Ulmaria panted as she continued her way across the barren landscape. The dunes rose high around her but in the distance she saw a rocky area that might provide some shelter against the summer sun. Thankfully, her guess was correct. As she crossed the rocky area it started to get noticeably cooler, more like she'd imagine autumn to be than summer. Still, she'd take it!

As she settled down in the rocks she caught sight of an oasis as well as the scent of a pack. Hmmm… she got back to her feet and started sniffing along the border. It was a little slice of paradise, buried out in the desert. In her mind it made sense, even though she'd much prefer an area richer in herbs. Maybe there were unique plants here just waiting to be discovered?

Ulmaria tipped back her head and howled for the alpha. It was worth exploring this as a potential pack option. After all, she was getting sick of being a loner and eager to have a group to belong to.

She was going about her day, as she usually did, when a howl near the border caught her attention. Giving her coat a good shake-off so that she was somewhat more presentable, Celeste excused herself from her conversation with Zoey to head out toward the dunes. Excited to see who was possibly coming to greet her at her door, she wondered who it could be. The howl wasn't recognizable from what she could tell so perhaps the woman was getting her hopes up a little early... Someone new to join the pack? Or another messenger from a neighboring pack? As she approached, her aquamarine gaze landed on a slightly large female with a plum coat and pretty markings. Showing off a pleasant and welcoming smile, Celeste stopped a few feet away with a nod of her head. "Hello miss, I am Celeste Akizora, Mistress of Ethyria, how can I help you?" Her head lilts just ever so slightly to the side as she let her elongated tail sweep the sand behind her.

Ulmaria waited patiently and was soon greeted by a horned wolf who called herself Celeste, Mistress of Ethyria. She wasn't quite sure what a mistress was but if she had to guess the lady was alphess of the pack called Ethyria or at least someone of importance within it. Ulmaria had never really addressed an alpha before. Sure, Tyrian had been an alpha but he'd also been family so it was a little bit different. "Hi! I'm Ulmaria Regni. I'm looking for a pack to join and I found your border and I was wondering what your pack was like? Do you like it out here? There's a lot of sand everywhere so I didn't even know anyone was here til I got lost."

The young girl was cute. Even if she was larger than herself, Celeste was used to being the smaller one. She listened politely and had to hold back a chuckle. It wasn't uncommon for others to get lost out in the expanse of sand that surrounded the oasis. As her nose twitched, she noticed the girl didn't have any specific pack scent on her. Curious as to why someone as young as she was out and about alone, the question would be saved for now. She had to boast about her lovely pack first! "A pleasure, Ulmaria Regni!" Celeste's medium baritone voice chirped as her tail wagged a few more times. "Surprisingly, I love it out here. Sure, it gets hot during the day, but our pack lives in underground warrens right beside a large oasis so we have managed to keep really cool. As long as you don't go too far west, you'll find it easier to keep your direction about you," she smiles as she glances off to the sandy distances of the desert. Definitely not her plan to expand out that way. She did have to take a moment to really think about what Ethyria was like before answering. "Well, you see, Ethyria is very laid back compared to other packs. Everyone is expected to lend a paw in helping ways that are best suited for them, but when the work is done, we relax and have fun. I plan to host plenty of parties, for us and for outsiders to join. We like to relax in the underground areas, or go swimming, go out on hunting parties, or do leisurely patrols. Don't really foresee anyone wanting to take us over any time soon, but there will be training activities come spring when the weather is more bearable," her smile stays upon her lips as she waits to see how Ulmaria will react.

Ulmaria listened curiously as Celeste explained that the pack lived in underground warrens. She didn't know what a warren was but assumed it was something like a cave. As long as she didn't have to go too far back into one that would suit her just find. She was glad to hear the pack, Ethyria, was more laid back. Having been reared a loner and often being left to her own devices she was used to a looser structure. "That sounds good to me. May I join?  I'm a good healer and fighter.  I don't know to many of the plants out here but I'm sure I can pick them up quickly." If there was one thing she'd learned it was how to learn quickly and often on her own. Thankfully she'd had her uncle Álarr for much of the healing lessons but her companions helped tremendously. Maybe if she ran into her uncle again she could get his thoughts on the desert plants. As far as she knew he was still a loner wandering about in the southeast.

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Celeste's expression perked up when Ulmaria requested to join Ethyria. Her tail swung a bit more excitedly behind her as she beamed at the girl. "Of course, dear, you're more than welcome to join. We definitely need more healers and fighters among our ranks. Mind if I put you as a Healer for now? If in the future you'd like a different rank, I'm always open to listening," she moves closer to Ulmaria before turning so that she's facing the direction of the Oasis. "If you want help exploring the area, my Intellectual Zoey is usually in and out. You could probably ask Arne or Kuroki as well, they're usually patrolling but not as expertise in facts about plants and relics as Zoey is," her smile never falters as she takes a few steps toward the Oasis. "C'mon, I'll show you around and we can pick out a good sleeping area for you," Celeste glances over her shoulder to the girl before making her way to the Oasis.

Celeste offered to place her as a healer and she nodded. "Yea, that sounds good to me. I like fighting alright but I like healing more." She'd been taught early the value of being able to defend herself and her family, especially living in a small band of loners. However, fighting was more of a tool. A useful skill more than a passion. Healing was something she enjoyed doing even in her down time. Learning about plants and finding new ways to preserve them always fascinated her.

"Sure! What does Zoey look like?" Ulmaria bounced along after Celeste as they went deeper into the Oasis. She'd want to meet this wolf and talk with them but she wasn't sure what the other looked like or how to recognize them.

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Pleased that her pack was growing at a steady rate, she was also glad to have more youth join. Zoey needed friends as much as Celeste needed attention. It wasn't a bad thing, but the poor girl had had a rough life; and in Celeste's mind, friends were always a good cure for trauma and sadness. Keeping an eye on Ulmaria as she bounced along happily beside her, she smiled. "Zoey is a pretty orange-russet color with white points and she's typically always wearing her goggles," Celeste spoke proudly as if Zoey were her own offspring. "Oh, the goggles are like these ancient things made of glass and leather that go over her eyes to help her see," she wasn't sure if everyone knew what those contraptions would be so better to explain now. "I'm sure she would love to tell you all about it and whatever else you're curious about," her smile never falters as they draw near the oasis's edge.

Ulmaria took mental notes as her new alphess described what Zoey looked like. She was just about to ask what 'goggles' were when Celeste promptly supplied the information. It sounded both strange and fascinating that Zoey wore something over her eyes to help her see. Ulmaria wondered if something had happened to her eyes and the goggles were corrective or if she had discovered some way to see even better than normal. "Ok, that'd be great! I've never seen goggles before and I have a lot of questions. I know some herbs that are good for the eyes but I've never seen glass leather things for them." And of course herbs were pretty limited on what they could do and she didn't know if they specific ones even grew around here.

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ooc: Let me know how long you'd like to continue this one or if you'd like to just end this one.