The day was young! Heather knew that as soon as she rose from her own den. Some nights it was a little lonely, missing the one she shared with her father and siblings. However she felt she should value her independence somehow and having her own den was only one thing. She was the princess, that meant spending an indefinite amount of time with her own father learning how to run a pack into its roots. She herself didn't know if she'd ever be ready, but of course she ambitiously wanted to fight for the position she had. She forever would - after all she knew there was nothing set in stone. If she slacked off or simply just took the position for granted there would be back lash involved. Letting the thoughts sink in, her tail flicked nervously at its tip. The gray appaloosa female was always terrified she was going to do something wrong. She tried to ask questions and learn from those around her, but some days she knew it didn't feel like it was enough. Especially when she felt like her head was not screwed on straight so to speak. Trying to let the thoughts slide she finally started to walk forward from her den deeper into the falls. Her head looking up at the top of them, where she had told her father what she felt like. She remembered telling him simply and sadly that while their mother had been gone, he had not. That was more proof than she could ever give him credit for his own love. Heather wanted to consider herself close to her father, but some days it felt like she was building this fake outlook on life and those around her. Head swarming that she was a burden, until she stomped the thoughts down and continued on with her life. She sat at the waters edge and looked at her reflection within the glistening waters that rippled from the falls. "Talk" "You" Think

Soft light of the dawn broke the leaves of the tree he was sleeping under, yet to actually make a den of his own. He preferred sleeping out in the open over sleeping in a cramped up den, dens were easily turned into prisons if the wrong person stood in front of them. Plus, it was a sure-fire way to get him up in the morning like he was supposed to be. The lazy man never really enjoyed getting up at the break of dawn, but he'd been adamant about pulling his own weight lately. He hoped Athena was proud, after all.. it was his mother that had been so worried about him years ago, before he'd taken any real interest in bettering himself. He was still a sloth at heart, but as the rays became brighter with the sun's rising, his darkly outlined eyelids were forced to open to the sun's beckoning. His 'brows furrowed in annoyance as he looked through a squinted gaze, letting the blur of sleep fade after a few good blinks. Slowly, the behemoth rose to his paws and let out a wide yawn. Well then, it was time to get training wasn't it? There was a growing padding of muscle on the brute's shoulders, having bulked up considerably since his initial return, but there was always room for improvement. First things first, he had to get rid of the dryness in his mouth and sate his thirst by the falls. That's where he ran into Heather, the freshly declared princess of Fiori. He couldn't recall a time when he'd ever formally met her, though in his defense she was born during his time away. With a smirk on his inky lips, the mass of unkempt gray fur kept his head respectfully low as he approached her and the water of the falls. He dipped his masked muzzle in greeting before letting his gravelly tones break the silence, "Ah, glad I ran into you. I never did get an opportunity to congratulate you at the meeting. Excited about ruling your own kingdom some day?" Crimson eyes shimmered as they watched her, though he had to break his stare to look down to the water. He lowered his chest, back muscles tensing as he lapped in enough to coat his tongue and throat with a healthy layer of spit to keep him comfortable through-out his run. He'd likely end up here afterward, too.. but once he was content he lifted himself back up, an ear kept toward the princess all the while.

Somehow she should have expected to be greeted in such a way. Heather had noticed him before, but her blue eyes sparked with a sort of interest as he did approach. Her heart pounding against her chest as she found herself shifting in her sitting position. Tail twitching silently as she said no words simply watching the well muscles man. He had to be twice her age, but when his scent reached her nose it smelt of Athena and Amalia. She didn't know the two very well - so she would have to apologized for not knowing the mans name. Where he obviously knew hers from the last meeting, announced that she'd be training to be the next alpha. She was the princess and that seemed to be finally sinking into her bones right then. Heather in turn however was humble, she easily dipped her head to him. His question really dumbfounded him. Honestly she never really though about the excitement. Happy about it sure, from the time she expressed to her father that she wanted the position to when she had been granted it. No easy task after all, it was easier said than done. There were wolves to take care of even after the incident of the recent couple who had died she felt like the burden was even worse. Not much of a burden it was more like she felt like she could have done something. Not like she dealt well with the factor sometimes to herself when she saw those pups it just made her upset. She threw the thought away, smiling awkwardly to him. "You must be one of aunty ama's kids right? I'm sorry I don't know your name." she said blush fully at first. Then went on to answer his question. "I wouldn't exactly use excited as the word. Nervous maybe... nervous about not doing something right." Heather wasn't sure how much she should share and how much she shouldn't. What was the boundary between someone old and someone new? A stranger, to friends to family and the like. It wasn't as if she had much interaction with others outside the pack. After all the whole pack was a family unit to her, so maybe there was no shame in it at all. "What were your plans for the day?" Heather asked as her ears perked forward. There was a generally friendly feeling about her to begin with. She wasn't judgmental and she enjoyed the interaction though in her head she was always afraid of something going wrong. After she got over such nerves though, those she felt comfortable around like her father and Leo knew a lot about her. "Talk" "You" Think

He watched her through attentive red eyes, his expression relaxed if not even looking about estranged. He had a bad habit of getting bored with most conversation, but there was genuine interest twinkling in his rubies while he got to his feet. She seemed a bit uneasy, but he wasn't one to ever be self-conscious. He assumed it as her nerves kicking in, that she was coming to the realization that some time soon, she'd be responsible for all these 'strangers' in Fiori. He smirked, it was kind've adorable. "Yeeaaah, sorry. I forget sometimes that I've been away for so long. Seems everyone outside of my brothers, my mothers, and Leo... have no clue who I am. My name is Archelaus Armada, and yes I'm the son of your aunt Amalia." His ears flicked toward the sound of the fall as he thought over her words, repeating back to her a certain part that he wanted to touch up on. "You're.. concerned about not doing something right?" His low voice seemed almost surprised, though he wrinkled his nose in a look of dismissal. "Nah, don't worry about that. You may be the one to sit on the throne after Leo is done, but Leo doesn't look like he's going to be out of the game anytime soon. You have a good teacher, and I know that man never does anything without thinking it over- he picked you for a reason. He has faith in you, and besides; you'll have all of the same pack members here supporting you. What's new to you is old to us, I'm sure we'll help you find your way if you ever need it so don't stress." He tried his best to give her a reassuring smile before looking over to the trees. "And, as for my plans.. well, every morning I go out for a run. Usually at this time, it's just me out here so I'm a bit shocked to see you." His ears perked suddenly as if something just hit him over the top of his head, though a smile soon followed it up as he peered back to her. "You know, running is actually a great way to relieve some stress and I mean, I don't know about stress all that well to be honest- I don't ever let anything bother me, but you sure sound like you could use a good run! Wanna race to the borders? Could help ease your mind, yeah?"

There was something she had come to notice when she had started interacting with the pack. No matter how much time they spent away from their home, or otherwise you could entirely tell they were from Fiori. Just the certain air about them, generally friendly but able bodied to defend their family and friends no matter what shape, size, gender they all came in. Heather had never witnessed war, though she had heard that one time Archie's brother had challenged for the pack and Leo had won. Life was a funny thing that she always had an issue grabbing hold of it. Though still as he spoke it made her smile a little - she certainly hoped her dad had a long way to go. He was the only parent she had left. At the end of the day she knew a king or a queen was nothing without their people. As such she gave a satisfied swish of her tail for a moment. She would say nothing of her anxieties though. Nothing of how she wasn't so sure that she could do it but she would keep going. How somehow she also felt like she could be a potential danger to Fiori as a whole. What if a challenge came along and she had an episode. Simply, if she wasn't healthy enough to take the role and was simply lying to herself about it. Yet she selfishly wanted to keep it, keep the role and lead her people on. That was just the base of it. Heather stopped thinking about that though. Archie went on to talk about his day. Ahh yes, normally there wasn't a soul up at this hour she found herself doing that more and more though. Always trying to exercise her limbs. "I figured if I'm up before the birds I'm doing something right." she commented for a moment as the wolf offered to race her. Well she wasn't so sure how well she'd do. The girl was fit that was for sure, but with minimal training she was not so sure. Her ears flicked forward, it would be a good idea to give it a try though regardless of him winning or not. "A run would be nice thank you. I admire you... for not letting anything bother you. It's a nice skill to have for sure. Like a duck, everything must just glide down your back." she joked lightly and bumped him slightly. Her tail wagging back and forth as she awaited further instructions or maybe a ready set go. "Talk" "You" Think