Ara seemed drawn to the east -- she did not go weeks without somehow venturing there, often without meaning to, as though her paws had a mind of their own. Though the Kingdom of Seracia was not at all without its own beauty, the eastern land seemed somehow more alive. The soil was more fertile and the herbs were more plentiful. Of course, she would not dream of leaving her parents to go anywhere, and she knew they were content where they were for now. Moving away would only be more of a burden on them.
And that was why she went east again. For her parents. Ara so desperately wanted to find Song again, to tell her that her parents were growing old and more tired with each passing week, and that she should visit if possible while the weather was so nice. She knew they had many months before winter, but something in the back of her head made her worry for her parents. She was not sure if they would survive another winter. If they did, it would certainly not be an easy one, and she was sure her mother would cherish Song's company regardless.
Though before encroaching on the pack's territory, she felt compelled to explore. Many of the lands here were unclaimed and she wanted to explore them further. For some time she thought she saw willow trees in the distance, but as she loped closer to them, she realized they were something different entirely. They were draped with white vines, so beautiful and pleasant to the eye, and she found herself enraptured with the strange cluster of trees. For a long moment she was entranced, though her paws pushed her forward. The air was different here, and she could not help but wonder what had made this place become the way it had.
She hardly noticed the presence of another. It was a familiar creature, too -- the scent slowly came to her and she found her tail flicking gently behind her. She had not seen Novel since the previous winter. She had helped Bhaire find a specific herb with her, joining in on what was a training session; but, uncomfortable staying away from her parents for more than a day or so, she had returned home quickly.
Her blue gaze would scan the area, finally landing on Novel as she drew a bit closer. Hoping she was not interrupting a private moment, she cleared her throat to speak, not wanting to alarm the girl. They had only met twice, after all, and Ara was not one to infringe on someone's space when they did not want to be disturbed. "Long time no see," she offered softly, her gaze drifting to the strange pool of water before Novel. She wondered what she saw in the depths, for she seemed to be rather drawn to it.
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