Many years had passed since he'd last set foot on the cold, dark sands of this beach. Equally cold, silver eyes stared out across the sea, the brute's tail hanging neatly at his hocks, moved only by the chilled Northern gusts. The most memorable parts of his life had happened here, and cherished memories attempted to surface in his mind. He clenched his jaw, feeling his chest tighten slightly. Before guilt could arise for his failures, he quashed the thoughts so they wouldn't take form. He'd had many years to vanquish his regrets and move on without the things he'd once held most dear, though there were rare occasions when the memories still tried to make their way to the forefront of his consciousness. He'd known very well that this place would trigger such an instance, and though he wouldn't admit it, for a moment he'd almost been overwhelmed by the unexpected surge of emotion that had swirled around him for just that heartbeat. But it no longer had the ability to overwhelm him, and the feeling passed. The man's large paws carried him across the beach, the sand sifting through his toes and relieving the impact of each step from his sore joints. Xephyris nodded to himself, delighted by the feeling. This was definitely a feeling he could revel in. As he carried on past the northern palms, his thick tail lifted, waving gently as he traveled against the strong winds. His ears folded back and eyes narrowed, protecting himself from the sharp chill of the wind. He had missed this climate dearly, having been born to wolves built to effortlessly endure the harshness of a winter that never truly ended. As he traversed the black-sand cove, he began to wonder to himself why he'd chosen to return here specifically. Surely he could have enjoyed the frigid temperatures of the North some place less familiar? If he hadn't come to languish in nostalgia, then why? To answer himself, he thought that perhaps he sought to create new memories, ones that would wash out his past entirely. He knew his time was limited, but that didn't stop him from pursuing something intriguing. He'd spent long enough escaping his past, and he was ready to spend the end of his days enjoying what small glories he could attain. Although his chances were slim now, he was certain he'd enjoy the company of a beautiful woman once more, and perhaps even best someone in a bloody battle. It would do his pride some good to put a younger wolf in their place, or have some pretty little thing look his way more than once. He chuckled to himself, closing his eyes for a moment; he knew it was unlikely, but a man could still dream, right? "Talk" "You" Think

She had once helped a friendly wolf find a trinket for their lady love in the North. The memory brought a fond smile to her face, a bittersweet sort of thing as the past often did for her. So much of her life had changed, that sometimes she wondered if anything about it was recognizable to the future she now lived. She was nothing like that young, sweet girl who had been innocent well past the point of nieve. She had believed the best in every single wolf she had seen, and been quick to befriend them all. Now, very few of those wolves remained in her life and their absence left little holes dotted across her heart. Her family, and Arcus where the wounds that she felt the most keenly, through she had told very few about the wolf who had almost captured her heart. The stormy, wild, young thing that he had been… she almost barked a laugh, he had been older than her, about two or so to her one, if she remembered rightly. It was only now, with retrospect, looking back into her past that he looked as young and naive as she had. She was scouting territories far from her home, leaving her capable cousin in her place to keep an eye over the pack. Little Feather flew before her, the tiny tree swallow a brilliant flash of blue against the cold climate of the North. She was following the little creature, letting the bird guide her across the more easily-traverse parts of this harsher northern territories. Eventually, she wound up at a beach, and considered digging out a den to work as her base of operations for her scouting of the North. Instead, she would see a stranger, standing tall and proud in his steel grey coat. There was something solemn and sad about his stance, though she could place a paw on exactly what it was. Still, it made her hesitant to break his silence, and intrude upon whatever tranquility he seemed wistfully trying to catch. "Burn Baby Burn"

Xephyris turned his head sharply when a glimmer of blue flashed across his vision; he quickly took notice of another wolf that had wandered quite close by. He'd been so fixated on his own mind, he hadn't noticed her sooner. His silver gaze locked onto the woman as he quickly took in her features. A heartbeat later, her scent reached his nostrils. The scent of Abaven was thick on her coat. It caused his hackles to spike instantly, lips peeling back to reveal jagged teeth as a rumbling growl escaped in a steamy cloud around his jaws. His eyes had flared open, ears pinning back as he took on a feral appearance. It was as though being here had caused a shift in his stability, in the control he thought he'd gained over his memories and reactions. His aggressive display had been triggered by memories of Abaven's role in Imperium's siege on Hellstrom. It had been so many years ago, and yet it struck him strongly as though it were second nature, like it had happened just yesterday. And then, just like that, his fury dissipated with a lofty sigh, his lips covering his fangs and his gaze softening slightly. Control had been returned to his logical mind. That siege had been much too long ago to waste his energy on now, and as he looked at the woman with a more sensible mind, he knew he didn't recognize her from that time, anyways. What would be the use in shedding her blood over it? "Sorry," he said in a gruff tone, realizing how long it had been since he'd used his own voice. Too long. Honestly, he hoped he hadn't startled her. He almost began to feel abashed by his mindless reaction. Slowly, his hackles began to flatten, and he shook out his thick pelt to hasten the process. Ears perked toward her, and he turned fully to face her, his tail hanging again at his hocks. "What brings you so far from home?" he asked, cocking a brow in question. What would a wolf from Abaven be doing this far North, anyways? "Talk" "You" Think

As she watched, his eyes caught upon something. Feather, perhaps, as his head turned sharply towards her. There was a silence between them, and she felt.. Captivated, strangely, by the intensity she felt in him. There was an old wisdom in his eyes, grief and regret that hurt her. He reminded her of family, through she could not fathom why. Only a moment passed, through neither of them broke the silence, before he reacted to her. His hackles raised, and there was war in the ashen tone of his gaze. He looked.. Powerful, in a way no other wolf had struck her as so. She felt her knees bend slightly, centering her gravity. She made no aggressive motion towards him, even as she prepared herself for his assault. Her tense wait dragged on, and the fight bleed from his muscles, he softened as through a change overcame him from the inside as well as the out. It longer moments before she let herself relax. She had only scrapped at the edges of what it meant to be a soldier, and some part of her knew that he could have ended her then, if he had wished it. It was the cry of Feather who circled above her, that let her muscles loosen, and an almost sheepish expression crossed her muzzle, through she had not been the one to instigate the hint of violence. She shook loose her stiffened joints and felt herself freeing a little from the spell this strange wolf seemed to have woven around her, just by his mere presence. When he spoke, there was a roughness to his voice that hinted that it had been a while since he used it. Yet, his voice allowed her to calm a little further. Whatever first instinct seemed to have overcome him, it had clearly passed. “Forgiven.” she said, her own voice soft, letting the whipping wind of the cool north drag her words towards him. “Do I… know you?” she asked, letting a hint of confusion bleed into the words. He spoke to her as though he knew exactly where she was from. ""

"Forgiven." The words made his lips crack into the smallest of smirks. For her forgiveness, he was grateful, and he dipped his head slowly to her, blinking to break their eye contact as he did so. He could see the way she'd tensed up, preparing herself to retaliate against him. He certainly regretted putting her into such a situation at all. Thankfully, she calmed as quickly as he had. In fact, she looked a little sheepish, though he wasn't sure why. Perhaps she'd felt as though she'd been too high on alert, though had she been at risk, her response could have kept her safe. He'd have reacted the same way if someone had snarled at him and looked ready for blood. But there would be no bloodshed here today, and the initial startle faded away from them both. He strained forward as her voice carried on the wind, catching her words as the softness of her voice met his ears. He heard the confusion etched into her voice - he would have to elaborate somehow. He shook his head initially in response to her query, then lifted his gaze to meet her eyes again. "No, but you carry the scent of Abaven," he said simply, his voice always a low rumble, "The scent is rather... familiar to me. So I couldn't help but to wonder what led you to the North." Life was harsh in the North, and in his experience, the wolves here could be fierce. To him, she appeared to be such a gentle woman, but perhaps he should not let his initial perception of her fool him. Suddenly he realized he hadn't introduced himself at all. That should have been the first thing he'd done, rather than snarling at an unsuspecting bystander. "My name is Xephyris, by the way," he continued, pausing to clear his throat for a moment, "I've been all over this continent, but the North has certainly always been my favourite, and for a long time, this cove was my home." He left it at that, quietly omitting any mention of the pack he'd run in this territory, the daughters he'd raised and a love he'd cherished. It was easier to simply leave those memories far in the past, than to acknowledge they'd ever existed. He'd been gone for years, and his past was a distant memory, one that he always kept silent in his mind. Xephyris had only returned because he was sure that this continent of Boreas would be the place that he'd be content to wander until he grew too old to wander anymore. He knew that he might as well allow himself some sort of enjoyment in his last years. "Talk" "You" Think

A smirk brushed against his lips, a faint expression of amusement that told her things were going to be alright. She let herself grin in response. Despite herself, she was a little amused at whatever had transpired between them. She still didn’t understand why his first reaction had been so… aggressive. He dipped his head to her, a gesture of greeting or acceptance she was not certain, but she settled down onto her hunches. The sound of the waves hitting the blackened beach and the scent of salt that rose on the high winds offered a rough tranquility to their moment. The occasional cry of a gull in the distance reminded her of the world moving on around them, and when it was clear she wasn’t going to be moving on any time soon, her little tree swallow took to perching on her broad shoulders. She took the slight shake of his head as negation towards her question. They had not met before, and his words would elaborate on that answer. He would explain that he knew of Abaven, the pack she now ruled. The low rumble of his voice didn’t carry too much emotion, so she wasn’t certain what the pause implied as he drew out his answer, telling her it was familiar to him. “Abaven has changed hands a lot recently, and I don’t know how much news has travelled this far, but I lead that pack now.” She would explain to him, curious what his reaction would be to this. What did he know of Abaven? if he had once been a member there she did not recognise him - and clearly he did not recognise her, as he had explained earlier. Of course, she had been born there so it was possible he had been a member before she had been alive, or after she had left it for some years. “I came to investigate the lands far from home, to shake off my ignorance of the packs and factions that roam here.” which was explanation of her presence here, and truth enough. Her memories did not need to factor into it. “It’s my pleasure, Xephyris, I’m Shaye” his name was interesting, and not like any she had heard before. It confirmed to her that she knew nothing about him, a fact she came to with some regret. This man intrigued her, baffled her, and she would have liked to have some idea of who he was as she entered this conversation. “It looks like an interesting place to call home. I like it here, there is something wild and alluring about this land. It reminds me of another place and another time…” she cleared her throat, embarrassed at her rambling. “Since your familiar with the North, perhaps you can help me in my quest for knowledge?” speech action

Xephyris noticed the woman grin back at him, and it was then that he finally began to take in her features with a reasonable mind. Her coat was an interesting hue - not excessively vibrant like some of the wolves he'd met. Her colour was subtle, and yet it certainly caught the eye. Silver, blue-specked eyes roamed over her for just a moment longer, finally noticing the brilliant blue feather she wore, which accented her coat just right. Then there was a flash of blue once more, and a small bird landed on the woman's shoulder, a companion no doubt. If only he had paused before reacting to her, he'd have noticed these details sooner. Seeing her sit, the man followed suit. They might as well be seated if they were going to talk, and it would have been strange if he just stood there and stared at her. He felt a creak in his hips and stiffness in his back as he lowered his rump to the sand. He grumbled in annoyance at the reminder that he was not as young as he used to be. How dare his body go ahead and age without his permission? Ears flicking in the wind, Xephyris leaned toward the woman slightly as she told him some news about Abaven - nothing specific, just that it had seen different leaders lately - but he was particularly surprised when she said she was the one leading the pack now. "The last leader I remember was Bass," he mentioned, "But I haven't been around to catch any local news for many seasons now." He nodded in acknowledgement when she gave her reason for being here, and it made perfect sense now. She was the leader of the pack, and she had to be in the know. Her knowledge would help to keep her pack safe. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Shaye," he said in return to her when she gave him her name. The ring of her name was pleasant, and he would be sure to commit it to memory. His ears flicked forward as she shared her take on what the North was like to her, and he listened with interest. He had to agree with her, that the North had a wildness to it that was not like other lands, and for him, it was part of what drew him to it. It was such an untamed land. As she suggested that maybe he could help her, his smirk grew slightly. "Certainly!" he exclaimed. Xephyris had always been a wolf that needed to feel of use, and he was eager to be doing something other than standing around trying not to reminisce of times far past. "I'm not familiar with the wolves here, but I can help you to navigate the North," he rumbled, "And if you need an extra pair of jaws to fend off less friendly wolves." Yes, he was old, but he was still more than willing to put up a fight. He wondered what she wanted to find out about the North first. "Talk" "You" Think

He seemed to take her in for the first time. Perhaps her seating, an indication of a prolonged conversation solidified things in his mind. He gone from reacting, to niceties and now he was getting to know her, and really see her. She let herself form a slight smile, whatever the reason, it made him seem a little less mysteries, through no less intriguing. As he sat, he seemed to grimace, reminding her that he had a few more years over her.

He responded to her topic of choice, and commented on the leader he remembered. She gave a sad smile, looking off into the distance as she viewed thoughts rather than surroundings. “He was my Uncle.” she explained. Was? When had she started thinking in past tense. She had already let her heart mourn for her mother and father, and Bass was the same age as Motif. If she was willing to believe her gone perhaps it wasn’t a stretch to assume he was, as well. “After him it passed to a woman known as Vali, through I did not know her. Then, my cousin, Sparrow. When she passed I took over the pack rather than letting it disband.” she would catch him up on the news of leadership, not knowing if any of these names would mean anything to him.

She let her eyes wander back to him, pausing a moment as she collected her thoughts, and simply looked at this wolf. There was a softness to his eyes, she decided, that contrasted beautifully with the strength of his body. If she looked close enough, she thought she could catch hints of blue, like little flecks of stardust shimmering the moonlight silvers of his eyes. He had leaned closer to her, and she was not certain if the move was subconscious or intended, as he listened to what she had to say. It gave her the impression of a captivated audience, and she almost laughed at her thoughts. So far, Xephyris was doing everything right to prove he was a wolf she wanted to know. “And i’m pleased to meet your, Xephyris.” she would return, her voice hinting at the sincerity of the words.

As she asked for his assistance, he was only happy to oblige, offering not only his guidance but his protection as well. She eyed his battle-worn form with appreciation. Yes, he looked like a wolf that could take care of himself - and others. “That’s a very kind offer, and indeed I’ll love to take you up on it.” she paused thoughtfully, wondering where to go from here. “I would like to learn about the pack here, I know one exists through i’ve heard very little news of its existence past that.” [/color] which only made her more intrigued at this pack that clearly kept to itself. “Other then that, I lay of the lands and the wolves here would do me good.”

Xephyris nodded in understanding when she said Bass was her uncle. He supposed that meant that the man had passed away by now. It unnerved him slightly, knowing he wasn't too far off in age. However, he'd always done what he could to keep himself in top shape, and he hoped that his efforts would give him more time to tread the earth. The thoughts were washed away as Shaye continued speaking, and Xephyris listened to determine whether he'd heard of any of the wolves who had run Abaven before her. He had never heard any of those names before. But, it was good to at least know their names, to know how the history of the pack had unfolded since he'd been gone. He wondered what else in the lands of Boreas had changed. Which packs had fallen, and which ones remained? He wondered how many had risen from the ashes, only to be snuffed out before they'd made their mark on the continent. Most curious on his mind, was which pack held the most power now? Perhaps he would discover these things the longer they spoke, or their exploration of the lands could lead to answers. The older brute was pleased when Shaye said she'd be happy to take him up on his offer. It would be an interesting way to pass the time, and it would certainly fulfill his desire to create new memories to help him erase memories of a long ago past. "Excellent, he rumbled in delight, falling quiet once more as she described the plans she had in mind of what information she wanted to collect while she was here. He nodded, taking in her words. She seemed like an intelligent and capable woman, a good fit to be leading her pack. Obviously she had their best interests in mind by subjecting herself to such a long journey and facing dangers unknown. He was interested in getting to know her further, for it seemed there was much more about her to be uncovered. "Well, let's not waste any time," he said, rising to his paws and stretching out his limbs, "I can show you around the cove. Perhaps it could make a good place to rest, as there are many hidden caves." He tossed his head in the direction of the high lava rock pillars, which hid countless small resting places. "Then we can search for traces of the pack you seek, and take note of anything interesting we come across along the way," he said, hoping to get started right away. Shaking out his gray-hued coat, he looked down the beach, then looked back to her. "Shall we?" he inquired, turning slightly and preparing to make his way across the sand and past the northern palm trees. "Talk" "You" Think

Excellent the older wolf would say, falling silent as she spoke about her own interest in the North. She finished explaining about the unknown pack, and her desire to get a lay of the land. Her little tree Swallow pushed off from her back, and took to the air again. She fluttered about in the chilled winds, and Shaye had no doubt that she would be returning to the warmth of the wolf’s coat soon. She shook her head at the little birds antics, and turned her attention back to Xephyris, the light toned wolf had pushed himself to his feet with a stretch, and indicated that they should be off. “Thank you, sounds like a good place to use as a base as we explore the North.” she agreed easily, getting to her paws herself. She had seated herself to converse with him, and felt the wind ruffle through the parts of her that had been covered as she sat. it certainly was cooler here, and winter wasn’t too far off. She didn’t mind it, not truly. Her thick coat did well in the colder temperature, and she was pleased to be out of the heat. “Sounds like a plan. Of course, lead the way. he was clearly eager to being straight away, a no time to lose sort of wolf. She hid a smile and followed after him. He took her across the sand, and she heard the crashing of the sea beside them. The scent of salt tingled on her tongue and she parted her lips as she looked out across the ocean. The moment she realised her pace had slowed, she picked it back up once more and moved after the older wolf. She could already see the caves he had mentioned. She looked at the tall, willowy trees of the North as she passed them. Of course, she was more curious about the wolf before her and his life, through she didn’t ask any further questions now. Hopefully, they would have plenty of chances to get to know one another. "Talk" "You" Think