Mariah and Malico stood at the edges of their southernmost ally, eyes fixed on the horizon ahead. The warm breeze of anticipation swept through the space between them, carrying the scent of possibility and new beginnings. The air was filled with a sense of adventure, pulling her towards their next journey. After spending two long seasons in Valta, they felt restless and eager for change. The prospect of discovering fresh opportunities and experiencing unknown lands filling her with excitement and determination. The challenging journey to the Hallows had tested their endurance, but as they drew closer to their destination, Mariah could feel her heart swell with exhilaration and a renewed sense of purpose.

Mariah had heard stories about the Hallows, a renowned pack known for its diverse talents. The thought of expanding her healing abilities through exposure to different perspectives thrilled her. Meanwhile, her brother Malico could improve his fighting and hunting abilities while they were there. Mariah felt eager and excited at the prospect of new challenges and growth within this pack.

Mariah's heart thumped with anticipation as she shared a determined look with Malico. They both knew what needed to be done, and they would do it together. With a deep breath, Mariah called forth the presence of the Aegis and his queen, feeling their energy pulsing through her veins. She had caught a brief glimpse of them during the pack challenge, but now she was ready to meet them fully and learn as much as she could in the time that they had to share.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Malico trails slightly behind his sister, steadily steering the donkey that hauls the cart he had made for Mariah. Of course, he allows his sister the time and space to walk as much as she wishes but, when she grows tired, the cart allows her the freedom to rest while still being able to see the sights… not that she uses it much. Something he hopes will change quite soon. The travels have been exciting and the time they have spent together, priceless as they first stayed at Valta and now will be couch-surfing down to Auster while they try to better their respective skills. Mar pulls them to a stop outside of The Hallows borders, sharing a determined look with him and Malico offers her a warm grin. Dipping his head in acknowledgement, he waits for her to call for Alphas while Mal guides the donkey to a patch of grass close to them where it can graze. With that done, he calmly folds his haunches and seats himself close to, and behind his sibling, deferring to Mariah as he always does in these matters. Together, they wait "Malico Mendacium"

When one was an alpha of a pack, calls from the border were never an unexpected thing. The Hallows was a busy pack, and everyday it seemed like there was an endless amount of new tasks for him to tackle. So when Artorias heard the summons for an audience with him and Briar coming from the edges of their territory, the Aegis set down his work forging and shaping metal in the armory and wiped his face and paws clean with a nearby rag. Far better to look like a king than a blacksmith when visitors were expecting to meet an alpha. Artorias took no weapons nor armor with him, heading straight from the forge to greet their guests. He didn't see Briar immediately there, so he assumed she would be joining them shortly.

Approaching the two wolves at the borders, Artorias immediately recognized the distinct colors and markings of the Mendacium family about the pair. The two wolves were young, the fae a smaller and frail looking princess and the brute just shy of being a dire. Both wore the unique markings of the Mendacium family about their faces, and Artorias instantly recognized Alastor in the girl. The Hallowed king approached the two Mendacium wolves with a welcoming smile, dipping his head in greeting to them both. They still carried the scent of Elysium on their coats, though it was made somewhat fainter by the time spent away from home.

"Welcome to the Hallows. You must be Malico and Mariah," the Aegis spoke in a warm baritone voice. "Please, come across! Avacyn told me to expect your arrival. It's our pleasure to host you both for your training." Turning to lead them into Hallowed lands, Artorias continued with his introduction. "I'm Artorias Carpathius, Aegis of the Hallows. Your family is good friends to us, your parents especially. Are they well?" Art hoped that Manea and Alastor were enjoying their retirement together. "What skills and passions are you both pursuing? Whatever you're interested in learning, I'll make sure you have ready access to our best resources available."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

There was never a shortage of things to work on around the pack, but no mater what she was working on she would never hesitate to put it aside in order to go meet with someone calling for her and her husband at the border. Aside from being a mother, there was nothing she was more proud of than her place as the Hallows' queen and she always looked forward to opportunities to represent the pack in one way or another. The howl that called for them this time was not a voice she recognized so she quickly stowed away the grapes she had been working on breaking down for a new batch of wine, taking a moment to clean up before she came up from the cellars to head toward the border.

She spotted her husband with their two guests, quickly gathering that he had only arrived a few moments before hand. A quick look over the pair of wolves he was speaking with told her that these were the children of Manea and Alastor that they had been expecting, the realization bringing a smile to her face. She loved to teach and share knowledge whenever she had the chance to so the fact that the Hallows had become such a destination for learning and training made her very happy. She walked up to the trio of wolves just in time to hear Artorias asking them how their parents were. "Malico and Mariah?" she questioned, just to make sure she was remembering their names correctly. It had been a bit since Avacyn's raven had alerted them to the siblings' possible arrival and time did tricky things to ones memory. "Welcome! I'm Briar, the Queen of the Hallows. Please, come in!" She fell into step on the other side of the siblings as they led them up toward the castle, making sure to help Malico with guiding the donkey they had in tow. "We can settle your donkey into the stable with our alpacas once we get everything unloaded if you'd like," she said to Malico after the two had answered Art's questioning of what they were here to study.

"Briar Carpathius"

Mariah felt a sense of calm wash over her as the alpha wolves of the Hallows approached them. Their commanding yet welcoming presence was comforting, a testament to the respect and authority they ruled within their pack. Her gaze drifted to Artorias first, a massive figure who exuded strength, his voice a warm baritone that resonated with a welcoming air. She recognized him from the gathering at the Valta pack challenge- and of course from the stories she had heard about the Hallows Aegis back at home. Then of course came Briar, the queen of the Hallows. Mariah was immediately taken by her gentle demeanor and the kindness in her eyes. She felt an instant connection to Briar and found herself drawn to the queen's warmth and grace. Her smile was truly welcoming, and it alleviated some of the apprehension that had threatened to overtake her earlier.

"Thank you for welcoming us," she said, dipping her head slightly in return. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper but carried a strength borne of deep-rooted self-assurance. "Yes, I am Mariah.” She introduced before casting a momentary glance in her brother’s direction. “And my brother Malico.” She added as she realigned her attention. “We've heard so much about both of you from our parents. They send their best wishes for you and yours.” Her tone was pleasant and respectful, even more so as she continued to answer their inquiries. “I’m an aspiring healer,” she began, offering a light grin as she continued. “And I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about the Hallows’ medicinal practices.” Mariah's gaze turned soft at this, an eager sparkle in her eyes as she spoke of her chosen path.

After a moment’s hesitance, she returned her attention back toward her brother as she herself was interested in what Malico hoped to gain from this.

"Mariah Mendacium"

Malico sits with Mar, keeping slightly behind her since she is the one who will greet the alphas and do the talking. Not that he minds, the male has long since learned that his smaller sibling is made of tougher stuff than him and she has a wonderful knack for finding the right words. A huge male appears and the purple man swivels his ears forward to catch what he has to say, his eyes tracking down to Artorias’s mouth to catch the words his clogged ears might miss. A small grin lifts his lips and they are soon joined by another woman who turns out to be his wife, Briar. Eyes flick from one to the other as they talk and he bows his head in respect as they introduce themselves, mouth remaining closed as the group turns and begins to move into Hallows territory. Mal continues to remain silent as Mariah speaks, slowly guiding the donkey and cart while making sure to keep slightly behind his sibling. Briar joins him, helping to steer the ass toward the castle and he looks over to the Queen offering her a small smile of thanks as they go. Silence falls and he realizes that he is expected to answer about what he wishes to train in. Lifting his head, the young man meets Mariah’s eyes and a soft smile pulls at his lips. Directing his gaze up to Artorias, deep, smooth tones lift to say, “I wish to be a respected hunter for my pack but I also want to learn how to better protect myself and Mariah on our travels.” There is a deep admiration that shines in his cerulean eyes as he looks from the Aegis to his Queen, knowing that they have done much to lift the Hallows name until it is in the forefront of many minds. There is no doubt that this pack has some of the best teachers around and Mal hopes to learn a lot here. "Malico Mendacium"