Broaden your horizons

She chuckled softly when the young girl corrected that she could go by Ikigai instead and gave her a small nod. "Ikigai then." Poised, beautiful, well spoken... And still so very young. Manea was quite smitten with the young girl and gave her all of her attention in return. She gave Ikigai a curious look when the girl grabbed her large, feline like paw with her own, stopping her from withdrawing it entirely as she let go of the girl's chin. Her aqua gaze went to the unusual paw that Ikigai herself possessed and her brows lifted with interest. She just kept finding new things about the girl that impressed her and if it wasn't for the pack of dogs currently surrounding them with very watchful eyes she might have tried to snatch her up to keep for herself. Instead she would just have to admire from afar.

Hearing how she had never met another with unusual paws and how she had been self conscious about them at one point made Manea hum with a small frown, some of that playful amusement in her gaze growing more serious as she spoke. "Things like your paws, your horns, your tail... They are gifts. They set you apart from the others. It means that the ancient ones have a special plan for you. They would earn you your life in my family." A small smile pulled back across her features as she relaxed back again, crossing one feline paw over the other in front of her. "Never doubt how special you are, Ikigai," she advised, knowing how it felt to stand out among the crowd. For her and how she was raised it was something she drew her confidence and strength from and she hoped that Ikigai would feel the same.

She hummed with interest and gave a little curious tilt of her head when Ikigai explained how she was a princess of this pack and the ranks that her parents held within it. The daughter of an Empress and a Shogun. Manea had never really thought much of packs or their titles, but with the plans and thoughts she had begun to have of a future she might want for her family and her children she had started to put more thought into it. "Well, your mother and father were a good match then if they produced a wise young lady like you," she commented, giving the girl more praise with a little grin.

When the question came of where she was from, Manea chuckled softly and replied, "My family traveled and moved frequently depending. We always went wherever the conditions were most favorable or wherever we might find the best mates to bring into our bloodline. That's what brought me here." As if on queue, a crash in the distance that sounded like something big hitting a tree made her ears perk, drawing her gaze away from Ikigai for a moment as she looked off into the trees away from her pack's lands. Glancing up at the ravens that were perched above her head she said, "Ciemny, dear, go make sure my husband isn't getting himself killed, would you?" The bird took off without a word, flying off in the direction of the sound.

She gave a little shake of her head and refocused her attention on the girl in front of her with a smile. "I found my soul mate so now we're traveling to find somewhere to settle and have our family. Perhaps once my child is born I'll bring them to meet you. I would like for them to have an example of a graceful, respectful little one to look up to."

Manea | Temno | Ciemny