As he approached the borders near Valhalla's lands he started to gather his thoughts for what he wanted to speak to Aurielle about. Of course he wouldn't mind if he bumped into his cousin again while he was here, but that wasn't the main reason for this trip. Things were slowly beginning to fall into place when it came to his dreams and his future pack, but he still wasn't entirely sure where to begin with it. On top of it there was some family news, both good and bad, he wished to share. He knew they weren't related by blood the way he and Cairo were, but he knew that some of his blood relatives did in fact live here and the adopted side of their family felt just as valid in his eyes. He came to a stop and gave himself a solid shake to even out his fur and get rid of any bits of grass and dust that might have collected there during the trip. It wasn't exactly a short trip from the mangroves to the Vericona Plains, but it felt worth it to at least make the trip once in a while. Once he was ready he padded forward right to the edge of the territory that was very clearly marked off as theirs and he lifted his muzzle to howl of the Valhallan Spirit. There was no rush to his tone. This was a friendly visit mostly so there was no need for her to hurry to meet him. She was a busy wolf after all. He settled himself on his haunches while he waited, letting his silver gaze drift over the landscape and taking in the scenery in the mean time. "Talk"

Aurielle Adravendi

She was deep in conversation with her father when the call came. Regulus was aging greatly, now. Though his eyes remained sharp, and his muzzle was no greyer, save for the stress silver here and there, his old injuries were ailing him more with each passing season. Their years together were limited. He showed no signs of being ready for the grave, though, and she could take heart with that gut feeling. She nuzzled into his chest before turning and breaking into a trot to answer Ulric’s call. His voice was easy to remember, and she smiled as she spotted the tall, earth-mottled man, meeting his silver eyes. He’d tromped her in their spar, but far from being annoyed, she was pleased. “Ulric! How are you?” Her greeting was warm as she sat before the Adravendi, head cocking as she looked him over. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Aurielle certainly didn't keep him waiting long and he gave the etherial woman a friendly grin when she appeared. He dipped his head with his usual chivalry as she came over to greet him, his tail brushing the ground gently. "Hello, Aurielle! I'm doing well, thank you for asking," he rumbled, the brightness of his grin showing the truth in his words. It had been quite some time since he had been able to say that honestly between caring for his still mourning mother, the fight he'd had with his sister, and then his sister's disappearance... But for once he had good news to share and dreams that had settled firmly on his heart. While he still had an ever present doubting voice in the back of his mind that told him his dreams might remain dreams for the rest of his days, there was still a flame of hope that wouldn't seem to go out. "I was wondering if I might pick your brain for a bit - if you'll let me," he began, his curious, silver gaze lingering on her. "You see, I would like to bring my grandfather's pack back to life. Not an exact replica of how he had run it, of course, but I hope to bring back some of his legacy. The only problem is... I'm really not sure where to start." He chuckled a little and gave a soft shrug. "Big dreams and a lack of experience I suppose. I was hoping you might be able to share a bit of insight on what being a leader is like if you have the time to talk with a wayward cousin." "Talk"

Aurielle Adravendi

The Spirit listened curiously, smiling as Ulric spoke, though her ears perked slightly at his question. She’d been posed the query before, and she nodded, tipping her head in an invitation to follow as she padded along the outside of the wall. She walked in silence a few strides, gathering her thoughts, before she admitted, “It’s a challenge that is still daunting sometimes. Not everyone will always agree with you or who you are, or how you lead. Those such wolves should always be free to go their own way, for an unhappy pack member who feels forced to stay is a liability to the rest of the pack.” Her head tilted to the side in thought, a rueful smile on her features as she added, “For myself with Valhalla, I can never stay satisfied with what I’ve already done. I’m always wanting to improve things for them, and now for my husband and children. It’s an eternal affliction.” She laughed softly, casting a wink at Ulric. Her features grew subtly more somber. “Leadership means putting all before your own wants and desires, before your own comfort and pleasures. It’s making hard decisions, and making mistakes. It’s… many times… feeling like you are utterly failing at your job, no matter how much training you went through from birth. It’s constant thought, deliberation, planning… And politics. Other leaders can be unpredictable. Raids can come from packs you thought you were on good terms with. Raids that could have been avoided by trade.” She threw a quick shrug, shimmering moonstone colors rippling through her pristine, glowing coat. She tilted her head back to smile at the man, adding, “But, so often, it is rewarding. When everything is going right, and it seems you and your pack are on the same page and striving for the same thing.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ulric was happy to walk with Aurielle as she motioned for him to follow along beside her along the edge of the pack's borders. He waited patiently and let her gather her thoughts and once she began to speak he tried to take it all in and absorb every word. He understood that this was an area of expertise for her so he was more than willing to admit where his shortcomings were so that he could make himself better for the pack he eventually wanted to bring to life. He nodded with understanding when she mentioned letting wolves go when they aren't happy there and could certainly understand how not every pack would fit everyone's needs or wants. He chuckled and grinned a little when she spoke of always adapting and evolving to make the pack how she wanted and not being satisfied in her pursuit to make it better. "Nothing wrong with that," he commented, knowing he would surely be the same way. As her tone and expression grew a bit more serious he watched her curiously while she spoke of the hardships of leaderships and some difficulties he hadn't really considered. He had been so focused on how he would help his pack members and how he would want the pack run that he hadn't really considered how his pack would interact with others. The politics of it all was something he knew Leo had been skilled at from the stories that Roza told him, but he supposed only time would tell if he was able to adopt that skill as well. It was interesting to hear that she still felt all these challenges despite the fact that she had been prepared to be in this roll since she was young. It gave him a little hope that even though he wasn't nearly as prepared or knowledgeable then maybe he could still keep up with the other alphas as long as he was willing to put in the work. It wasn't all dark and difficult though and her assurance that sometimes everything runs smoothly and feels good made him smile. "Thank you for your insight," he replied after a moment of thought, giving her a grateful smile. "I know it's going to take a lot of work, but... This is what I want for myself and my family so I'm ready to put in the work to make it happen." The mention of family made him grin and he added, "On the topic of family... I've found a woman of my own since we last spoke." Nothing brightened his expression or his demeanor the way talking about Azariah did. She was truly the brightest spot in his life and he hoped that at some point he could bring her to meet this portion of his family as well. "Her name is Azariah. She's agreed to marry me, bless her soul... Even after hearing all these big dreams of mine. Whenever we get to hold our wedding, I hope that you and Cairo at least will attend." "Talk"