Whatever this place was, it was magical. To those familiar with the forested patch of land, it might’ve been rather plain and nothing out of the ordinary. However, despite her previous lifestyle exposing her to all kinds of territories, she hadn’t been given much of a chance to safely wander and explore — as a loner before the Hallows, she’d kept her eyes focused on the ground or ahead of her, and as such, it gave her tunnel vision and an inability to enjoy the wonders of Boreas. Whatever. Boreas was too cold for her taste anyways, as she had told Artorias when she initially joined the pack. Auster, by comparison, was less overwhelming in size, and had none of the bitter, bone-chilling winters she’d experienced for season upon season. Her body underwent some change on multiple levels, and it was clear the warm weather and mild climate lifted her spirits and rejuvenated her physical form — even if her recovery still had a ways to go. The woman slowly padded along the grassy floor, her ruby eyes casting themselves curiously upon the lush foliage above her. Birds fluttered in and out of the leaves, and she tracked their movement with a soft tilt of her head. In a sense, it felt like she was a curious pup all over again, seeing all the world had to offer for the forst time. Perhaps she was indulging that inner pup again — the one who was forced to grow up too fast. The scent of sweet berries lured her attention towards the ground, noticing the abundance of them all around her. She sniffed them curiously, nibbling what appeared to be a particularly juicy berry. The tangy taste filled her tongue, and pleasantly surprised, she found she enjoyed this part of Auster quite a lot. She continued onward, her expression blank but eyes lit up with a childlike joy as she watched the world around her. "Speech"

Sota never seemed to get sick of these lands south of the Bifrost. He'd grown up here, after all - only much further south - but he felt more at home here than he'd ever felt in Boreas. These lands were quieter, devoid of many wolves, unlike the bustling northern continent. And while he adored his home, from the castle to the field just outside, he was content to spend time on his own as well, more often now that this pleasant season was upon them. Even the changing world around them couldn't really bring him down - and it was easy to ignore the waning daylight and the strange occurrences that had been happening when you were surrounded by so much lovely scenery. He'd always loved this place. He remembered eating similar berries as a child, making a game with his peers out of who could gather the most before inevitably devouring them - but always free trees that bore fruit high in the air rather than these smaller bushes. Not that they were terribly small for a wolf his size. Sota sniffed at one as he passed it, debating whether the fruit was edible or not, before catching someone's scent on the wind. It was a fellow packmate, which wasn't a surprise given their proximity to home, though he'd never spoken to this woman directly - if he was right, he thought she might be new to The Hallows. Quickening his pace until he wasn't far off from her, he let out a friendly bark of greeting before approaching further. "Hello there!" Sota called out cheerily, a grin breaking out across his gentle features.

Hearing a friendly bark snap her back to reality, the woman paused, clearly a bit spooked. She hadn’t heard much barking in a long time, which seemed strange — but given she was essentially deprived of socialization with others from a young age, she’d barely developed an awareness for social cues, and the subtleties of body language and vocalizations, among other things. Something that likely made her stick out in the well-adjusted pack like a sore thumb, but nothing she could do but regain control of her life at her own pace. The monochromatic woman turned her head to face the smaller creature; a fellow pack member, judging by his scent. She’d gotten used to the scent by now, surrounding her like a thick, but welcoming veil. It was a steady reminder that she had a place to call home, a sanctuary to find peace and purpose. She allowed herself to calm down from the initial surprise, feeling a little embarrassed that her body overreacted. It was a mere greeting, nothing more. Lae’s ruby eyes scanned the friendly face, relief settling on her own sunken features as she replied softly "Oh, hello." She paused, the golden rays of light continuing to soothe her. As she gathered the words she wished to speak, she said them at last, hoping her confidence in interactions would increase with time. "You’re a pack member too, right? I’m Laeta, I’m new here." Though she held no visible expression, her eyes glinted with a curiosity burning within. She was desperate to meet her pack in full, even if she struggled to communicate with them. "Speech"

At least Laeta seemed startled by his approach, and he mirrored her surprise, his ears flattening slightly and his eyes widening when she properly faced him and registered who he was. Friendly, a packmate, even if she knew nothing else about him. Though he'd seen her before he didn't know her name, and he looked somewhat bashful as she greeted him and offered her own. His friendly greeting was returned and his face brightened, overtaken by a wide smile. "I am. My name's Sota. It's a pleasure, Laeta," he added with a dramatic bow, his head sweeping low to the ground until his nose nearly brushed the dirt. He paused there for a moment before lifting himself up again, his stature diminutive even compared to her own small form. "This place is lovely, isn't it? It reminds me of somewhere from my childhood," he sighed wistfully as he nosed around a nearby bush, the smell of juicy berries calling his name, though for now he refrained.

Sota. What an interesting name. The greeting was pleasant from the smaller wolf, and the monochromatic woman allowed herself to calm in his presence. He was a pack member, after all -- nothing threatening about those she would, over time, perceive as a surrogate family of sorts. Not necessarily by blood, of course, but by the bonds she hoped would form. He had even bowed to her, a gesture the woman could helped but be a bit surprised by ,though her emotionless facial features concealed her reaction. These social cues and gestures the wolves made among themselves were, to them, a way of life -- something that seemed specific to a pack dynamic. As an ex-loner, Lae had little opportunity to interact in such a formal way with other wolves, much less receive such a sign of kindness and respect. "This place is lovely, isn't it? It reminds me of somewhere from my childhood," Sota had remarked out loud, prompting the woman to let her ruby gaze wander the scenery again. It was truly peaceful here -- one would be incredibly fortunate to experience childhood memories here. Alas, the mere word left a painful ache in her chest, and the glint in her eyes faded slightly. Though still in awe at the beauty of this place, the words her packmate spoke, though not his fault in the least, left her wishing she'd had a better start to her life than what she had actually endured. Abandonment, loss, neglect, and being ostracized -- things that no child should ever experience. Still, she didn't let her past memories swallow her up so easily. Not anymore. With a pause to allow the scenery to envelope her with a calming aura, she turned to Sota and inquired, "Did you grow up here? On Auster?" Her eyes spoke volumes when her expressions did not, and she was quite curious -- after all, part of her being in a pack was being invested in the lives of her packmates to at least some degree, right? Thus, she deduced she needed to know something unique about each person. However much they were willing to tell her, anyways. She wouldn't pry if it wasn't her place to do so. "Speech"

He truly considered all members of The Hallows family to him. It'd been a long while since he felt he truly belonged anywhere, and though sometimes he found himself doubting his capabilities here - he'd always known he was more than capable when he was among the Songa - deep down he knew this was precisely.where he needed to remain. No matter where his strengths might lie he knew one thing; that he could always promise to treat his fellow packmates with kindness and dignity, no matter what. Laeta was no exception to that rule of his. "I did," he answered her question with a gentle smile. "Quite far from here, but on Auster nonetheless." It had never been called that when he'd been growing up. It'd just been home, before he'd embarked on his adventure to Boreas. Reflection on his reasons for coming seemed strange to him now, given everything that had happened. He was an entirely different wolf than the one that had first stepped paw outside of his homelands. But he wouldn't dwell on himself for long. "What brought you to The Hallows? That is, if you don't mind me asking," the tiny male added gently. He knew The Hallows was meant as a sanctuary for wolves from all walks of life who wanted to seek refuge - it'd make sense to him if someone didn't want to explain their reasons. Regardless of how she answered, he fixed his attention on a nearby bush, full of fat ripe raspberries that looked like they were begging to be eaten. "Say, have you ever tried these? They're quite good - just a bit sweet," he explained, leaning forward to pluck one right off the branch with his teeth and chew it, savoring the taste, as if wanting to show her he wasn't lying.