Meet and greet

Man, the north was cold! Ember had thought she'd experienced the worst of winter when it was all wet and mucky back home in Auster, but up in Boreas everything was just COLD. Cold and snowy and icy. The young girl pulled her cloak tighter around her neck as she gazed around at the powder-covered world around her, dumbstruck and in awe of how everything looked so pristine and magical! There were shards of ice hanging down like teeth from the branches of the trees, and the earth was all soft and crunchy under her toes as she walked through the snow behind her sire with the rest of her family. Snow felt a lot like sand, except maybe a bit less soft and much colder. She decided very quickly she liked the sand of the beach back home better.

The towering mountain range they were headed for had loomed overhead for quite some time now, growing bigger and bigger the closer they got to it. Ember had been chomping at the bit to get to see more of the world and meet new wolves, so Dad's offer to bring the family on a diplomatic field trip to see the new wolf pack was right up her alley. She'd ridden on Artorias' back a good bit of the way, her small legs still getting used to traveling long distances. She had all four paws firmly planted on the ground as they approached the pack borders though, sticking close to the middle of the cluster of her family while she gawked at the world around her.

Their father gave a call for an audience, then addressed them all, reminding them that this was a casual social call and to take it easy. Then he made a point to fix her with a stare as he reminded them to show good manners to their new acquaintances. Ember pouted a bit, then stuck her tongue out at her dad when he turned away. Aw c'mon, she wasn't that bad! While they waited, Ember shifted her weight back and forth on her paws, crunching the fresh snow beneath her while she continued to gaze around at their surroundings. This place was so wildly different from the home she was used to back in Auster. Why would wolves ever want to live in a place like this?

"Ember Carpathius"