Speech

Torin knew it was more than time to start connecting with the other packs again; especially Celestial. Lirim had changed hands twice since the last time they'd had contact. More than that he wanted to check if anyone had seen his missing family. So Torin had set out across the desert to find the sister pack his mother has once split off from.

As he found green rising up on the horizon again and Torin felt relief; he had never seen the lands his mother had come from, having been born outside of the pack still he had been told of Celestial... some part of his feared they'd been wrong and his family had decided to settle in the middle of the sands...

As he approached the strong scent of a pack reached him and Torin drew up short before where the scent was strongest. The young Adravendi sighed, he had never met his uncle, tails of a massive red man ran through his mind though as he tipped his head back to call for the alpha. With a huff Torin settled onto his haunches and waited nervously for his uncle to appear.

Art by Vhitany

Aurielle Adravendi

The snows had lessened as the tail end of winter drew close. At the edges of the lands closest to the desert lands, the snow had melted altogether, leaving tentative green shoots in its wake. Her father hadn’t yet returned, but she weathered the rigors of patrol readily. The snow within the plains still lay thick, especially in the shadows where the sun didn’t reach. It had been a stormy, snowy winter, and she’d rather enjoyed the weather. When the call from the northern border of the plains reached her ears, she turned quickly, breaking into a crisp trot. The call had been for an alpha, though she detected a note that suggested they expected Regulus. It was to be expected. They hadn’t had many correspondents from the other pack, even Lirim, save for Brandr’s visit from Abaven, and then his later call at the border. As she arrived, she slowed, studying the nervous dove grey and white male keenly. His scent was that of Lirim – her father had ensured that she stop to get a sniff of the border in her explorations when he’d booted her out to see the world a bit – and it held that certain something that said he was an alpha. She gave the older male an easy smile, if a toothy one with those long upper canines of hers, bannerlike tail waving in a generally friendly manner. “Good day. I’m Aurielle, current Archangel of Celestial. My father’s out at the moment. You’re from Lirim, yes?” Her lilting words were laden with an easy confidence that belied her young age. Confidence, but not arrogance. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Speech

Even as he was imagining a big red giant of a wolf, he spotted the smaller white, no- not white... opaline woman approaching, and Torin's curiosity was piqued. She moved with a self assuredness that spoke of a rank and when she drew up before him Torin was surprised to find she was visibly younger than himself, oh and also the elongated canines that protruded from her lips and the long curtain of fur that cascaded from around her scruff and a similar sort of fur trailing behind her from her tail. For all these surprises the most notable thing she'd earn was a quirking of his brows.

The girl spoke and he dipped his head in greeting as she introduced herself. Seemed his uncle was gone, leaving his daughter in charge... he couldn't help but wonder if that was a reoccurring theme in his family. Still she asked him a question and Torin wouldn't take too long to answer.

"I am." He stated simply, taking a moment to breath before giving his cousin his own credentials. "I am Torin Adravendi-Valentine, Son of Faite Adravendi and current Kaliq of Lirim." His words did not carry the same confidence hers had, instead seeming more factual, as if he were simply listing off a report. In part that was due to the way he observed and cataloged the world, but also was due to his lack of confidence in his own role within the pack, though that did not carry over into his tone.

Art by Vhitany

Aurielle listened with interest as the male introduced himself. A wide smile pulled onto her features as it registered that this man was her cousin, and the pleasure at meeting a member of her family registered as her tail waved in cheerful, sweeping wags behind her.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cousin Torin. How has everything been in Lirim?” He was the first wolf of Lirim she’d ever met, and she was certainly curious to learn about how the rest of her relatives there were doing, and to learn more about them. Starting with this rather… reserved and almost anxious-looking male standing before her.

Speech

A tiny smile pulled at the corner's of Torin's mouth as he noticed his younger cousin's change in demeanor. Some part of him was glad to find himself in front of more family, his own had been sliding away gradually for so long and he was happy to at least find himself feeling like he was back in the fold, even just a little bit.

Aurielle asked how the pack was and Torin thought for a moment, in truth the pack was... well it was fine. He had frustrations about the lack of real participation from many of the members... especially his father but he knew there were also numbers within the pack that were working to help drive the pack. "It has been... interesting to say the least." He kept his tone even and his face neutral as he spoke, more out of habit than feeling like he might need to hide something from his cousin. Lirim and Celestial had long been sister packs and he was more than eager to continue that relationship.

"The pack itself is still strong," he paused for a moment; giving himself a minute to think, "It's been a bit hectic on my end..." He watched her, wondering how much she might have known about what had happened.

"When was the last time you or your father had any contact with our pack?"

Art by Vhitany

Her cousin was very… soft-spoken for a leader. Although she sensed that there was a strength in him that, when called upon, would rise up to show a truly formidable leader—if he let that strength step forth. Still, she found she quite liked him. Despite his decidedly close-mouthed nature, she had certainly noticed that tiny smile.

She listened to his answer regarding the welfare of Lirim, and her head cocked, naturally, in curiosity as he described it as having been hectic of late. “We’ve had our fair share of action, though the majority of that was before my birth. Mother was still pregnant with myself and my twin brother…” A faint trailing of her words hinted at the pain she felt at their absence, and the hope she held that her father would return with them both.

She smiled toothily as she continued on, however, “A pack called Talis, led by Dragon Ancora, sought to raid this pack, and were beaten away, empty pawed. Not without losses to our side, though…” A frown furrowed her brow as she shook her head.

“As for the last time we had any direct contact with Lirim, the last time my father saw Aunt Faite was when she came to visit when you were all still pups, or at the very most early yearlings. I think Rory came by, once, but neither my father or I were in earshot. Uncle Laisren answered him, but I don’t think there was much said.” A light shrug tossed one shoulder-blade upward, sending a spectrum of shimmering hues through that coat as her paw settled fully once more.

She gave her tail a slight flick as she gave a fleeting chuckle and added, “That raid is only the tip of the mountain when it comes to all this pack has been through, but I’m not certain what father and your mother discussed the last time she was here. What news do you have? Anything we should be wary of? Do you know of any new packs? I have a few things you should be aware of if you aren’t already.”

Among those, she had in mind were the fate of Abaven. As well, she wanted to facilitate more inter-pack interactions between Lirim and Celestial. Beyond rare visits, there had been next to no interaction, and that was wrong. They were sibling Packs – technically cousin packs, since siblings no longer led both Lirim and Celestial – and they should interact. They were neighbors, to boot. At the very least, trading ought to be involved.