The way the tree's lined the shore of the water wasn't something she was used to. Though again she was barely used to anything around here, the warmer weather the distrust of others? Then again she had recently been presented with the rank of digamma, in which she was determined to have a better chance of connecting with the others and showing off her skills. The worst scenario would be her words to have only been bluffs, in which no one would belief her story of hope and despair that prevailed. Her red eyes looked at the water as she thought of this. It was time to stop hiding in the shadows, she was a leader no more no less. Her blue mane shined within the dim light of the morning as she raised herself. Yes, she would work hard as she usually did, and try harder not to assume control over the queen the alphess of this pack. As it stood she was a warrior with the rank since things were split out so separately. But on the inside she was still the same old shaman she had been in her old pack. The woman who had equal amount of fighting and healing skills. As there was no saying she couldn't do both anyway. Vahva closed her eyes as she looked at the rising sun for a moment and then looked away to avoid burning her eyes. 'I'll make my mother proud' she thought to herself as she looked at her paw prints within the sand. Speech,

Wind whistled over her feathers as the hawk soared in ever widening circles, keep golden eyes surveying the land so far below her, The opal pendant beat against her breast in the force of her passage through the thermals. The male who had brought her the gift had been a stunning specimen, a fine example of their particular species. And smart! However, on one hunting trip, he?d never come back to the nest. She?d been forced to hunt alone for their chicks, but only one out four had made it to the age of which they would be ready to soar on the thermals as free hawks. She beat her wings, soaring higher on the thermals, cocking her head to scan the earth below for anything that might be of interest to her friend, the silver wolf named Surreal. The wolf was a strange new part of her life. Before Surreal, she had lived her life as any other Ferruginous Hawk might. And then she had strayed too close to a group of trees. Her wing tip had clipped a branch, sending her spiraling out of control and crashing into a tangle of brambles. When the wolf had found her, she had thought for sure that she would be dead. But instead, the wolf had released her, and befriended her. She owed the wolf her life, in a way. She would never have been able to get free of the brambles without injury to herself. A flicker of movement below caught her keen eye, and Battlesong banked slightly, soaring in a lazy downward curve, feeling the wind tugging at her wingtips. It was a wolf, black with a blue mane. The land was one of those strange places, where trees met water, and the two intermingled peacefully. She could seethe glint of fish scales in some places. This was one of the wolves she had seen at the meeting of the Valhallan wolves, back on the island that was a real devil to traverse if you were a large bird used to flying in open land. Banking again, the Ferruginous Hawk soared back to her friend, who padded along the borders of the wolf claimed territory. She gave a cry to Surreal, making the odd-eyed young wolf look up from some scent at her paws. ~Surreal~ Surreal padded along the land-side of this area of Valhallan Territory. Now that she was able to get to her duties without worrying that her mother would fall back into her illness, she patrolled daily, keeping with her Uncle?s routine, though she could get more done that he could, with her younger limbs and more expansive energy. With all of her wounds fully healed, she moved without any pain, proudly bearing her new scars like a medal. She was a Beta of Valhalla, proud, but humble. She would make her uncle proud, and hopefully walk beside him as second beta once he returned home? Whenever that would be. Forcing her mind away from that path of thought, Surreal bent to sniff at a bent twig that hadn?t been there on her last round, finding only the scent of a rabbit, when Battlesong?s call came from above. She looked up, watching the hawks easy flight through the air, absently wondering what it would be like to fly as a bird did, until Battlesong drew within speaking distance, settling with a rustle of wings on a tree branch. ?Battlesong! How was your flight? Anything of interest?? Her voice had lost most of it?s faint girlishness, forming into an adults full throated timbre. She liked to think she sounded a bit like her mother, just slightly lighter. From what she could remember of her father, he had been one endowed with a rumbling voice, like thunder in the sky. She could just barely remember his face. The hawk rustled her wings, settling them into place, head cocked to examine Surreal, her opal pendant glittering with flecks of colored light under the morning sun. Her hoarse voice answered Surreal?s questions, intermingled with the occasional clicking. ?Greetings, Long-Runner Surreal. My flight goes well. There is a blue marked long-runner ahead in the water forest. One of your pack. Nothing else.? Surreal considered Battlesong?s report, ears swiveling absently in thought. Blue marked? She wasn?t sure.. Ah! There had been a black and white she-wolf with an odd blue mane at the meeting. Perhaps this was the wolf Battlesong referred to. She looked back up to the hawk, smiling. ?Alright. I?ll check it out. Feel free to go hunting if you want, though if you see any large animals with any lameness, let me know; I?ll pass it on to Ashtoreth and the Sigma.? Battlesong clicked acknowledgement, crouching slightly, wings spreading slightly in readiness to push of into the wind. With a powerful thrum of feathers beating air, and the scratch of talons dragging over dry bark, the Hawk pushed off into the air, catching a thermal and soaring away, while Surreal continued along her patrol path, tail waving slightly as she went. She didn?t hurry, taking her time to assure the safety of the pack before going to meet with the pack member. Paws took her silently at a trot through the borders of Valhalla, before she reached the land edge of the territory Battlesong had pointed out. She swung into the territory, paws finding a path through the elevated roots of the trees, weaving through the territory, following the paw prints left behind by the wolf. After a while, she came to a halt, mismatched eyes studying the female. Upon looking at her, a name filtered its way to the surface of information. Vahva. Chrysanthe?s eyes had fallen upon this wolf as she announced that Vahva would work beside Caerul as a Digamma. Surreal stepped forward, giving a soft woof of greetings. ?Vahva, isn?t it? How are you today?? Mismatched blue and gold eyes swept over the older female, finding her coloring to be fascinating. There was a strength in this wolf, that spoke of prior leadership skills. What had brought her to Valhalla?

This brought her thoughts back to when she was a pup at her mothers side. While she would spend most of her time in the den, she would always hear her mother speak about her little adventures outside of it. How it was harsh to be the lead healer in such times when the land was dying in the way it was. With the coming of the volcano. Her friends, Erani, and however disconnected she was from him, Vahva's father Sani. All whom were part of Valhalla. Even if the woman had been conceived on accident after the two got high on poppy seeds, she still had loved her parents regardless. Vahva had been only a mere year old when the volcano hit the lands, and she and her mother got separated from the pack. Thus she thought she would never see Valhalla again, not Cairo the ever so forgiving alpha, not her father nor anyone for that matter. Those days might not have been the hardest, but it was her mothers death that had brought the round about of her attitude into play. They had found themselves stuck in a jungle while following Valhalla's scent. During a storm that of which a tree came tumbling down and Night pushed her out of the way. The black and white female had been crushed in the middle. Because of having such a short body only at the size of twenty four inches, she wasn't able to deal with the injuries nor was Vahva old enough at the time to pull the tree off of her mother. Which lead to her being unable to bury the healer as well. Vahva had left her mother there, and nearly all her hope in the world. Until she finally reached the new Valhalla and the first thing that happened was a bicker with Azalea none the less. Even if she was finally back home, it hadn't lasted long enough for her to do anything. Her hot temper, and short fuse made it difficult to communicate. And at the time even if the male Oddity was not with Glaciem, she half felt it was Glaciem themselves who had placed her in a position of imprisonment. The black male had nearly killed her, having her to flee to the north, way up north away from her home and lands. Injured and unable to defend herself, a kingdom brought her into their domain as a slave alongside Itu. Which led to a even more stifling story in it she was formed to have not only a better attitude but a much more calm feeling towards herself. Vahva had a litter of pups, became alpha, then returned to Valhalla. As such she would not let the story become a simple lie spewed from her lips. The same common demeanor of her joyful life would come into play. As the stronghold of her own heart would come to grant Valhalla the best hopes of herself. So she found herself, on these shores a lot. Though she was broken out of her thoughtful trance when she spotted the bird. Easily with her observant skills, but only until the young Surreal came to sit beside her that she gave a soft gaze a bit surprised for a moment, but expecting no less of the beta. Many members so far had only treated her with caution, and many did not know of her past in Valhalla. Most of the time it was only the adravendi who knew, descendants from Cairo. Yet the young-ling had just waltz straight up to her and asked her how she was. It brought a small burst of confidence in the cool collective nature of the woman as she relaxed herself sitting up straight and her blue mane bright as ever would always give her a unique sign away to any wolf here on alacritis. For once she died, there would never be another wolf to have a mane quiet like this. "Well I'm glad another wolf has learned my name at least to feel comfortable enough to confront me." Vahva chuckled lightly, it was more that she was impressed really. Surreal was so young by the looks of it, maybe not even two years of age yet. And she was a beta, a strong holder of the pack, and a leader figure who none the less was learning such things at a young age. "I am just thinking of the past, and ways to put myself to work. Though I'll have to speak with Caerul first beforehand." Her red eyes shut for a moment. Would she really be able to gain Valhalla's trust, and what if she messed up, made a mistake. Would there be a chance of ever recovering from that. She was only used to collecting herself around the men who abused her, making sure her authority was standing so that she would not be in such a weak state as she had been. Here, it was family, and family she had yet to know, names, personalities all of them. "You are Surreal right? Would it be rude of me to ask how you came to be the beta of Valhalla, at such a young age?" Vahva was curious, and she wouldn't let fear get in the way of her wanting to know. Besides, Surreal was the first after Chrysanthe, and Azalea to strike a conversation with her at least in a civil manner. Times like these, would make her stronger. Much less vulnerable about the wolves she was supposed to be leading to live better lives. Speech,

Vahva reacted with mild surprise as Surreal settled beside her, before chuckling and speaking. Surreal tilted her head slightly at the older female, mulling over her words. As Vahva continued, Surreal nodded. ?Patrolling would be a good place to begin. Perhaps you two should take a patrol together.? As Vahva?s crimson eyes closed, Surreal watched her, mismatched blue and gold eyes sweeping her black, blue and white form. The female was muscular and strong. Likely she was a good warrior, and would do well in her new rank. There was a feeling of un-sureness though, like Vahva was still learning to trust. Vahva spoke again, asking Surreal about how she had reached Beta status at such a young age. Surreal mulled this over, taking a moment to savor memories of her Uncle taking her on his patrols, and of the day Chrysanthe had announced that Surreal would become Beta after Cormalin. ?My uncle Cormalin became Beta when Chrysanthe rose to Alpha. I was still small. Chrysanthe became Alpha on my first meeting. When I was old enough, Uncle Cormalin began taking me out on some of his patrols, and then he started teaching me what he knew. Just before the war, he asked Chrysanthe to allow him to train me to follow him in his place. She said yes. ?But he was taken prisoner in the siege. That is how I rose to Beta status. When he gets back, I will continue my training. He?s the best teacher I could ever ask for. My mother is also Chrysanthe?s adoptive mother, though she and Cairo were never mates. And our Lead Healer.? There was a note of pride in the young Beta?s voice as she spoke of her family. Her relations were wolves that you could be proud of. A strong leader, a strong, wise Beta, and the most powerful healer in Alacritis, gentle, powerful, and kind. Who wouldn?t be proud?

The war, it seemed funny how her job as alphess was to prevent them. And when she returned home, there had been one and they had lost. Though she was glad many of them were okay, aside from the prisoners. Her red eyes glinted with the thought of it, her family being hurt. She remembered the pain she felt when she watched her small mother be crushed by a tree when she was only a small nearly a yearling. A sigh, left the lady's lips. And now, no one aside from a few remembered her. Valhalla had grown so much since she was little it was nearly unbelievable. Surreal was a strong, young youth though it made Vahva's heart warm at the edges really. "I'm sorry that he was taken prisoner, if only I had been here." if only she had been here to support her family. She was here now though, and that mattered enough did it not? Though she said lead healer, it must have been Erani. Vahva remembered her a little from when she was younger and her mother would speak to her. "There are so many strangers who don't remember me. And even more who completely forgot about my mother. I was born in Valhalla, though it was an accident, I still remember bits and pieces of seeing Cairo. And my mother was lead healer before Erani, the two were friends. But when the pack moved me and my mom got separated and she passed away." Vahva gave a smile. "With so many new faces I wasn't sure what to do. I went from a leader, to someone who was worried about the judgment of her family just like I was when I first tried to return to Valhalla but was torn away." A small chuckle left her lips. "I guess acting all calm and collective all the time just doesn't suit me around those I want to impress." Her tail wagged slightly. Speech,