The land around Neika seemed to welcome her erratic and colorful attributes, mostly playful and discordant, she busied herself along the sweet scented long grasses with a crafted game of butterfly catching. For now she had had enough of wandering aimlessly through the sanguine ways of traveling and survival , and found her dearest calling not in destroying life, but in creating it, and worshiping it.It was usually Sirus's duty to kill and attain their prey, leaving Neika quite defenseless if she ever had to truly hunt on her own. Surely she couldn't live off of insects and small rodents forever, and for just a moment Neika sat on her tail to reflect on her and Sirus's downfalls, while still enjoying the sensation of delicate paper thin wings frittering against her tongue that was emitted from a butterfly that was trapped within her canines.

She often contemplated leaving or staying for awhile now, pacing through the wilderness; mostly alone while the larger prey and birds watched her with confused grimaces as she talked against her own thoughts which swarmed her head with insecurities and indecision. Neika wasn't one for the whole, "Make love not war" thing, although she was fine with the "love" part, it was the "not war" part that internally bothered her. It gets shit done though ,and animals had to die in for her and her brother's survival. It wasn't the brawl with a prey that often scared her away from completing the task of killing something, no, it was the look they often gave her as death rolled ruthlessly into their eyes,while trying to struggle for their last breath. The strange wolf didn't really mind eating the prey though, when she was busying herself, gnawing on flesh and marrow which often dissipated the guilt of having to take another creatures life; while the thoughts of filling up her own belly consumed her.

With guilt Neika finally decided to open her mouth, allowing the monarch butterfly its freedom, although it didn't really go anywhere now, now that its wings were bent and dampened. With her head canted to the side she merely inspected the insect now on a bending long blade of grass doing it's best to recover when she heard something strange, something struggling that caused her entire lithe body to sit up frigidly and quietly, while her ears twitched with anticipation to hear it again. A cry like nothing she had witnessed before, it was strange and mewing sound, young and from Nieka's perception it was quite defenseless. Getting up from her spot to then thread through the grasses cautiously, she decided to investigate. At least from a safe distance...what she spotted in a small clearing had her become disgruntled.A small cougar kit struggled around in the grass to call out for its mother,whom apparently had been missing for quite sometime now. At least from by looks of it. Neika reckoned that the kit was forcefully alone, perhaps abandoned by its own mother. Her brother's voice popped into her head with caution of all the dangers that might arouse from a situation like this, but something in Neika tugged her towards the small animals direction as if there was some sort of maternal string being pulled from her chasm.

She knew that she was now in a pack's territory, although as dangerous as this might seem , she was very determined to at least try to keep the small creature from crying any louder, which could draw unwanted attention from other animals into their direction. Lowering herself nervously to the ground, her eyes searched carefully around at their surroundings before making the decisions to creep towards the frightened cougar kit " shhhh, you have to be quiet" Neika said with her own panic rising from her voice.

Iorwerth took pack duties rather seriously, though of course he took life in general very seriously to begin with. He spent a lot of his time doing whatever he could for the pack and for now that task was a simple patrol of the borders. Often many of his patrols proved to be fruitless, there would be no trouble or disturbances to the pack or himself and he'd simply return to the main areas of the pack to take on a more challenging duty. Patrols were definitely necessary though, every now and then he'd come across someone. Now for instance. He'd hear that awful cry first of all. Paternal instincts didn't exactly come naturally to the male, Iorwerth wasn't one of those wolves obsessed with fussing over the young of his own species, let alone any others. The scent of the cougar had caught his attention though, bringing him closer to investigate, not to ensure the kit's safety, but to ensure the safety of the pack. Would the mother be along shortly to disturb them? To his surprise though he was met with another wolf standing beside the kit. At least then he would have some form of back up should the mother suddenly arrive though he certainly didn't know who this female was. Scent informed him that she was not a member of Seracia and it seemed that Iorwerth had another issue to deal with. "What are you doing here?" He questioned, gaze now focussed upon the female for a moment, though other senses remaining alert in case the mother cougar would show.

At first the small cougar was hushed by the approach of the young white wolf, perhaps in need of some comfort? Neika wasn't exactly sure, and it was a tad difficult to really understand Nieka's intentions, whether she was trying to quiet the cat down for its own safety or her own was to remain uncertain.

Her wet nose curiously probed at the small creature as it growled in return making Nieka a bit surprised by it's lack of consideration, as if hadn't known any better. Basic instincts wasn't something Neika was certain of nor did she comprehend its vitality.

Still with her belly on the ground and her tail wagging, seriousness became play time for the two year old as her paw reached up to the kittens head to bring its tiny body down to the ground with her. In that little moment of ignorance she heard another wolf's voice,atoned with assertiveness. In response Neika did the best possible thing she could do, and that was to lay on the poor kittens body to keep Neika's prize hidden from the other. Her wide blue eyes stayed on the other wolfs as though she was trying to determine his intent. Was he a foe? Was he friendly? Slowly Neika went from a sitting upright position to one that showed a defeated submission " nothing" she quirked at the other large wolf , with her ears folding back against her head tightly it was her tail that continuously swayed back and forth against the ground to show that she meatn no harm.

The Kitten growled against Neika's fur for air and she responded by trying to pivot just a little so that it can catch a breath of air.In Neikas srange mind, this was her kitten now, she found it first. Finders keepers." I wasn't doing anything wrong" she stated defenselessly.It was now that she wished her brother was around, to once again save her from an embarrassing moment. The male that was in her presence, she noticed was large , holding an ardor of controlled respect. It was one of the first times in almost a year that she had happened onto another wolf's presence on her travels caused her to be a bit enthralled , even excited.

The stranger was quick to shift her position, dropping to the ground and concealing the cougar kit from his line of vision. It was of course too late for such actions, he knew that it was present and had already seen it for himself. Her attempts to act like it wasn't there were rather ridiculous really, and her single word response didn't exactly fill him with any confidence either. "Nothing" He had just seen her playing with a cougar kit, it was hardly nothing. At least she was submitting rather than trying to act all tough, though still Iorwerth felt she must have been lacking a little in intelligence. There were muffled growls now sounding from the infant cougar. In his mind he suspected that the mother would be along soon to retrieve her missing child. Though he had been taken from his own mother, it hadn't fully occurred to him that the kit could possibly be an orphan and so he remained ready to prepare for the worst, to be realistic about the situation. That thinking he felt, was rather unlike the female before him now. "I wasn't doing anything wrong" Oh how mistaken she was. "You are trespassing." He stated bluntly, clearly that was wrong and surely this wolf had enough of a brain in her head to realise that. "These lands belong to Seracia. A pack which you are not a member of." That was of course the main issue that needed to be addressed though the kit was still of some importance. He didn't really want anything to do with it, apart from perhaps see it gone from Seracian soil and with it the risk of a far more dangerous adult appearing. "And I do believe you may possibly run the risk of crushing that cougar." Her attempts to hide it truly were useless.

It was a senseless act to wander around on lands she wasn't in the least familiar with, although she smelled other wolves in the area, it was her excitement that blind sided her from making any reasonable,responsible decisions. Her tail reluctantly stopped swaying as her body remained low to the ground, showing off a rather compliant behavior. Swallowing the knots in the back of her neck, Neika did her best recover from her carelessness.

" I didn't know, I..I thought I was still in the outskirts. I didn't mean to come here"

Her head lowered even more seeing that the other wolf wasn't keen on leaving her alone with her new play thing anytime soon. As the male mentioned about the kits suffering under her lanky body weight, Neika gingerly mulled off of it to reveal the disgruntled cats presence now turning in circles within itself. As badly as she wanted to nurture the creature,she naturally didn't know how. Over the dry heat Neikas long tongue slipped out to smooth the fur that surfaced her maw. Was she in trouble?

Blinking her blue hues up at Iorwreth who was reaaallly intimidating her,so she decided to try and excuse herself out of all this mess. " I didn't mean no harm, I was just looking for my brother. I haven't seen him in a day or so and thought perhaps he might have wandered through here. I should get going now. I'm remarkably sorry for the intrusion" It wasn't like she was lying to the other wolf, the fact remained she was utterly lost even if Iorwreth might not exactly believe her. All she wanted to do now was to take this kitten and leave, instead her entire thin frame started to wrack itself with the shakes.

She may have been worried or sorry about her mistake though it didn't really register within Iorwerth's mind. Her emotions were pushed aside as he dealt with what he considered to be the far more important issues; the trespassing and the kitten. He certainly wasn't an emotional wolf at the best of times and when on a patrol he was hardly going to soften and feel sorry for any trespassers. She ought to have known better, she was a fully-grown wolf not a pup and surely had more of an understanding about the boundaries of a pack's land. The cougar kit seemed a little irate from being trapped beneath the wolf, though for whatever reason chose to remain in place rather than stray from the canines. It was good news at least that it hadn't chosen to head further into the lands though Iorwerth would have much preferred to see it turn and run out of them, perhaps to find it's mother and save Seracia the worry of being troubled by her. Neika then went on to try offer more of an explanation and talk herself out of the trouble she could potentially be in. If she wasn't interested in joining and speaking to a higher ranking member of the pack, then Iorwerth personally saw no reason to keep her about and her wish to leave was perfectly acceptable with him. "Watch your step in the future. If your brother is foolish enough to stray beyond a pack's borders perhaps you at least ought to consider seeking permission before blindly following him." She truly had gotten off lucky on this occasion, some packs and some wolves perhaps wouldn't be quite so kind. As far as he was aware though her brother wasn't here, he personally hadn't seen another other rogues wandering around Seracia anyway.

It was usually Sirus who dealt with others and trying to find a place where they could eventually call home, where as Neika was too invested in what was happening then to really consider any outcomes or possibilities that were laid before their future. Finally she lifted up her overtly thin body off the ground, built for speed and endurance she shook off her pelt as if to shake off the incident with Iorwreth. The kitten eventually started to walk away and immediately Neika turned and grabbed it by the tail instead of the neck making it scream with agony. It sacred Neika to jolt back from it, dropping the kit to the floor. Seeing the other wolf wasn't going to maim her, her behavior started to loosen up around him so much that her tail began to uplift from between her legs and begin fanning.

" I didn't know, sometimes I get ...confused" Pack politics was something that she was a stranger to. And then it occurred to her then, that her brother wasn't going to be able to give her the attention she direly needed and if he did, it meant he'd have to sacrifice his own needs to care for hers. Finally she had to step up and be a bit responsible even if it scared the hell out of her " what pack is this" she asked him curiously. Neika really didn't want to keep this other wolf from his own responsibilities , however Neika enjoyed the company. At least for now. The other wolf's words of caution had Neika's mind reeling with thoughts. He seemed to pinched a nerve in her somehow and it affected her greatly.

In attempt to keep the kitten still Neika placed a thin paw on the middle of its body, in retort it growled up at her. Nieka ignored the little cats whims to get away by clamping her maw around it's head to show it who was boss.
" I think he was looking for a pack..for us" her voice meekly mewed " maybe I'm looking for one" saying admittedly. At least her brother wouldn't have to worry after her anymore.

The cougar kit's stillness would not last for long. Once it had gained it's bearings once more it prepared to flee from the two wolves, Iorwerth watched ready to change it's direction if it went to travel deeper into the pack's territory though it seemed that the other wolf had the intention to stop it moving all together. This he assumed was perhaps why she had chosen to lie upon it in the first place, keep it still as she was distracted with him. Between her words she attempted various techniques in keeping the kitten still, none of which bode well for them if the mother returned for her child. "What are you doing? Let it go." He told her sternly as the kit growled and struggled against Neika. For one the infant was smaller than her and as had already been demonstrated could be hurt. There was no reason to cause it any suffering, and certainly no reason to try and keep it here in the first place. "If the mother returns for it I doubt she will be pleased to see such harsh treatment. It's best it leaves the lands and finds her on its own." Quite what her plan was in keeping the cougar close he really had no idea, nor did he truly care too much, though he certainly didn't think it to be a good plan. "This pack is Seracia." He began to inform her. "It is currently ruled by Queen Destruction. It is her you shall need to speak with if you are interested in joining." He didn't like the lack of power he had really, he'd once been destined for so much greater. He had to accept his position within this pack though, and hopefully at some point would find himself with a promotion.

Neika was oblivious of the kits conditions as it wrestled to get free from her grasp, not that she meant any harm to it, nor did she try to, but something inside of her pulled to keep the small animal at her side. Perhaps it was a sense of being with something that could keep her company even if it was against its will.The cougar sputtered and hissed with their incessant to get away.

"But it needs me and I found it"she protested despite the assertiveness Iorwerth displayed " It cant take care of itself, something will eat it..or even kill it if I let it go". Surely if the mother happened upon them while with her kit, it might've happened by now. As he spoke about something called a Queen Neikas head just turned a little as if trying to make sense of what he was saying.Her lively eyes flickering back over the male wolf's presence then down once more at the kitten, deciding to allow it its freedom. Neika slouched in a defeated sitting position to watch the cougar's silhouette dissolving within the grasses. Looking down trodden and now that Neikas mood was dampened, she felt like an executioner now left to always wonder if the kitten made it or not and what its welfare was.

The breeze came curling in a tapestry of divine motions against her white fur brushing through each strand with a svelte motion as Neika as she finally stood up with her head lowered, wondering what was next as she watched the male. She had two choices. To chase after the kitten, or to talk to this... Queen. She could only hope what ever choice she made, her brother will find acceptable.

Such a desperate craving for company was not something that Iorwerth was overly familiar with. If something wasn't working, didn't suit the male then he had a tendency to leave it. Rejection in his original pack and their tainted ways had caused him to leave them and the lack of connection with his mother and sisters he'd found himself unable to fit in with their pack. Here in Seracia there were of course things he wished to change slightly, though as a whole he could tolerate it, the problems certainly were not dire. This wolf attempting to hold the cougar kitten against its will, well that was an issue that needed to be addressed. "But it needs me and I found it. It cant take care of itself, something will eat it... or even kill it if I let it go". She protested but eventually gave in and allowed the kitten to depart even without Iorwerth needing to make another comment. It was for the best, and fortunately scampered off away from the direction of the barn and the centre of the lands. Perhaps it was clever enough to know the scent of wolves was stronger in that direction and after the treatment from Neika thought it best to keep clear. "Good." He approved simply, though the words still lacked emotion. Someone with a little more sympathy than he may have attempted to offer a few words of comfort, at least add that it was for the best to let the kitten retreat. Iorwerth however was most certainly not that sort of wolf. "Now, what is it you wish to do?" It didn't take him long at all to move back to the other issue, the fact that she still stood upon the pack lands, either he'd have to call for Destruction to join them if the Neika wished to stay and speak, or she would need to leave.

Neika knew as a tracker and as a steadfastly hunter that the possibilities of tracking down the kit were instinctive and a rather easily conquered feat to retrieve it. Her lithe proportions stretched , unfurled from her squandering positions once she stood up. With one long leg tucked under her body, she turned to look over her shoulder then back at the male wolf which stood by, being a bit impatient. Iorwerth reminded her of her brother in some ways, well in a lot of ways to be exact. There was a faint voice of maturity beckoned her to make a mature decision despite what she really wanted to do, which was to folly around in the long grass.

To make matters worse, getting a Sovereign's approval wasn't something she often felt submissive to. Neika recalled her brothers ambitions to feel like he belonged to something and find a place where he can intimately call home, as if she wasn't enough anymore Neika felt that this was something she needed to give him. Sirus deserved some peace and stability, it's the least she can do for him. Everything felt so perplexed until she finally made a decision. Looking slightly defeated, not by the possibility of going into a family in which she hadn't known, but the idea of becoming of age, she had just turned two years just a month ago, it was time she started to mature into something more than a just a carefree vagabond. Her tail swashed timidly showing evidence that the word good had an affect on her.

Neika proceeded with caution as Neika finally gave in and responded back "I....I guess offer my loyalty...if that's ok?". Taking note of how Iorwerth stood intensely before her.

" What of my brother?"

Neika's attention returned to him and Iorwerth sat in silence as he awaited her answer to his question. He probably did look rather intimidating as he stood there, his stance strong and still, gaze unmoving simply continuing to watch her. There was a small wag of her tail, though the movement was either unnoticed or ignored by the Clergy, emotions mattered little to him in general and right now he certainly didn't care whether she was happy or not. Finally he had what he wanted as last she opened her mouth and spoke; "I....I guess offer my loyalty...if that's ok? What of my brother?" She didn't seem overly certain of herself, that much Iorwerth could see though it seemed things were leading towards requiring a higher member of the pack to speak to her. "So you wish to join?" He wanted to confirm this fact first of all before he bothered wasting the time of Destruction or Loccian. "If your brother declares loyalty to the Kingdom, I see no reason why Queen Destruction wouldn't allow him to join with you." They were a rather welcoming pack really, there had been different rulers upon his joining though they had accepted him easily enough.

Thoughts turned heavily in that brain of hers , so full of concerns which weighed on her like a ton of boulders. Neika stooped the wagging of her tail a little to draw in a large breath to fill the chambers in her chest , holding it in for a moment before exhaling out lightly " yes" she pronounced to the other wolf and then " I do". Everything seemed to happen so quickly around her,it gave her a dizzying sensation as she did her best to hitch a slight smile which appeared at the corner of her maw. " I know this is for the best.." as her words drifted into an awkward silence.

Neika wondered why other wolves were always so serious, she couldn't quite comprehend while watching the wolf that stood in front of her, very unmoving." If that is what he wishes, I hope you're right" He didn't seem to be too invested in deceiving her, at least from what she gathered from Iorwrth so far, so there was no reason for the she wolf to feel too leery around him; at least for now. Maybe introductions could in some ways relax the atmosphere between them, even if it's just a little "by the way.. my names Nei" while at the same time trying to be a bit hopeful.

Nika began to grow a little worried as the sun dropped lower and lower behind the horizon. The sky was full of matte coloured clouds now. Companies of swallows were flying off towards some unknown destination. She could see the sunset on their wings as they moved passed Iorwerth and herself. It would have seemed beautiful to her if she had been in the proper situation for it. She felt suddenly bereft and very small indeed. Nika still shuffled looks between where the kit had ran off to and the wolf that stood in front of her.

There was still a further pause before she answered him, hesitant and thoughtful though the words that finally left her lips seemed more certain than her previous statement. "Yes. I do. I know this is for the best." Why it was perhaps for the best Iorwerth had no idea, nor did he particularly care, each wolf had their reasons for leaving one pack and joining another and he wasn't about to pry into hers. If she wished to divulge, he supposed he had no choice really but to listen but it wouldn't be some life changing story for him. As for why wolves could be so serious, Iorwerth was of course the perfect example for that statement, perhaps even more so than many others. There were certainly others that had a far gentler and friendly nature than he, that would actually smile once in a while. He probably didn't present her with the greatest impression of the pack just yet, though it seemed she still wished to join. And that confirmation was all he needed to call for a higher rank to come and join them. "I must call for either Queen Destruction or Loccian, our Grand Duchess to speak with you. They are the only ones that can currently accept you." He informed her, though wasted no time before letting out the howl to beckon one of them to the area. "If that is what he wishes, I hope you're right. By the way.. my names Nei" Iorwerth made note of the name, it was very likely after all that he would require it later. He wasn't sure how useful she would be to the pack of course, she needed a little more sense to be considered responsible in his opinion but she seemed harmless enough. Ultimately though Destruction and Loccian would have the final say. "Iorwerth." He responded, giving his own name as he stood and waited for someone else to come.

"Iorwerth" she repeated the name to help safe lock it in her flighty memory, being afraid she may forget it in the future she did her best to repeat it over and over almost obsessively. It was observable from the girl's perspective that Iorwerth didn't seem to care either way about the formalities of an introduction and was more focused on the tasks at hand. Perhaps if she wasn't used to Sirus's inattentiveness, she might've taken offense to Iorweth's indifference. In silence she sat there with her nose descending upon the ground to search about the divine lushness of grass and those who lived within these territories,slowly over the soil very slowly which on ever side breathed fragrance. Her ears flicked up as she listened to the soft winds; at which the vegetation around them, readily trembling,yet did not bend enough to disrupt any insects or birds from their hidden shadows.

As Iorwerth spoke about his sovereign once again , Nei only responded by flicking her teal eyes up at him "I see". She knew that being in a pack could relieve her brothers responsibility for her which often brought on bouts of shame on her disposition.

She wasn't sure what was required of her, or what it will take to be part of this pack since she had always been a rouge. In that moment, if she could have read Iorwerth's mind, she might have gotten up and just left instead of proving her usefulness. Of course she was irresponsible, careless on so many levels, yet she still quite modest when it came to her ability to run a prey into exhaustion. Tracking and running was her forte thanks to her hyperactivity.

" And what are you in this pack? Do you like it here?" she asked; yet her voice was drowned out by his sudden howl.

For the last day or so Destruction had been deep in thought, her mind troubled as she that crossed onto the fae. The longer she remained as Queen of Seracia... The more members that left their ranks... The more she wondered, the more she questioned, if this was truly the best choice for Loccian to have made in regards to passing Seracia onto another member for a while. She understood the need to put the pack in the paws of someone she trusted but... Was she truly such a trustworthy wolf? More and more Destruction was questioning herself. Questioning it all. What was her place in life anymore? Since Tahlia and her children were banished a part of Destruction felt so empty... And she longed for that hole to be filled again. Family... In the end she was alone again. The first time her family had been stolen from her... And there was little she could do about it. Now... She did technically have the power to bring them back. All of them. Bane. Tahlia. The children. But her loyalty to Seracia and Loccian prevented that... And her pack loyalty had caused her to break her promise to Bane... To all of them. ...and that broke her heart. Destruction hadn?t even managed to begin training her apprentices yet. It felt like everything she knew... Everything that she loved... Was always being taken from her. Every time she was happy... Something happened to disrupt that. Was she truly just... Not meant to find happiness? Was she cursed? Was this his fate... Because of the sins she committed in her younger days? Because she became a monster? Even if she thought she had left that life behind... It seemed to cause her grief in other ways... Looming over her. Alone. You are alone. All you truly are... Is... Forbidden Destruction. Her single crimson ringed orb would closed, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill down her cheek. She missed her family. She missed her son. She even missed her parents, whose faces and names she could no longer recall. She missed the innocence she once held as a young pup. She was lost. Lost to herself. Her duty was clear... But she almost felt as if she was just a shell of what she should be. What she needed to be. Destruction had not given up hope that Loccian would make a full recovery and reclaim the pack. The wolves leaving... Though they might have claimed it wasn?t because of her being alpha... She couldn?t help but feel it was so now. Sure Arian had come back... But... The female would heave a small sigh, shaking her head. ?Perhaps I should go talk to Loccian about this soon... Maybe she will have a solution.? She needed some sort of guidance now. Some way of knowing where to turn once Seracia was back under, in her eyes, more capable paws. Then a familiar howl would reach the ears of the dark woman. She would open her single orb, tears having been banished away, at least for now, and she would rise to her paws. The call belonged to a Seracian, Irowerth, whom she was coming to see a bit more often since her alphaship. She supposed that was a good thing... And yet... At the same time... The Queen felt guilty. Was it only because she was a Queen right now that she was showering her face to the other members of Seracia more openly? Even if that was the case, Destruction knew she couldn?t trouble the other members of her pack with her matters... It wasn?t their problem to deal with. She would put on a mask, wearing a calm expression even if her mind still churned with thoughts and her gaze burned with the truth of her inner pain. The female would wander to the location of the call, moving at a jog to reach the area in a timely manner. When she arrived the female would find Irowerth was not alone. A female stood near him, the scents of lands upon her, though not the scents of a pack. So... This female... Was she looked to join? The Queen would allow a small and gentle smile to cross onto her face as she approached, giving a nod of greeting to her fellow pack member, a silent thank you being passed by the look she gave him for getting here first before she turned her attention to the female in front of her. ?Welcome to Seracia. I am Queen Destruction, and I see that you?ve already met Irowerth. What can I do for you today?? "Speech",'Thought.'

The questions were lost to Iorwerth in the sound of his howl, though the answers he may have replied with probably weren't the most helpful or interesting in the world. He certainly wasn't the type of wolf you ought to rely on for any kind of small talk, conversations could be difficult at best with him and it was better to have some sort of meaning behind them that rambling on about any random thing that sprung to mind. Of course the questions weren't overly useless really, but talking about himself or the way he felt definitely wasn't a strong point either. It took a little while, though Destruction soon came into view and was quick to step into action. ?Welcome to Seracia. I am Queen Destruction, and I see that you?ve already met Iorwerth. What can I do for you today?? Silently the man would take a step back. He probably wouldn't be of any additional use for now, though until he was completely dismissed he would remain on the off-chance that Destruction had anything she wished to say to him, whether during the conversation with Neika or afterwards.