Artisan had been very thorough in his newfound hobby of exploring, having visited already quite a bit of western Boras as well as the northern cold regions where his pirate King had challenged for an abandoned pack. His next step logically would be eastern or southern Boreas, but after enduring much too many hours in the very-deep snow and icy winds, he'd made a beeline directly south as far as his paws could take him and didn't stop until he'd hit blessed, snow-less sand. Why the pirates hadn't already flown south for winter Artisan had no idea, but he did know that this winter and in the winters to come he would spend as much time in Auster as he could manage while still being a dutiful pirate to his band-mates. He'd found a magnificent string of waterfalls on the southern coast and had meandered his way to an overlooking rock. Behind the falls a distinctive glow was seen, though different then the common nighttime oddities that had plagued the world. The sun was clearly shining, so Artisan assumed the glow was simple bioluminescent and not at all supernatural. He'd considered moving behind the falls to investigate, but it looked dark behind those mists and he was quite enjoying the sun warming his back where he lay sprawled upon his rock. While the weather was lovely in this region (and the surroundings beautiful beyond belief, too) he did realize it was sorely lacking in wolves to befriend. Artisan did not do well on his own, loneliness was not a concept he allowed to fester very long and it may be the very thing that kicked him back into the dreary snow that coated most of the northern continent. For now, he'd enjoy his vacation and warm his weary bones and perhaps tomorrow set off back north in search of a middle-ground between warm and cozy, but not far-away and void of intelligent life. He tipped back his head and howled a pleasant song, assuming he was alone in the area and that none would hear his call, but singing to the falls regardless. WORD COUNT: 353/1500 "Talk" "Listen" Think

Kali was a long, long ways away from home and she didn’t mind it at all. There were so many sights she was seeing that she’d never experienced before, and best of it, it was warm! She’d learned that the further south one went, the warmer it got and that was all she’d needed to know before letting her mother know that she was flying south for the winter for the next week or so. Of course, she took her companions with her as protection and company and packing a small bag of Habari’s signature dried meats and some other necessities, but then heading south. Once she’d made it past the bifrost, the temperature had changed drastically. The air heated up and the sun shone down on her, warming her pelt pleasantly. Around her neck, Abbadon’s tongue flickered from his mouth, showing how content he was to be in the warmth again. Abigor gave a grunt of his approval.

Together, the trio went even further. They skirted around packlands and over a field filled with the bones of long extinct animals, through the edge of a woodland and finally stopping at a falls overflowing with beautiful, vibrant blue waters. The air smelled sweet, as it coated in sugar, and a taste of the water proved her nose correct. She was just about ready to set up shop when, suddenly, a song rose into the air. Her auds twisted and her head lifted, brows rising in surprise at the nearness of the call. It didn’t seem like he was calling for anyone in particular, rather he was just...singing. She meandered toward it, tail twitching curiously as her gold-twisted heels before the form of a man came into view. He was distinctly handsome, she determined, his pelt reminding her of a blue sky at the cusp of sunset, where the clouds were tinged with gold on the horizon before plunging into the night. His gaze was closed in song, but she wondered what color they would be.

“Can I request an encore?” she asked with an impish grin, bi-colored gaze twinkling in amusement.

Word count: 715/1500

"Kali Klein"

Winter was a dirty, wet beast. Siobhan felt like she hadn't been dry in weeks. The last time she'd allowed herself to get wet was crossing the southern Bifrost. The ocean had licked at her paws, but it had been warmer and almost pleasant. Auster was a welcome change from the blustery weather taking hold of Boreas. Autumn was long gone now and winter held the land firmly. What was a gal to do when she was sick of the cold? Like all snowbirds, she chose to venture south. Skirting the coast of Auster had been a lovely journey, although she was somewhat surprised to note that some of the territories she'd skirted were claimed by a pack. She felt entirely disconnected from larger communities of wolves - Sio couldn't remember the last time she'd been in a group larger than three.

A dark castle broke the skyline followed by a shallow inlet that sparkled in the low light. She slept by the sandy beach, allowing the lapping of the water on the shore to lull her into a dreamless slumber. Sio awoke feeling well-rested, a pleasant contrast from long nights in Boreas where she fought to stay warm. After a luxurious stretch and a quick lunch of ocean fish, she was off on her way again. It wasn't long before a glorious song cut through the air. Her ears pricked straight up at the melody. Company might be nice... if she kept to herself much longer, she might forget how to speak out loud.

Siobhan headed in the direction of the noise. It wasn't long before she caught the scent of two separate wolves and connected the dots from there, stumbling upon Lazuli Falls in short order. She was unable to stop the gasp that slipped out: dense, lush greenery surrounded a dreamy waterfall that sparkled as if lit from within and something delectably sweet perfumed the air. Scenery like this was something out of a story for children, not for right here before her eyes. Eventually she scanned the rest of the glade and spotted an inquisitive female and a larger male with brilliant fur adorned with bracelets. Sio almost didn't want to interrupt. Everything was simply too perfect - and she was a bystander at heart. Would it be so wrong to just pick a spot in the sun and watch the story unfold before her? Kali spoke, breaking the spell and bringing her back to reality. "Yes," she added, speaking almost too quietly to be heard. "It was a beautiful song."

Word count: 1141/1500

To Artisan's surprise he was very much not alone in his enjoyment of the falls, and the sudden speech cutting through the silence brought the pirate's eyes to pop open in delight. He turned his head toward the stranger, finding he'd been joined by a female of rich chocolate and gold. "Oh, hello!" He greeted warmly, opting to remain where he lay so would not appear to be threatening. While Artisan was of the friendly sort, he'd noticed many other Boreas wolves would sooner shank you then join you for friendly conversation.

A second voice joined the first, complimenting his song and bringing the barest of a blush to his cheeks. Her pelt was less colorful to the first woman's, but equally as beautiful. "I'm afraid you've both stumbled into my siren song, it's closed for encores." Artisan's lips pulled into a playful grin and he shifted his weight onto his hips to better see his new companions, gesturing with his forelimb to the spacious rocky overhang to invite them to join him. "After all, my pirate king might disapprove of my singing of something that isn't a sea shanty." He gave a bit of a laugh, knowing fully that not only was Sparrow not judgmental or strict, but that she'd likely break into song herself if she was here and thought it might win over the two ladies. "I'm Artisan Aracari, and you ladies are?"

1365/1500
"Speech"

A small voice called their mutual appreciation from behind her, and Kali turned to see a petite woman, clad in swirling shades of grey and a pair of beautiful lilac eyes. The man who’d been singing spoke next, depriving them of an encore and her lips pressed into a playful pout. What ever would she do for entertainment now? But, he uttered something next that was even more entertaining of an idea. A pirate? So he was a pirate, huh? She supposed he must have been talking about Sparrow, whom she’d heard stories about from her mother. Everyone in that band seemed to be a pleasant sort of chaotic, unlike the horrible chaotic of her siblings, so she quite liked what he possibly had to offer. “It’s quite the pleasure to meet you, Artisan. My name is Kali Klein, and if you say that your King would be upset about you not singing a sea shanty, does that mean you have a sea shanty for us?” she asked, her mind immediately latching onto the loophole in his words. A grin had replaced her pout as her tail shook behind her lithe frame. The sun shone down on them, warming her bones and placing her in a pleasant mood. Oh yes, this trip down south was proving to be very worth it.

WC: 1590/1500

"Kali Klein"