Aurielle Adravendi

Aurielle gazed up at the three primates as they worked, her head tilted with interest as she watched their nimble hands chiseling and chipping away with carefully made tools. This was the fourth set of shelved hooks they’d worked into the wall of the main chamber above the alcoves, and one set above the entrance to the hallways that led deeper into the hillside. She glanced aside at Paladin, querying with a cock of a brow, but the healer merely chuckled, winking as he padded away down the hallway in question, likely to work on more salves, stocking up in preparations for winter. The coldest season would be there before Valhalla knew it, and so he was busy with preparations of the healing variety. But what were his companions and Ayodele doing? Finally, curiosity overflowed and she asked, “What exactly is this about?” Finally, Ayodele grinned down at her from the top of the sapling and stick ladder the three primates had made for things like this. “We’re making it so that hides can be hung in front of the alcoves, for better insulation. If you keep running into as many bears as you do on a regular basis, we’ll all be sleeping warm this winter.” The Spirit paused, considering the words, before she nodded. It was a good idea. Her father and Baine were aging, and Baine was ill to boot. Some extra insulation was an excellent idea. “Perhaps stones could be heated in the fire as well, for extra heat. I think we’ve done that before…” Pawsteps caught her attention as someone entered the opening in the Ravine outside and mounted the three steps. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Red entered the cave system in wrapped in a distracted thoughtfulness, and hardly noticed the noise the three primate companions were making. He did, however, notice Aurielle there and was quick to stop. Aurielle was, after all, the reason he was there. Though he was getting comfortable with the pack, and his packmates, his purpose there wasn't to socialize with his packmates, but to track down his alpha. He stopped there beside her, his attention focused and a faint furrow in his brow as he studied her intently, and - for a long moment - silently, before he blurted out with no preamble, "Come to Auster with me." But he took a deep breath, gave his heavy head a sharp shake and berated himself immediately, making himself start over. "You spend so much time taking care of the pack. You deserve a trip just for fun. Lady Aurielle, I'd be pleased if you'd consent to join me on a trip to see that castle you were telling me of."

Aurielle Adravendi

As the figure that stepped into the chamber proved to be Red, Aurielle smiled warmly, tail waving gently in greeting, before she paused and took a closer look at the man, head tilting as she noted his distractedness. Normally he would have probably been just as curious about the work the primates were undertaking, probably thrown in some ideas to boot. When he did spot her, he focused with a peculiar intensity, and an even more uncharacteristic frown before he popped out with a rather abrupt request. She blinked as he regathered himself and put more clarity into the request. Bemused, she smiled at him with a chuckle as the tak-tik-tik-tak paused from above and three sets of monkey and lemur eyes studied the scene, then went back to work as the Spirit cocked her head with a grin. “I’ll gather my things. Justice should be able to handle most things, and Da can step in if any heavy diplomacy is needed.” She smiled lightly as she slipped into her alcove with a flick of her long-haired tail that sent it brushing over his shoulder in casual friendliness, gathering a few empty saddle bags, tossing them lightly over her back. One had extra strapping that travois poles could be tied into. Into some of the pouches she tucked strips of dried meat, several packets of herbs, in case of something happening – and trust fate, something would – out there. She took a last look around before grabbing something else and tucking it into one of the pouches. After another glance she stretched and padded back into the chamber, wondering how it would look by the time she returned, and at a thought, she slipped down the hall to the fire chamber, picking up one of the coals at the edge of the fire with the edge of a cow-horn before gently stuffing tinder and moss into the horn. The coal would smolder but not catch once the horn was capped, and would hopefully survive the whole journey south. Crossing the hallway into one of the back chambers, she selected a finished, rolled sheepskin. Ayodele had paused in her help with the future rod hooks and helped tie the rolled skin over Aurielle's back to the saddlebags. Finally, the Spirit felt that she had a good pack put together and returned to the main chamber with an easy stride as the lemur returned to chiseling. She grinned at Red, head cocking toward the mouth of the cave. “Ready?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Red wasn't expecting her to acquiesce so quickly or easily to his invitation, so he was left blinking when she disappeared further into the cave system. He hadn't come prepared to leave at that very moment and didn'twant to be rude and simply disappear to his den while she was gone, and so felt a little self-conscious as he waited there, trying to stay out if the way of whatever the primate companions were working on. By the time she came back though he was laying quietly watching them, his ears pricked in interest at their carving of the rock. At the sound of her pawsteps he turned his attention away from the masonry work to smile at her and stand. "I'm afraid I didn't come prepared for the journey. I wasn't expecting you to be all right with leaving immediately. If you don't mind, I can grab my pack on the way out. I only need a few things." Well, mostly one thing, but any ither items would be undeniably useful if it came to it. He gave her a bow, gesturing that she could proceed him out if she desired.

Aurielle Adravendi

She gave a light chuckle as he admitted he hadn’t expected to be leaving so soon. At his words, she nodded, saying easily as she trotted out ahead of him down the steps and down the ravine, “I don’t mind at all.” She led the way, pausing as she met her father at the mouth of the ravine. It was a perfect opportunity to relay her plans, and after a glance at Red laced with an amused raised brow-point and crooked grin, her father nodded and padded down the ravine as Aurielle continued onward. She angled toward the area that held Red’s scent most, pausing a ways off to wait and let him gather his preferred belongings for the trip, a smile on her features as her eyes shifted toward the southeast. It had been a while since she’d gone to the Bifrost, and she looked forward to seeing what might be found this time. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

They happened to run into Regulus at the entrance to the ravine, and Aurielle took the opportunity to explain to her father where they were going. Regulus gave him an odd look, and Red returned the smile with a faintly nervous one of his own. Could he read minds? No, no of course not, that was silly. As they left Regulus behind, he moved hurriedly towards his den and slipped in. He was glad Aurielle remained outside, and not just because it would have been very crowded, as he threw together a pack and carefully tucked the rabbit-skin-wrapped bundle into it beneath his other more mundane traveling items, and then dragged the pack out of the den before slinging it over his back. He gave Aurielle a genuine smile. "Lead on, my lady," he said quietly, ready to follow her lead.

Aurielle Adravendi

Aurielle was not known for impatience… at least, not with her people. The season often brought a ferocious restlessness and need to keep moving and working, working, working. Standing still in Autumn was akin to boiling a teapot and it hit the annoying whistle very quickly. However, she sat calmly, watching the birds that flew southward. Turkeys would be staying in the area, not being too averse to the weather winter brought… Maybe there would be uses for their feathers, come to think of it. She was oblivious to any hidden objects Red tucked away, her attention scanning the plains, mind jumping to all the projects she wanted to do over the following years. However, her eyes returned to the tall male as he turned to her, answering his smile with a good-natured grin and nodding before obliging and leading him off at a brisk trot, on to an adventure. -Exit to Bifrost- Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think