The earlier interaction with the pup Rudy had been a much needed reprieve from the annoyance that was Judas and Ramiel Archer. They were chaos incarnate, she was sure of it, and it was a wonder she hadn’t killed both of them thus far. She’d grown up with the pair who were a year older than her and viewed them sort of like uncles, but it didn’t mean she didn’t want to wring their necks from time to time. They were such stark contrasts from each other, Ellery the law abiding Knight and the Archer boys despising rules in general. They went where the wind took them which was making this mission take infinitely longer than it could have. She swore they’d stopped to smell each of the flowers if that were possible.

She sighed, deciding to take a walk to clear her mind and manage her temper. She’d ventured down past the willows to the mangrove it met with. It was a swampy place in her opinion, but the sound of the trickling water and the light that seemed to emanate soothingly from surroundings proved a good remedy for her nerves. The woman found herself a nice, mossy, and mostly dry place beneath one of the trees then laid down to enjoy.

"Speech"

The East seemed to be getting more crowded with each passing season. Theory didn’t mind most of their neighbors - after all, Resin’s extension of hospitality at the Hallows was much appreciated. Slowly their corner of the world was becoming smaller and smaller. She’d taken the chance to edge out of the packlands today, skirting the edge of Hallows territory to enjoy the unclaimed beauty of the delta and finally the mangroves. Their network of roots had seemed so intimidating when she was younger. While she was no longer afraid, Theory wasn’t foolish enough to assume they were without danger. Hidden in the murky water were sneaky reptiles waiting for a chance to strike. Sighing contentedly, she pushed forward anyway and kept half an eye on the water for sudden movements. Patrolling was finished for the day and she had some extra time on her paws before she’d have to loop back around for the evening. She rounded a particularly wiry-rooted tree and spotted a stranger ahead. Interest piqued, Theo strode closer and hopped up on a nearby smooth, flat rock before making introductions: ”Hello there. Enjoying the weather?” Autumn was still in its pleasant early stages and the sun filtering through the trees had a touch of summer’s warmth to it.

The gentle roll of the water had very nearly lulled her to sleep when she heard rustling in the foliage nearby. Her eyes snapped open and her head turned in the direction of the sound, ears perked in alertness and nose twitching in an attempt to decipher what was approaching her. She caught the scent of a female wolf, judging by the distinct lack of male musk, and one that belonged to one of the nearby packs.

While Ellery knew she wasn’t in any of the packlands, she didn’t let her guard down just yet. Wolves were territorial by nature and even having a wolf close to their border that didn’t belong was enough to set many on edge. From the direction of the sound she could tell they were headed in her direction, so she waited.

Moments later a dark cloaked woman rounded a tree and leapt up onto a flat rock. She was large, approximately the same size as Ellery, which intrigued her. She’d met very few wolves in her two and a half years of life that were her height. Heck, she could probably count them on one paw. Amazon some of her more sarcastic and playful packmates called her. They were normally rewarded with a good cuff from her massive paw.

Figuring it rude to continue laying in company she moved to a sitting position, her posture relaxed and unthreatening. “Mmm, I prefer it a bit colder to be truthful, but I suppose I can’t complain. How about you? Come out to catch a breath after a patrol?” she replied, subtly making it clear she knew of the nearby boundary and had no ill intentions.

"Speech"