chuckled, a mischievous rumble that conveyed his entertainment. She warned him about his antics, and gave him a warm nudge to his shoulder. He wasn’t a super touch-comfortable wolf, but he let her familiar touch come and go – fleeting and regrettably so. Sometimes he craved more affection than he got, but… that was weird.

‘Hmm...something is different about you.’ Elara mused, stepping back to squint at him. Redrum cocked his head to the side, rather dramatically as she feigned ignorance at the elephant in the room. On his face? Whatever. She wanted to play a game, he’d oblige. “That’s– right. Redrum did– get his fur trimmed!” The boy replied with a grin, playing along with her teasing tone.

""

El giggles, pleased at Red’s willingness to play along. “I knew it!” she aims to nudge his shoulder with hers, smiling up into his face as her pale gaze darts across that strange helmet. she lifts a forepaw and tries to smooth her pads across it, mapping the arches and curves with an expression of awe. “where’d this come from, then?” she murmurs, voice soft. her eyes yes meet his through the mask, searching for that boy she’d met in Insomnia all those moons ago. it’s difficult to find him, because the boy in front of her is almost a teenager - no, a warrior. an Insomnia warrior, fierce and powerful. what would it be like, she wonders, to live alongside him? to return to Insomnia with him and never leave his side? colour fills her face, and she steps back so suddenly she almost trips over herself.