Tall stalks of dead grass grazed his belly and sides as he passed by. The thicket was heavily coated in snow, the thick powder raising him higher than the unnaturally tall plants. Silence reined, only occasionally broken by the howl of wind and the dry rasping of the dead grass. Beneath him, the snow carried his hefty weight with ease, making his passage nearly undetectable to the eye. Pausing, the brute lifted his head to stare at the path ahead. He moved with no destination in mind, roaming simply to roam. Valentine was letting the the ground before him decide his next move. He picked the path with the least amount of resistance, part of him hoping it would lead him to something interesting. "Talk" "You" Think

Epiphron had wandered closer to the eastern coast of Alacritia again, enchanted by these lands that she had once avoided. Even further east, were the cliffs she had reunited with her children on -- and to the west, was where she had lived for a short period, the lands Ebony had once owned. This land seemed unnaturally desolate in the midst of winter. The thicket had turned white and brown, dying blades of grass peeking through the snow that caked the earth. It wasn't the most picturesque of places, but she found her paws carrying her along nonetheless. Now that she knew where her children were, much of the restlessness she had felt for so long had dissipated. There was still a sense of uneasiness though. She felt no sense of belonging anywhere, and though she had no lost her ambition she had nowhere to focus it toward, making her feel slightly strange. Her mind was silent for the moment as she traversed the thicket, senses growing acute as she relaxed into a lazy gait. There was another here, her nose told her that much, and she found herself growing intrigued. Months of loneliness had made her crave the company of others, even more so now that she knew her children were alive and well. So much had changed in the lands of Alacritia and Epiphron couldn't help but wonder what all she had missed. A curious gaze would search the horizon as she wandered closer to the source of the scent, a flash of grey-blue fur finally entering her vision. Head would tilt as she studied him from a great distance, unable to make out his features, but deciding he was likely a stranger as his coat prompted no feelings of recognition. Curiously she would redirect her steps toward him, interest glimmering in her blue gaze as she studied him quietly. A slight smile would turn up the corners of her lips, but only for a moment before a more serious expression crept over her features. So many strangers.... she mused silently, searching for a greeting, though she simply settled with, "Hello."

A simple greeting drew the brute's attention to the diminutive fae.  He paused mid stride, ears and whiskers pointing forward with interest. So he wasn't alone after all. It appeared fate was going to be kind and offer him a chance to ease his boredom. "Hello," he boomed back, his whole person relaxing in an attempt to convey his friendliness. Valentine was eager for a conversation, something not related to politics or pack affairs. "I was beginning to think I was the only wolf left in the East." "Talk" "You" Think

The stranger was a welcome distraction to Epiphron. She had spent far too long in the shadows and no longer did she want to hide. Gently her tail would flick behind her, curling deftly above her back as she studied the brute silently. He was significantly younger than her, entirely unfamiliar too -- and yet he held an air of importance that she could not ignore. "Certainly not the only one," she agreed, returning his apparently friendliness with a gentle twitch of the corners of her lips. "Though I'll admit I haven't seen many others recently." Perhaps winter had something to do with it, though she knew she had also grown used to being alone; she now appreciated solitude much more than she had when she was younger. Quietly she would study him, taking a few more careful steps toward him. His markings were uncharacteristic of any family she had known and yet somehow she felt as though this was someone she ought to know. The male's scent was laden with that of a pack and curiousity was evident in her unwavering stare. "What is your name?" she would inquire suddenly, continuing to survey him as she stood nearby. Though significantly younger, he was also quite a bit taller -- though he didn't strike her as someone she ought to be afraid of.

The groan of the wind combined with the rustling of the grass momentarily surrounded them as a breeze blew across the thicket. It sent a chill down his spine as tendrils of cold assailed him. It was times like these that made him long for summer. He was not a creature of the cold, no, the lazy warmth provided by the summer sun was more his speed. The bitter cold of winter was far too unwelcoming. She asked his name and the brute was quick to give it, thinking nothing of making himself known. "My name is Valentine, Miss...?" He fished for her name, wishing to become better acquainted. "Talk" "You" Think

A youthful stranger was a welcome sight for the Adravendi woman. While seeing her children again had been utterly delightful, seeing the face of someone she had not been was pleasant and refreshing. Once she had been used to greeting familiar faces, when she'd be the Queen of the Kindgom of Seracia; it reminded her of times when things had been different. Sharp gaze would scrutinize him further, as though searching for some sign of recognition in his handsome features. "Epiphron Adravendi, at your service," she would give her name with a slight smile. Though she had been tied in marriage to Maverick, his disappearance seemed painfully final now and it was time she no longer considered herself of the Mathias family. It had been far too long since she had any of them, let alone Maverick; the place he once held in her heart was growing cold and vacant now. "And you are just Valentine? Do you have no surname?" Some wolves did not, but important ones always did -- and this male struck her as important as soon as she'd seen him. Part of her longed to know the families that ruled Alacritia now and she hoped Valentine might offer her some assistance.

Adravendi? He'd heard that name before. There were oodles of them across Alacritia. Where this one fit in that family, he had no idea. There were far too many of them to justify the effort of establishing which one belonged to who. It was easier to just lump them all into a single category and assume they were one single unit instead of a many limbed tree. She asked if he had a surname and the brute frowned slightly. He did, although it wasn't his sire's name. Valentine held his father in low regard, so even if Taurig had bothered to give him his name, he won't be inclined to use it any longer. "I have one, yes." It was one of his own creation, one he had given himself. "It's Imperialis." Feeling charitable (and wishing to be better understood) he said, "I lead a pack in the South called Imperium. My surname comes from it." "Talk" "You" Think

The glimmer of interest that shone in her eyes was undeniable, and her gaze was unblinking for a long moment. His expression faltered slightly at the mention of his surname. Perhaps he was not of a notable family, otherwise she didn't know why he would hesitate to tell her. He did offer a name, though it was one she was unfamiliar with -- Imperialis. Interesting. Quickly, too, he went on to tell her that his surname came from a pack that he ruled in the South called Imperium. Interesting, how she seemed to be finding leaders of all sorts of packs these days... it would not be far-fetched to say she was drawn to power and those who held it. Ears would twitch as she considered his words. "What lands do you control, Valentine?" the woman would inquire conversationally, though there was deep curiosity there too; she wasn't as familiar with the south as she was with the more central lands, and she wondered where this man called home. "I've never heard of Imperium. You must be new to leadership?" He was young, too -- surely not much older than when she'd gone to Seracia to be appointed Queen. How far away those days seemed now...