The East lands many territories, the majority of which the fae had yet to explore. Despite this, as the sun rises and dawn streaks the sky in a myriad of vibrant pinks, something draws Thorne to a different portion of Ardent. Her paws turn to the north and she finds herself trekking foward, the weather getting progressively colder the further she walks. Eventually, the earth parts to a land bathed in snow, and the she-wolf pauses to drink in her surroundings. A collection of sharp, frozen spikes pierce the sky, shimmering brilliantly in the fading dawn light. They glisten like diamonds, both beautiful fierce, and Thorne can't help but admire their sharp, slick forms, sticking out from the frosty ground.

Novis loved cold weather. Possibly because his old pack lived in the desert, possibly because his long fur protected him from the harshest of the elements, but probably just because he didn't grow up with snow. Every time the white flakes landed on his nose, it was like some miracle happening before his eyes, rain somehow changing into snow just for him. Though he wished he could enjoy the coldness of the north like he wanted to, he was here to test some things, things that had to be done before the entire continent was covered in snow.

The second he could, he hid his scent using wildflowers around the area. Once winter rolls around, his precious lavender will have died to the frost. He needed some other way to smother his scent, and he had come to see if snow would do the trick. Snow didn't really have a smell to start with, so maybe it would dilute his scent in a similar way to how water does.

Before he could start rolling in the snow, a towering, white silhouette caught his attention. Curiosity pulled at his muscles, practically forcing him away from his testing and toward the large pillars of ice. They were beautiful, the sun shining through the transparent columns and causing them to almost radiate light all around them. They looked like gemstones under the sun's rays, even creating faint rainbows onto the white snow below. It took him a moment to even realize he was in the company of another, also admiring the pillar's magnificence. The stranger was a few yards away, but the deep mahogany of their pelt made them easy to spot.

"They are really beautiful, huh?" He called, shortening the distance between them. A friendly smile appeared on his face as he neared, an attempt to nonverbally convey that his pacifism. His movements were strong and decisive, but also cautious and tense. He did not know this wolf and such could not predict how they would react to him.

She hears him coming before he speaks, her flatterned ears the only indication that she has noted his arrival. She has half a mind to turn, defenses bristling, teeth bared in a menacing snarl, daring him further. The previous night has left her midly paranoid, for she had taken refuge among a clump of bushes and thus heard a variation of disturbing noises, sailing through the air late into the night. But she does not wish to make an unnesscary enemy of anyone, she scaring away those who may prove benfical companions is not wise, not when she has spent the majority of her time here painfully vunerable.

So she nods once in agreement, eyes trained on the glittering ice. "Indeed, they are". She considers them for a moment, slowly drawing her own gaze over each structure. "Ice is fascinating in the way it manages to be both mesmirsing and deadly". Only then does she turn to properly study him, taking in the man's large, imposing build, his patchwork pelt and curious multicolored eyes. He looked about her age, and the array of small pink scars littering his fur catch her attention at once. "To decieve" she murmurs finally, drawing that brilliant cerulean gaze to match the green and blue of his, "Is perhaps one of the greatest artforms. Not the most moral, but one of the greatest nontheless".

The woman's flattened ears let him know she noticed him, though he was unsure if that was a sign to stay away or if she was just letting him know she knew of his presence. Just to be safe, he kept a few feet between them as he sat down 'beside' her.

He was a bit surprised at her description of the ice towers. She was right, but he hadn't really thought of the structures in such a way. "That's a real profound way of thinking of them," he murmured, now seeing the towers in a new, deadly way. He surveyed the towers, but something didn't seem right. The thought didn't seem to fit right in his head. Deadly and beautiful didn't deserve to be in the same sentence, not to him. They contrasted each other too much to make sense in his brain. He grew up horrified by death, disgusted by it, hating how he needed to do it to live. His mind tied itself into knots trying to fit such different words together, or rather, he just didn't want to think about it.

"I don't see it though. I mean... ice kills people... but so can a really determined duck! We don't call ducks beautiful and deadly. To me, what really makes them beautiful, is how peaceful they look. They might seem like these huge, imposing death pillars, but they really aren't. They look all shiny and sparkle in the sunlight like stars in the day. They can create rainbows without needing rain. They just sit there like gentle guardians, watching over you as they sit static. The look graceful without needing to move. Now that's the greatest artform!"

He looked back to the freckled dame, a large, goofy grin on his face. "I understand what you were getting at, but I don't like thinking about the negative things. Death is just so..." He paused to consider his words, the smile starting to fade but never leaving. "Depressing..." He murmured this word. He didn't like it, as childish as that sounds. Though, as he thought about it, the entirety of what he said was childish. She sounded so smart and intense and here he was, bringing up deadly ducks and rainbows... She probably thought he was immature, though it didn't help he actually was a tad immature. He immediately noticed his mindset turning negative and switched the subject.

"Uh... I'm Novis! Probably should have started with that." He chuckled nervously before continuing. "What brings you here?" He inquired, noticing her short pelt. The season was nearing winter and this place already had a few feet of snow. His thick fur protected him from the elements but he wasn't quite sure about her. He wouldn't voice this, in fear of sounding condescending, but that wouldn't stop him from looking for signs that she was cold.

He protests her point, and the women is vaguely surprised, though she shows no indication of such. She listens in silence as the man rambles, seemingly attempting to elaborate on an opinion Thorne couldn’t quite grasp. Still, she allows him to finish, eyes trained on the ice structures, not uttering a word. When he has paused for breath, she interjects with a voice of calm, even as annoyance trickles through her veins. “I’ll admit, I’ve never heard of a murderous duck, though I’m sure its possible”. She quirks a brow, eyes glittering with amusement. “But I merely meant that ice, while it may glitter like a collection of diamonds beneath the sun, can kill with brutal efficiency. It is cruel and beautiful, unforgiving but glorious”. She exhales a breath, watching it cloud before her nose, then turns to regard the man through brilliant orbs of cerulean blue. “Death is a part of life. It is inevitable, and we will all fall victim to it eventually”. Her voice turns serious and slightly cold as she continues. “If that scares or depresses you, then I suggest you make your peace with it”. He introduces himself, then, and despite her initial annoyance, Thorne sees no reason to deny him her name. “Thorne. I arrived with the intention to explore. To gather information on the inerworkings of this territory”. speech action

Novis nodded as she spoke, interested in what she said even if he disagreed. He was a bit taken aback by her cold tone, unsure if it was just to set the reality of what she was saying or if it was more directed at him. Had he offended her? He truly didn't mean too, though he was aware that he could be a bit oblivious at times. He shuffled his feet nervously as the dame finished. "I understand what you're saying... It's just I would like to avoid the subject of death until I'm forced to confront it. I can't stop it from happening and I know it's coming for us all, but it doesn't mean I have to like it." These words were soft and he refused eye contact for a few moments as he spoke. He looked more like a pup being scolded than the dignified adult he wanted to be.

The woman took his bait to change the subject, something he was glad for and perked up a bit. "Exploring? That sounds fun. I'm not much of an Information-Gatherer myself though. I just like to wander around and look at the new sights." He spoke without thinking, then realized that too might offend her. It might be taken more like disregarding her interest rather than just stating his own. "I not sure this helps you any in your information gathering, but I think I smelled some big herbivores some ways back, perhaps a moose or some musk oxen. I wasn't paying much attention..." He added quickly, unsure if he was digging himself into a deeper hole or actually helping.

"I see". The words are void of emotion, and her face is set into a mask of indifference. The male finishes voicing his opinion of death, and for a moment, the fae remains silence, contemplating her next words. Evidently, they held different views of death, but Thorne found herself unable to respect what she percieved as cowardice. Perhaps it was a product of her upbringing, but no had coddled her from the harsh reality. And, she runs a pensive eye over his patchwork pelt and turns away with a sniff. "Do what you want" she murmurs finally. "But living in fear of the envitable is no way to live at all". He continues to talk, and she listens, wordlessly gazing out at the ice. It is his mention of herbivores that capture her attention. "Really?". Her eyes are alight with curiosity at the prospect. "That is intriguing. Perhaps you can further specify their location?". speech action

He huffed quietly at the woman's words. He didn't fear death; he merely didn't like to ruin the mood with it.  They had found something beautiful, and he didn't want to muddy it up with something as dark as death. He was glad when she took an interest in the herbivores as it meant they could leave this conversation behind.

"Ya, I remember noticing them down south towards the lake," he started, tilting his head as though it would help him remember where they are. "I didn't see any footprints, so I don't know which direction they were heading." He paused for a second before continuing. "We can head down there to see if we can find some. If your interested, that is." He wasn't sure if she wanted to hunt one or if she was just curious about their location. Either way, finding them in person would help. He had hunted small animals by himself and took down a few large ones with his band before he left, so he had some experience, but one could always use some more practice. Besides, a good rush in adrenaline would do him some good. He had been standing still too long for his liking and needed some action! Even if that action was only looking for some oxen.

He has successfully piqued her interest. As he continues to speak, the maiden draws closer, abandoning her silent vigil by the ice. Each step is slow and deliberate as he eappriaches, eyes narrowed in curiosity. “The south, you say?”. Those piercing blue eye flash with thinly veiled enthusiasm. She is eager is ready, and it is evident in her twitching muscles and upright posture. Ears pricked, she inclined her head. “Lead the way”. She wanted to feel the rush of adrenaline associated with hunting, and perhaps her companion was a talented hunter and would prove useful in this instance. speech action

His tail started to lightly tap the ground at the woman's interest. He had a feeling she wasn't the most pleased with him during their last conversation, so he was happy he had made himself useful. "Great! They shouldn't be too far." His excitement was evident in his voice and even more prominent in his actions. He lept to his paws, trotting a few steps south before turning his head to see if the woman was following. His tail swayed as both an invitation and an accurate representation of his emotions. He offered another smile before continuing onwards.

He tilted his nose upward as he walked, searching for the scent of prey. The smell of snow was a faint one, but it could often smother another's scent if piled on top of footprints or the creature itself. He was not used to hunting in the snow either, spending most of his life in the desert. Thankfully, most of his tactics still worked in the tundra.

As he traveled, he frequently looked behind him in search of Thorne to see if she was still behind him. Though he didn't believe she would wander off, he did want to make sure that he knew if she found something. Any extra information the woman may bring would be necessary, especially for big prey.

It didn't take him long to catch their scent, a sudden burst of adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Caribou." He murmured, removing his nose from the snow and keeping his voice low. He had heard of such deer yet had never seen one in person. This was his first time in the tundra, and he was excited to see such beautiful creatures with his own eyes. He inhaled more of the scent. "I think it's a small herd, perhaps around 9 of them. It's around the season where there will be young ones, around only a season old." He turned to Thorne again, trying to read her expression to what to do next. They could easily take on this herd if they wanted to, though they would have to aim for the calves. A full-grown caribou would be too much of a risk for only two wolves to handle alone.