With winter hitting the lands of Boreas, Haru had been spending a lot of time toward the south and west, hopping territories depending on how things were. Today the honey-brown wolf found himself in a vally somewhere in the western territories, the dry and humid lands giving way to the pocket of green he had found himself in. It was a nice little place, with high valley walls that kept the winds out and a stream running the length of the place. He'd seen quite a few prey animals around and was sure he'd scented another wolf or two, and in all it seemed like a promising place to spend the next couple of days. Maybe he'd even run into one of the other wolves and make a new friend or sharpen his skills. It was always something he was fond of. Despite his life as a loner the green-eyed male was far from antisocial sort, and if given the oppurtunity to hang out with another of his kind he'd usually take it. And today was no different. As he padded along Haru secretly found himself hoping that he'd run into someone else, if only to break the silence for a little while.

Jynn was having a glorious dream. She was resting by the edge of a cerulean stream that wound it's way through a rich valley covered with deep, emerald green grass. A deep blue sky stretched out above her and as the sun began to rise it poured out pale gold light that illuminated a number of gray rocks and seemed to make the whole valley sparkle. Several elk stood upon the rocks. Suddenly a stag spied her and swiftly the does scattered.

Jynn awoke to winter and responded to the sight of frost with a long and deep sigh. Well, at least the full brunt of winter had yet to hit the west. She should be grateful to see frost and not snow. Jynn uncurled her body and stretched, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her back. She headed to the stream to get a drink and as she did she spied an unfamiliar man. "Oh, hello there! Do you live around here?"

The appearence of another was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Appearing at the streams edge a lithe figure appeared, one whose build and features were strangely unique. This was a kind of wolf he'd never seen before, reminding him more of a large fox of some sort. It was a bit surprising, but her friendly greeting was really all he needed to overlook it and offer her a friendly smile and response.

"For now, I suppose. I'm a bit of a drifter, I guess." he admitted, his smile a little sheepish. Haru was always on the move, never putting a time limit on his stay but always aware somewhere in the back of his mind that no place was really 'home' to him. Not yet, at least. One day he'd join a pack and that would all change, but for now he just took it one day at a time. "My name's Haru, by the way. Is this valley your home? Sorry if I ended up close to your densite or something. Still getting used to the place." he added with a chuckle.

Her ears flicked forward as the man explained that he was more of a drifter. He introduced himself as Haru and she smiled politely, shaking her head in response to his question. "Oh no, I don't live here. I'm an explorer just taking stock of the western lands. My name is Jynn. Are you headed anywhere in particular?" As she spoke she padded over to the river that wound its way through the valley. The water was moving at a great enough speed it hadn't frozen which was a boon to life that didn't sleep winters away. Jynn bent her long neck to take a swift drink of the cool water. It quenched her thirst but the down side was that the cold water sent a little chill rippling through the rest of her body.

He was relieved to hear that he wasn't stepping on anyones toes by being here. Conflict wasn't something he ran from given his spirited personality, but he didn't go looking to start shit with other wolves if it was unwarranted- he wasn't a jerk. Quite the opposite, in fact. Most who had actually taken the time to get to know Haru could tell you he was as friendly as they came, with an optimistic look on life and a sense of humor that worked doubletime to try and keep his friends smiling. A spitfire of a sweetheart, really.

"An explorer, huh? That's pretty cool. Sounds fun." he replied. Haru had done his fair share of travelling, and he supposed in a sense that made him a bit of one too, but he couldn't really claim the title when he never really took note of anything around him. He just sort of went with the flow.

Her next set of words brought a grin to his face and he nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, I'm actually headed toward the Ashens territory. I'm hoping to join the pack if they're still taking members." he explained, not shy about admitting to his -hopefully- future allegiance. The Ashen was a pack he'd always admired for their strength and loyalty to one another, and with any luck he'd be one of them by the end of the season. "I just happened upon this valley while passing by and figured it looked like a nice place to rest up for a couple days before moving on. The snow hasn't done as much damage here as it has in other places, so might as well enjoy it while i can, right?"

Jynn nodded. "Yea, I think it's fun. I honestly can't imagine living another way." She'd always be a nomad at heart and even though packs had their advantages it still wasn't enough to make her consider living in one, at least not permanently. Haru explained that he was headed southeast to Ashen, seeking to join its ranks and had just stopped in the valley for a rest. "I see. I've gone around the Ashen territory but I don't know much of the wolves there. This territory is certainly a nice reprieve from the winter conditions in the east." The west bore a few barren lands from what she could tell and she was glad she was exploring them in winter and not the heat of summer. "I'm headed west myself. "I haven't seen many lands here so I figured now would be a good time while the weather is milder."

It was moments like these that Haru thought he would miss most once he joined a pack. There was something satisfyingly thrilling about the unpredictable, especially when it landed him in situations where he got the chance to meet someone new who was just as happy to be thrown into the situation as he was. He could easily see himself and jynn becoming friends had time not been a factor in their unexpected meeting, but like always there was that unspoken acknowledgement that it was only temporary, standing for as long as they chose to remain in each others presence. And then, Jynn would head west to continue her exploration of the world while Haru went to the southeast to follow his own destiny. Still, that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy each others company while it lasted.

"The Ashen have been my pack of choice since i was just a pup. I used to hear stories about their ferocity toward enemies and loyalty toward each other and I always knew that's where i wanted to end up." the honey-brown wolf replied, more than happy to fill her in even if the only information he had were snippets of tales passed down from the mouths of strangers.

"You must see some pretty amazing things out there. Are you hoping to find anything in particular out west?" he asked, wondering if anything specific had drawn her out in the direction aside from just wanting to see it- though in fairness he supposed that just wanting to see it was as good a reason as any to pursue it. After all, a dream was a dream, right?

Jynn listened with interest as Haru described Ashen. She wondered if he was interested in become a warrior or something along those lines. His description of Ashen made her think of a pack of warriors. Jynn was far too laid back for that. She loved to spar but it was a means of fun and recreation to her and she rarely went looking for serious fights. She could and would defend herself if attacked but some days she'd rather just beat a hasty retreat.

""You must see some pretty amazing things out there."

Jynn nodded. "Oh yes, I've seen wonderful things on my travels. From a shore where the water glows bright blue to one of the largest waterfalls in Boreas as well as Auster." She wouldn't trade her travels for anything. There was something about the majesty of the world that would stay with her forever. Jynn shook her head as Haru asked if she was hoping to find anything in particular. "Nope, but that's what makes it fun. I never know what I'm going to find and so often what I do find exceeds even my imagination."

It wasn't so much that Haru wanted to become a warrior as it was he desired a strong pack to be a part of. It was that instinctive, survivalist part of him that urged him to consider a pack not for their moral values but for what they had to offer as a whole. Haru was a simple guy with simple needs, and what he wanted out of a pack was equally so; something strong enough to survive the unpredictability of the world that he could simultaniously put his trust in. And the Ashen checked those boxes. They were strong enough to provide for, defend, and claim whatever they had to, and their ability to trust in and rely on one another would mean he was never left wanting when it came to that sense of comradery he craved.

Jynn went on to explain a bit about her travels, and Haru couldn't help but find himself grinning as she described some of the things she'd seen. The honey-brown wolf could admit that there was a certain allure that came with the thought of journeying out into the unknown, but he knew in his heart he wasn't built for it. He'd grow too lonely too fast to ever pursue the lifetyle long term, though it was definitely something to consider if he was ever able to drag a friend along with him.

"That's amazing. i can't say I've come across anything that impressive in my random wanderings." he admitted. "What would you say your favorite place has been?"

"Well, if you want any directions I'm happy to give them, but wander around in long enough and you'll see all sorts of interesting sights." Many lands she'd wandered into without any idea of their existence and others she'd been tipped off about by other loners or occasionally pack wolves. There was something in the excitement of discovery that continued to drive her to find new places she hadn't been to before.

Haru asked a difficult question. What was her favorite place so far. Jynn sat down to think. "Hmmm… that is a difficult question. It honestly changes every day but at this moment I would say the Lazuli Falls in Auster. It lays along the western coast, south of the Shimmering Shore. It's a really gorgeous waterfall and the land is so rich and lush there. What about you? What would you say is your favorite land so far?" She wasn't sure how many he'd explored but perhaps he was finding some good places so far.