ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE The Dreamer's Col was boring, now that everyone was always going off to have adventures. The little one had decided it was her turn now. She was bigger than the new babies, and she could go even farther. She would see everything before they could, and show her papa how brave she was. Her mama too, mama would see how great she was. Papa had said she wasn't her real mama, but who cared? She was mama now. Alabaster paws thumped fearlessly through the snow, sunshine upon her back. Today was a cold day, the clouds were gone, and the sun was out in full force. Her breath puffed out in clouds of mist in front of her. Up ahead, towering goliaths in the form of trees. Awed by the splendour, she couldn't help but slow her pace. Wowser. These were the prettiest trees ever. They were a deep red, with long boughs of needles. They reached out so far, there was hardly any snow on the ground here. Far less than there was beyond their reach. Amazing. Just.. wow. "How did you get so big?" She asked the trees, gaze trailing up their trunks. The nearest one didn't say anything. Hmm. Weird. With a shrug of her delicate shoulders, she continued onwards. It smelled like there weren't many wolves around here. None that stayed, anyways. A few scents, here and there. Mostly, it was just deer and rabbits. Yummy, rabbits. speech

Ashiel strode through the territories of the north lands. To some winter may not have seemed like the best time to explore but Ashiel wanted to see the territory at it's worst to know how best to handle it should he decide to start a pack up here. It was unlikely though. While Ashiel found the terrain her suitable for rearing a tough class of warriors he wasn't sure he liked the idea of the Abraxas being split so far apart at the start. Perhaps he should wander back to the southern territories? He was standing there thinking for a moment as his eyes naturally wandered up the tallest trees he'd ever seen in his life. This had to be a sacred place, perhaps this place had once been part of the realm of the gods now fallen to earth? A small voice asked a question and Ashiel blinked as he looked around him for a moment. Nostrils flared as he caught the scent of another and as he strode around the large redwood he'd been gazing at he saw a small pup. "They were blessed by the gods no doubt." He figured the question probably hadn't been directed at him but he answered anyway, keeping on alert should the pups mother suddenly come rumbling in from somewhere. "Talk" "You" Think

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE "They were blessed by the gods no doubt." The tree talked! She bounded back towards the one she'd been talking to, eyes sparkling. Then she spotted the grey speckled wolf, and frowned. Was it him that talked? It would have been cooler if it was the tree. "All animals and plants are blessed by the gods, silly." She said, tail wagging. A few more fearless steps closer to the big male, and she beamed up at him. He looked a little like Darya, or maybe the big meanie. They were both kinda grey, and so far those were the only wolves she knew that were grey. "Do you think they were extra blessed to get that big?" speech

Ashiel's brow wrinkled in confusion as the pup wandered right over to him with her tail wagging. He was a large stranger. Typically, he expected children to run awayfrom him. He chuckled darkly at her comment. "Oh no, my dear, not all. There are plenty that are cursed, but certainly not these trees that they grow so large and so strong. They might even touch the floor of the heavens." Once again he scented the air. Were there really no parents about? He hoped the girl wasn't an orphan. He wouldn't know what to do then. He laughed more sincerely at her next question and nodded. "I think so. They must have done some great deed. Perhaps providing shelter to the fallen god in a time of great distress. My name is Ashiel Abraxas, by the way, what is yours and where is your family? You're not lost are you?" "Talk" "You" Think

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE The strange wolf seemed to think she was funny. She hadn't told a joke. Why was he laughing? "Oh no, my dear, not all. There are plenty that are cursed, but certainly not these trees that they grow so large and so strong. They might even touch the floor of the heavens." That would be neat. She gazed upwards, jaw slackened by awe. Zhibog and Zhiva, they could be sitting just above the treetops. Maybe even Svarog, too. "If we climbed, we could visit them." She said, staring up at the canopies. Just in between, the sky was visible. Only slivers and peeks, but it was there. To her question, he answered quite earnestly. No laughing this time. "I think so. They must have done some great deed. Perhaps providing shelter to the fallen god in a time of great distress. My name is Ashiel Abraxas, by the way, what is yours and where is your family? You're not lost are you?" The girl had never heard of a fallen god. Was that like Marzanna, who would visit the world below? That could be considered falling, she guessed. Of course, if the trees had kept the gods safe when they were needed, that was very good of them. They deserved to be blessed. Maybe she would ask mama about the fallen god, when she got home. " 'm Forfax Morningstar, and mama and papa are at home. I'm going on an adventure, because I'm big." She announced proudly, feeling her chest swell. She was the biggest pup, and that meant she could go out more than the babies. Even if Divo and Dominika and Darya were already almost the same size. That didn't matter. "Is your family at home too? You can stay with me, if you want. 's safe at home, the snow doesn't get us." speech

Ashiel didn't know about trying to climb those trees but she did have a point and it made him wonder if they could ascend from this plane to another simply by climbing up high enough. Thought to fall would mean certain death. The girl introduced herself as Forfax Morningstar and explained that she was going on an adventure. "A pleasure Forfax, I am Ashiel Abraxas." He nodded as she asked about his family then laughed at her offer. "That is quite kind of you Forfax, but I will be fine. My family lives far from here, down in lands far to the south so I have made a few temporary places to stay for myself while I journey." He gazed skyward as a bit of snow slipped from the branches and fell like glittery powder when it caught the sun's rays. "Do you have any siblings Forfax or are you an only child?" "Talk" "You" Think

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE He laughed at her again! What was so funny? Nothing was jokes, yet! "That is quite kind of you Forfax, but I will be fine. My family lives far from here, down in lands far to the south so I have made a few temporary places to stay for myself while I journey." Uhh. Um. Lots of words. It took a second for her brain to catch up. Why would he leave his family far away? She always felt weird if she was on her adventures for too long, because mama and papa always missed her. He had somewhere to stay, though, which was good. Everyone needed a place to stay, even just for a little while during an adventure. She followed his gaze, looking up as a few snowflakes danced their way through the air. They flipped and whirled. Forfax wondered if the gods made them so pretty for a reason. "Do you have any siblings Forfax or are you an only child?" Whoops, he was talking to her. She looked back at him, her big grin resurfacing. "Lot's a siblings. Got Micah, came with me and papa to home. Got Darya, and Dom, and Didi, and Sath, and Mammon, and Levi, and the big meanie. Papa says I have more, but they aren't home." She rattled off the names with practiced, if rambled, efficiency. She'd learned everyone's names a long time ago. She never called the big meanie anything but what he was, because he was being a big meanie all the time. Called her It, but never in front of papa. "You got lot's too?" She asked now, entirely unaware that her circumstances were not universal. What was a family without seven or eight siblings to share your parents with? Constant squabbling was what made a house a home, right? speech

Ashiel saw the girls gaze grow distant and realized he'd probably used language a bit more advanced than she was used to. Truth be told he wasn't used to talking at pups at all but he supposed he ought to learn. It wouldn't be long and he'd be expected to have some of his own not to mention the likely hood of several younger cousins. Forfax spoke of her siblings then, saying she had lots and goodness did she! Her parents were clearly very prolific and he almost wondered if they shared a philosophy to his. He shook his head at her question. "No, I only have one sister, Asharya but my family is very big. I have more cousins than I can name." He supposed he really ought to get to know them better but there did come a point when the family seemed so large that it was almost overwhelming. The wind started to pick up and he gazed down at the girl. "It looks like a storm might be moving in soon, would you like me to escort you home? Or do you want to explore more?" "Talk" "You" Think

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE ooc. whoops late am sorry The big grey guy shook his head when she asked him about his siblings. Oh. Was he an orphan? Papa had said that he had lots of siblings, but mama said she had just one. That she was an orphan, sort of. That's sad. The man didn't need to be an orphan, he could live with her family! "No, I only have one sister, Asharya but my family is very big. I have more cousins than I can name." He said, and she nodded her head in understanding. Asharya. Hey! "You're both Ash! Ash ash ash!" She giggled, as though such a revelation were the most important thing ever. A gust of wind threatened to topple her right over, and she frowned. Rude wind! Mama said the wind was sometimes because the sprites wanted to play tricks. That wasn't very nice of them! "It looks like a storm might be moving in soon, would you like me to escort you home? Or do you want to explore more?" Clearly he had never heard of her, because otherwise he would know that she was a great adventurer! She was going to see the whole wide world! She shook her head vehemently. "Wanna see more!" She declared, and bounded back in the direction she had been going before the tree talked. Or, rather, Ashiel. Tree Ashiel. Treeshiel. Yes. That was his new name. "Do you think there's anything in the trees? Like.. other wolves? Do wolves live in trees?" She spoke, regardless of whether or not he chose to follow. She did that a lot, just saying things. It didn't matter if anyone listened, in the long run. She just liked to learn things. The trees were so big. The further she got from home, the less the wind tried to tip her over. speech

Ashiel sighed patiently as the girl giggled over both their names starting with 'ash' but he then grinned mischievously. "It's appropriate you see, our father was a celestial fire spirit." Though he certainly didn't look it, his sister definitely did. He felt a slight pang of jealousy. His sister was cloaked in rich tones and hues while he had not so much as a glimmer. He was simply rather plain. A gust of wind came up and Ashiel braced himself while it nearly sent Forfax sprawling into the dirt. The girl wanted to explore more and Ashiel decided he may as well accompany her. He wasn't really going anywhere in particular and he felt that perhaps there was more to this chance meeting than was readily apparent. He shook his head. "No, I haven't heard of any wolves that live in trees though if you could get a leg up I bet you could climb these fairly high. There are definitely all kinds of birds that live up there. Maybe squirrels and things like that as well." He adjusted his pace to match hers. "So you plan to be an explorer when you're grown up to? How many lands have you visited?" "Talk" "You" Think

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE Ashiel didn't look very impressed by her singsong. "It's appropriate you see, our father was a celestial fire spirit." Okay, uh. Fire spirit made sense, she'd heard of those from mama. She had no idea what celes.. celesteeee.. celestial meant. Was it good? He seemed pretty proud, so that must mean that being a celestial fire spirit was a very good thing. That was awesome! The big male didn't seem to think there were wolves up there. Lame. "No, I haven't heard of any wolves that live in trees though if you could get a leg up I bet you could climb these fairly high. There are definitely all kinds of birds that live up there. Maybe squirrels and things like that as well." Oooh. Snacks. Soon she'd have to go home, and then she'd have to get something to eat. All this adventuring had made her hungry, she could feel the grumbles coming pretty soon. Those big legs of his ate up the ground like mad, and she struggled to keep up in the snow. Soon enough, he slowed down for her. Whew. "So you plan to be an explorer when you're grown up to? How many lands have you visited?" Now that was the best question ever. "I've seen all the spots around Dreamer's Col, like.. uh," it took a second for the locations to pop up. "the beach with the black sn- sand." Not snow, it was sand. "and the scary hole with the monsters, where I met a blue boy," she was still convinced that there had been a monster there, no matter what anyone said. "and the windy hole," Sure, there hadn't been any wind that day, but it was breezy. "and here!" She looked around at all the trees. This was a great place, she liked it. "Are you also an adventurer? Where have you been?" She wanted to hear all his stories, and know all the things waiting for her in the big wide world. speech

Ashiel listened patiently as the girl rattled off all the places she'd been to. He was surprised to hear that she had journeyed so much. At the mention of some dark hole with monsters and a blue boy his brow would quirk. "Monsters, hm? What sort of monsters? Sounds like you must be very brave!" He pondered a bit about the blue boy. Could it be… "This boy, his name wasn't Jupiter was it?" If so it seemed there was another impressive young navigator in the north. "No, I'm not really an adventurer. I want to be a king some day and lead my own pack but I have been to many lands. A canyon with a bend in it, a sand bridge that connects this land to the one I come from, a massive plain, the cove with the black sand, a hilly place full of buffalo, a desert spring…. to many places to name really." "Talk" "You" Think