Serenaded by the insects the went about their afternoon business Karabela slowly closed her eyes for a moment. She was resting in the shade of a large oak tree next to the lake and trying to raise herself from the exhaustion that had suddenly fallen upon her. It wasn't the aching tired that had plagued her the past month, more like a sudden swelling of relief. It was as if she'd been holding her breath for a painfully long time and finally was able to exhale. Her path was set. Her mind made up. She was going to attempt to rule her own pack and make her mother proud. She was aware of the risks and the learning curve but she was not going to back down. For the first time in a long time she felt confident she was on the right path and having that road ahead of her rather than a disappearing road was a huge comfort.

Karabela got to her feet and stretched lazily before walking down to the lake to get a drink. She still had to explore the other side of the lake. If she was going to make the East her home then she wanted to be familiar with all the territories in its boundaries.

"Speech"

Qualm had always been quiet. Well that was also because he half felt he didn't belong in Abaven. Sure it had been his home since birth, aside from the short while he had been practically kidnapped. It was a miracle how he survived. His paws carried him silently across the lake, until he saw a familiar face. He didn't entirely know her, but he knew her name. As his black tail stayed behind him, he smiled figuring he'd be social for once. "Afternoon, Karabela. What brings you to the lake today?" he asked as he smiled. Qualm always thought to himself, a smile was a mirror. If he could brighten up someone's day with his own then he would try. Even if the healer wasn't met with kindness. He wanted to be nice. "Talk"

The water felt good on this hot day and her ears twitched lazily as a dragonfly tried to make her a perch. Summer was right around the corner, she could feel it. Was time really going by so quickly? The water stilled for a moment as she peered back at her reflection, her eyes narrowing for a moment as she stared at the woman looking back at her. At some point she'd grown up. Now when the hell had that happened?

She was busy pondering this phenomenon when a voice caught her attention and she turned to see Qualm. Smiling at the boy she returned his greeting. "Hey Qualm! Oh, just exploring. Trying to get a better feel for the territories in the east. What about you?"

"Speech"

She was trying to get a better feel of these territories? What for? Well regardless, it wasn't like it was any of his business. Her question made him humm for a moment. "Stretching my legs, it's like the first time since I was a pup I've been actually been able to be out on my own." wow that made him sound like some sort of lazy ass. Qualm smiled at himself, well that was a thought for another day. Ignoring it he raised his head again and looked at Raba. "I'm also starting to notice that Abaven might not be my home much longer. Where I'll go I'm not sure but I just don't feel like I should be here anymore." he shrugged his shoulders. Of course he didn't know her well enough, but he didn't know what else to say. When something like this was weighing on his mind perhaps a fellow pack mate was where he could turn to. "Talk"

Karabela's head would tilt to the side curiously as Qualm spoke. First time since he was a pup that he'd been able to be out on his own? She didn't know much about Qualm's parents but they sounded stringent. "Really? Wow, protective parents or something?" Her mother would've happily rolled her down a mountain if she'd thought it would make Karabela a stronger woman. Not that Raba resented her harsher methods of mothering. The fact she was still drawing breath was proof enough of her mothers love as well as her understanding of just how brutal and cruel the world could be.

Raba gazed out across the lake as Qualm spoke freely about Abaven and she slowly nodded. "It's funny but I've been feeling the same. Abaven has been wonderful for me but I've been having these feelings that I'm meant to do more with my life… something bigger… " She laughed and glanced back at him. "Does that sound stupid?"

"Speech"

Her words brought a bit of pain to his heart. Over protective parents probably would have been a blessing, but in his life that wasn't the case. Qualm would laugh and smiled at Karabela to her first comment. "I only wish that was the case - my mother and father both abandoned me and my sister when we were pups. I went out to find them and... somehow survived a large bird attack. Because of my wounds though my muscles never really healed since I couldn't use them. Luckily enough I'm a healer above a fighter." he nodded his head. He was grateful for Abaven sure, he had been born and raised here for his majority. He was two years old now and he was only starting to realize the embodiment of becoming an adult. The woman then went on to explain that she had some ambitions. Or something bigger with her life. Which to him, he shook his head when she asked him if that was stupid. "Not at all, I think it's a nice pull to feel like that. Do you mean you want your own pack?" he was just making an assumption but he might as well pull out all the stops. "Talk"

I SEE ANOTHER MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB BUT I GOT STAMINA

Karabela caught a shift in Qualm's expression but he quick smiled and answered and she immediately felt bad.  It was easy for her to forget some times that not everyone was blessed enough to grow up with a family and she could understand the feeling of being an orphan… how old was she when she lost her mother?  It seemed so long ago.  She didn't wish to push the topic in case it was a sore spot so instead she grinned back.  "Wow a giant bird attack?  Can't say I've ever fought anything that interesting."  She nodded at his words of being a healer over a fighter. "Well, it takes all kind you know and honestly… there are days I wish I was better at fixing wounds than making them but being in battle… makes me think of my mother.  Keeps her close."

Karabela blinked as Qualm mentioned her having her own pack.  Wow was she that obvious?  She sighed and looked away.  She supposed she was getting antsy to get started and her desires were beginning to bleed out.  That wasn't like her… part of her was still holding back.  It was that annoying little part of her brain that insisted that she couldn't do things, that she would fail and disgrace her mother's good name.  Dægmar had never been afraid of failure though… and neither would she.

"Guess I'm not that great at secrets, huh?"  She turned to Qualm with a grin.  "Lucky guess!  Yes, I intend to start my own pack.  Please don't tell Bass, not yet.  I will when I'm able but things have been to quiet in Abaven.  I'm restless, I feel stagnant… unsatisfied, like I need to make a move and this is what I've decided."

"Speech"