Step Into The Unknown

She’d been writing out an agenda for the next few lessons in writing and language when the unfamiliar voice echoed across the plains, faintly heard through the ravine and into the main chamber of the cave where she worked. Her ears perked with interest, noting the cadence that suggested a Nomad. Then her heart leapt, and she bolted to her paws, making it a few steps before the hope that had flared dimmed with realization that the second name had been Paladin. Not Regulus or Solveiga.

This wasn’t about Aramis. Aurielle blew out a breath, composed herself and called down the hall where the healer was busy making healing salves and supplies to stock up for winter, which wasn’t far off now. “There’s someone at the border calling for us. Sounds like a Nomad.”

She received a sound of confirmation, her cousin’s brisk steps following her as she turned and trotted from the cave and through the tall-walled ravine, out through the wooded hill and across the plains. Usually when the Nomads reached out it was with information of goings-on beyond the two Continents. Slavers bands to avoid that looked to be headed Ardent’s way, etc. Or it was for trading.

She faltered briefly in surprise as she caught sight of the two women – no, woman and girl – not because they were fully familiar, but because the yearling was a spitting reflection – nearly – of the aging healer who stumbled to a stop beside her, staring. Aurielle slanted a glance to Paladin, who might have just seen a ghost with how still he’d gone, then composed herself – again – and stepped forward, shifting to the Old Tongue as she greeted the woman.

"Beannachtaí, Nomad, Fáilte go dtí ár dtinteán, le do thoil a bheith ar a suaimhneas. Cad a thugann tú go Valhalla?"

Oh, she could guess, with how the eyes of the girl, so like Paladin’s were locked with the man’s, full of apprehension, hope, terror, and trepidation. What was so shocking was that Paladin was the last wolf she’d have expected to get someone pregnant and not let her, the Spirit, know of a possible litter. But, looking aside to Paladin, it was clear that he’d not seen any of this coming, and the woman, clearly the mother, was apologetic as she explained.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think