The night sky shines brightly as the stars sit in their heavenly firmament. The moon bathes the plains in silver light and the stars continue their eternal dance. Below the celestial light show, an autumn chill has settled over the land. The air has become cooler, the promise of winter in its chilly breath. A gray figure roams the outskirts of the plains, checking scent marking and patrolling for danger. Ocean hued eyes scan the ground, unaware the beauty that lays above. When Fern has finished her patrol and is satisfied that the borders are safe, the gray girl turns to start back toward the castle. Slow paws pull her onward, enjoy the peace the night offers. An owl calls from overheard and Fern tilts her head back to try and catch the flying creature’s form.

Paws stop as she sees the stars shining brightly above. A soft smile appears on Fern’s lips and she moves to sit on the cool grass. Mesmerized, the gray girl sits in silence, enjoying the moment. Suddenly a falling star streaks across the sky and Fern’s eyes light up with wonder. Then another one blazes a trail across the sky, followed by another and another. Fern slides down onto her belly, settling in to watch the starry show.

"Fern"

Nights like this made it hard to be anything but grateful. Sota had always been a glass half-full kind of guy though, at least deep down; there was always something to be grateful for and dwelling on what may or may not have been was never a fruitful endeavor. The events of the last few months had only reminded him more and more of that. Life was short and needed to be enjoyed, every single moment, even when it was hard to find anything worth living for - there was always something. Sota breathed a content sigh as he strolled out of the castle and made his way to the plains. Rarely did he go out at this hour, preferring the comfort of The Hallows' castle, but he was intent on enjoying the stars tonight and he fully intended to make the most of the view. It seemed he wasn't the only one who had that in mind, though. A packmate's scent touched his nose and piqued his curiosity. Fern wasn't a wolf he'd spoken to directly but he knew of her regardless, and her scent was unmistakable. In no hurry to reach her, eventually he came upon her silhouette in the dim light of night. Even from a distance her eyes seemed to reflect back the myriad of stars overhead. Immediately he gave a smile and his ridiculous little bow, head sweeping low to the ground and staying there before he raised it again. "Fern, isn't it? Are you enjoying the show?" He gestured with his nose up to the sky.

The stars dance in the heavens and Fern is their captive audience. She feels likes a pup again, staring with wide-eyed wonder and feeling small next to the light of the heavenly bodies. A noise tickles her ear and the gray girl lowers her gaze to find a small male wolf approaching. Since she has been so engrossed in her training and navigating the new relationship with Rudy, Fern has neglected the simple aspect of being a good pack member. His smile is returned in kind and Sota’s bow earns him a giggle and a slight duck from her gray head. When he speaks, Fern nods and turns her eyes back to the sky for moment before quickly returning her gaze to the purply-gray form of Sota. The smile that rests on her lips is easy and her voice is gentle as she says, “Yes I am Fern. And it is pleasure to meet you… Sota.” The smile grows as she giggles, wondering if the small wolf knows his reputation proceeds him. She has heard wolves speaking of Sota and how amazing he is and Fern is glad to finally have a face to put to the name.

Patting the ground next to her, Fern says, “Come sit with me Sota. A show like this should not be wasted.” Waiting until he makes his decision, the gray girl watches him with a soft smile. Once he is settled, Fern tips her head back, turning her oceanic-colored gaze back to the sky. After a moment, she says, “You know, on nights like this, I feel so small in the grand scheme of things. It is very… humbling.” The stars that shine down have been there since before they were born, their ancestors using them to track paths and find their way home. And Fern knew that they would be there long after she is gone.


"Fern"

Sota thought even the most heartless of wolves would be hard-pressed to not be awestruck by the sights above. Though admittedly the long night had given all of Auster (and maybe beyond, he had no idea) plenty of skies even more splendid than this, though given how sharp a contrast its splendor had been to the sickness and ailments and stifling darkness... well, it wasn't a surprised few looked back fondly on those star-streaked skies. This was a welcome alternative, for sure. Sota's eyes gleamed with delight as she giggled, apparently pleased with his entrance, and he relaxed his stance as he settled in nearby. He reclined backwards onto his haunches at first before she invited him to sit beside her. "Sota it is," he reiterated with a wider grin. Sinking down, he scooted over closer to her with a few easy motions. Sometimes it still surprised him how much smaller he was than even his young packmates, though then again he didn't always get quite so close to them. "You're right - this night is perfect," he breathed a sigh of pure contentment. Her words earned a contended hum of acknowledgment. "Humbling is the exact word for it." Humility was built into his character, something he constantly reminded himself of. "You're wise beyond your years, Fern. Many wolves never quite manage to be humble no matter how hard they strive toward it, but I think humility is one of life's goals." He'd never cared for things beyond the simple pleasures in life and he certainly didn't care to leave a lasting legacy on the world - just on a few wolves. That'd be good enough for him. His gaze had fixed on the sky for a long moment, but finally fell to Fern, giving her a gentle smile. "How'd you end up in The Hallows, Fern, if you don't mind me asking? I try to know everyone's names but their stories - well, they can give me that themselves if they care to." Sota was about as far from a gossip as you could get. Everyone's business was their own, unless they cared to divulge it to him.

The small wolf is kind and funny, making her giggle with happiness. Fern is glad that Sota found his way out to the plains tonight. He confirms his name and, when she pats the ground near her, he joins her under the starry sky. Sota’s sigh of pure contentment earns a hum of agreement from the gray girl and a small, relaxed sigh in return. His words have her, once more, smiling and Fern watches as another meteor streaks across the sky. Its bright trail blazing for a brief moment before disappearing into darkness once more. The purple-gray wolf speaks of her being wise beyond her years and Fern ducks her head, sheepishly. Truthfully, the gray girl feels awkward when others compliment her, often feeling undeserving of others praise. Sota goes to speak of striving to be humble and how many wolves never manage it and Fern nods, once more raising her head looking to the sky.

A thought fills takes over mind her mind, demanding to said. It tickles her tongue until Fern is forced to open her mouth give it a voice. Her tone is soft, filled with self-reflection as she says, “I agree Sota. I have found, in my short time, that there are wolves who are born humble and find joy in dedicating their lives to helping others. Others are born thinking that everything revolves around them, they are the sun and the moon and that they are the answer to some unknown prophecy.” She gives asmall shrug of her gray shoulders before continuing on, “But then… there is a smaller group, born not knowing what they want in their lives. Their experiences shape them, each layering on top of another, opening their eyes to the just how vast the world really is.” Another meteor blazes across the black sky and Fern falls silent as if, in that simple act, the sky is proving her point.

Sota and Fern sit in comfortable for a long moment, tracing stars and meteors with their eyes. A smile rests on her lips, happy to be enjoying this special moment with Sota. When his silver eyes turn from the sky and fall on her form, the gray girl turns her own ocean-hued gaze on Sota. His gentle smile is returned in kind and when he asks about how she got here, Fern’s smile softens even more. She allows Sota to finish, giving herself a moment to order her thoughts before she speaks. Finally, she starts, her voice is filled with emotions she thought had buried long ago. Slowly, she begins, “I came here in search of my mother’s sister. My mother’s name was Meadow and… something bad happened when I was little. I… watched her die. While she was still alive, mom had told me of her sister and how she was an alpha of a pack… her sister… was Resin.”

A sad smile plays across her lips, uncertain if Sota had ever met the former alpha. She continues, “I searched for this place for a long time, it took me serval months to find this land. Unfortunately, I arrived during a very dark time.” Her gaze shifts to the skies for a moment, remembering the vivid auroras and the sheer brightness the stars had offered then. Flashes of the sickness that had gripped her follow the beautiful skies and she shakes her head to dispel the memories. Looking back to Sota, the gray girl offers a small smile before she goes on, “Rudyard found me one night, claiming a ghost had told him to find me. Maybe it Resin talking to him… or my mother nudging him to find me. Either way, I learned that Resin had died and… I thought I had lost everything.”

Sadness laces her words, stains her smile, and tugs at heart as she remembers the raw feelings of helplessness from that night. Giving her head a shake, Fern waves a paw through the air, trying cast the cast out and lighten the mood. She offers a chuckle and says, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to talk so much. You can tell me to stop at any time.” Taking a moment to duck her head, the gray girl brushes away tears that seem to have collected in the corners of her eyes.

"Fern"

Her gaze drifts lazily from Fern to the stars above, enjoying the sights quite a bit. Sota tried to be practical most of the time, focused on his immediate surroundings - on the wolves around him and how he could contribute to their lives, not always pausing to simply enjoy the beauty of the world, though he certainly didn't take it for granted. At least he tried not to. "I try to be one of those wolves," he admitted softly. "I didn't really know what I wanted out of life when I was young. I was raised to believe the world could be whatever I shaped it to be... like it was some kind of thing meant to be conquered and shaped how I wanted it. But I've learned it's not like that at all. I find much more joy in helping shape the lives of those around me. I'm sure that sounds cheesy, but it's the truth," he added with a small smile, casting Fern a glance. His eyes found a particular bright meteor as it flared and streaked across the sky in a long trail before disappearing completely from sight. Fern went on to explain how she'd come here looking for her aunt, Resin herself. His smile widened for a moment. "Resin was a fine leader. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to have more family here." He'd hardly been close to Resin, not like so many of his packmates, but he knew she'd been a good leader and Sota was glad to know she had even more family here. Heaing her voice begin to waver slightly, he scooted a bit closer and offered a gently nudge of understanding to her shoulder. "Talk all you want, I'm known as being an exceptionally good listener. I can assure you, though, that there's no way you've lost everything, not if you found your way here. The Hallows is a better home than I thought I've ever find." His voice was warm and kind - he wasn't trying to minimize her pain, not in the slightest, but he had a feeling she would heal here just as he had.

With her eyes on the stars above them, Fern listens to Sota’s soft voice with a smile. Turning her ocean-hued gaze toward him, she sees the small smile on his lips. Her smile is genuine and her words heartfelt as she says, “It’s not cheesy Sota. The world would be a much better place if there were more wolves in it that thought like you. Sometimes, all it takes is one random act of kindness to leave a mark. My mom used to tell me that it isn’t what the world remembers about you that is important; it is the friends you leave behind. Happy moments mean the world to others and I know I’ll forgot this night or the kind wolf that I got to share it with.” Her smile grows for a moment, before she adds, “I am thankful that I got to meet you.”

Their gazes turn back to sky, silence passing in comfort between them before Sota asks about her past and Fern starts her tale. When she mentions Resin, the gray girl notices Sota’s smile grow and he speaks of Resin, causing the girl’s lips to tick up in a sad, longing smile. She continues on, needing to voice her story but getting choked up. When her voice wavers, Sota scoots closer and Fern is thankful for his calming presence, his gentle nudge is met with a small smile as he explains about being a good listener. Everything about Sota is warm, kind, and friendly. A pang of sadness strikes her as the girl thinks of how much Meadow would have loved him.

Taking a long, deep breath, Fern calms her raging emotions. Once her mind has settled, the girl offers Sota a warm smile and soft chuckle as she says, “You are an exceptional listener.” A content sigh escapes as she adds, “I am realizing, now, that I haven’t lost anything. I have actually found so much more than I had. Now I have friends, family, a pack, Rudyard. And now… you.” The smile that appears is soft and kind, letting Sota know he has a friend in her. She goes on to explain, “But I didn’t know any of that when I first arrived. I felt broken, hopeless… lost. The long night only added to those feelings and I tried to run away when the sickness addled my brain.”

With a soft sigh, Fern looks up to the sky, taking a moment to watch the eternal stars. Her voice is filled with shame as she says, “When I finally came back to senses, I… I was too ashamed by everything that had happened. I didn’t want to upset anyone so I stayed away.” Turning her gaze back to Sota a smile ticks up the corners of her mouth as she says, “But fate wouldn’t let me stay away. A bear forced me to return and, since I came back, I have found this is truly where I belong.” While her story is filled with sorrow, loneliness and defeat, Fern realizes just how happy is she is now. There are no tears, only happy moments filed with friends and family.

A question tickles her mind and forces her to ask Sota, “What about you Sota? What brought you here?” Any sadness that had clung to the girl while she told her story is gone, replaced with a desire to learn more about Sota and his life.


"Fern"

She suggested the world might be a better place with more wolves like him in it, and he gave a small nod. Truthfully the beauty of the world was that there were so many different kinds of wolves in it, and he wasn't sure it'd be half as beautiful if they were all just like him - but maybe if everyone learned some humility and grace the world might be a brighter place overall. He wasn't totally sure. "And I am thankful as well, Fern," he agreed with a gentle smile as he twisted around to regard her for a long moment before returning his attention to the sky. There were few wolves he didn't remember well; they were all pieces of his journey, stars that filled his sky and though some faded they never disappeared completely. He stayed there with his nose pressed to her shoulder for a long moment, recognizing her raw emotions and wanting to support her through them rather than dismiss them. "I know that feeling well. I came here long before the long night and I was fortunate enough to not get sick, but..." His voice trailed off and he gave himself a moment to steady himself. He hadn't suffered as some had but it had still been a period of darkness for them all, both literally and metaphorically. "I was unwell when I first came to The Hallows, too. I'd broken a leg and couldn't really get by without help. Asking for help isn't something I'm good at," Sota admitted with a small laugh. It wasn't that he was necessarily too proud, but independence had been ingrained in him since birth. Those who could not help themselves had been left behind in his youth. "But I asked, and Resin let me stay. I promised to repay my debt for her kindness, everyone's kindness, and I just.. never left." He'd found a permanent home he hadn't imagined he ever would, but once the pieces clicked into place he wondered how he hadn't found these wolves sooner.