Heavy wings beat audibly in the oddly silent forest. The great trees made even the harpy Celaeno look small. The silver and smoke avian was on the large end of the spectrum as far as size went for a harpy eagle. She had been the only egg and her parents, very skilled hunters, had fed her well. Their skills had been passed down to her as her current state showed. Grasped between wickedly curved claws was a young deer. Less than a yearling, but more than a fawn. It was no great task to lift her meal into the crook of one of the giant trees. She wedged it there, allowing the tree to hold the deer in place as a thick, curved beak of dusted ebony pierced the flesh. She consumed the choicest parts of the deer before giving it a kick with one clawed foot. Dislodged, the deer fell to the ground below. Food for scavengers. A good meal with lots of meat left upon it. Spreading her wings once more, Celaeno glided down to rest upon a tall but somewhat flat rock. She was a big more awkward on a flat surface, but she could manage. Plus with the rock being so tall and not easily accessible, it would be a hard task for a predator to reach her. Stretching her wings to their seven foot span, the feathered woman close her eyes and released a sigh. The heat of the sun beat into her body, absorbed by the dark, silken feathers. There was no better feeling than filling your belly and taking a sun bath.

Despite her responsibilities in the pack Venom was eager to take a trip on her own. Her mother wasn’t eager about the trip but she wasn’t about to stop her. So the young princess went south, eager for her first solo adventure. The white gloved she wolf made her way without incident, which was a good thing. She wanted to explore and see the world, she didn’t have time for conflict.

The day progressed, the young Klein goddess felt the weight of her journey as her stomach growled. She wasn’t an excellent hunter but she was good enough to keep herself fed, however the scent of a fresh kill was enough to lure the Ashen yearling forward. The carcass was broken and bent at the base of the tree, and Venom was completely unsure how it had gotten there. She found no scent of predator near the deer which was odd in and of itself. However the girl’s stomach was more forceful than the mystery and she quickly dove in.

When the girl was finished was when her royal purple eyes fell on the killer. A bird larger than any Venom had ever seen stood proudly within the sunlight. The blood stained yearling couldn’t help her curiosity as she stared at the magnificent creature.

The crunch of bone brought the harpy's neck swiveling on her body. A young wolf had found her leavings and was consuming the remains of the deer. Celaeno could afford to be picky and so she had eaten the liver, the heart and a few bites of haunch. The rest was left untouched. The next time she was hungry, she would pluck another unsuspecting creature from the ground, fly it up high, and drop it. Easy kills. Eating the choice bits made her huge and healthy. A force in the skies. In the air, the woman had no enemies.

Head tilted slightly, the silver crown of feathers swaying with the action. Endless obsidian eyes fixed on the girl and the eagle kept her gaze locked while she turned the rest of her body to face the girl. Those great wings closed and she leaned forward over the edge of the tall rock. "Not too proud to eat the remnants of another's meal. That's good." The avians voice was different than a wolfs. Her tones were accented. Each syllable held a strange hollow sound in it as if even her words were wind.

"What is a young wolf doing so far from home? No other wolves around here, you know." Extending her wings again, the slate and silver bird glided easily back to the branch positioned over where the girl fed. She aimed to get a better look at her. Predators seemed to always have a similar language. There weren't many around these parts with a brain, so she was digging for a bit of conversation.

”Of course not.” Venom returned bluntly after the eagle turned its sights on the princess. ”It’s fresh and unguarded, it would be a crime not to take my fill.” Though she was from a royal family she had been taught to value everything. Waste not. Especially growing up after the eruption of the volcano. The raptor continued, wondering why the yearling was so far from home. There weren’t any packs here in the south.

”I’m here because I live so far away.” Venom started simply. ”I don’t want to close my eyes to the rest of the world.” If there was one criticism she would make of her mother it was that she kept too much to herself. How was Ashen going to achieve greatness if they didn’t reach out and take it? ”I assume a great bird like you is taking full advantage of being one of the only predators?” She asked as she shifted a suspicious eye, did the massive bird plan on chasing the princess out? So far it didn’t seem like it, but if she wanted to the Eagle could do serious damage to Venom.

Cel listened to the girls explanation and cackled slightly. "It would be a crime indeed." It was smart of the girl to realize the importance of food. Especially after the volcano. Game wasn't as prevalent as it had been prior. She didn't have a problem finding food, but she imagined large groups of wolves might. A lot of the herds had become thin due to lack of grass and plants.

The harpy was impressed with the child's answer and again, cackled merrily. "Well said, little wolf. Well said." Hopping down to ground level, the woman narrowed her dark eyes and stared hard into the young canines face. "You can only learn so much staying in the same place. Those who travel the world have more knowledge than the rest. This, I know." She had traveled the world. Was she not the smartest being that she knew? Of course she was.

Stalking around the edge of the deer, the massive eagle came closer to the wolf, inspecting her and taking in her salt. What was this child worth? Would she become everything that she wanted to be or would she let the world warp and destroy her?

She felt oddly proud as the eagle praised her, apparently her reasons were correct. Of all the families in Boreas the Kleins were the least likely to be picky about their food source. Most of her ancestors were killed because of a famine, Venom would scavenge with pride. Were she a bird herself he would have preened under the harpy’s praise. The Klein goddess was of impeccable breeding, her mind was sharp and she was strong and confident.

Venom didn’t flinch as the massive raptor approached more closely, and the girl was given a much better view of the bird’s sharp beak and talons than she ever desired. ”I’ve no doubt you’ve seen much of the world.” She commented as she tried to raise her head and seem less intimidated than she was. ”I hope to follow that example.” However much longer it would take on four legs than two wings.

'Wise, wise, wise," the eagle commented as the wolf girl spoke of traveling the world to learn. "The world teaches you things that your home cannot." Celaeno cocked her head to the side, crown of feathers swaying. "You should travel with me for a time. I go nowhere and everywhere." It might be enjoyable to have some constant company for a change rather than just fleeting interactions.

There was much to learn out in the world. Much to learn. A lot of danger, too. Danger forced you to learn. Either you learned, or you died. While she didn't want to see the wolf girl die, she did want to help her to learn. Feathers puffed up as she waited for the girl to mull over the offer and come up with an answer.

Venom couldn’t help but lift her head a little higher and feel pride swell in her breast as the harpy praised her. She was no stranger to the feeling of superiority, she had been bred for it. Of course she wasn’t done growing yet, there was a whole world in front of her that she had left to explore and gain knowledge from. Celaeno’s next words brought a thought to the girl that she had been actively avoiding. Pestilence was leaving the pack, what if she did as well? To go out and see the world, to learn.

Venom grew quiet as she looked away, but what about her responsibilities? She couldn’t just drop them and go wander the wild lands. ”I want to,” her words were truthful, almost yearning. ”I have a family to return to though…” Absently her eyes returned northward where Ashen lingered in the shadow of the volcano.

The corners of the Eagles break turned down in a frown as her invitation was denied. The girl confessed to having a family to return to. Celaeno sighed and shook her head. "You won't be ruling a pack for a while. Too young. I'd best speak with your parents." She would convince the family that the girl used as an excuse to allow her to travel. If they wanted a wise child, she needed to learn the world. If she learned the world, she would be ready for anything that it threw at her.

"What's your name, young wolf?" The silver and slate bird hopped upon the remnants of the deer carcass and spread her wings slightly. "I am the Harpy Celaeno?" Lowering her wings again, she continued. "Friends, if I ever have any, call me Cel." If the pup traveled with her, she would allow her to use the shortened version of her name.