She had been been here once before. The terrain was plain, but lovely in its simplicity, especially to the girl who found beauty in even the most desolate of places. There was always something beautiful about each place, and in every creature -- and if you couldn't find it, her father had told her, you simply weren't looking hard enough. Ara had taken her idol's advice to heart, perhaps too literally, as she approached the Ebony's borders with wide, inquisitive eyes. Her gaze swept across the horizon, dancing from one rock to the next, the formations strange to her but comforting in their irregularity.

Though her stance was far from submissive, she lacked anything that even mildly resembled pride. Her gait as she approached the borders of Ebony was unguarded but stoic, as far from threatening as was possible. The girl with the tan and black fur seemed curious as she approached, sapphire gaze alight with the wonder of a child, though her lips were pursed with seriousness. The pack's scent was familiar, but not entirely so; she wondered if the same woman ruled that had once before. She remembered the man she had met, Vaughn, and couldn't help but wonder if he might still be here too. She hoped the meeting would go as well as the last, though she knew her intentions might be misconstrued, and would be willing to leave as quickly as she was asked.

After a moment of waiting, the girl tipped her head to the sky, letting loose a gentle call for anyone willing to listen. Though she was still a yearling, she hoped they might take her seriously regardless. Only when her song was through would she lower herself to her hindquarters, the embodiment of patience and composure.

The unfamiliar voice calling from the border caught her attention, pulling her in. The unfamiliar scent, a wolf of Ludicael, piqued her interest even more. The viking regent slipped from her den beneath the ruins, traveling the short distance to the border. A young girl waited there, all seriousness. Silver gaze took her in, from tan muzzle to black tail, before Katja came to a halt before her. She was young, a couple inches smaller than Katja but not so slim, without the wiry muscles of the warrior. Not much of a threat, even if Ludicael weren't under an accord of peace with them. Still, Katja remained a cautious distance away as she seated herself, striped tail curling around dark legs. She hadn't survived so long by taking things at face value. "What is it you are needing?" she asked, her words blunt and to the point, but her tone and body language without aggression. Not relaxed, never that, but not aggressive. "

Ara would've waited for some time -- but she was grateful that she was not made to. The woman that answered her call was a stranger to her, but she was quiet as she welcomed the masked woman's approach. She was significantly thinner than herself, but likely much stronger. Ara was not afraid; she knew how to run if need be, and better yet, she knew when to run. She would not overstay her welcome if she was not wanted her, and as Katja approached, she dipped her muzzle to her in respect.

"I come seeking an herb," she explained carefully. The woman's tongue was thick with an accent she could not place, having never heard anything like it before. "Wolfsbane, to be exact. I know it grows on these lands." She'd been met with a strange reaction the last time she'd come here seeking the herb. When she had first met Bhaire and reunited here with Novel, she had been made aware of the presence of Wolfsbane. It was highly poisonous, if not handled carefully -- but in small, nearly invisible amounts, it was useful for pain relief when applied to the skin. She let her head dip below her shoulders, exposing her most vulnerable flesh to the woman to show her she meant no harm.

"I can offer something in return. I believe the lands of Ludicael house a large supply of trillium that I could give to your pack." She was sure it could be found elsewhere, but the world was simply too big for one or even two wolves to explore fully -- perhaps she wouldn't want anything at all, or otherwise Ara hoped her offer might be appealing. Trillium was not the most useful of herbs, but it was useful for teething pups and for pregnant wolves too.

"Excuse my manners--" she spoke suddenly, shaking her head, having been overcome by the need to speak plainly of what she wanted. "--my name is Ara, and I come from Ludicael. I am not an official healer, merely an apprentice." If this woman wasn't impressed with her request, the last thing she wanted was for Ludicael to be punished for her own actions.

She listened, reserving judgement, as the young wolf spoke. She didn't have any formal training as a healer, nor did she ever chose to resort to poisons even as a mercenary when her skills had been hired for assassination, so she did not recognize the names of the herbs the girl spoke of, neither the one she wanted nor the one she offered. She considered calling for one of the pack's healers, but both Maximous and Adelaide had been scarce lately and she'd yet to speak with Maximous about their sole remaining healer-trainee's skills assessment so she was loathe to depend on Callisto either. "I be Katja Finnvi, alpha to this pack," she spoke finally in a clipped tone when the girl fell silent. "As close ally of our own ally the pack Abaven I do trust Ludicael wolves to be of an honorable cant." She did not, truly, trust anyone to always act in a forthright manner, for to expect that could mean death if they were not true, but it was near enough the truth. "I will escort you where you need go that you may gather this herb you speak of without... misunderstanding." The meaning was double - her presence would assure her pack that the girl was not trespassing, and also allow her to watch that she did only what she had asked, and then left. The dark alpha gestured for the stranger to lead the way. "