As agreed upon, Aslatiel had waited until spring. With the passing of the season, both she and her children had their freedom from the Armada. They would strike out on their own and would cut their own path. She and the most important wolves in her life would make a new name for themselves. They would be tied to no one and nothing. Free as the wind they all would be. Asla wanted nothing more than for her children to be independent, free thinkers. And this was the way that she would do it.

Despite being free, there was a sadness within the fawn colored fae. A sadness that she refused to let show to her children. It wasn't a sadness of leaving the pack. It was knowing that one of the most crucial parts of her life was gone. Naiche was dead. The golden wolf had shown more love and compassion to her than most wolves that she knew. His presence would be sorely missed, not only by her, but by the children that he left behind. He'd given his life to save their son and Asla would never let the memory of Naiche die. His absence left a hole within her and the Armada would never feel the same.

All through the winter, Aslatiel had hunted, saved, traded, bartered. She'd purchased a small cart, just large enough for herself and Ashur to pull with ease. All of their supplies were heaped inside. Food, furs, various items that the children had collected. All of it was covered with an oiled bison skin that would keep everything dry should they be stuck in a spring shower. Asla didn't look back as she left. She only looked forward. Once the trio was past the border and out into the blue glow of the Soulless Forest, Asla stopped and pulled the children's attention to her. "We're free now. On our own. We answer to no one. We're tied to nothing except each other." The woman's galactic gaze shifted from Arcturus to Satira. "I've chosen to leave the name Fatalis with the Armada. Indarra will now be my surname." Again her gaze moved from one face to the next. "Taking the name is entirely your choice. If you wish to remain a Fatalis, you may do so."

Moving forward, Asla scooped both of her children to her chest, kissing each of their brows. She never imagined that she could love something so much, and here she had two somethings to love. This was going to be an adventure, a challenge, a testament to their bond together. "I love you both so much," she assured them, kissing their faces again before hitching herself to the cart again. The world was new and so were they. It was liberating, exhilarating, overwhelming. "We have to join up with Ocean and Chrystelle, then we can go wherever our paws care to take us. Are you ready?" This was really it. They were finally doing it.
"Aslatiel"

Arcturus followed closely behind his mother and right beside his sister, Pan nestled into the scruffy mane that grew around his neck and peeking over the top of his head with Bream circling and following over head. The armor he had been working on that was built from his father's bear belt armor was tucked away with the rest of the stuff on the cart, but he hadn't really packed much else. When the topic of them leaving to go explore and live on their own came up it was easy for him to agree. As much as he might care about his grandfather or other family members the only two wolves that really mattered were his mother and sister. Anywhere Asla went he would go too. Maybe the choice would have been a little harder if his father was still here, but... that tie was gone. He had a few things to remember his father by, but Naiche himself was gone and now Arc was left pulling himself along with his family.

As they reached the forest that they had visited a few times throughout their childhood, Arcturus stopped as well and lifted his sapphire gaze up to look at their mother as she spoke, sitting back onto his haunches. His legs had been a bit sore as of late as he hit another growth spurt so it felt good to get off of his feet for a moment. He had gotten to be as tall if not taller than his mother as he went into the last season before his first birthday and it was weird to half to almost look down at his mother to speak to her. It was also weird to hear her say that they answered to no one now and that they were on their own. All he had ever known since he was born was being in Armada and the thought of being so free felt like something he might have jumped for joy at even a season or two ago. Now it felt kind of daunting and worrying, thinking about the fact that his mother and sister were out in this dangerous world without the pack borders around them.

He blinked with surprise when she explained how she wasn't going to call herself a Fatalis any more. He knew that their mother didn't get along with the rest of their family and that was one of the reasons why they had left, but he obviously didn't know the full extent of it or why. He wasn't really sure he wanted to know the extent of it, though he was sure he'd find out one way or another one day. Even still, his loyalty was to his parents and to his sibling and without Naiche here he wanted to align himself with his mother as much as possible. "I'll be an Indarra with you," he said after a thoughtful moment of silence. At the end of the day he knew it was just a name, but he felt like it would mean something for them to continue sharing the same last name while they were out on this big adventure of theirs.

He smiled a little as their mother came forward to pull them into an embrace, making him stoop so that his head could lean into her chest and she could kiss the top of his head. "I love you too," he replied and he meant it. He loved both of them so much and that's why he was here. He looked to Tira as their mom let them go and went to get the cart strapped to herself again, giving her a slight smile as well and lightly tapping her shoulder with his paw. She knew better than anyone how much he had been struggling with pretty much everything since his father died and just being with them was helping. He felt Pan's clawed hands curl around his ears like grappling points as the pangolin moved to get a better view. "I'm ready," he replied, looking back up at Asla when she mentioned meeting up with Ocean and Chrystelle and asked if they were ready to go.

"Arcturus Fatalis"

It was still dark when Aslatiel had come to get Satira and her brother to leave their home. Granted, the days were always dark now, with barely any light besides the eerie glow of the moon coming down from the heavens, but still. Dark. Early. Tira hated early. The tiny fawn pup yawned her head off as she followed her mother and brother out past the Armada borders and into the Soulless Forest with a cartful of supplies and belongings. When they'd left, Tira had lingered to glance back at the Armada, wondering what had happened between her mother and the rest of their family to force them to leave like this? They hadn't said goodbye to anyone, just up and left.

Satira was left with more questions than answers in her mind, and the biggest and most pressing one was what would happen between her and her father? Would she not get to see him anymore? Was Asla taking her away from Mojito for good? The little girl felt stuck in a hopeless situation, caught between two warring factions of her family. She didn't understand the fighting or the animosity in the Fatalis family, but she felt it. She didn't understand the rift between her mom and dad, but she felt it. All she knew was that she was adrift in a tumultuous sea and she was following her mother like her North Star.

The trio stopped and Asla began to explain how they were free, and Tira cocked her head. Free? Were they trapped before? She hadn't felt trapped, but would she have really noticed it if she was? Then her mother dropped the biggest bombshell of all—she was abandoning the Fatalis name. Satira gasped in horror. You could just do that?! Give up your family name like that? Tira was so proud of her lineage, but if her mother wasn't, maybe she shouldn't be either? She was still so young and impressionable, she didn't understand the ways of the world. She looked to her mother for guidance all the time and wanted to be just like her. So if Asla didn't want to be a Fatalis anymore, then maybe she shouldn't be either.

"I wanna be like you, Mama," Satira said resolutely. "I'll be an Indarra too. But... I'd also like to have Daddy's name too. I wanna be like him too, Mama. Can I do that?" She looked up to Asla with curious and hopeful pale blue eyes. Was it possible to combine two names? The child didn't know, but surely her mother would. Her mom was so smart and clever. When Asla scooped them up and kissed their heads, Tira giggled and tried to squirm for freedom, shaking out her silky fur that was already starting to show traits of her canine heritage. "I love you too, Mama," she said, trotting alongside her mother while she pulled the card.

Asla mentioned meeting up with her two adult friends that she snuck out to see a bunch. Tira still didn't know what they were all sneaking off to do all the time, but she was determined to figure it out. She didn't like being left out on secrets. She also didn't know how she felt about the two wolves her mother ran around with, but if they were going to be traveling together, at least she'd get the chance to maybe become friends with them too.

"Satira"

Chrystelle looked up from the tonic she was working on when she heard the sound of the cart rolling toward her, amber eyes landing on Aslatiel's familiar form and her not quite as familiar children. The pair had been here a couple times before so she certainly recognized them, but she wasn't as familiar with the young wolves as she was Aslatiel. Of course, she wasn't as familiar with pretty much anyone as she was with Ocean and Asla. "Ocean! Asla, Arcturus, and Satira are here!" she called back to him, turning her head over her shoulder to call back toward their den. She knew that this had been Asla's plan to eventually move away from the pack she lived in and. that her children would be joining her, but she hadn't known exactly when that was happening. It appeared that today was the day and it was a pleasant surprise.

She stepped away from the fire she was working at, going to meet their friend and lover half way, giving them all a smile. "Hello again," she said with a gentle wag of her tail. "Do you need any help with the cart?" she offered, glancing at the cart of supplies behind the tan and gray woman. If she didn't take it she was certain Ocean would insist even though they weren't all that far from the camp. She looked at the two children on either side of her, giving them brighter smiles. "It's good to see you two again." Since there had been such gaps in-between when she saw the pair it was always interesting to see how much they had grown. It made them feel like they were growing like weeds, sprouting several inches each time. That was especially true for Arcturus who was nearly taller than Asla already.

Chrystelle

Ocean’s life had been quiet over the last season, there was no repercussion from leaving Incendium, as they suspected no one cared they were gone. No one had ever cared about them in that pack. Though he wondered how their other siblings were faring now. Their family was split and broken when their father died when they were young. Nothing had ever been the same since then.

He found his place next to his sister though, and the two of them felt closer than they ever had before. They had far more in common than he had ever realized, especially their love for Aslatiel and in turn the children she had. He was napping and Chrys was working on mixing herbs when she woke him. The sound of her voice, the revelation she brought, seemed to lift his heart with only the thought.

The young man was quick to wake and lifted himself from the den to greet the wolves that they had been waiting all winter to welcome home. Oce didn’t have much of an opinion on the pack Aslatiel was coming from, but he wished for her happiness and if that included traveling the world with he and Chrystelle there would be no complaint. He wanted to see Aslatiel happy, in any way he could.

Chrys was already greeting Asla and her puppies when Oce approached, a lopsided grin playing over his features. The sadness that had held over his head like a dark cloud was gone now. The obstacles in front of them were gone, the rest of their lives were ahead of them. He followed after his sister, greeting the little family with smiles and wagging tails. Oce always felt a thrill in his chest when he saw the galactic eyed woman.

”Welcome home.” He told them, not able to resist approaching Aslatiel and offering her cheek a sweet nuzzle of greeting.

To Asla, pulling her children out of a pack and showing them what it was to be independent was the best thing that she could do for them. They weren't large wolves. If they could fend for themselves, then nothing would ever be able to stop them. Perhaps they would be afraid of the big, wide world at first, but she would protect them to her last breath and then some. And they wouldn't be alone. Ocean and Chrystelle would be with them. They would meet other wolves along the way. Asla was positive that this would be a good experience.

Arc agreed to take the name Indarra and Asla nodded at the boy. Tira agreed, but asked if she could take her father's name as well, making herself an Indarra-Klein. The fawn colored fae kissed her daughters head once more. "Of course. Or you could just be a Klein, or a Fatalis, or all three mashed together." One paw gently stroked a bit of soft, wild fur away from the girl's face. "I just want you both to be happy and not feel any pressure about this. Leaving everything was my choice, but you both have choices as well." Taking her father's last name would no doubt make Mojito happy, however.

Pulling the cart towards the den under the tree, Chrystelle came running up to them. Seeing the grey and black fae brought a smile to Asla's face and a bit of heat to her cheeks as she remembered their times together. Being in the presence of the siblings daily was going to be... interesting. Aslatiel was a sensual being and Chrys and Ocean really brought that to the forefront in her. It would be a delicate balance to give them attention while still being a mother and caring for her growing children.

Chrys offered to help with the cart and Asla shook her head. "No need. Not yet, anyway." Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss upon the side of Chrys's muzzle, heat in her plum colored gaze. Ocean arrived a moment later and came straight to her, nuzzling into her cheek. Asla gave him the same treatment, placing a kiss on the side of his muzzle. "Thank you both for doing this with us," she whispered.

Sliding from the harness, Ashur did the same. The leopard rolled his muscular shoulders and moved towards the fire where he promptly plopped himself. Asla looked towards her pups. "We'll stay here for the night, then start off tomorrow." The woman gave her head a tilt, one brow raising, pulling the skin on the scarred side of her face. "Where do you want to go? What do you want to see?" This adventure was for all of them.

"Aslatiel"