Kali always thought of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now she was seeing that life didn't live in a single song. It moved from song to song, from lyric to lyric, from chord to chord. There was no ending here. It was an infinite playlist, an infinite playlist she was determined to sing until the last chord was struck. The right song could turn an emperor into a laughing stock, could bring down dynasties, soothe a weary soul, or bring a smile to a pup's face. The world was indeed full of peril and in it there were many dark places, but there was still a glimmer of hope- a candle in the dark. That candle being the song of one's heart. A harmony seemed to pierce the veil of sadness around her. Even though it had been many months since she had last seen her siblings, it brought peace, serenity, and hope to her heart. It carressed the sleeping fawn, serenaded the tired owl, and wrapped the morning glorys in a warm cacoon until morning. Gifted by her mother, she had used song one too few times to bring a light into a darkened room. Often she searched for her voice when she felt alone or frightened; and she had felt very much alone in her recent adventures. Many, in their old pack, had called her the Archangel of Hope, the one they named Auriel. While others preffered to call her the Earth Mother herself. She had heard it all in her travels, yet she condemned herself to the equivalent of a peasant. Merely here in this world to guide others and help them seek their path of righteousness, the path of forgiveness. Whatever that may have been in their eyes. Yet, there was one problem, the few she had met along her travels had not sought companionship; let alone a friendly smile. Alas, she was alone. She was a fair maiden, with tressels of golden sunlight painting their way across her physique. The mirage stifled by almost unnoticable white freckles along her cheeks and under her chin, childish is how she viewed herself to look. Yet this child had helped raise her siblings, had been a wet nurse, or tried, for her siblings when their mother was nowhere to be found. She had been a messenger for some, a much needed sister to others, and the bane of few. Her goals were simple, eloquently laid out before her as if someone were offering to hunt down her meals for the next five years. A present from the Maker, her mother, her friend. She had two mothers. Her birth mother, who she loved, adored, admired, and respected- and then the Earth Mother. Her maker, their maker. Maybe the Earth Mother wasn't a mother, maybe a father; but mother had always felt right in her mind and so mother it was. Her adventure had brought her to quite the curious place tonight. A set of caverns wide. They reminded her of the castles she had been told about in fairytales as a pup, someone was always trying to put silly fantasies in her head. Kalispell had never had time for any of the normal games and ploys that other children believed. A grown up never had time for that, more pressing matters always needed attending to and she had never been able to let loose. The thought struck a fresh chord in her heart as she slowly padded into one of the daunting structures; paws playfully dancing between the cracks. Don't step on a crack, or you break your mother's back! What a silly notion they had as young things, why would anyone have wanted to play a game that would have harmed the very one who let you suckle from their teet well into the night? The thought had always been preposterous and yet she couldn't help but chuckle as she skipped between the cracks, her steps soon turning into something like a skip. And then something unexpected happened, a lingering foot cause the very edge of a jutting rock and-- 'crash!' Down the poor vixen went, the very epitome of acceptance, colliding with the cold stone floor. An audible yelp echoed about the cavern as she fell forward into a boulder, her right shoulder taking the brunt of the impact. The bottom of her paws slick from the moisture within the cave, her body crumbled in a small heap. Well, if anyone had seen this, it would have been more than an embarrassing sight. The frau scrambled to her feet, visibly shaken in the waning moonlight. What if there had been a hunter in the cave? A bear? Or a coyote? The thought jolted her ears to attention, eyes adjusting to the change in light. She needed to keep moving, she hadn't finished what she had set out to do. A pained yelp reverbrated from deep within her chest, the moment her right leg touched the ground. She had hurt herself in the fall. A sharp pain worked it's way up her foot, a stabbing- as if a snake had bitten her. Kalispell sighed, eyes closing momentarily before she resigned herself to her haunches. It was, afterall, the first time she had rested in more than a day. Despite the cold, and despite the damp floor- the cave felt nice, homey. And sleep was soon tugging at her brain. If it wasn't for her aching paw, she may have dozed off; but instead she sat awake, listening. There was no doubt her cries had no gone unheard. This place couldn't be that deserted. Speech.

Winter made the lands cold. And recently, Squall had found himself wandering more then usual. Though he was sure it had to do with not wanting to be around much within his own pack as of late. Loccian was now the new queen, and he wasn't sure if he could entirely handle seeing her or being around her as of late. He had put his heart on his sleeve, began to get close to her. And then it turned out she didn't feel the same once Gerhardt had returned. And now, she was having Gerhardt's pups. It was quite a hard hit of reality to him. He was uncertain whether he could place his trust so easily like that in someone again. He had lost someone he was really close to before as a child, he wasn't sure if he could bear it again. It's what made him cold, taciturn, introverted and unwilling to open himself up. And so it was with such hard feelings that he would find a place of solitude. Somewhere he could just sit and brood. He loved his pack, he strived to do what he could for them. They had accepted him, but even then he didn't quite know anyone except for Loccian and a young girl by the name of Jendai. Jendai, he had begun to grow quite fond of her. He felt for the child, her father after all, had been taken prisoner by Glaciem during the war. He had a high dislike for them, then again it seemed that pack was the enemy of most if not all of Alacritis. His lip curled, disliking the fact that they would tear a child's father, and a woman's husband away from them. Chocolate colored head was lowered, icy blue eyes gazing blankly at the ground. Absentmindedly his paws lead him to the southern caves, the ones he had been to before when he first arrived. A young boy by the name of Augustus and his former crush, Loccian had been here. This place held some memories, not exactly pleasant but memories all the same. It was then that an unfamiliar scent pulled his attention, and silently he would seek out who it was. Soon after finding the scent, a yelp would be heard and swiftly he quickened his pace. It sounded like whoever it was, was in pain. But he wasn't sure exactly who it was or from what had hurt her. It wasn't until then when he turned into the mouth of the cave, the scent was stronger. And not far within he saw the form a smaller wolf, a she-wolf, upon the cold stone floor. Quietly he entered, claws clicking softly on the floor as indifferent eyes kept on her. He would stop just a few feet away, head lowered slightly as his ears lied forward at attentions. "Are you alright?" he would ask simply, wondering if she needed help though not entirely showing concern. The way he did things, was quietly help. Act like he didn't care when deep down, he actually did. Speech Thoughts Others

It was only a sweetheart with the nature of a ripened blossom that would have reacted so to the cry of pain; perhaps not from within the echoing structure, but rather loitering against the gloomy outsides of a night-fallen world. So silently she sat at the base of a small tree, ivory towers tipped towards the eerie cry of mishap, jaw outstretched as dust-like nostrils would quiver in eager efforts to discover the environment of the being that loomed within. It was a woman no doubt, and though one couldn?t know her intentions, despite the nerves that had accumulated within the pits of her abdomen, the russet oddity would lift her slender chassis; spidery stilts moving with elegance towards the gaping mouth of the cave.

She would hesitate there, hovering upon the brink of deathly darkness; so unwilling to plunge into a world without stars, and without certainty. And yet, with a deep breath the girl would force herself to act as a woman, so warily sinking into the overcast darkness of unknown. With only her nose to guide her, Paradise?s muzzle remained stretched forth, her strides short and careful, ?Hello? Are you hurt, miss?? darling tones would pull free with an incomparable sweetness, an innocence so untouched and so unscathed by the worlds miseries. She was sure she was close now, sensing the presence of not only the babe who had hurt herself, but seemingly also a man. Her stomach churned, nervous, ?My name is Paradise; I assure you I mean well, do either of you need assistance??

The air was freezing, suffocating her as she tried to breathe. Kalispell should have been use to the cold, she was raised in it, taught the essence of it's existance, the cruelty of it's ways. Yet, here she was- teeth clamped tightly shut around her tongue, lips pressed firmly together as if she were determined the winter chill might give her frost bite. She winced. The throbbing in her foot was enough to put her on edge, not broken- no. Stubbed? Is that what the called it? The bitch sighed heavily, azure eyes closing if only for a moment. The sweet silence she had found rocked her to her core. It was moments like these that she began to realize she really was alone, and had been since the disappearance of her kin. A question, as simple as a child's smile, broke the silence around her; sending the young Frau on edge. What had she done? Looking out, the Silhouette appeared to be larger than she; no doubt that of a male, and from the smell of him one of her kind. Yet, he smelled strange; as if the smell of multiple beings clung to him. Little did she know, this was the smell of a pack that clung to his trussels. The vixen lowered her ears, unable to see much in the dim light. "Wh--" Her question was interrupted as the inquisitive brute was soon joined by a lady fair. No smell wafted towards her with this one, perhaps she was alone as well. The smell was assuredly more calm. Kalispell tensed, picking herself up off her haunches. The she-wolf slowly backed farther into the dark abode. This stranger was smaller than the first, with legs that looked as if they went on forever and might disappear into the nether. A question was asked again, the quiet serenade echoing through the chamber. Another question of her well-being, were the wolves of this land that trusting? A quiet 'hmppf' passed it's way from her silken gums, her cheeks pulled back into a look of pure confusion. Dumbfounded would have been putting it mildly. "Are all of the inhabitants of this land as carefree and reckless?" Where she had come from not many would be so bold as to approach a stranger. Assistance? No, she was sure she had it, but there was... "I believe I just smushed my toes. They are not broken I do not think, so assistance is very kind to offer..." Kali paused and took in a deep wiff of air, talking with strangers. She couldn't remember the last time she had conversed. The poor girl was surprised she even remembered the words. "It would be a great deed if one of you could tell me exactly where I am. I have been searching for something for quite some time, and appear to have wandered near packlands. If they are your own, I am very sorry." Azure eyes flitted towards the male who smelled so strange. Why did he smell so different? Speech.