Panting hard, grunting in annoyance, the summer heat was too much. His thick coat was not well-adjusted to this sort of heavy, scorching heat. Though the dry grass was tall, its shade was not enough to protect him from the sun's rays, it was really no better than being straight out in the open. He would do better in the north, but right now he was still making his rounds, seeking out the individuals that had formerly belonged to Myriad. Most of them had scattered, but some of the more closely-knit former members seemed to be lingering close to the territory they'd all lived in together. Today, he had caught wind of Zephyra's scent. Even after visiting Riv, he wasn't sure if the young couple would make it through the tension and fighting that had begun to push them apart. Xephyris himself wasn't sure how he felt about it all - there had been a lot of strong words shared between all parties, and before Myriad's fall, the pack had started to become divided. Still, he was curious and wanted to find out what this had all resulted in. So he followed the young woman's scent, until he found a trail of pressed down grass, and he knew he must be close to finding her. It wasn't long before he saw her tall, black and green form standing out against the monotonous golden-brown of the grassy plains. He barked to alert her to his presence, before picking up his pace to close most of the distance between them, parting his way through the grass to reach her. "Zephyra," he called out in a low rumble, "It's been a while. How do you fare?" There was a little bit of tension in his stance, even in his voice, but as he glanced over her and took in her scent, he could pick out Riv's scent mingled with her coat. So, the two had been together sometime recently. How interesting - he wondered what else he would find out through this encounter. "Talk" "You" Think

Everybody wants
what they just can't hold

In all honesty, she was surprised anyone still lingered around Myriad's former lands. It felt as if now that the pack had fallen, the wolves that had resided in it simply ceased to exist. Like they had been a figment of her imagination. But they were still around, with lives to carry on with, probably just as clueless as her. What were they to do now? She wouldn't be surprised if they joined Peregrine's pack, nor would she care. She was no longer a queen, an alpha, a wolf of great power. It was too much for her, and in a way, she was relieved to be leading a simple life of a rogue. With Rivaxorus. But with all these homeless canines who had once answered to her wandering around the south, this part of the continent didn't feel private enough anymore. All the more for her and Riv to carry on with their journey to the north, she supposed.

She was in the process of following the smell of a deer in the hopes she could catch a meal for herself and Riv when Xephyris' scent drifted to her nose. He was approaching her, and it wasn't long before he let out a bark to alert her of his presence. A small, inaudible sigh left her nostrils as she swivelled her head around. It looked like she would have to leave the deer, or any meal for that matter, for later. Not that she minded. Well, she did, for her stomach grumbled and felt hollow, but she wasn't going to let that show. "Fine," she answered, ruffling her coat a little self-consciously. She couldn't tell how much he wanted to know about her past...doings, so she'd leave it as vague as possible. Unless he questioned further. "How have you been? I heard you are planning to start your own pack." Tone neutral, perhaps a hint of curiosity to break the monotony.

He blinked his silver eyes, his expression remaining neutral as he observed her. Normally he felt confident that he could read her, but today she was holding her expression well and he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Was she annoyed with his appearance, or interested to see him? A slight huff passed his nostrils, but he just perked as she answered in one word that she was fine. His head canted to the side when she asked how he was. He shrugged, tail flicking just once. "I can't say I've had a bad time," came his conflicted reply, his tone obviously implying that he wasn't exactly enjoying himself, even if he had nothing bad to say. He quirked a brow when she stated that she'd heard about the pack he intended to start. Ah, so Riv had been spreading the word. And it sounded like maybe, just maybe, there was the tiniest inflection of curiosity in her tone. With the slightest smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he nodded. "Yes," he responded thoughtfully, "I've been working hard all season traveling to new territories, and seeking out followers. It's been... an interesting campaign." He had met a lot of different wolves, and seen places he'd never been to before. It was exhilarating and exhausting all at once. He couldn't wait until he'd achieved his goals, and he could finally settle in the territory he wanted to claim. Taking a breath, he glanced to the much taller woman's red eyes, curious as to how she was taking all of this. After all, she had mentioned it, so she must have been somewhat interested to hear what he had to say. "So, you and Riv... you've been enjoying the summer together no doubt, without any duties to fulfill," he commented, "What about when the seasons change... where will you stay when it gets cold?" He knew that in the blistering heat of today, it was difficult to think of a day when the snow would fall again and the air would be frigid. He'd spent his first few years mostly alone, and he knew what it was like to suffer through winter alone - it was an awful struggle. He intended to be settled and prepared well before winter this year. "Talk" "You" Think

Everybody wants
what they just can't hold

She could sense the frustration wavering in his aura. The frustration of not knowing her mood, perhaps? To her surprise, she was getting better at this emotion-reading business. Learnt from the best, she thought smugly to herself. The thought was almost enough to ruin her straight face, but not quite. The only sign she emitted that indicated a change in her mood was the short flick of her ears at his reply. What did he mean? Had these past couple weeks been a challenge for the male, though not entirely a 'bad' experience? She was curious, though before she could question further, he continued to speak about his alpha plans. He had been busy travelling far and wide amassing his followers, certainly taking it all seriously, and she held no doubt his pack would grow to be formidable. Almost enough to change her mind...

The grey male momentarily turned the spotlight back on her. And Riv. She could expect that, of course. She was practically drenched in the Adravendi's scent, not that it was anything to be ashamed of. Priorities had changed since Myriad's fall. Xephyris wanted to build a pack and she just desired the company of her lover. They wanted different things out of life now. "Funny you should say that," she remarked, a twinkle in her crimson gaze. "Riv and I are planning to move to the north for the time being. I'm not sure for how long." She flashed him a toothy grin. "Until we get bored, I suppose." At least until the end of autumn, she hoped. The north was cold no matter the season, though this time of year made the snow and temperatures a bit milder, more bearable for wolves like her raised in the warmer climate of the south.

The brute listened with interest as she revealed the plans that she and Riv had made to go north for the time being. It seemed she wasn't sure how long; until they grew bored, she would say. He grinned in return to her. It certainly sounded like a big change from their responsibilities of the pack, and it must be a relief for them. After all, they were still so young, and there was a lot in life for them to explore and discover before they chose to settle down. They'd had their time fulfilling a role that was ahead of their time. Now was their time to be themselves for a while, to go about on whatever whim called to them. And perhaps they would just stay that way. Xephyris of course, could not relate - he needed a steady purpose, and he just couldn't be satisfied sticking by himself, or even with a companion. He needed a grander purpose, even if nobody else saw the grandness of it. As long as he felt like he was doing something more, then he would feel fulfilled. "What a coincidence," he murmured with a small chuckle escaping him, "I will be heading north, as well. But I will be there to stay. Perhaps I'll see you both around. If you young folks ever get bored, or need a place to stay, you can always come knocking." His tail swished back and forth a few times as he spoke, the grin he wore still plastered to his face. Perhaps he couldn't convince her, or Riv, to join him today in this season. But maybe another time, once they'd had their alone time for long enough. Or, once they grew hungry and defenseless, and winter was upon them, they might decide that the lone life was not for them. Yet, they were resourceful young wolves, and they'd done a lot on their own from a very young age, so he wouldn't put it past them to take care of themselves just fine. It was just wishful thinking on his part that they might need him at some point. "Care for a quick hunt together before I head off again?" sure, he was a busy man, but he wasn't too busy to stop for a bite to eat, especially if they could catch something of decent size to fill up on. If she wasn't interested, then he'd be on his way again, heading off to find other wolves to pester. "Talk" "You" Think