The night of the flood had been a reminder of the power of nature. Charlie thanked the heavens that he had been able to recover Wylan before he linger in the water too long. He was worried for his nephew, and the recovery of many of their other members. He had suffered some bruises, some mild cuts from things in the water. Nothing that was too dangerous thankfully. He had spent much of the next few days cleaning up the smithing den, attempting to check on Wyl, and helping stock back up on the stores of much needed food. He worried for those that couldn’t hunt for themselves, but as much as he wanted to aid in his pack, he knew he needed to take a break, to step away from the Armada and do something for his own mental health.

He’d rediscovered a love of seeing the lands, and he wondered how things might have been different had the Armada been elsewhere. There were other thoughts too. A driving desire to help his family thrive and a flame that had burst forth roaring within his belly the moment he began proving himself. Charlie wanted to continue to strive for greatness. Whether it was working metal, or even something beyond that. How far would he go before he was satisfied with his progress? A smile lingered on his lips as he made his way a bit further south this time. He wanted to see what different materials he might find in lands outside the Armada. What resources they could benefit from. The Northern lands could be harsh, but they were also home.

But the cavern he discovered was so unlike anything else he’d experienced in the north. Unlike the mines there, this cave went into the ground. Charlie approached with caution, ears perked as he looked around with wonder. He ambled along, trusting his paws, listening for the signs and sounds of other creatures within. And then he saw a light. He kept going, soon entering a chamber with a soft blue glow. The color was striking, vivid, and Charlie looked around it in awe. The glow seemed to come from the fungi and moss that grew there. He padded toward a cluster of the shrooms and lowered his nose to sniff at them. Hmm, nope! The smell was off, and beside that the idea of eating something that glowed was probably not the smartest idea.

“What a peculiar place…” Charlie mused to himself. He lifted his head, aware of the sound of pawsteps approaching. Was this someone’s den? He turned his body back the way he came, ears perked as his posture grew guarded. Was it friend or foe that approached?

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Haydée had gone to Avalon in search of her brother Alex but found that he was already gone. Confused and worried, the girl decides to poke around the nearby lands in the hopes that she might find his trail. A dark, yawning cavern beckons to her and Hay silently slips inside, taking a moment to adjust to the darkness before continue forward. The scent of another pack wolf lingers in the pathway and she hesitates a moment before deciding to investigate further. Being an Alpha now, it is time for her to start making a good impression… right?

A voice reaches her ears as she approaches a slowly growing light source, the dimness slowly giving way in the face of glowing mushrooms. Emerald eyes blink wide with wonder as she approaches a taller, heavier boy whose stance is guarded. But she does not notice because the space is filled with the glowing fungi. Childlike wonder crosses her features as she breathes out, “Wow!” drawing closer to the unknown boy without actually realizing how close she is getting. Personal space isn’t really at the forefront of her thoughts right this minute.

Stopping in front of him, she allows her gaze to roam the room before finally resting on the stranger. A smile breaks across her features as joy and excitement lifts her expression up. Tail begins to wag behind her as she says, “This is so cool! Have you ever seen anything like it?!” The joy of the moment has made her lose all sense of danger and Haydée simply wants to share this wonderous place with this stranger.


"Haydée Kedieo"

The wolf comes, and as she steps from the darkness into the glowing area of the cavern Charlie allows himself to calm, at least slightly. She is of a smaller frame, her emerald eyes wide with wonder. It is her eyes that ease him. A wolf seeking to do harm to someone that they tailed in here would hold malice. Charlie can’t help but chuckle as she breathes out, almost sounding like a pup in the face of the wonder before her. It was fascinating for sure. His own gaze slides back to the fungi covered walls. He can’t help but wonder what causes them to glow like this. He’d seen mushrooms within the forest and the woods of his home, but these are different. Is it their lack of light that encourages them to make their own? He doesn’t even realize how close she gets before she speaks.

His blue gaze is drawn back to her, his posture now completely relaxed. The yearling considers himself a good judge of how someone carries themselves and, at least for the moment, the other yearling is not a threat. “It is rather intriguing. I’ve never seen mushrooms like these.” The yearling takes a moment to regard the scent on the she wolf. It is unfamiliar, but that of a pack wolf. He continues to speak as his tail thoughtfully shifts back and forth at his heels. “I’d caution against harvesting them though. I’m not a healer or anything, but something feels off about them. They’re pretty, but I don’t believe they are safe to ingest. Especially given how they glow down here.” He turns more towards the femme now, taking a step back to give them both more personal space as he dips his head toward her.

“I wasn’t expecting company here though. I am Charlton Fatlias, of the Armada. What pack are you from, miss?” His words are polite, friendly, and a bit formal. He does not know this other yearling, and yet, with how she acts, he can only imagine her being easy to get along with. Even if it is just for a short while.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Hay had not meant to trail after the boy for anything nefarious… far from it actually. No, she had hoped that maybe the boy has seen her missing sibling but all thoughts are pushed aside for the pure wonder that is around them. Happiness fills her voice as she speaks and the boy agrees with her. He urges caution and the girl nods, silently agreeing that they should not eat the beautiful the mushrooms which, just thinking about, seems like a crime. They offer light in the darkness and who is she to destroy that precious light?

The girl’s green gaze has drifted over to the glowing fungi as she thinks and does not notice the boy taking a step away from her. His voice pulls her attention back up to him and she blinks dumbly as he introduces himself. His tone is polite, if not a little formal, and she quickly banishes the confusion on her features in favor of a wide smile. With a respectful bow, she returns the greeting, “Pleasure to meet you, Charlton Fatalis. I am Haydée Kedieo from Ethne.”

Straitening up, she meets his eyes and says, “I didn’t mean to follow you, I was just hoping you had seen my brother. See, he was staying in Avalon and I came to retrieve him but it seems he has left already. You… haven’t seen any other wolves around by chance?” Hope fills her eyes as she asks if Charlton has seen any other wolves, wanting to believe that Alex is just around the corner, hiding, instead of beyond her grasp.


"Haydée Kedieo"

His introduction is met in kind. The smaller wolf gives a bow and returns his greeting with her own name. Haydée Kedieo… Ethne. That was where his brother had gone to deliver the dagger. A trading endeavor for the Armada. He wasn’t sure if there were more relations outside of that. Before he can comment about her pack, however, the Haydée straightens and meets his gaze. She is searching for someone and he frowns thoughtfully. He had seen a yearling today, but their looks seemed rather different from what he could see. And that yearling had been in a hurry…

“I’m not sure if he is the same yearling you’re seeking, but I saw another yearling heading south during my travels. He seemed in a hurry, I’m not sure if he stopped at Avalon or not… I assume that is the pack near here?” If she had meant to retrieve her brother and he wasn’t there then perhaps it was because she had missed him. “The yearling I saw had a dark coat and a mane. He was taller than you are though. When I saw him last it was early this morning…” Would that information even be helpful?

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Relief floods the small girl as Charlton admits he had seen another yearling and describes to her brother to a T. Barking out happily, “That’s him! That is Alex!” the girl quickly reigns herself and dips her head down in sheepish apology. Just as she is about to say more, a low growl fills the cave. Green eyes harden as the scent of predator reaches her nose and she dances around until she standing next to the much taller boy.

Scenting the air, she finds a large feline is close by and Hay looks up to Charlton. Hushed tones ask, “I know we only just met but, would you mind helping me with that?” A paw juts at the tunnel she had come from and another low growl rumbles in the air. The feline is blocking the exit and, fighting it by herself might be difficult. But with the boy’s help, they can surely defeat it. Right?


"Haydée Kedieo"

His description of her brother was to a T, because Haydee excitedly barked out that it was him. That made Charlie feel happy, happy that he could at least offer her hope in finding her sibling. But their conversation was cut short, rudely interrupted as the scent of another predator filled the air. Charlie’s gaze snaps in the direction they had come as a cat steps into view. A lion, scarred and with a thick, messy mane had stalked into the cave. The Fatalis yearling narrows his blue eyes. While he could get past it, there is no way he would leave the other yearling there to die. He widens his stance, lips peeling back as he puts on a threatening display to the other male beast.

“It would be my pleasure. Let’s get this thing removed!” The cat roars, and Charlie responds with a snarl. He will give Haydee time to get ready. He comes at the lion at a right angle. The opening of the cave is only so wide and he wants to give Hay room on the left to get at it. He expects retaliation from its claws, but knows its fangs can also be an issue. It is about his height, so Charlie dips his head down, feigning giving it an opening to his scruff. But he puts on the brakes as he gets right next to it, and as the lion attempts to bite he drives his head upward, hearing a satisfying click of the lion’s jaws as he forces its mouth shut.

The dumb cat had chosen to mess with the wrong wolves.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

The large, scarred lion that detaches from the shadows and approaches the pair of wolves obviously thinks that this is his cave. Charlton agrees to help her remove the offending feline from the only exit and she gives a the boy a wink before he charges off. Taking a deep breath, Haydée sets her paws before pushing off the ground and sending her small form rocketing toward the lion and wolf, coming at the feline straight on.

As her new friend forcefully snaps the lion’s jaws shut with his head, the young Leader smirks and spies the clawed paw that suddenly strikes out toward Charlie. With a loud bark, she successfully draws the cat’s attention to herself just as she launches up at its face. Its mouth opens, aiming to try and grab her midleap but Haydée knows what she is doing and had put far more power into her jump than the feline thinks.

Clearing the jaws and actually all of the feline’s head, she lands lightly in the messy mane and swiftly turns herself around to flatten her body against the lion while wrapping her short legs around the curve of its neck. With a loud snarl, she latches onto of the lion’s ears and thrashes her head, effectively shredding the tender area and giving Charlton a huge opening.


"Haydée Kedieo"