it had been something she'd been meaning to get around to for a while, for certain, but with so many new members pouring in it was easy to forget that a pack needed more than just individuals. having been mercilessly grounded to the territory by her own companion and sense, the lady had been riddled with far too much time to think, and it got to the point where she had to get out, had to breathe different air and satiate the wanderlust that haunted her mind and infected her very soul. hormones had been tearing her body and her mood asunder and she flaunted quite the baby bump. pregnancy was an absolute wonder to mercury, and as they walked (slowly, mind you, for the tasmanian devil wouldn't allow for anything else and would have walked for her if it were possible. a trip across most of alacritia this late in her nativity had been a concept he loathed, but mercury was far too familiar with her stubbornness and knew it had to be done now. something had been on the woman's mind and he couldn't figure it out for the life of him, and it nearly scared him. the trip had gone without casualty, though there had been a few scares along the way and she'd been forced to stop and rest for an hour or so. they'd been forced around the desert, which in turn forced them to cross the river, but luckily she floated with particular ease, and just as luckily winter and the desert to the north of it had left it with many a low spot to meander across. after what seemed like forever they neared what she believed to be the border. pain struck her harshly in her side and she gave a groan, sinking slowly to the ground and pressing her forehead against the dirt. her claws scored the grass and her abdomen felt as if it were being torn into pieces. mercury kept his calm and showered her features with comforting licks, small ears pinned backwards and expression deeply concerned, not aware of the severity of this particular spasm. another moan of pain left her, louder this time, and she opened her lips to speak. "worse this time," she managed. "we're close; call." he blinked at her for a second and then picked up on her meaning, as it was nearly difficult to understand her through her grunts. without hesitation he nosed her ears down to urge her to pin them against her head, and once she'd done so to at least try and protect her audits he let out a horrendous call--the inhuman, far-from-lupine call of a tasmanian devil, but something about it was recognizable, in a way, and hopefully the absolutely horrifying nature of the scream would bring someone, anyone, to their aid. this was a bad idea, the female thought, but through her pain felt some sort of relief that she was doing this now. to protect her, to protect mercury, to protect marvel, and the pack... and most of all, her pups.

Patrolling the borders had become something of a routine for the red faced woman. Chrysanthe wasn't quite paranoid yet, but she wanted to protect the wolves within Valhalla, and with all of the pups that were here, there could never be enough scouting of the surrounding area. There were too many things that could happen to them, too many liabilities, and the alpha couldn't bear the thought of any one of them not growing up to term because of negligence. It was the reason why she was out at the moment that she heard the strange call. At first it put her on edge, because the faint scent that caught in her nose wasn't that of a lupine and the sound certainly wasn't either. Yet she could nearly decipher a meaning within it - a call for her attention? It was strange, she had never come across a wild animal that would bother mimicking the howl of a wolf, but the feeling was there - and despite her caution she approached.


As she drew closer, the smell of lupine did cross her senses, as well as the smell of hormones, which she was now familiar with between Erani and Okaami's pregnancies. She panicked a moment, thinking that this wild... thing, was posing a threat to a pregnant woman - and it was enough to get her to quicken her pace. When she arrived at the borders, she was somewhat winded, and was left feeling quite confused when she saw that the little beast of a creature and the sunset colored she-wolf seemed to be some sort of pair. For a moment she was reminded of Thane's connection with his eagle, Cyril - and she stared a moment before clearing her throat and mentally trying to will her breath into being even. "I heard your call - or rather, your friend's." The woman was extremely pregnant, that much couldn't be more obvious. As for what she wanted, well, the young lupine could take a gander.


"I am Chrysanthe, alpha of these lands. You look as if you could use a place to rest." It was risky, extremely so, but this woman was pregnant if the feeling in her gut meant anything, she could burst at any moment. "I don't know who you are or how long it took you to get here, but I won't have you standing on these borders any longer. Please come in?" Hopefully she had the time to get a name and figure out where this woman came from before she was in too much pain to talk. She would need a healer - Erani and Epiphron should be able to help should a medic be necessary.

the call was answered with promptness that jupiter was extremely grateful, and she vowed that she would from then on out answer any call on her border as quickly as her body would allow it. had she been forced to wait much longer she was certain that the pain alone would drive her insane. she forced her head upwards so she could look at her savior, finding that she bore no herbs or items for healing. a slight bit of irritation crossed her conscience, but somehow rationality swept in. the lass had no way of knowing what she'd come on to, let alone have the time to grab supplies if she were a healer. though the words sounded as if she were underwater, she heard them, and the woman introduced herself as the alpha, which piqued jupiter's interest as she had thought a male ruled these lands, but now wasn't the time for guesswork. "jupiter, alpha of ludicael," she managed, voice guttural with the pain, chuckling at the irony of her situation. she accepted her offer readily. "yes, please." she made an attempt to get up but her legs felt weak still, and mercury was no use as far as support went. loathing the feeling of weakness but not wishing to risk falling and harming the pups, she glanced up at Chrysanthe, forcing her breathing to an even pace. she'd have to rely on the young lady for relative support if she wished to go anywhere, let alone past the borders.

The sun dusted female didn't seem to be capable of many words- she was in pain, and Chrysanthe had the inkling that she should call for a healer. Even if she wasn't exactly in labor, she was close enough for that just in case to be taken. For now, she noticed the other female's crumbling posture, and moved to stand beside her, offering her a shoulder to lean on. "It's a pleasure, Jupiter." Ludicael, it must have been a smaller pack, because it was one that she hadn't heard of nor met anyone from it. She hadn't seen any of whatever the little creature was either - he was strange looking, almost wolven but there was something small and almost rodent like about his features that left one feeling like he got mixed up along the way. Almost wolven but not quite.


Letting the creature follow, but keeping a quiet eye on him as they walked - she would lead her to the closest most comfortable place that she could think of. The plains that Valhalla was built on were excellent for meetings, and the pack thrived - but there weren't as many places to speak in private as one would have in a forest of jungle. Trees littered the area, but it was nothing that would necessarily block out the sun during the day. "Rest here." She offered, halting in her slow place. It was a grassy little nest of a spot, next to a couple of short trees that still had quite a bit of growing to do. She would wait until the other female was comfortable before she would attempt to question her. "What brings you all the way here?" She smelled of eastern lands, being close enough to the other woman to help hold her up made that easy to point out. "You're not in the condition to travel - I'm still tempted to call for one of our healers." Erani would come as soon as she was called, and Chrysanthe had it in full mind to reinstate her as their lead healer because she was truly the best that Valhalla had. Past transgressions be damned.

No recognition seemed to be present in the she-wolf's features, so Jupiter prepared herself for a day longer than the ones she already had put herself through. The moment rest was offered she took it without hesitation, leaning up against the small structures--things that could barely be called trees in comparison to the magnificent mangroves of Ludicael--with a relieved sigh. She was gently confronted as she made herself comfortable, and chuckled. The pain had already begun to relieve itself and she breathed in deep, slow breaths once more, the intake and outtake of air audible and growing even again.



"I think... I think I'll be fine," she replied, shaking her head despite the fact that she spoke through a grunt. Her weight shifted with great care to the bulge at her stomach. "I came here for discussion," she managed, tone a little lighter. "Things... things are changing in Alacritia. Chrysanthe... was it?" She would allow herself to be corrected if it weren't the case, but would tentatively continue in either situation. "Tell me, does your pack's--Valhalla, the name, I believe--alliance with Seracia still hold true?" Jupiter had known that the pack laid at the westernmost reaches, but hoped that she hadn't exactly wandered into another territory on the way. Gerhardt had told her of the Seracian ally when they had sealed their own fates as companions in the world of Alacritia politics, and it was all she knew to try and seek.

She had come here for a discussion? Chrysanthe was unsure as to why someone didn't from the orange dame's pack didn't come and get her, but she was honored and somewhat worried that she had come all the way to Valhalla in this state. She would watch her carefully, still worried about her health - but she would listen carefully to what she had to say. The young woman nodded when she questioned her name, a motion for her to continue as well. Things were changing in Alacritia, packs that had never seen eye to eye were learning to step into one another's shoes, and packs that hadn't existed before were slowly becoming stronger. Ludicael was one of those packs, it seemed.


"Yes, Seracia is our ally." With she and Epiphron on the throne and their alliance binded through marriage, they would remain close for hopefully what would be generations to come. "Bound through marriage, they are our sister pack." She explained, and if the other showed interested she could go into further detail. But she didn't want to interrupt too much, it seemed that Jupiter had something important to say. It sounded like the beginning of a possible relationship between their packs, and honestly Chrysanthe liked the sound of that. "You sound like you know them too? A friend to our allies can quite easily become the same to us as well." She trusted Gerdhart's judgement, and the judgement of Seracia as a whole.

The change in plans was official. Epiphron Adravendi would soon be Epiphron Adravendi-Mathias, Princess of Seracia. The wedding was soon -- less than a week away -- and she needed to find Chrysanthe, to tell her, and hopefully invite the rest of the pack. Even if they did not address them now, the call would be given upon the day of the wedding, a call that would likely not be ignored. She knew Valhallans were growing tired of chaos and uncertainty, but this day would not be another dreaded meeting. No, this would be a day of celebration, of joy. Seracians and Valhallans would be free to reunite, or make friends anew; to converse and play and hunt. The first step in their alliance had been completed, all they had left to do was seal the deal. Unlike the previous times when she had returned from a visit with Maverick, she was not left with an empty pit in her stomach. No; she was thrilled at his reaction, his profession of his love for her. The future that awaited the young couple had never been brighter. There was a new bounce in her step, a stronger sense of pride in her dominate posture and an obvious wag in her tail. But as she grew nearer to her home, the home she would soon be leaving behind, an awful noise reached her ears. It sounded no better than a dying animal -- certainly not a wolf. Perked ears swiveled to search for the source of the sound. It was nearby; near their borders, rather than in the center of their territory. Now she was curious. Hopefully nobody was injured. Her pace increased, carrying her toward the source. It wasn't terribly long before the sight of a rather pregnant lady and her sister came into view. The woman was -- to say the least -- very pregnant, as though she would give birth any second. Brows furrowed a bit, but she hurried on, unsure if she was in need of help or what. "Sister!" Epiphron greeted her warmly as she drew alongside her, noticing the female's coat had a distinct scent. A pack wolf, it seemed -- she was not of Seracia, nor of Tortuga. Perhaps she was of Glaciem, the northern pack? Or another one entirely? Her joy was obvious as she nuzzled into Chrysanthe's neck, her affection for her blood sister somewhat more unabashed than it might normally be. The reason, it seemed, was obvious -- Chrysanthe had known she would be returning from Seracia today, or the next. Perhaps she would even note the outcome of the meeting, from the wag in her tail and the slight smile that teased the corners of her lips. It was hard to control, despite the seriousness of the conversation that she had come upon. "Sorry," she apologized quickly to Jupiter, with a dip of her muzzle and a flick of her bushy white tail. "I am Epiphron Adravendi. It is my pleasure," she figured that her sister and the strange female had both given their names, and she hoped the woman would offer it to her as well. She neglected to give her temporary title of Alpha; the wedding was merely a week away. It was best to step down and let Chrysanthe settle into the role she had rightfully been given, had earned.

Her swollen belly quivered slightly at the kick and minute squirm of one of the pups as she listened to the alpha's lyrics, nodding where she felt appropriate. Lips parted to reply but in that moment another beautiful femme made her way forth, lavishing her sister with an affectionate rub. It nearly made Jupiter lost in thoughts about her own sibling, but now was not the time to be thinking about a ghost from her past.



In response to the new arrival, Mercury shrank back further into his companion, suppressing a hiss. Once the woman introduced herself, though, he took a few steps forward to sniff the other wolf before seeming relatively satisfied, slinking back to brood protectively over his best friend.



A curt nod was given to the new wolf in response to her apology. Jupiter tried to straighten a little, deep breaths cycling through her lungs. "A pleasure to meet you, Epiphron. Jupiter Illiadis of Ludicael, at your service." She turned her attentions back upon Chrysanthe, a smile upon her ebony lips. "Indeed. Ludicael is an ally of Seracia. Though we are not bound by marriage, I believe close friendship does the trick quite well." A slight chuckle escape her, but it the quaking of her belly was unsettling and uncomfortable for her so it quickly faded. Despite this, such friendly laughter still showed in her expression. "We are the easternmost pack of Alacritia. Our land is mostly mangroves with a few oaks and a meadow toward the center, split by rivers that glow at night when you disturb them." She gazed about. "You yourself have gorgeous plains here," the lady noted politely.

Epiphron's voice brougt with it a wave of relief. Not only was she not handling this alone any longer, her sister had trained with Erani long enough in her younger years to have a better know how of what to do if Jupiter's body decided to go into labor. She smiled at her gentle greeting, her blue eyes flicking over her and noting how happy she was. That should mean their troubles were over for now, and that Seracia was now in the loop and accepting of the changes made at the last meeting. She still smelled a bit of Seracia, it was something that Chrysanthe realized that she would need to get used to in the near future.


Nosing the other female back, she then paused, resisting the urge to clear her throat and point her sibling toward their company. The only thing that stopped her was the pleasure of seeing her sibling so outlandishly happy - it was not something that her normally stoic personality allowed of her. She noticed Jupiter herself all the same, and introduced herself in a way that Chrysanthe was nearly jealous of. The switch from family to duty within the other female's mind came so naturally, such regality did not come to the clay faced girl with ease. It would take practice from her end.


Jupiter introduced herself as well, and Chrysanthe's eyes flashed with worry as the other female took a moment to breath. Yet she managed to answer all of the alpha's inquiries regardless. Her pack was tied to Seracia, perhaps not as deeply as Seracia to Valhalla, but she would not turn her nose up at an alliance. Her laughter was short lived, but the feeling sincere - Chrysanthe decided that she liked this woman. She was a fighter, and held an air about her that the Valhallan could appreciate even while she was in pain. "Thank you. Your land sounds lovely as well." She wasn't sure what else to say. What had Jupiter come here for? Did she want a tour of the place? To form a pact?


The alpha herself was pretty sure she wanted to be on good terms with this female. But would they trade something besides information to form a pact? "A friend of Seracia is a potential ally to us. I do hope that part of the discussion you had in mind pertains to that. You strike me as good people, Jupiter." Strong, and if her judgement was correct, a good leader. It might seem a decision made on a whim, but Chrysanthe was the type to expand on her eyes and ears with good intentions for both parties in mind. She had connections in Tortuga despite their shaky background, an alliance with Seracia that would hold true for what she hoped would be generations, and a good natured truce with Glaciem that would be upheld so long as they stayed true to their benevolent nature. Should Ludicael be added to that list, there was little in Alacritia that would be truly threatening to Valhalla as a whole.