Aurielle Adravendi

She’d been utterly thrilled with the success of the Harvest Festival. She’d been able to forget the impending losses she was facing. Now that the Festival had drawn to a close, she returned home to a mother who was dying. A mother she’d never truly gotten back from the Slavers. She’d attended to her duties for the last few weeks since the Festival, but the mixture of her season and the heartache had finally sent her on an adventure of escape. She’d wandered without much direction for a day or two, before coming to the shores of the Mainland. It had been peaceful here, and she’d struck out across the sea, swimming hard, but going carefully. Now, hours later, she sat deep in an island Glade, in a pool of moonlight that filtered through a break in the tropical canopy above. She drew in a deep breath, holding it for several moments before letting it out, tamping down that raging agony that threatened to explode so often when she let her mind wander to her troubles. She wasn’t certain what would happen if she let it out—whether she would scream or weep. Another deep breath, another pause, another shuddering exhalation as her eyes flickered through thoughts beneath closed lids. From an outward perspective, she looked serene, sitting in a pool of moon and starlight, long-haired tail flicked in a shimmery veil over the ground at her paws, mane buffeting on every breeze. Inside, she was battling a tempest that very badly wanted free. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

GOT AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER But the devil always won... An old instructor once said the stomach was the seat of the mind and it was true that Harbringr had a tendency to think with his gut. He moved with his whims when he travelled, rarely having a set destination in mind. The sun had just set and a full autumn moon was rising up over the water, its light reflecting on an island in the distance that seemed to sparkle like silver. It immediately caught the man's attention and he swiftly took to the water to go investigate. Costanza flew gently overhead, a ghost cutting through the night. He was amazed that his wife in her new form could still move as gracefully as she had as a wolf. A splash nearby caught his attention but when he looked over it was just Ari. The macaque swam along next to him giving him a look that suggested he'd be much happier on dry land. When the trio reached the pale sands of the silver island Harbringr shook out his coat and immediately started exploring. He'd been sticking close to Ashen but now that everything seemed to be going well he felt he could safely take a bit of time off to wander. Hari worked his way through the brush, moving careful as he caught the scent of game. He hadn't gotten far when a pale figure caught his attention. He was surprised to see it was a woman. She had an unusual look about her and he wondered if she might be some kind of sorceress or something. "Good evening, I hope I am not disturbing your contemplations."

It's a nice night!

The waves lap quietly at the shorelines and the nocturnal birds chirp happily above. The sky is clear and the moon and stars shine brightly on the wolves below. It's a beautiful night! Nothing seems out of place. It's almost eerily peaceful.

Aurielle Adravendi

Fragments. Shards. Sometimes, it felt like her chest was full of them, and that they were swelling in a cloud of sharp, cutting edges, lacerating her from the inside out. A shudder ran down her spine, and she let a breath hiss through her teeth before a soft tread of paws from behind her straightened a back that had curved under the weight of restrained emotions. There was something vaguely familiar in a recent way about the male’s voice, and she turned after several moments to study him. The markings and the brush of scent on the breeze reminded her of who he was, and she dissembled, masking the inner turmoil and tamping it further down as she turned fully to face him, elegant and graceful as ever, a smile warming onto her features. “Harbingr Klein, correct? No-no, you didn’t.” If anything, he was a wholly welcomed distraction from them. It was easier when she had someone to interact with. Her mind could let go of the painful details and focus on a good conversation. There was a stillness in the air, a gentleness, and briefly her eyes flicked to the ragged circle of sky above her. Had the moon ever been so bright? Her eyes dropped back to Harbingr as she shook her head, chuckling as she added, “And it certainly is a lovely night. I’m not certain I’ve ever seen the sky so clear. How have you been since the Festival?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

GOT AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER But the devil always won... The woman turned to face him and he recognized her as the queen that held the autumn festival. "Yes, that is correct. I didn't expect to find the alphess of Valhalla out here by her lonesome." Then again he supposed even royalty needed the chance to get away some times. Perhaps she'd left someone else in charge. A darker part of his mind half thought about kidnapping her and seeing what would happen but he quickly shoved the thought from his mind. He didn't want to go creating trouble for Ashen. Besides, his wife would have a conniption fit if he did such a thing. Their relationship was already a bit strained and so he didn't wish to create more of an issue. "It is a lovely evening. I've been well, the family has been busy. What about you? Have you been well since the festival?"

Aurielle Adravendi

She smiled as he confirmed her suspicion. To his remark, she shrugged. “I tend to run myself ragged, as my cousin puts it, during Autumn. This is me forcing myself to relax, although the Festival was a lovely distraction.” A blithe lie, easily spoken with no sign of the truth. Wear the mask, don’t let them see the pain. Aurielle’s smile grew, genuine as Harbingr spoke that he had been well. From what she could tell of Ashen’s borders, the population was booming and thriving. A small part of her envied the Empress’s successful pack, but she didn’t give herself overt to that small dark seed. A pause—just the faintest beat answered his own inquiry to her wellbeing. Was she well? Physically, yes. Her heart was sick with impending loss and losses already felt. But she grinned and shook her head, admitting, “I’m well enough. I must say, Empress Deathbelle’s children are beautiful. They look like they’ll be powerful wolves in their time.” A genuine compliment, and a deft deflection from herself as she smiled. There was, perhaps, a faint wistfulness and a softness to her tone as she spoke of the pups. True, she’d not missed their very much ‘mightier than thou’ attitude, but with an Empress for a mother and an Abraxas for a father – and knowing the attitude of the Abraxas wolves as viewing themselves as godlings – she wasn’t surprised. Children would generally do as they were raised to believe, until they were old enough to see the world as it was and make their own trails in the forest of life. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

GOT AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER But the devil always won... Harbringr's eyes lingered on the waves. The moonlight played and shimmered on the surface of the water in such a lovely way. It was so peaceful, so peaceful he could scarcely believe it was real. "It is a well-earned rest. The celebrations of fall will give way to the quiet of winter. I have to admit for all its harshness I do love the stillness of winter. Without it I don't think we would be as appreciative of spring and summer." Hari felt no need to fill the air with words and so he let the silence fall for a moment. It wouldn't last. He wasn't the sort to stay still, he needed to get busy before his mind caught up with him. Spiraling down into the black. Hari nodded at Aurielle's comment about Deathbelle's pups. "They are indeed and I'm sure they will be. Our family will be sure to teach them well. What about you Aurielle, do you have any children of your own?"

Aurielle Adravendi

A smile quirked her lips at Harbingr’s remarks upon winter, nodding agreement as she rejoined, “It’s my favorite season. With my coat color, it’s quite fun to blend in. Especially in a heavy snowstorm.” A glint of mischief flickered in her eyes as she glanced at him. It was no secret among her family or even her pack, that she used snow to her advantage, especially as camouflage, stepping like a wraith out of the veils of snow on a crisp, snowy night or day. She had the trick down to a science. She didn’t break the brief silence that fell before he spoke again, and she smiled. However much that those children might become formidable enemies if Deathbelle decided that her next-door neighbors were prime targets for a raid or siege, for whatever reason, Aurielle still enjoyed the thought of a strong next generation. At Harbingr’s question, she paused, eyes dropping away to the ground, then rising to the sky again as she shrugged. “None yet. The one I choose as my mate must not only hold me as a priority, but the success of our pack and family. I’ve not met one to match those standards. Perhaps it’s easier for those not born or chosen to lead rather than follow.” A second pause then, more softly, she added, “I do look forward to the day my own children come into the world.” Perhaps she could give them a childhood that – though she’d had a start that anyone could envy -she had not been able to enjoy beyond mid-pup-hood. It wasn’t a desire she could put before her pack, however. She wasn’t desperate— not yet. Her time would come. Her eyes turned to Harbingr as she asked frankly, “And yourself?” After all, he had posed such a question first. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

GOT AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER But the devil always won... Harbringr's gaze drifted once more to the horizon and he let it set there as Aurielle continued to speak. He knew something of the pressures of making sure a family line and empire continued but not to the degree that Aurielle or his elder siblings did. The likely hood that Harbringr would need to step up as heir was incredibly unlikely and so he'd relished in a certain amount of freedom when it came to his future. That wasn't to say he didn't want to start a family. He very much did… but Costanza was gone and there would be no one else. He turned to her and softly shook his head. "No. My chance was stolen from me and I will not break my promise." He had sworn himself to Costanza and only Costanza and he had sworn he would not share his body with another woman in the way he had shared it with her. A grin spread across his maw. "But that's such a dreary topic." Harbringr stood and stretched. "Care to go exploring with me?"

Aurielle Adravendi

Harbringr’s response to her own frank query brought a momentary softness to her eyes – not of any affection, but one of sympathy. While he didn’t state it aloud, the meaning was clear enough. “I’m sorry.” Simple condolence, and nothing further was spoken. Dancing so near to the border of loss herself, she wasn’t going to pry into his past—his loss’s nature wasn’t so clear, whether it meant that his mate was barren, dead, or he himself had been castrated – and he didn’t smell sterilized in the slightest, a note she firmly threw into the mental fireplace in her mind, since it was definitely the more primal instinct in her mind that made it – and she didn’t wish to dredge up unhappy memories for the man. Not on such a calm, pristine night like this. At his proposal, the Spirit smiled lightly, readily accepting the offer with an easy nod. “I don’t see why not. I’ve been here before, but I didn’t really delve into exploring this island to much extent.” She flowed to her paws in a shimmer of multicolored white fur, nodding for him to take the lead, brow-point cocking upward. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He smiled gently at her apology but said no more. Often his usual response was to say that it was 'alright' but really it wasn't. A shitty thing happened but it was in the past. He had the rest of his future ahead of him now. He just had to keep reminding himself of that. He was pleased that Aurielle agreed to go exploring with him. A walk always seemed to improve his mood and he enjoyed the company.

She gestured for him to take the lead and off he went at a leisurely pace. The moonlight continued to beam down, bouncing off the pale sand and setting it alight with silvery shimmer. He walked along the beach, paws stirring the sand as the dark waves lapped at the shore. "So, Aurielle. I was wanting to ask you. How long have you been alpha of Valhalla now? If it's not to forward of me. What advice would you have for one seeking to be good leader?" He had been toying with his own ambitions but he was not sure if he had what it would take to be a worthwhile leader.


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Aurielle Adravendi

As Harbringr led the way, ‘Rielle flowed after the Ashen male, tail held loosely behind her, flowing on the light breeze, and her gradated eyes glinted as she surveyed the land around them, mentally noting the various plants that might have good properties she could speak to Paladin about. Was that cinnamon? Her acquaintance’s question brought her head around to settle those eyes on his, and for a moment, they held an age-old tiredness that didn’t mesh with the youthful woman’s features. “It is not for the faint of heart, or weak of will. A great leader makes fair laws and stands firmly by them. He or she wears many masks. And family are not exempt from the laws. However much it might hurt to deal the punishments to those you love.” She paused, thinking, then added, “I have been the leader since I became a yearling. I was supposed to rise to the station at two, but… circumstances dictated otherwise.” Her eyes shifted to the ocean, then further to the mainland, a dark smudge in the brilliant moonlight. Then that faraway gaze turned back to her exploring partner and she posed the question with mild curiosity, “What kind of leader would you wish to be, if I’m assuming correctly and you ask with that kind of future in mind?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

More creatures than they had disturbed the sand. Tracks and ripples in the sand caught Harbringr's attention. This land seemed to be rich in prey. They would likely be smaller animals due to the size of the island. He couldn't imagine anything particularly large living here. Palm trees stretched out nearby as a light breeze began to ruffle through the leaves.

Aurielle answered his question and he pondered on her response. She focused on setting fair laws and holding all to them. The laws that Ashen would follow would be laid out by Deathbelle but he could help enforce them as Daimyo. Aurielle stated that she became a leader as a yearling and that something had happened to necessitate her stepping up so early. Harbringr turned to glance at her but she turned to gaze at the ocean. He could sense the pain in her words but he did not wish to press on her wounds.

"You ask a good question and I'm not sure of the answer. I don't intend to lead my own pack but I do intend to lead warriors. Ultimately, I do not want to let my alphess down. As to the kind of leader I would like to be, I want to be a strong leader. A clever leader… and I suppose, I want to be dependable. Though to be honest I have not been so dependable in my past. How do you go about facing your flaws?"

Aurielle Adravendi

Her head was tipped toward Harbringr as he spoke, nodding slowly. At his query, she drew in a breath and let it out in a sigh. “I do my best to show a strong mask to my people. For them, I set aside my fears, my turmoils, my hurts. My father and cousin are the only wolves who have a true window into just how flawed I am. And of course a father will see his daughter as little else but perfect, although Da would thump me soundly should I ever lose my sense of humility.” A smile tugged fondly at her lips as one shoulder lifted and dropped in a shrug. A pause, then, “I also hunt down bears that come too close to the areas around Valhalla—and I suppose, by extension, Ashen, which helps blow my troubles right out of the river—I’m too busy surviving to think beyond that moment.” Her eyes shifted to scan around the sand, steps pausing as her gaze caught on a seashell tucked in the sand. One paw shifted the thing into fuller view. Abalone, perhaps, and she gave a thoughtful hum as she considered what uses it could serve. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The island was rich in flora that he hadn't seen before. In addition to palm trees, plants with sturdy, blade-like leaves seemed to grow right out of the ground. He also noticed a few bore fruit with a scent that was rather enticing. He had eaten fruit before when it could be found during the great famine. Anything was food. Even dirt was food. He'd eaten grass like a deer, insects, anything. Everything.

Hari willfully focused on Aurielle's words to bring his thoughts out of that dark place. He nodded. "I see, and I understand. I feel like all I've been doing lately is surviving but hopefully that work will pay off in the future."

At that moment Costanza flew down. The barn owl landed gracefully near Harbringr and turned her round face to the pair of wolves. "Hari, love, its time to go if we are to get home at the expected time." Harbringr nodded then turned to Aurielle with a smile. "I'm afraid I have to go but I do appreciate the company. Perhaps we'll meet again at another time."

exit? - thought we could wrap this up since we have a new one -