Aurielle Adravendi

The north was as frigid as she remembered, but she’d pushed on to visit this place, though the weather was what most would call absolutely dreadful. She, however, thoroughly enjoyed the harsh blizzard whipping her mane and tail into a furious billow. Her armor and cloak were a barrier against wind and sleeting snow, and as light suddenly bloomed under her paws, through the ice bared by the harsh wind, she smiled, breaking into a trot, then lengthening her strides to race ahead with the wind with a soft laugh. She’d always liked this place, even with having fought a polar bear here, and met a sad man she’d never seen again. The light beneath the ice, flaring with each fleet strike of her paws, was enchanting and ethereal, a piece of natural beauty, and she deeply enjoyed the place, especially in the white-out conditions where the lake and her own fur were the only source of light in the night. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Souzan was not sure what had drawn him back, maybe it was the desire to return anywhere at all... His family was all but gone, the kingdom he'd grown up in was probably all but lost. Destroyed in the calamity and dimmer for the loss of its royal children besides. It had felt so empty without his brother and the death of sweet sweet Avis. So maybe that was why he had dragged himself back to Boreas, desperate for any sense of familiarity... of belonging. It wasn't like he had many homes to return to either. Home had once been his kingdom, his family... then it had been his brother and the future he'd promised them... and then that too had been ripped from him. The last home he'd had had been with Blanche Neige but she herself had also been taken from him, leaving him with only one last thing to cling to, precious though she was. Cendrillion was pressed into his leg, a tiny thing, even more so than he was used to. Her mother had been the smallest wolf he'd ever met... until he'd met his daughter. Tiny little fangs poked out from her upper lip, as if his own snaggle tooth had been mirrored twice in her jaw. Souzan reached down to nose at her little head. He looked down at her, his expression a mix of adoration and quizzical concern. The journey had been long and hard enough for him without taking into account the significantly shorter limbs of his daughter. Not to mention her age. He was worried that the blizzard would be harsh on her but pressed into his leg she was clearly less buffeted than he was. His heart was both buoyed by his daughter and also ached for her. She had been the only of her siblings to survive the birth and when her mother had passed she'd grown only more dependant on him, hardly ever leaving his side. "Papa?" His gaze was drawn towards his daughter's face, mismatched gaze falling on the ice beneath her paws, bioluminescent life forms swarming around her tiny little paws. Souzan chuckled, a deep rumbling sound and he gently stepped onto the ice himself, one paw, then another showing his daughter that it was safe. "Who's that?" This time as his gaze moved up and followed her own the man spotted an ethereal white figure gliding across the ice. His mind flashing back to the last wolf to have seen him on this continent. This time his voice came out, low and gruff and yet somehow soft and a million miles away. "A ghost." speech action

"speech"

Cendrillion was tired, her little paws had traversed more land in the last few weeks than they had in the previous month of her life. To be fair her papa had carried her a lot but she had had to walk from time to time and the girl didn't know enough to really complain about the trip. After mama had left, after she'd been buried she only had papa to cling to, and cling to she did. He hadn't been as fun since mama had left but he still clearly cared for her and he played with her each night before they went to sleep, helping her to work off any of the energy she had built up during their travels.

It had been a little sad, the girl didn't know where they were going but she did know they were leaving mama behind... papa had said that mama couldn't follow them but she couldn't help but feel that this was more and more true as they walked further and further away from where they'd left her. It was as the wind picked up that papa had asked her to walk with him, his massive form helping to buffest the wind so she wasn't knocked off her paws. In fact as she pressed to his legs she was almost untouched by the blizzard that whipped around them. They moved slowly and Cen noticed something blooming below her paws. "Papa?" She asked, a little nervousness creeping into her voice. Her father however seemed unphased and as he pushed on so did she, her gaze on her paws to start as she felt how unstable the ice was under her paws. But as she stood another thing drew her gaze, something moving through the blowing snow. "Who's that?"

Her father's response sent a shiver down her spine and she stepped in closer to his forelimb, a soft whining pulling from her lungs. She wanted to turn around, wanted to go back to where they'd left mama but it seemed her father had other plans and she looked up at him with wide-eyed fear as he tipped his head back and howled, calling for the spirit that was gliding across the ice.

Image by Ulfarna

Aurielle Adravendi

A howl slowed the Spirit’s headlong race, and she broke to a stop, one paw poised as she turned to study the figure – figures, she noted as her eyes noted the tiny form by his paws – ears perking in recognition, and then flicking back in a moment of sadness. The last time she’d seen the man he’d lost his pack, his family, and Ignatius. She wished she could tell him she’d seen at least Ignatius since they’d met, but… That wasn’t to be. Turning she padded toward the pair, glowing blue-white against the blizzard’s white-out, paws wreathed in the lake ice’s blue until she came to a stop a few feet away. Her eyes studied the pair, and a smile flickered over her features. “I don’t think we ever shared names. I am Aurielle Adravendi, Spirit – or alphess – of Valhalla, a pack in the west.” Her eyes brushed over the child again, reminded of her own youngest. Aoife had been born and stayed tiny, but was feisty enough for all four of her siblings combined. A brief, fond smile flickered over her features as her haunches settled, tail flicking, buffeted on the wind, to pool and coil on the ice as her head cocked, studying the pair. The man seemed happier, less broken, and yet… “How have you been since the last time you were here?” The underlying query was in her tone, a question of Are you alright? She barely knew him, but the instinct to ensure the comfort and safety of both the man and child was still present, whether it was from the mutual connection of sorts to Ignatius, to make sure the man's people were okay. She'd made the offer of a home to Song and Kirsi, and the rest of Fyri by extension, and it still stood. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

(Posting Cen first because we can probably skip her for at least a few rounds)

"speech"

The tiny girl pushed further into her father, slipping backward to try and hide behind his forelimb as the ghost moved towards them, gliding along the ice towards them in a way she had never seen before. While her father was himself a rather fluffy wolf she had yet to see anyone who looked quite like the woman, her opaline color only helping to confuse the young girl. As if to stop her from fleeing total her father would settle himself into a seated position, gently herding her with his massive paws so she was snuggled against his abdomen, placing a paw in front of her to allow her to continue to hide from the encroaching spirit clearly unsettled.

She spoke and Cen buried her face in her father's thick fur, drowning out much of the words exchanged between the two.

Image by Ulfarna

Souzan hadn't really meant to scare his daughter, the words dropping from his lips without thinking about it, which was almost odd for him. His daughter shrunk back as the woman changed her course and he felt his poor heart buoy slightly, though he also felt bad for making her nervous. He gently settled onto the ice, leading his daughter back towards him before turning his attention towards the woman. She introduced herself and Souzan dipped his head, the old decorum he'd had drilled into him as a young wolf rearing its head all these years later as he flourished his paw slightly with the forepaw his daughter wasn't using as cover. "Souzan," he began, lifting the same forepaw to his chest before lifting the other and eliciting a squeak from his daughter as she scrambled to hide in her stomach fur with her former hiding spot suddenly removed, "and Cendrillion Agnivo." He gently placed his paw on her tiny form at the mention of her name before putting his paw back down and gently squeezing her to his stomach with his ankle. In response to the woman's other question, Souzan simply shrugged, his eyes clearly full of the tragedy that seemed to hound him every time he got comfortable. It had always been easier when his family was around, they knew how to read him, he didn't need to vocalize when he was around them but with Aurielle he knew that wasn't likely to be the case, but it simply wasn't in his nature to be too chatty. speech action

Aurielle Adravendi

He hadn’t been one to speak all that much the first time they’d met, and he proved just as soft-spoken as before. At least some things didn’t change, she supposed. She hadn’t been glowing like a personification of pure moonlight the last time, but it was gratifying that at least he seemed unphased by the change. His daughter, though, seemed decidedly sure that the Spirit was a frightful sight indeed. The blizzard slowly began to lose its force, the bite of the wind and the snow it carried gentling, as she studied the pair, then breathed a sigh, ears falling back against her scruff. “I truly wish I could say I’d seen your kin Ignatius since our last encounter, but… I’m afraid the news is the same. No sign.” Internally, she mourned the loss of a good pack relation. Things had been looking bright for Fyri and Valhallan relations, but… well, it was too late to cry over spilled milk. The best she could do was to offer aid to those who had once been Fyri. Her eyes flicked over Souzan’s features, watching his reactions as she said, steadily, “When I last encountered former Fyrien wolves, Song and Kirsi, I offered a place to stay in Valhalla if they wished it. That offer still stands, and by extension it is offered to all those who were of Ignatius’ pack. It’s optional, but you and your daughter are welcome to stay for as long as you like. I won’t be offended if you refuse.” Her lips twitched in a brief smile on the last words. She wasn’t easily offended, in any case. If the north was his home, then it was his home, and she wouldn’t force him to leave it behind, but it would feel right to help him in some way. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Souzan shuffled slightly as the woman spoke of his missing family. In truth Souzan had long given up hope of finding them. His mate had become his family and after her the daughter they shared. He missed his siblings every day but the ache of their loss had grown dull and easy enough to push down, especially as he had a young pup to worry after now. He watched with an open honest expression as Aurrielle spoke of the former pack members... Kirsi, the name stuck in his craw. The blue woman? His gaze hardened slightly, he had never gotten the full story but he knew enough to know that she had played a part in Ig's exile and though his brother had seemed happy enough to accept her back it had never sat right with him. But he wouldn't pursue that any further, if she was still here then he hoped her all the best but away from him and what was left of his torn family tapestry. But her offer... that was something that grabbed his attention. The biggest thing he knew he needed to offer to his daughter was stability, they would eventually need to settle down and more than that it would give her a place and wolves to help her if the worst were to happen to him. Not that he was planning for a tragedy but the sudden death of her mother had made drawn the reality that anything could happen to him and she'd be left all on her own into stark focus. He nodded, summoning his voice once more to elaborate: "Give us some time." He didn't know why but Souzan was not yet ready to head south just yet, he wanted to be certain for himself that his siblings were well and truly gone... he wanted to show his daughter the world that so reminded him of his mother's lands. "We will join you in time." speech action

Aurielle Adravendi

His answer came with a nod, and a faint smile settled on Aurielle’s features as he clarified. She could accept that answer—would have accepted a flat refusal without rancor, but hopefully, by the end of that time, she would see the towering sea and crimson man and his tiny daughter at the wall. She cast her eyes around them as the blizzard fully settled into a gentle snow-fall breathing in the crisp, frigid air and letting it out in a plume of breath as the snow began to settle on her blazing white coat. “Valhalla’s lands rest in the west of Boreas, as I said. Seek the Vericona Plains directly south of a clime with red rocks. The moorland directly east of the plains is also under our stead; shrouded with thick fog year-round. Both lands are encircled by a stone wall, built tall enough to see for a good way. There are several passages to allow prey to enter and leave. When you’re ready to find us, call for me at the wall.” Her eyes fell to his belly, and the pup nestled in the thick fur, eyes tender as she remarked, “One of my daughters, the youngest, is about the same size as your own. She’s a yearling now, so I think she may be as tall as she’s going to get, but she makes up for it with a spitfire brazenness and a view that the whole world is her friend. Hopefully, your daughter will find some good friends with us, for as long as you and she wish to stay.” Her eyes lifted to Souzan’s again, muzzle dipping as she rose gracefully to her paws, feeling the gentle pull of duty from the south. “It was good to see you again, Souzan. And to meet you, Cendrillion.” This second she added gently toward the man’s belly-fur as she shifted toward the south, tail flicking several flakes of snow free. -Exit Aurielle- (feel free to post Cen again so she can get some points for meeting her? lol) Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think