Winter was finally upon the world, though its arrival seemed a bit slower toward the ocean. The soil was not yet fully frozen, though some flakes of snow had penetrated the draping boughs of the willow trees overhead. The land was caked in a gentle dusting of snow, causing the land to look quite like a winter wonderland. Her pawsteps were quiet as she dove between the trunks of willow trees, wandering with to purpose, content to spend time away from Fiori, if only briefly. Not that she needed time away from her family, but being alone was refreshing at times. When she was by herself, she was free to let her mind wander. Today, she couldn't help but thinking of the past. She'd lost so much, as as much as she knew she shouldn't dwell on her past, it was difficult to not see the faces of those she had lost. Her father, her mother who she'd barely known. Her siblings. Erani.  A soft sigh left her lips, the sound echoing in the silent forest. It was late afternoon, though the sun seemed to be falling in the sky at an alarming rate. Shaking the light snow that had accumulated on her pelt, she'd only pause momentarily before trudging onward quietly.

It was a sad truth but this wasn't the first time that Andromeda Olympus had known difficulty in her life. This however was perhaps the worst pain she had experienced. When kidnapped, she had still been around her siblings and Katja hadn't treated them badly. When abandoned she still had her siblings around her and further family that still would have welcomed her to join them. They seemed such minimal complications now in comparison to the trouble in her life now. There was no threat to her life, nothing she could strive for to make it all go away. Sigmarr and Nemesis had both been taken from this world, the pain of grief was heavy in her heart and most certainly weighed her down. Her remaining siblings had scattered in their own turmoil, they should have all been together and yet she had no idea where any but Kassander could be found. Fiori had seemed like a good plan. They had offered a safe house to the wolves of Ebony during the siege, perhaps now they would offer a similar welcome as the remnants of the pack attempted to piece back together their lives. There was Pantheon as well but Fiori was closer to Ebony in terms of distance and general relations. And yet here she was now, having overshot and gone past the pack. She knew it as well, some part of her was stalling, taking a long route around and she couldn't really get to grips with why. Silently she would continue, her paws intending to lead her back towards Fiori but her mind not honestly paying enough attention as to whether they would succeed in that goal or even anything around the lands. Epiphron wasn't far away now, her scent would soon be detectable, and yet Andromeda continued on oblivious to the presence of another.

To be honest, she hadn't been paying particularly good attention to her surroundings. Though she struggled to not be a creature shaped by guilt and regret, she couldn't help but remember those that she had lost. Part of her felt as though if she didn't recall them to memory that someday she might forget. Perhaps she would someday forget the sweet, herbal scent that seemed to permanently cling to Erani's coat, or her own father's very voice, if she didn't make an effort to remember. It took her a long moment to realize that another was nearby. The woman's scent wasn't of someone she knew, though it held an air of familiarity to it that she could not immediately place. Curious, her attention would shift to reality as her head swung to the left and then to the right, searching through the willow trees for her. Only when she saw a slight flash of tannish-orange fur did she commit herself to approaching, and she'd slowly redirect her aimless wandering toward the stranger. "Excuse me," Epiphron would begin, perhaps a bit more polite than usual, but then again this was not her home, and she was in no place to be anything but mannerly. "Are you lost, by chance?" There was a slight air of confusion about it, she thought, for she had no idea it was grief that lingered in her heart, and that she wasn't necessarily lost.

Both wolves were quite preoccupied, perhaps could have quite easily walked right by one and other without even a glance. Whilst Andromeda remained wrapped up in her thoughts, Epiphron would manage to awaken from hers to notice the lost soul lingering close by, Andromeda wouldn't be quite so observant until Epiphron spoke, the voice cutting through her daze enough to pull her back into the real world for a moment. "No." Andromeda responded simply. She was all prepared to put her head back down and move on once more until her mind caught up with what she was seeing. She knew this woman, not officially of course, she wasn't sure she had ever actually spoken to her, but this she was sure was Epiphron the alpha of Fiori. "Epiphron?" She was sure of it, and yet it still came out as more of a question, shocked to find the woman here.

It took her far longer than she cared to admit to be shaken back to reality. Briefly she had felt as carefree as a child, wandering through the forest, without being weighed down by responsibility. But when she began to speak to the rangers that stood before her, she was pulled violently back to the present day. Her blue gaze would fix on the girl that she had stumbled across, ears flicking in her direction as she spoke up. The stranger's response was simple, and it for a moment it almost seemed as though she wanted nothing to do with her. Fine, she thought bitterly to herself. I didn't want to help you anyway. But before the younger woman moved to turn away from her, a flash of slight recognition crossed the stranger's features as she spoke her name.  "Yes," she'd respond slowly with a simple answer of her own. This girl was entirely unfamiliar to her.  "How do you know me?" Slightly puzzled gaze would narrow as she studied her, honestly wondering. "And who are you?" There was the slightest edge to her voice. It was a bit bizarre to be called by name, by a stranger, away from her home.. and yet she was curious and there was nothing threatening in her stance as she stood and watched her, waiting.

Perhaps Andromeda had been a little abrupt in her denial, surely could have found another way to answer that ran the risk of coming across as far less rude. She had her reasons for being so out of sorts of course though none of her struggles were of course apparent to anyone around her, certainly not to those who had no idea who she was anyway. And though she had now come to realise that this was Epiphron, the other woman of course had no idea at all who she was. "Andromeda Olympus." She chose to answer the latter question first, though introduction and reasons behind knowing of Fiori and Epiphron all coincided to some degree. "I'm Kassander Xanilov's sister." Of course not related by blood though Andromeda was more attached to he than her half siblings, little did she realise where in fact Epiphron's niece and nephews. "I'm part of Ebony... or was. I have seen you there before."

Once, in what felt like lifetimes ago, she had dreamt of a day when she would be known by each and every wolf she met. How much things had changed. Now, being called by name had put her briefly on edge. She knew her family had enemies, and so she must too. And yet her worries quickly faded as the stranger introduced herself. She announced her name, though also said she was Kassander's sister. She had met two Olympus wolves, and neither had expressed such a relation to the Ebony wolves, but she knew little about the families and would make no mention of it despite it being a bit curious. "Ah, yes," she'd say finally as a faint glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes as she thought of the few times she had been in Ebony. Once for the meeting before their siege, and again recently when he had announced his brother's death. Perhaps the event could explain Andromeda's slightly cold response to her question? She knew grief all too well and she felt a pang of sympathy toward the other woman. "Are you not staying there?" She knew very little of this Katja woman, despite having seen her before when Raisa had ruled, though it seemed Kassander trusted her enough to lead the wolves that remained.

It perhaps was strange without any explanation for her to use a different surname yet describe herself as a sister to the Xanilov wolves. It had become so normal to her however to simply call them her brothers and sisters that Andi had never thought to question it and never thought to establish the fact that they were adopted family. Epiphron didn't question the matter however though and instead relaxed a little more, now asking another question. If it was possible Andromeda's mood would drop further at the reminder of the events that had brought her away from her home and aimlessly wandering the lands now. She took a deep breath before explaining. "Ebony is no more." Andromeda began. "Kassander handed the pack over to Katja Finnvi, it's Yfir now and certainly not home."

Ebony was no more. The news made her heart sink, though she had already known it was true. Kassander had been a true ally to her, and she considered him a dear friend - and though she knew him less than she would have liked, and the reminder of Ebony's dissolution was unpleasant. A noticeable frown touched her lips, and she would tilt her head as she considered the reminder. "I attended the meeting where he announced he was giving the pack to her," she said solemnly, noting that Andromeda didn't seem particularly pleased herself at the news. "I know little of Katja," Epiphron would continue absently - for did it really matter? It had been Kassander's decision, and she thought him wise enough to make such a choice, even if it was not one she liked. "What about Kassander, though?" He had not been well when she had seen him last. It worried her, quite honestly, and she knew she ought to pay him a visit before long. "How is he doing?"