The young man was edging closer to Fiori’s territory, he was certain of it. Paws lightly moved over the earth, his gaze searching over the land as the sun shown down upon it. He thought he’d been to this land before, but right now his mind was drawing a blank. His brow was furrowed, focusing on the fact he’d last seen Shiro a short time ago… and Enigma too. Though reuniting with his older brother had hardly been a satisfying experience. If anything it reminded Ganta of how alone he was… except for his friends of course. Ganta came to a stop as he tried to collect his thoughts. He wanted to see Roza again, yes, but maybe even see his sister Shiro once more. He longed for some sense of normality in his life… and though Shiro wasn’t exactly ‘normal’ she was far better company than Enigma, Forsaken, or Paradox. An ear perked as he heard a sound nearby, gaze shifting in that general direction. The male relaxed when all he saw was a rabbit, not paying much mind how it looked startled out of it’s wits. He shook his head, dismissing the thing, before he started to pad away, unaware that there might be another looming close by. "Talk" "You" Think

Mixed feelings came with the realization that she was beginning to become more and more familiar with the landscape here. It was nice to be able to find herself in familiar areas, but that only reminded her of how she'd once had this sense of familiarity in her home-lands. Frowning deeply, Cae made her way to the familiar pool and sat beside it, icy blue gaze becoming lost in the soft glow of the still water. She stayed there a moment, wondering what made this place so enchanting. It really was lovely. Maybe she should show Zephyr sometime...

At that, she huffed and started walking again. Things had gotten so complicated, dwelling on it only served to make her feel more lost and confused. The sound of shuffling in the bushes caused her to pause, searching for the source of the sound. It was only a rabbit hopping about nearby. Smiling, she reflected on how Zeph would likely be amused by her once again being caught off guard by a silly little rabbit. That was when she saw the figure of another wolf farther away. A pale creature, with what must have been some interesting markings, though from this distance they were a bit hard to make out.

Having nothing better to do with her time - or at least nothing more interesting than getting a closer look at another interesting looking wolf - she made her way towards the stranger, not bothering to remain quiet as she had no intention of startling whoever this was. Soon she would call out a soft, "Hello there."

Ganta hadn’t gone more than a pace or two before he heard pawsteps and paused, dismissing the rabbit as he turned his attention instead towards another wolf. Ears perked forward as his gaze fixed upon her. An older female, old enough to be his mother, stood nearby. She was making her way towards him, giving a greeting. “Hello there.” Her voice was nice to the ears, Ganta noted. The sort of tone his own mother had once used. He tipped his head respectfully towards his elder, offering a gentle smile. “Hello to you as well, ma’am.” The brute’s tail gave a slow wag, head cocking to the side as he regarded her with an interested gaze. “Fine day, huh?” He felt a little awkward as he spoke, though he didn’t really mind a bit of small talk. So long as he was still able to make his way towards Fiori sooner rather than later all would be well. "Talk" "You" Think

The initial shock of seeing a wolf who looked so different from the fairly naturally marked wolves she'd always grown up around took a few moments to wear off. Seeing a wolf with locks like that wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence - she may have stared just a bit at first when she got to where she could more easily see him up close. Trying her best to not be rude, Cae shook a bit and refocused on the fledgling conversation growing between them.

Beaming, she replied, "It is indeed. What brings you here, if you don't mind my asking?" The last few times she'd been here she'd managed to bump into strangers. Had this man been herb hunting, as she'd seen another do long ago? Whatever the case, she did have some small hope of a nice interaction with the oddly marked male. It had been a while since she got to sit and chat with anyone for long, and it rarely happened more than once with the same wolf.

"Oh, my name's Caelum, by the way," she blurted suddenly. Where were her manners these days? Too much time away from the constant company of others was causing her to slip. Maybe Cae ought to make an effort to fix that...

The older woman was polite, not one to stare at the abnormalities the young man bore. Ganta was relieved at this… sometimes the extra fur on his head made the young man feel self conscious. At least he could have a normal conversation with the older lady. It felt nice… almost like when he spoke with Roza. At the thought of the pretty femme the young male smiled gently, his ghostly gaze brightening just a bit. “I’m on my way to meet up with a dear friend of mine.” Ganta let out a good natured laugh. “She lives in the pack of Fiori… though I’ve gotten a little lost on my way back there. Still, a bit of extra wandering can do the heart good!” As the femme introduced herself as Caelum the brute dipped his head in respect. “A pleasure, miss Caelum. My name is Ganta He-- Lore… Ganta Lore.” He flinched as he was about to utter Sin’s surname, gaze faltering away from the woman for a moment. “S-sorry… guess I’m not so ready to give the other part of my name anymore…” "Talk" "You" Think

"I know what you mean. Sometimes a bit of extra walking can really help when you need it." she agreed with a sweet smile. Her head tilted a bit as she logged the name Fiori in her mind for later use, though for now it had little meaning to her, a feeling likely written all over her face. She really should continue learning about this land at some point, becoming more familiar with the area and those in it could help make what was still a strange new place feel at least a little more like home.

She stepped closer after he spoke, "No need to apologize at all, I assure you," she said quickly, "I'm no stranger to difficult memories and the pain of stumbling on something associated with them. Maybe it's a good thing I've never had a surname. It was impossible to know what it was that plagued the young man, but the way he reacted to his own slip of the tongue she could hazard a guess that whatever caused that reaction was something negative.

Not entirely sure how to continue, she thought for a moment, blue eyes wandering over their surroundings. This was such a strange place, yet quite nice to look at. With nothing else to do with her day she'd ask, "Would you mind if I walked with you for a while on your way to see your friend? I haven't really seen or been near any of the packs here. I only have a vague idea of where they're at and what they're like. Might be nice to orient myself a little better here."

Ganta’s gaze returned to Caelum as she spoke, saying that there was no need for him to apologize at all. Difficult memories… that was definitely something he’d understood for a long time. Living in a family such as his, being more drawn to the light, there was bound to be conflicting views and difficult choices made. One of which revolved around the Adravendi’s and the family feud they seemed to have… but Ganta refused to be sucked into that. “Surnames can muddy who you are, for certain… but there are those that are pure too. Names you here that make you think of great deeds and wonderful creatures.” Ganta managed to catch himself, bringing his ghostly gaze back to the woman. “Lore was my mother’s surname… and… she was a good wolf for example. My father however…” The young man shook his head as if to dismiss the thought before answering her next question. “I’ll admit I’d appreciate the company, so I welcome you as a traveling partner, Caelum.” Ganta turned his head to the side a little bit, offering the older femme a warm smile. “Funny how you’d mention that. I’m actually going to be creating my own pack soon enough. Don’t suppose you’d maybe like to hear a little bit about it?” The brute asked, starting to take the first step forward. He wasn’t sure how much farther he had to go but it was time that would go by faster if he was talking. "Talk" "You" Think

She surely couldn't disagree with his assertion. It was easy to see how a name could tie itself to experiences both good and bad, souring it or giving it a special place in one's heart, whatever the case may be. "Funny how parents seem to never really leave you, hm?" she mused quietly. Her own parents had been wonderful wolves, her mother's wisdom sometimes coming to mind when she needed it, and the endlessly deep love of her father never forgotten for a single moment. She could only hope to measure up to their example, should she ever get the opportunity to reconnect with her daughter again.

Trotting up to walk alongside the interesting looking young male, she let her tail swing gently while she chirped, "Wonderful! It's been some time since I got to walk and talk in good company." Admittedly he was growing on her a bit. There was something quite genuine about Ganta, it had her quickly warming up to him and enjoying their talking. "Oh?" she queried with a flick on an ear, "Of course! Please, tell me all about this pack of yours, I'm eager to hear what you're cooking up." It was always interesting to hear the visions of younger wolves so excited to build their own packs. Mentally she would compare them to her own fallen pack, a habit that started when she'd been an alpha and never really gone away. Even if the West Wind pack was long gone, she liked to imagine how it would interact with the packs of this land. There was something comforting and nostalgic about doing that - even if it was soured slightly by the pain that came with the memories.

Ganta gave a small nod at her musings; it was true. Good or bad his parents would never truly leave him. By Sin he was a Hellstrom… but his children would never know their grandfather’s deeds. Ganta was going to fight to protect them… whenever he might have them of course. Goodness, wasn’t someone getting ahead of themselves? Ganta shook his head with wonder; he didn’t even exactly have a mate! I mean sure, there was Roza, but he didn’t want to force anything upon her especially if it wasn’t the same level of love she felt! Was it really… love? His feelings were all confused with her… but he knew one thing. Roza was his friend… and he’d fight to the death to protect her. But at least for now he could distract himself with the pack he’d envisioned, sharing the idea with Caelum and maybe even getting some pointers or encouragement allong the way. “I’m not entirely sure when it’ll be born…” Ganta confessed softly. “But the name of this pack is Dragoste. It is a word that means Love… for Love, Loyalty, Trust, and being who you are will be what Dragoste stands for.” Ganta’s ghostly gaze scanned the area around them, almost seeming to hold a far off look to them. “I know that there will need to be someone at the head of each specialty… but wolves can be who they are in Dragoste. If they are a healer they will never have to fight, for I, as their Primul Lider, would fight in their stead. There will be fighters, sure, to protect our friends, but none that are forced to fight against their will.” Ganta paused. “I want Dragoste to be a safe place… for my friends, my new family… I’m giving it all to make sure everyone can live as they will in such a pack, without fear, without worry. It puts a heavy burden on my shoulders, I know, but I am more than willing to bear it.” Ganta gave a lighthearted chuckle. “So far my only recruit is my good friend Roza… but she alone is worth protecting and fighting an army for. I want all the wolves of Dragoste to feel that sense of care… to know that their leader will stand for them when they are weak, or mend them when they are broken.” Ganta took a breath. “It will be a utopia… a place of festivals and fun too. We will not war… but we won’t turn a blind eye to those in need. The last thing Dragoste stands for is justice... to carve wickedness away from our friends and family. Together we are strong, we are more than a unit… We are one. We ARE Dragoste. Together we won’t fall.” Ganta let out his breath now. “Though I’m sure you’re probably thinking to yourself how naive I sound. I know it sounds that way… but this is truly the pack I long to create and will give my life to do so.” "Talk" "You" Think

As she walked alongside Ganta, Caelum would come to enjoy his company. She was a social creature by nature, and though past events had made it harder to go out and enjoy some interactions as easily as she used to, the part of her that loved to chat and spend time with others had refused to be fully snuffed out. Her lips curved in a warm smile the whole time he spoke, while she occasionally interjected. "That's a good choice for a name. It has power, and personal meaning to you. Having a name you can announce with pride is always good," she commented idly, trying to keep herself from going on too long so he might continue his explanation of his vision for this pack.

For the rest of the little introduction to his idea Caelum would keep quiet, nodding here and there, ice blue eyes thoughtful but she wouldn't interrupt. At the bit about her possibly thinking him naive she had to grin and chuckle, shaking her onyx crowned skull gently, "Not at all, dear Ganta! Far from it, I think you have noble ideas, great and worthy goals, and a beautifully kind heart. In fact I quite admire the determination I hear when you speak of this dream pack." Her smile was a genuine one that reached all the way to her eyes, warming the ice colored orbs so they almost seemed as warm as her welcoming personality. The boy was young, sure, but his ideas and goals were refreshing to hear. The conviction with which he spoke was darn near infectious; if he wasn't careful she might start chanting the name of this pack herself. The way he acted and spoke felt familiar. It took her a moment to place it, but when she did the older woman perked up a bit.

"My father, a devilishly handsome brute named Jovan, was very much like you. He was passionate, driven, and idealistic as they come. He always seemed like the kind of man who'd happily go to the ends of the earth for the ones he loved, you could tell just by talking to him," Cae said slowly, glancing sideways at Ganta as she plodded alongside him, "I hope it's not odd of me to say you have that same aura about you. Channel that, if you find the right wolves when you are ready to start your pack they will see that and know you are a leader worth following."

She fell silent a moment, pale ears flicking about as she mulled over the ideas churning in her head. Caelum didn't have a lot going on lately. Once she'd thought the idea of trying to join a new pack was a terrible one, at first because she was still in mourning, and later because she convinced herself she would not enjoy being ruled by another. Now though as she grew older (though not quite as wise as she'd hoped she would be by now) the woman was ready to let go of foolish notions. Glancing back at her temporary traveling companion, Caelum considered both him and her words carefully for a bit. "It may be a bit forward, but when you get to be my age you're allowed to be forward because time is limited and beating around the bush wastes it, but I think if you weren't opposed I'd be keen to join this pack of your when you do build it. I have plenty to offer, not only my skills and assistance as a pack member, but some of my perspective as someone who once was the alpha of a fairly successful pack."

A name he could announce with pride… yeah, Ganta liked the thought of that. A pack where all his members could be proud of their home too… that was ideal. Though the young man couldn’t help but blush a little as she complimented him. They were words Roza had spoken too, even if they were not spoken exactly the same way. Someone else could recognize his true heart, the light that was within rather than the evil that lay like a looming shadow over him. He was different from his older and half siblings… from his father.

Ganta listened as the older femme spoke of her own father, Jovan, and his ideals. If he could truly channel this good aura then… maybe there would be all sorts of followers for Dragoste. They wouldn’t need to worry… Ganta knew regardless of age and skill all would be welcomed into Dragoste. Those who were hurt, broken, deformed… they would easily find their place among his family and pack.

But then the femme had an offer Ganta wasn’t quite expecting. She’d be willing to join Dragoste? A warm smile spread across his maw. “You’d be welcome to join us of course. Dragoste will welcome wolves of all skills, though having someone with a bit more knowledge would certainly be beneficial.” The brute tipped his head. “So should you still want it when the time comes, consider a position in the pack yours.”