The sun beamed down on him, but seemed to lack some of its usual burn and prowess. It was cooler today than it had been as if nature was apologizing for its aggressive stance on the earthquake that had shook the land. He moved back into the trees, his thick brown coat brushing against trees as he moved into the shadows. His thick coat wasn't much useful for keeping him cool, though he hoped it would adapt to the hot temperatures the longer he stayed here. He hadn't met anyone but Chrysanthe and Erani of course, and he hoped to rectify that. He would move through the shadows of the trees hoping to bump into someone else that was seeking a break from the aggravating heat. There wasn't much more time left in the abnormally hot day, before the sun would set and the cooler temperatures would take over. He just had to wait out the afternoon heat.

The forest here was deep, and soon he stumbled across a small stream that had all but dried up due to the heat. Casting it a curious look, he moved towards it, pausing on the bank, his blue eyes studying the remnants of what it once was. He could see some rocks littering the dirt, and he wondered where the water had hailed from. Lifting his head, he stared off in the direction of the stream, his face thoughtful as he contemplated following it, to a better source of water.

Fall was vastly approaching and so was the tournament Ebony was going to hold. It made Odette's mind whirl in many different colors, for she wanted to compete as a representative of Valhalla. She knew that she would make Erani and the rest of her family proud, which was why her goal was to keep up the training. Even if she had to do it by herself, Odette would become a stronger warrior than she was at that moment. The young lady had taken the chance to improve her muscle strength before the sun had risen. She had conquered every hill and tall mountain that she could get her paws on until her body screamed for redemption. By the time she was done, her fur was matted with sweat and her eyes were twinkling with a fire that hadn't been present since her puppy days. Odette felt as if she was living again. She had a purpose and, no matter how small it was, she was ready for the challenge that awaited her. The sun was now high and she needed to cool down, so the stream was where she would go. Her weary paws, ready for some cool water and shade accompanied with it, crossed across the large plains to the primary water source. However, when she reached it, the level was lower than she anticipated. Irritation rang in her groan as she deeply exhaled before following the stream that came from the mountains above. As she walked beside the dead river bed, she noticed another wolf in her wake. Odette didn't care that she looked like a large, sweating mess. Vanity was not her strong suit at times, so she didn't slow down in her walk as she got closer to him. The male smelled of Valhalla, so she knew he was not foreign to the pack's lands. So, she gave a brief smile and dipped her bed head of fur to the stranger. "Good afternoon," she politely greeted, red and blue eyes holding their familiar twinkle with a hint of unusual irritation swirling in them. "Lovely way to spend a hot afternoon, isn't it? Especially when someone needs the cool, savory water to drink after a long morning..." Her voice became slightly grumbly as she sarcastically mentioned being parched. She hoped that he wouldn't take her aggravation as something towards him. After all, he had done nothing wrong. Talk like this

In the sweltering heat he was miserable. His thick coat made the heat exhausting, and briefly he wished that Valhalla was more arctic. His internal grumblings would be interrupted by a voice, and his head would sharply turn towards the source of the sound. Light blue eyes would rest upon a multi-colored she-wolf, whose coat was unlike anything he'd ever seen. She spoke, her tone friendly, and he returned her smile, as he studied her for a few moments. She was quite a bit younger than he, and he would be that she was still growing. He chuckled at her words, the sound rumbling deep within his chest. "Good afternoon to you as well." He greeted her kindly, his body relaxed. Casting a frustrated glance at the stream he nodded at her grumbly words. "I'd prayed this stream hadn't been parched from the heat, it seems my prayers weren't answered." He huffed slightly, though a slight smile pulled at his jaws, he had no reason to grump at the girl.

He looked at her rather stupidly, wondering what to say next, and found himself again cursing himself for being so socially awkward. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I've met you." Of course I haven't, I've been too busy being antisocial, he thought. "My name is Valerius Adravendi. I just recently arrived here, so I haven't really met anyone." He would introduce himself and explain awkwardly.

Her mood was still grumpy, but it cleared up a little bit when she realized that he was aggravated, too. Odette let her feelings dance on her sleeve as she continued the conversation. "Either they weren't answered because the gods were too busy, or wanted to spite you just for fun." A snort escaped her dainty nose as she shook her head in a sad manner. "I'm not impressed by their actions for either situation. I'm ready for fall because this is just ridiculous! Heat with no water? Puh-lease." She rolled her eyes and smacked her lips for emphasis. It was then that she noticed how the stranger was looking at her in a stupor. She pondered if he was all there until he spoke up and apologized for not introducing himself. Odette's teenager reaction was dropped and she dipped her head in a polite nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Valerius Adravendi. Let me welcome you to Valhalla and give you my name in turn. I am Odette Adravendi, daughter of Chrysanthe of Valhalla..." She paused a minute, then risked the confusion that would settle upon the male with her next words. "As well as daughter to Ocena and Gargoyle of the Snow Rogues." Wherever she went, whoever she met, she would always include her birth parents. The heat was beginning to get to her and her body muscles quivered in response to her mental thoughts. "I'm thirsty and pretty much worn out from this morning. You look like you could use either a nice swim or a long drink of water. If you want, I can show you where the best water source is for Valhalla." She was talking about Wolfpaw Lake and the mere image of the body of water made her drool. Talk like this

He chuckled, his baritone sounds leaving the deep confines of his chest as she spoke. This young wolf seemed so full of life, it was refreshing. His laughter grew at her words, and he glanced up at the sky. "I think the gods are on vacation, but perhaps they were spiting you instead?" He said with a smile, a light tease to his words. He certainly felt that she could take a the small joke, however weak it was. Whatever controlled the rain, certainly seemed to be. She wasn't speaking anything that wasn't the truth. The heat was nearly insufferable.

She introduced herself as Odette Adravendi, daughter of Chyrsanthe and Ocena and Gargoyle of the Snow Rogues. Another Adravendi, well it seemed they were related. "It seems we are related then, Odette." Smiling, he went on. "I am a half brother to Chrysanthe." He would explain to her in case she was wondering. He didn't know if Chrysanthe had mentioned meeting him to her daughter. "However.. I have not met Ocena or Gargolye? Are they here as well?" He questioned, extremely curious and not thinking about why the girl seemed to have three parents. She offered to take him to the best water source for Valhalla, and he found himself nodding in agreement before he even though about her offer. "I'm parched and honestly, a swim sounds fantastic." He agreed, his tail wagging slightly behind him. He stepped closer to her, so he could follow her, though he allowed her plenty of room.

The stranger, now with the name of Valerius, told her his relation to her mother. Odette's tail began to wag lazily behind her, its tip elegantly ticking to its own rhythm. "You're my uncle then! I had only heard of two brothers belonging to Mother, except for the ones adopted into the family." She perked her head to the left, red and blue eyes shimmering in the sun's light. "I hope to meet all of her siblings some day. Family trees is a small hobby of mine that I intend to pursue once I get older." Valerius then inquired about her birth parents. The happiness that displayed itself across Odette's face disappeared for a few seconds as she explained their absences. "Actually, I don't know where they are. Ocena and Gargoyle are my birth parents, but they vanished when I was only three months old." There was more tied to the story - heartache, conflicted feelings of a young puppy, and resentment for them not taking her - but she didn't dive into the fish bowl of emotions. "Papa was adopted by Chrysanthe's father, so she was the only one I could turn to aside from my littermates." Oracle and Galahad would always be her favorite set of siblings, despite them being apart for so long. She thought about them for a few seconds, seeing their vivid faces in her mind's eye. Since their last reunion, she hoped they were doing all right. Her mind then cleared and she cleared her own throat. "Ahem, right, the water source. It's called Wolfpaw Lake and quite frankly, I hope it hasn't been sucked up dry from this unimaginable heat!" Odette then shook all over, ridding her body of the sweat that was slowly building up and slipping down her skin beneath her fur. Paws swiftly walked across the grass, making sure to avoid any bad places as they carried her towards the body of water. "Speech"