The young girl raced over the border, her tiny ashen paws carrying her like lightning over the well worn path. She was wearing her new mask, the thick leather hugged tightly to her face, and Mom’s raccoon had helped to attach it to the back of her head in whatever a knot was. She felt invincible in her new accessory. Moonshine wore it proudly and practically everywhere. Her anonymity didn’t last for very long with such a habit.

Already Moonshine decided that she was going to decide on a name tonight, she couldn’t just go by Moonshine if she was going to serve justice and do it without her parents knowing. Bourbon more often than not worried after her, especially when she got into a tussle with her brothers. But Moon was tough, and she wanted to fight for good!

With a quick stop and sudden pose Moonshine leapt to the top of a fallen tree, puffed out her chest and announced to the forest. ”Never fear! Captain Sunshine is here!” She stood there for a moment before deflating slightly, not entirely sure it fit. She put her paw to her chin as her eyes wandered skyward and she pondered her decision.

ooc-set on the border

Sota's journeying lately had been aimless, taking him every which way all across Boreas, as if he was a leaf on the wind. He had no real goal in mind, though he hoped once he found one that it would become obvious. Such a life, of wandering and taking each day at a time, well... truthfully it wasn't really his style, but he'd changed a lot since leaving the Songa, so much that he wasn't really sure he knew what he really wanted anymore. Only time would tell, he supposed.

Before him now stood a large grove of trees with bark as white as snow. A distinct smell marked the land before him as belonging to a pack, and Sota had no intentions of trespassing; he hadn't even really meant to get this close to a pack's borders in the first place, if he was being honest. Lifting his tiny head to the sky, he examined the tall trees and the white vines that stretched across the forest like a canopy. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of white, accompanied by an exclamation he couldn't quite catch.

Curious, he redirected himself, ever-wary of the borders as the yearling came into view. "I love the mask!" Sota called out in lieu of a greeting, grinning from ear to ear as he got closer to the small female. What he wouldn't give for a thing like the mask she wore! Though... his markings were distinct enough that hiding his face did little good anyway. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, I just heard someone talking. My name's Sota."

She stood still, her mind racing as she debated about her new name. She had a mask to disguise her identity now she needed a name to do the same. What good was a mask if everyone just knew her name anyway? She hummed lightly when the voice reached her. Bright blue eyes locked onto the source, and at the same time they grew a bit wide. It wasn’t very often that Moonshine met someone who was even smaller than she was. This man didn’t seem to be younger than she was either despite her inability to really guess ages.

”Me too! Thank you!” Moonshine beamed brightly as her tail wagged excitedly at her hips. The man wandered a bit closer and the girl leapt from her perch to better talk to him. She was still a little weirded out at how small he was. Not that she would ever in a million years show that. ”No interruption!” She assured him as her haunches fell to the ground and she made herself comfortable. ”I’m..” She paused, peering ta him a little harder as she decided if she should tell him her real name. ”I’m trying to think of my hero name.” Moon decided instead. She tapped her chin, ”Can I trust you with my true identity?” She asked him curiously, bright blue eyes peering at him accusingly.

Life was proving to be an adventure far stranger than he'd ever expected, with various twists and turns along the way that he couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams. Nothing really surprised him anymore, especially seeing a young girl wearing a mask, obviously busy doing something that she deemed important. Though he was precariously close to the borders of a pack - hers, he presumed, by the scent that wafted after from where she stood - he wasn't worried, as he was doing nothing wrong. If anything, he was protecting one of their yearlings from other wolves who could potentially be dangerous to her. He, after all, was hardly the least bit dangerous.

She seemed pleased by his compliment, which earned a bright laugh from the smaller wolf. Though she was quick to admit he wasn't bothering her, she didn't seem inclined to tell her name right away. "I wouldn't tell a soul," he promised, happy to humor her. "I'm not really from these parts, so no one to tell anyway." For a moment he stopped, considering it. "I think your hero name depends on a few things though. What kind of hero do you want to be?" Sota asked her, tilting his head to the side as he observed the girl. "Do you want to be the kind of hero that helps protect their friends and family? Or maybe a quiet hero who steps in for those who have nobody else to help them? Or maybe something else entirely?" It was a loaded question, so he wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't sure how to answer it.

The stranger laughed with her as she grinned at his compliment, and he went on easily. The man assured her that he wouldn’t tell anyone and that earned him renewed vigor in her tail wags as she peered at him. He really didn’t have anyone to tell anyway. He gave her a bit of advice about her future name as well, Moonshine perked and listened curiously as he questioned her further.

”I’m really… Moonshine Klein” She told him with an expectant expression on her face, as though he would have any idea who she was or have heard her name before. ”I want to protect the world from injustice!” Moon said much more forcefully as she puffed up her chest and struck a pose. She imagined the cape blowing behind her in the wind while picturing the countless enemies she would defeat. ”But, I’d also help my brothers. And my Mom. And my Dad.” She pulled her paw to her chin and tapped gently with one toe as she debated listing off every individual she knew in the empire, but thought better of it. ”Oh, do you need protection from injustice?”

She seemed pleased with his answer, which pleased Sota in turn. Oh, he really did love young ones, even if fatherhood was something he hadn't really considered for himself. They were so eager and full of potential, largely untainted by the world, and he appreciated that. It made the world seem just a little bit brighter, not that Sota had trouble keeping an optimistic outlook. "Moonshine Klein? The Moonshine?" Sota gasped in quiet surprise. He'd never heard of her before, of course, but he feigned a bit of shock and awe - as if encountering someone he'd heard great legends about. It was just a white lie, and if it boosted her confidence he didn't mind one bit. Being a bit tricky came easily to him, even if he very rarely used those gifts.

"Ah, that sounds admirable! You should always take care of your family first," he commented, though a slight pang of sadness briefly touched his heart for his own parents and siblings that he had left behind. But oh well; he'd found companions in Boreas that he never would've met had he not come here, and even if they moved in and out of his life he was content for his time spent with them regardless. Her question earned a soft laugh. "No, not that I can think of," he admitted, almost apologetically, though quickly he reeled back his answer. "Actually... there was a snake I saw just before I found you that looked like it might be up to no good." Sota recalled, certain it wasn't anything dangerous, just a garden snake at best. "Do you think you'd be brave enough to scare it off for me? So it doesn't follow me home?" His tone was dead serious, despite the silliness of his request.