His black paws carried him swiftly to the border of his home even though his muscles ached with travel, the scent of Valhalla becoming stronger in the air with each step reigniting his energy. With bright blue eyes he carefully scanned the border as he crossed, knowing that his pelt has been erased from his normal scent and there could be new members that would think he was an intruder. Drachen has sent Enzi ahead of him but he knew there was always the possibility that someone did not get the message. As his large black and tan ,travel worn, frame trotted gracefully deeper into his home, he tossed back his head once and howled a short note to notify Ardyn and whoever near of his arrival before he headed to the nearest stream. As a Mist, it was his job to gather information and he knew from experience that most lips would become more loose around a supposed loner than a wolf who belong to a pack. So each time he left on a mission, he would gather several herbs and plants and mash them into a pulp before rolling and keeping the mixture on his body before heading out. It was rather pungent at first, heavy with the scent of pine and earth but it did the job of erasing not only his pack's scent but his own from his fur. Luckily, as Drachen soaked for several minutes in the water, the dirt of travel washed off his pelt and his own light cinnamon like scent began to fill the air around him. He let out a short huff of amusement as his own scent was almost foreign to him now with how long he had been covering it. Once Drachen was satisfied with his cleanliness he emerged from the water and shook out his pelt and began to walk deeper into the territory, his deep blue eyes sharp for anyone who might be out and about. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

After relaying the news of their new neighbor’s presence to Ardyn, rather than heading back out into the field immediately, she had decided to stick around home- the word caught in her mind. Home. It was going to take a while to get accustomed to that. It had been a long time since she had considered herself home. Of course, she had been with Valhalla for the better part of a season now, but getting to acknowledge the sense of belonging- well, that was something entirely different.

Though, she wasn’t given much more time to dwell on it. The tones of a masculine voice unknown to her echoed on the wind. Though it wasn’t anything formal, just an acknowledgement of return. And with it, her curiosity officially peaked. Cassiela exited her den, her ears perked as she pinpointed the direction it had come from once outside. And with a lively step, she found her way towards its source. She traced a worn path through tall grass to one of the streams that cut through the territory. It was there her emerald gaze fell on a neutral toned brute, a fair amount larger than she herself in height and tone. And while his dampened coat still dripped from the brief cleanse he had obviously just taken, she still didn’t have any problems seeing that travel fatigued expression and posture that she had known all too well.

Realizing she had been gawking a little longer than she should have, she quickly found her voice. “Hello …” The ashen fae began, scrambling in her mind to put her thoughts to words. “Sorry to interrupt-” she suddenly interjected, wanting to apologize for lingering on the tail of a personal moment. “Are you Drachen, by chance?” She finally asked. Ardyn had mentioned the presence of an existing scout. He had just been out on an extended trip, and she hadn’t yet had the opportunity to introduce herself. But now could very well be her chance.

As he traveled along the well worn path deeper into the territory, it wasn't long before he spotted a grey wolf coming towards him and at first he thought it was the healer Eramaya coming to check over his old scar that ran from his shoulder to his paw on his right leg. But as the wolf got closer he realized that it was a unfamiliar female with emerald green eyes and at first his muscles tensed in preparation to defend his home until he caught the scent of Valhalla heavy on her pelt, telling him that she was new pack mate that had joined after he had left on his extended mission. His oceanic blue eyes studied her as his black and tan body relaxed as she stared back at him. After a few more breaths of staring at each other, Drachen's head tilted ever so slightly to the side as a tan brow arched handsomely over a blue eye in question, amusement flashing across his expression. Finally the ashen woman found her voice and he tilted his ears towards her as she apologized and then asked him his name. The corner of his lip pulled back into a small smile as he gave her a nod and then rumbled in his deep hushed tones "I am." A short answer but in no way unfriendly in tone. He lowered himself on to his haunches, shifting his weight slightly off his right shoulder as his tail curled around him to show that he was interesting in talking further. "You must have joined while I was away. Welcome to Valhalla....." he rumbled softly, his voice trailing off in a silent question for her name. He had yet to talk to Ardyn yet and get caught up on the changes in the pack over the past season and a half he had been gone. He was glad to see more come and join the ranks of his home and he hoped that maybe the new members would find peace in their lives like Valhalla had done for him. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The amusement that warmed his expression was very infectious. Like an idiot, she couldn't help her own stupid grin that took over her own likeness in the silence that she felt like she had personally caused. Heat flushed her facial features until she could get her words out. Upon him confirming the fact that he was indeed, Drachen, she offered him a friendly nod in acknowledgment. "It's nice to meet you." She assured, truly content with the fact that she could finally put a face with the name. Speaking of. "My name is Cassiela, but Cassi is just as well." Offering a nickname would seem to set their relationship up on more casual grounds, or at least, that was the thought that she had projected in the back of her mind.

As she was vaguely aware of him reclining to a sitting position, she would mirror the same. Though, the way he held himself, she couldn't help but wonder if he had been injured. "I was a guest for a long time here, but actually just recently officially joined." Her emerald gaze shifted ever so slightly from the shoulder that he seemed to be favoring to those crystalline blue eyes of his. "Ardyn had asked me to find you once you returned. I have a small background in scouting, myself- for lack of a better term." She started, not really wanting to go into the gritty details on the hows or whys she had come to such skillset. "I imagine we'll probably be out a lot of the same time. But I just wanted to introduce myself to you while I had the chance." And she was certainly thrilled that the opportunity had finally come around.

The slight awkwardness that had filled the air between them floated away easily once the conversation started and the ashen female gave him her name. Cassiela he repeated the name in his thoughts, his mind swiftly running to try and remember if he had ever encountered this woman before but came up empty. "A pleasure to meet you, Cassi" he replied with a small dip of his dark face. Once they both had reclined to sit, his sharp blue eyes studied her, watching her eyes flick over to his right side and the scar that transversed from the shoulder all down to the wrist along the front side of his leg, keenly picking up that she saw how the old wound was bothering him some even though he was trying not to show it. Drachen almost nodded in approval at the smaller woman's keen eye. Cassi continued the conversation, telling him how she was a guest for a long time before just recently joining and a small chuckle danced in his muscular chest briefly. "I share a similar beginning here. I owed the previous Spirit a life debt for saving me when I had washed up on the eastern shore and I came to Valhalla to repay it.... Well, i stayed long after my debt was paid and finally joined." his hushed tones filled the air around them, rich and deep. He blinked his deep blue eyes once Cassi informed him that Ardyn had been the one suggest the ashen fae find him, and he listened with interest as she explained that she too had a background of scouting. Drachen studied her face casually but with a obvious sharp skill that one of his occupation would recognize if they knew what to look for. Was she like him? A beast of the shadows, calm and reserved during the day but a monstrous demon of fang and blood when given the order? No one knew the true purpose of his rank as a Mist, the term not even used with those outside of Ardyn and Aurielle. To the rest of the pack he was a scout and a hunter, no one knew his true and darker purpose that his past had trained him for. Did Ardyn see the same potential in the woman before him? I certainly need to speak with Ardyn and get caught up on things he thought to himself. Cassi's voice drew him from his musing as she stated she just wanted to introduce herself to him while she had the chance as it seemed that they would both be out on scouting missions most likely at the same time. His dark lips then danced in a reserved but warm smile as he gave the woman a nod of his head in thanks before replying "Thank you for taking the time to find me. I look forward to working together. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask. I am always open for a hunt or a training session." he extended the offer, genuinely eager to have another training and hunting partner. Speaking of which, the black and tan man made a quick mental note to find Cairo and ask the man for a hunt now that he would be back for some time before setting out on another mission. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Very similar. She listened as he told a story of his interaction with who she concluded to be Aurielle- though she had never heard the title referred to as spirt. However, as he spoke, it wasn't Drachen and Aurielle she saw on the beach. It was herself and Ardyn. Blinking away the memory, a soft grin lit her features. "It seems that the Adravendi have a bad habit of taking in strays." She offered with a quiet giggle. Luckily for both herself and Drachen alike, the Adravendis had been there. They were wonderful individuals to have to support you, and she couldn't imagine anyone turning their back on that.  

As they moved on in the conversation to the purpose of this impromptu greeting, the man extended a very generous offer to train together when the need manifested. Giving him a gracious nod, she continued. "Of course, I will surely take you up on that." she responded genuinely. Though, after having been gone for so long, she could only guess how much he needed to rest. A soft, almost nurturing glow illuminated her expression as she moved to her next sentiment. "It was nice meeting you, but you should get your rest." Cassiela gently insisted. It was well deserved, after all. After a brief hesitation, she continued. "We'll meet up for training after you've had the opportunity to recover." Her voice light and airy as she made tentative plans for a later time.

After lingering a couple more moments, she met his sapphire gaze a final time before offering a grin dipping her head in farewell. "Until next time." Cassi ensured, just before turning on her heels and heading back in the direction from which she had come.

-exit Cassiela unless stopped-

His sapphire eyes blinked as he saw the familiarization on the woman's face as he told his story and he began to wonder if he looked close and long enough at this fae before him, if he could begin to see a mirror of his own story buried in the depths of her mannerisms. Was she like him? Did she come from a similar dark past of blood and fangs? But the sound of her light and airy giggle drew him from his thoughts and back to the present. ""It seems that the Adravendi have a bad habit of taking in strays." her voice filled the air around him and a half smile pulled at his dark lips and he gave a small, quick chuckle. "Very lucky. I think Aurielle is the only reason my hawk companion didn't eat my unconscious body." he replied with a shake of his head as he remembered sputtering awake and staring right into the red tailed hawk's golden eyes. The damn bird was still sassy as hell. Cassie was then quick to take his offer for training and he was glad that she did, eager to have another soul to train with, especially one that could be of the same occupation as he and he could really train with someone who understood exactly what they were training. But before he could reply, the storm colored woman quickly brought the conversation to an end by suggesting that it was time for him to rest, something that he really couldn't  argue with. "I am looking forward to training with you......Until next time Cassie." he replied with a dip of his dark face, oceanic eyes tired but bright with excitement. The, with final goodbyes, the woman left and Drachen watched after her for a moment before he exhaled a tired breath and made his way toward his den once more. He couldn't lay down to rest just yet. -Exit Drachen- Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think