There is something strange alive in Asteria's chest. The odd little pull that lived inside her, it had brought her to the north and to the west of the lands she'd started in. Though she still sought the semi-mythical place that her mother had spoken of, there was something else here, too. Something Asteria didn't know the root of. Something that seemed to tug on her in a way she couldn't place, and couldn't understand. Truly. Well and truly, as the weather seemed to melt from spring to summer, Asteria needed to know what it was that called to her. And still, she was tired. The kind of tired that sleep couldn't fix. The kind of tired that seems to make a home in you when you've never known a home. When you've never known much other than roam. For as long as she'd roamed, there'd seemed to be a purpose to it. An excitement to it. And now? Was she still excited? Did the idea of travelling every day for the rest of her life, on in the same way she always had, still excite her? As she came to rest atop one of the broad, grassy knolls, she sat down heavily. This place wasn't so bad. Lush grass, the odd, passing buffalo. It must be the right time of year for them, with calves clinging close to the sides of their mothers. They are cute, and they tug at Asteria's heart strings in a way she's not sure she likes. Was that... sadness? What was she sad over? Her thoughts were heavy within her head. It would be dark soon, the sky already going pink around the edges. While a bit exposed, Asteria had spent the night in far worse places. Maybe her head would be less heavy in the morning. "Talk"

Time had been passing him by as if he didn't exist. He had lived a long life, and honestly, he never expected to live this long. He had almost given up a time or two. But then when his nephew, Finan, came into his life, Cloud had found a reason to stick around. Although his nephew wasn't a child anymore, there was still much the boy needed to learn and Cloud still had a lot to teach him. They only had each other in this world. It would be cruel to part anytime soon. He walked quietly across the knolls, the sky turning a soft hue of pinks and oranges and purples as dusk approached. The monochrome male could hear the familiar low and gentle bellows of the bison that lived in these parts, their calves glued to their sides as they began to settle for the evening. As usual, he came to check out the herds and see if any of them were ill enough to warrant being picked off for Avalon. Though as the light faded, he found something else instead. A dark figure had settled only a few yards ahead of him, a figure he had failed to notice in the waning light and...maybe he was losing his touch. He was generally very aware of everything around him, but perhaps his thoughts had clouded his sense just enough for him to chance upon her. Walk, "Talk" Think

Slowly, the sunset would begin to bleed into evening. Stars would flicker to life in the sky above, and Asteria would exist below them. This was always her favorite time of day. The places she'd seen, they would come and go. Though the places seemed to come and go, though they slipped through her paws without much notice, she knows that she'll always have those stars. Things could change, and change, and change some more sure. But she could rely on the day to ebb away. She could rely on the comforting cover of night. It was the only stability she'd tell herself she needed. To be free was the most intense and beautiful thing in the world. To be free was the most intense and lonesome thing in the world. It was her mother's life, her mother's dream that she lived. Did Asteria... did she want that same life? Was she right in wanting that? It seemed to be far too late for second thoughts. She'd been looking for the life that her mother had accidentally left, too. She'd been looking for the life that she'd left behind. Fiori... though Asteria had searched for it, it seemed to be gone, too. Somewhat sadly, her gaze returned to the Knolls. The star-soaked woman knows that she needs to be on alert, a woman out on her own. Softly, she watches the buffalo come and go, drifting back to their herd for the evening. Clumped together, spread across the knolls. They all seemed to shy from the rises in the land themselves, something she finds curious. But among the buffalo, there's something else. The figure of a man, one that was coming towards her. Had he noticed... no, it seemed not. Asteria's pulse picked up in her chest. Would he mean her harm? Surely, if he did, she'd be able to run. To make her way off, blending into the night. There were reasons she felt safer in the dark, and this was chief among them. Keeping the man carefully in her periphery as he approached... no. No, he didn't look aggressive, she decided. It's then that she allows herself to relax, though still guarded. Had to play things safe, had to play things smart when you're alone in the world. If anything bad happened, Asteria had no one to come looking for her. When the stranger was at a reasonable distance, Asteria spoke. As he came closer she could make out his face, his bicolored eyes seeming to catch the fading sunlight. "It's a pretty evening." Her voice was soft, tone light, as she spoke. Though Asteria doesn't spring up, she's ready to. If she needed to, she could run... though she doesn't think she'll need to. Not this time, as long as she's read the situation correctly. "Talk"

The midnight-pelted woman spoke, her voice was soft, but he could tell with little observation she was...wary. He spent years observing the animals he hunted. It was easy for him to read body language, so he did what he would've done with any wary animal he came across. He lowered himself to the ground, his body relaxed as he settled onto the grass, forelimbs crossing one another. "It is. I've seen many in my lifetime...it's always appreciated every chance I get to see it." He murmured, bi-colored gaze turning to look at the changing colors as the sun dipped below the horizon. He never knew when his last day would be. He was a lot older now. Realistically, he could one day go to sleep and never wake up. So it was a blessing, really, each day he got to see a sunset. A sunrise. To feel the breeze brush his fur. To see his nephew's growth each and every day. "It's going to be a good night," He said softly, turning towards the woman with a soft smile. "My name is Cloudburst. You don't need to worry, you're safe." He reassured before turning his attention to watching the bison. Walk, "Talk" Think

He speaks like an old man... perhaps, because he is. Looking at the man where he stands before her, Asteria couldn't venture that he was all that much older than she was. The idea that every day they were one day closer to the end wasn't something that phased her much. She'd come into this world quietly, without fanfare. Asteria had an inclination that she would leave it in much the same way. Only her mother knew that she'd come. It was unlikely that anyone would know that she'd gone. It was probably better that way. Asteria would tell herself that much, anyway. Whatever helped her cope. "I've seen so many of them in so many places. The ones out here are some of the nicest." It was a gentle remark, her gaze still careful and steady on the stranger. Asteria was road-weary. She couldn't help but be on high alert. You're safe, he says. For once, the star-soaked creature is inclined to believe him. It was rare for her to take strangers at their word, but then, was he a stranger? He'd given his name, after all. Cloudburst. Her gaze flickers from her companion, back to the buffalo. "I'm Asteria." She speaks softly, a light musicality to each sound as it falls past her lips. Before them, the herd was bunching together, moving like a slow wave through the sea of tall grass. "What makes you think it will be a good night?" Asteria's gaze remained on the plains before them, her question soft. It was a curious one, not a challenge on her part. Simply probing for his thoughts where she rested, settled in the soft grass on the knoll. "Talk"

"I've seen so many of them in so many places. The ones out here are some of the nicest." One ear tilted toward her as she spoke. Did that mean she wasn't from these lands? A visitor? Or perhaps she was well-traveled. A free spirit...maybe a weary spirit. He knew the type. He was one. For years he searched for...something he couldn't quite name. After his mother passed away. After his brother disappeared. After his uncle was lost. He had been able to find some sort of solace in raising Finan and living among the wolves of Avalon. But there was still....something that was missing.

"Asteria." A name he'd commit to memory. It was simple enough to remember. He keeps his gaze on the bison. Watching them slowly move around among the tall grasses of the knolls. The young ones getting ready to bed down for the night. The older ones keeping watch. Keeping them safe. Her question was simple. His answer was just as simple, though could be interpreted any which way. "I guess you can say...it's a feeling." He answered. Especially since the demons that plagued his mind had...quieted...for the last few weeks. He still had no control over it, but at least it was less. "What brings you to these parts? Just looking for a place to rest?" Surely there were better places to sleep? Somewhere...safer. Somewhere less open. Though if this was where she had chosen to sleep, then it was only right that he stick around to keep her company. To keep watch. He didn't have to, but...it was in his nature. To watch over others, even if they didn't know it.

"SPEAK"

Weary. Road weary. Asteria has grown tired, grown weary, in her later years. So much had changed, and yet... nothing. Nothing had changed at all. She'd never found a reason to stay in one place for too long, and now? Well, now she was tired and she had nothing to show for it. A world of memories, a lifetime of exploration... for what? For why? It had been fulfilling at the time, but now? Now she is tired. Hell, Asteria has regrets. She has more regrets than she cared to admit. True freedom was lonesome, perhaps the most lonesome thing anyone could know. The star-soaked creature has known nothing other than freedom. It was a blessing and a curse. "Sometimes I forget that I'm getting older, and I can't travel quite like I used to... I wanted to get a bit farther before nightfall." She admits with a rueful smile. "I don't know these lands as well as I'd like to, my calculations were off." Asteria sighed softly, her gaze lingering on Cloudburst's face before flickering back to the stars spread above them. "Did you come to admire the stars, or was it something else?" Asteria questioned him softly, stealing the occasional glance at him. Between the man and the stars... tonight was okay. She would believe him, that it would be a good night. Call it a feeling. "Talk"

He listened quietly to her answer, bi-colored gaze stealing glances between her and the bison in the distance. Though he made it clear he was listening with the slow turn of an ear toward her whenever he looked away. She blended nicely with the dark. Her pelt was studded like the night sky above them. "I understand," He said in a low voice as he looked back at her. "I felt the same way. I still do sometimes...didn't realize how much time had passed. How much...older I am now." The realization never really hit him until recently. Using more traps for his hunts because running too far for too long wore him down faster. His senses were still pretty keen. His nose and eyes still worked. But he wasn't as quick as he used to be. "Did you come to admire the stars, or was it something else?" "I live in a nearby pack called Avalon with my nephew. I occasionally come out here to check on the herds...make sure they're healthy. Take the weaker ones home. I'm a hunter, mostly." He glanced up at the stars again, a small smile on his lips before looking at her again. "But the stars are beautiful, too." He observed the way she spoke. Her demeanor. Her weariness. Her tone. Cloud had a way of picking out things that others might not notice. Years of mastering his hunting craft would do that. All the observations, picking out strengths and weaknesses of the things he hunted. He often applied it to others. Sometimes though, he was oblivious. She appeared to be truthful in her words. She didn't seem like the type to deceive...but he was also good at hiding his demons, too. Regardless. If she was lying, he didn't really have much to lose. He had lived a long life. But he doubted she had ill intentions. She seemed genuine. She seemed...safe. Was that a thing? He wasn't sure. But if he had to guess, she was similar to himself. He supposed that knowledge alone was enough. "Do you have any family out here? A...pack that might shelter you, maybe?" He knew she was a loner. She carried no pack scent on her, after all. Walk, "Talk" Think