‘Sif it wasn’t good enough she’d gone and forgotten where she was meant to be going, or even why she was going there, she reckoned right about by now, her chances of ever making it to that place or person was nigh on buckley’s. Fiery eyes squeezed shut with a groan. If only her head would quit its incessant pounding then maybe, just for once in her life, she would be able to do something right.

As if in response to her racket alone, a small rock flew down from on high, bouncing clean off the back of her head, followed by a chorus of angry chittering. “Oi! she shot back with a growl, narrowed eyes looking from left to right to gauge just who it was that had the goddamn audacity to start flinging shit at her when she was so clearly in distress.

It almost sounded like giggling as the small red squirrel took aim again, the young wolf none the wiser, having not yet looked up to spot her assailant (though she should know better by now, he’d been following her for what must have been weeks, even if she didn’t quite remember it).

As the next barrage of twigs and seeds rained down on her, she spotted him with her narrowed gaze, and raced to the base of the tree in which he was perched, rising up on her hind legs, front braced just short of any limb that would afford her a leg up. Still, all the better to yell in his proximity. “I swear by all the old gods and the new, I WILL EAT YOU!” They both knew her threats were empty, somewhere deep down. She couldn’t climb nearly so quickly as he did, and recently, whether she cared to admit it or not, she had grown used to the cheeky little thing clinging to her fur and curling up against her back at night, even if she did wake up incredibly confused.

Her sigh came out as a growl, chittering giggles filling the clearing around her, dissipating the worry that had taken hold of her and replacing it with pure annoyance. She probably looked like a mad woman, if anyone was near enough to be paying attention.

Aurielle Adravendi

She’d decided to go on a exploration trip, now that the children were old enough and able to eat meat that they didn’t need her full time. Her venture had taken her eastward, north of Ashen and the Armada, and south of what she recalled as being called Legion in the past, but now was called Fireside. Jupiter and his last (known of) visit crossed her mind, a faint, mixed rankle of guilt and annoyance fluttering through her mind. The celestially marked man had received a complete and utter ball smashing stomp from her back foot in that encounter, though to be fair he’d earned it and set himself up for it. She hadn’t been in the mood to see even a friend waltzing through her lands without asking first, and to be honest… were they even friends anymore? There was a small part of her that was sad to lose that friendship, if indeed it was lost… if it had even been a friendship to start with. The glowing, shimmering white woman paused at an almighty racket in the gloom ahead. She came into viewing range in time to witness the young woman raging up at the tree. Her sapphire to sky-blue gaze flicked upward, spotting the giggling squirrel, and a flicker of amusement flashed over her features before she let the expression fall into a bemused look as she asked lightly, “Are you alright?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Are you alright?

Ears folded back against the Avalon’s neck, the corner of her mouth pulling down in a grimace as she felt her tail tuck against her belly. She still held herself braced against the tree, head angled as though she were still focused solely on the squirrel, though the whites of her eyes were visible as she tried to see just who was behind her without moving her head at all.

But it was no good. The tree would swallow her up just as soon as the world stopped turning. Her shoulders had inched up closer to her jaw in a cringe, and she could feel her limbs threatening to lock up too if she didn’t hurry up and move. If she left it much longer the silence would become awkward.

She took a deep breath that wheezed between clenched teeth, trying to contort her grimace into a smile as she dropped down onto all fours and turned to face the stranger, her eyes squinting against the glowiness of it all. “Awwshit, now I’m seein’ ghosts, really?” The comment was meant for her companion, she had felt the red beastie drop from the tree and land on her back, and now it was pulling at her ears. She couldn’t see the shake of his head, but she did feel him smack the top of her head. Even if she was a ghost, Percy shouldn’t be rude. “I mean, yeah, sorry, I just uhh...” What had she been doing after all?

Aurielle Adravendi

Aurielle’s lips twitched ruefully at the first words from the woman’s mouth at the sight of her. By now, she was used to the reactions most had to her appearance. The squirrel was clearly a companion to the wolf, as he dropped to her back and gave her a thwack on the head. An apology was quickly followed, if muddled, and then it seemed as though the woman had lost her train of thought. Aurielle grinned slightly, glancing at the squirrel as she suggested, “Yelling at a squirrel?” She padded forward a few steps, head cocking in some mirth as she added, “I’m of the living realm, but don’t worry too much about insulting me. I’m used to being a little startling to those who haven’t seen a glowing wolf with long fangs, a long mane, shimmering white fur, and long tail hair.” Her words were teasing, ruefully amused as she introduced herself. “I am Aurielle Adravendi, Spirit of Valhalla. Or its alphess. It’s a pack in the west of the continent.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Oh no. Even with her thoughts as fragmented as they were, she knew what a pack leader was, and here the Avalon was just rudely calling her a ghost and carrying on like a ham. Her head lowered respectfully, eyes flitting away so as not to stare, while the squirrel on her back gave a long-suffering sigh and rolled his eyes, not that she could see it with him perched up between her ears. “A-apologies!” She stammered, still flustered for the way the woman had found her and her general discombobulation with regards to her current location or why she was even here. “I’m Percy...” she began, losing track of what was meant to come next.

A small voice spoke from above her, causing her eye to grow wide with fright. “Dun mind ‘er Missus, ‘er heads broke.” She felt small fingers tapping over the scar on her temple and she trembled. It was all clearly too much for the girl as she all but squawked, “YOU CAN TALK?!?!

It was clear from the way the squirrel gripped her fur as she flung around, seeming to roll his eyes as he chuckled, that this wasn’t the first time they had had this discussion.

Aurielle Adravendi

The young woman was an interesting sort, it seemed. Gently, Aurielle reassured, “It’s alright. You’re far from the first to mistake me for something other.” A soft chuckle rode the words, rueful and self-teasing. The woman introduced herself as Percy, and Aurielle dipped her muzzle to her, head cocking curiously as the squirrel spoke up. Some understanding clicked into place, and a silent ‘ahhh’ whispered at the back of her mind as Percy squawked at the squirrel in shock. It was definitely obvious that this had happened more than once. It made for an interesting chat, certainly. How often would something need repeated? “I take it you two are new to Boreas, Percy?” Not that she ventured from her lands often enough to be well-versed with all the loner scents, but Percy had that sort of… newness to her of one who came from beyond Boreas or Auster’s expanses. What had happened to her to cause the “broken” head? Aurielle’s curiosity was piqued, certainly. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Percy’s attention was quickly drawn back to the luminous woman before her as she asked if they were new to the area. Momentary panic gripped her, she didn’t even know where she was, or how long she had been here, but small fingers moved quickly over her temples. “Yes missus,” the squirrel spoke on her behalf. “She’s had a few packs take ‘er in, but she keeps fallin’ asleep an’ forgettin... then wakes up in a panic an’ bolts. Good thing I gotta good grip, or I woulda lost her yonks ago.” For a moment the girl at least had the good sense to look guilty. How many had there been? How long had this been going on with her being none the wiser?

The Avalon managed a shaky laugh. “Well there you go...” It would seem that this was news to her, though something about it felt familiar. For a moment she was mortified. “We haven’t met before have we? I’d like to think I’d at least have the sense to remember someone so pretty...” Well shit... She started to grow warm beneath her fur. For a moment she was grateful she’d probably forget all of this tomorrow morning.