I just wanna be by your side

Lots of things had changed. Solveiga had left for a while, exploring new places and taking some time to be alone with herself and decide what she wanted out of this life. Without any family, and with friends far away, she was forced to take a good look at herself and think about who she wanted to be. All her life she had let others make decisions for her, because she didn't trust herself to make the right choice. But now she trusted herself. And in turn, she trusted the world less.

The changes that had taken place in Solveiga were a balance of good and bad, depending on how one looked at them. She was more confident. More certain of every step she took. She held her head a little higher and her once soft, timid voice was much stronger. She had used her time away to study her trade independently, and had learned plenty of new things. In short, she had become a wiser and more independent individual.

But those traits that had once made her so endearing: the way she left her heart open and vulnerable, the way she tucked her tail when she got nervous, the quietness and innocence in those baby blue eyes. The innocence and vulnerability were still there, in a strictly physical sense. But emotionally, Solveiga had hardened herself. She didn't want to go through the pain and grief she experienced ever again. She came to the conclusion that if she made herself tougher, less open and less vulnerable, then she would be less likely to get hurt again. It was a difficult change to go through, because it felt so unnatural at first. But she got used to it. And now everyone else would get used to it too.

The petite woman walked through the lands of the west, eventually hoping to find Celestial again. She wanted to check in, and if it felt right to return, she would. In her mouth she carried a little bundle fashioned out of a big, waxy leaf. Inside it were a few rare herbs she had collected from the various places she had gone. She had found that she liked to carry her herbs with her this way, all folded up in a big waxy leaf. The only problem with this method of transport was having the pungent herbs right below her nose. They often hindered her sense of smell and, today, nearly caused her to stumble right over a territory line at the edge of the emerald valley. There hadn't been a pack here last time she had passed through. Intrigued, Solveiga set down her bundle and stepped away from it a bit to allow her nose to clear. Then she got a little closer to the border of the territory, trying to see if she could identify any familiar scents. And right away, she did. Faite had her own pack? Since when?

The little woman couldn't help but smile. It was a pleasant surprise. Maybe Faite was nearby, and the two could catch up! Tilting her head to the sky, Solveiga let out a short song, requesting an audience with the Kalin herself.

Faite had been resting under the shade of a tree with Rory. She'd taken the morning to teach the young male how to catch fish which had been a wet and exciting task. The both of them had gotten soaked by the end of it and Rory had even managed to paw a tiny fish out of the water. It hadn't been big enough for either of them to eat so she had Rory throw it back. Regardless it had been an instructive morning and now the both of them had flopped under a tree by the bank to dry off and rest. Rory was asleep in less than ten minutes and Faite dozed off easily enough once she was sure her son was asleep. Lately she'd come across a lot more wolves at the borders and most of the encounters had been good ones. The fight with Albericht hadn't been pleasant, but meeting with Eniko and her brother had been refreshing to say the least. She'd also even managed to talk with Raba which was another thing of her list. She still needed to seek out the other packs, but she didn't feel the need to do it all at once. They certainly weren't going anywhere for the time being. Naturally Faite's nap would be interrupted. She rose her head slowly and looked around as she tried to pinpoint where she'd heard that voice before. She glanced towards Rory, who was still sound asleep, before she quietly rose to her feet. Slinking away without waking her son was probably the hardest part, but once she was a safe distance away she let herself relax and headed towards the border. It wasn't until she saw the happy look on a familiar face that she recognize why she knew the voice. It was Solveiga! She remembered the last time she saw the woman it'd been under worse circumstances. Solveiga had been upset and had requested to leave and that was the last she saw of her. It seemed now that she was a lot better, or so it appeared at least. "It's good to see you, Solveiga." She grinned. "How have you been?" Walk, "Talk" Think

I just wanna be by your side

It wasn't long until a familiar form came into view, and Solveiga felt her smile growing and her tail wagging happily behind her. Faite came up to the border to meet her and grinned, saying it was nice to see her and asking how she had been. Solveiga couldn't help having a little flashback of the last time the two women had seen and spoken to one another. Faite had been leading a pack meeting in Celestial due to the absence of Regulus, and she had been disappointed with Solveiga for not pulling her weight in the pack. It hadn't been anything personal, and Solveiga knew that. But she had still felt so guilty. Even now she could remember the feeling of that crushing weight on her chest, the struggle not to cry in front of Faite as she asked for permission to leave Celestial and have some time on her own. It was not a pleasant memory. Solveiga didn't really like to think of how weak she had been. Faite and Regulus had lost their mother as well. Lots of wolves lost loved ones, and they were strong enough not to fall apart the way Solveiga had.

But all of that was different now. Solveiga had made the decision to make herself wiser and stronger. She was no longer the sniveling child that had stood before Faite a couple of seasons ago. She held herself differently. She was undeniably more confident.

So, when she answered the question asked of her, it was accompanied with a warm smile. "Much better, thank you," she said, and her voice was clear and strong. This was who she wanted to be. Still Solveiga, just the newer and better version. "Some time away was just what I needed. But it seems that I missed a lot while I was gone," she said, her blue eyes bright as she laughed and looked over Faite at the emerald valley that lay beyond. "So, your own pack? Congratulations, Faite, I'm very happy for you." She grinned and her tail swayed once more. She hoped to remain friends with this woman. She was strong and capable, and had become something of a role model for Solveiga. It was, in part, thanks to her that she had been able to undergo this change in her life.

And with that in mind, she added, "I want to thank you. I was going through a dark time in my life, and I don't know what I would have done without your support and strength to guide me."