Boredom. It gnawed away at Kaija like some kind of parasite, digging in deeper and deeper until agitation just turned into... nothing. There was little that interested her these days, and little that could even hold her attention for long anyway. The monotony of every day existence just wasn't enough lately, but what else was there? Eat, sleep, repeat.

Kaija always sort of had her head in the clouds, not that she was an optimist persay but lately she felt herself growing more pessimistic, even a bit darker. She felt like she didn't have much of anything, and even herself - which had always been enough before - no longer felt like quite enough.

It wasn't surprising, amidst all these tumultuous emotions, that she came to Mount Volkan. It wasn't like she had any particular attachment to this place but she'd always been drawn to massive landforms like this. She felt minuscule as she stood at the base of the volcano and looked up at its peak, surveying it for a long moment before beginning her ascent.

Nirvana’s days in Elysium were normally slept away, resting to avoid the sunlight that was so harsh on her eyes… especially during the summer days. But now that autumn was here, and was starting to shift closer in the direction of winter, the pale furred woman would slip out of the lands of her family in search of adventure. She loved her kin, but even still she slept away from the rest of them and chose to spend much of her time watching over and assisting them from the shadows. It felt like they lived in different worlds almost, but Nirvana knew her kin cared for her presence. She wanted to do more for Avacyn too, to help support her, but at present she wasn’t sure what that could be. Did Elysium need anything as far as resources went?

That question hung in Nirvana’s mind as she left Elysium. She wore her cape, dagger strapped to her leg, and as she crossed through the territories a pair of eyes in the sky aided her. Ridge was mindful, always keeping an eye out for her mistress. Bright red gaze would flick across the horizon as she made her way to the base of a land she’d seen before, but had previously avoided due to what looked to be harsher terrain: A mountain. Claws would click against hard, dark stone as she found a path to go along. She’d glance up, seeing how the rock towered high into the sky. She wasn’t sure she’d want to reach the top…

But the shifting of stone tumbling down the mountainside caught her attention. Shifting her gaze ever so slightly she caught the sight of another femme on a section a bit further up. Deciding the ledge wasn’t too steep a climb Nirvana would make her way up and turn her attention toward the stranger with curious eyes. She was pretty… thankfully the smoke from the mountain helped dull the rays of the sun so she could look at her without squinting. “I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone else to brave this terrain. You wouldn’t happen to be familiar with this mountain and its paths, would you?” A bit rude to just show up and address the other without introducing herself but Nirvana preferred to get straight to the point. It wasn’t like her tone was unfriendly, so hopefully the other woman wouldn’t be offended. That would be drag.

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Explore a new land (Mount Volkan) - 1/3

"Nirvana Mendacium"

Truthfully, Kaija wasn't sure if she wanted to reach the top either. At the very least she wanted to get decently high, far enough up the mountain where the terrain was more harsh and unforgiving, where she could focus on her journey and nothing else. Something all-consuming. That was what climbs like this could often feel like as you neared the end of them.

Apparently she wasn't the only one with such a thing in mind, though. She heard someone approaching far before they spoke, obvious by  the sound of the mountainside shifting somewhere below and behind. The stranger wasn't far off, and before long she'd caught up to her, shooting her a question right away. Kaija wasn't a huge fan of pleasantries anyway, so she didn't mind that she jumped right into a conversation. Swiveling around, she narrowed her eyes as she studied her from afar.

And god damn was this stranger bright. Her crisp white coat was basically a stark contrast to Kaija, whose coat was pretty dark and muted all over, but in a pretty sort of way - though she was a lot younger than her, at least that was her first impression. She was all dressed up too, with a cape and a weapon strapped to her leg.

"Honestly? Not really. Been pretty far north for a while now so I'm used to mountains and stuff, but this place isn't really… like those mountains." This place wasn't exactly teeming with life, not that the mountains in the north she was familiar with were either. But this place had a foreboding sort of aura, and an underlying smell of… burning? Something like that. She swore as she climbed a bit higher up, not that she was very far up yet, that the dirt and stones were mixed with a little ash, like something had been on fire here once. Maybe she was wrong though. "Name's Kaija, by the way. You planning on going pretty far up?" If she was, maybe she'd have someone to chat with for awhile. Adventuring was often more fun with a companion. If not, oh well, it wouldn't bother her either.

The answer the other woman gave her was interesting, but not necessarily disappointing. What fun was traversing an area if you knew every nook and cranny? Sure you might want some basic knowledge so you didn’t lose your footing and fall down the mountainside but Nirvana was more interested in the journey itself anyway. But being with someone who knew at least something about mountainous terrain might be good. Nirvana was far from familiar with any mountain, but that was why she was here in the first place. Her red gaze would flick up the mountainside, drawing in another breath. The smell of ash, the notice of some very short foliage growing among dirt and stone. Ash was present there too, all across the mountainside. Like a light, loose blanket. Fires often left such layers of ash, but it seemed strange to see that here. Mountains didn’t typically have a lot of flammable materials after all. At least to her knowledge.

“Nirvana.” She introduced herself with a small nod. “Probably. I’m not entirely sure how far up I plan to go yet, but I figure it could be worth a trip. You never really know what you might discover by checking new terrain." She would start to move forward toward the path Kaija had been walking, her gaze shifting back to the other woman for a moment. “You mentioned other mountains though. Are you referring to the Northern ranges of Boreas, or somewhere else altogether?” She was curious. She had come to this land as a stranger, still learning of the pack and people that lived here. It could be harder when sunlight hindered her progress… but she was managing.

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Explore a new land (Mount Volkan) - 2/3

"Nirvana Mendacium"

Some places Kaija was intimately familiar with, others she had yet to explore, though she'd been all over Boreas and back. There was always somewhere new to explore, even in the places she was familiar with, and that was a fact that kept her going day after day - even when little else did. Especially places like this that seemed to defy what she expected of the land, whose secrets she had no doubt she'd never fully unravel. Her gaze briefly drifted from Nirvana to the landscape beyond, all rubble and ash and sparse vegetation, though the female before her was proving temporarily more interesting than her surroundings.

"That's pretty much what I'm thinking," she agreed easily, her words accompanied by a nod. Without much hesitation she moved to walk alongside her, giving her enough distance as was polite, not for the other woman's sake but for hers. Nirvana was a stranger, after all. Who knew what kind of wolf she was. "Yeah, those mountains. North of here is where I've spent most of my time these last couple years." Kaija fell silent as the tusked woman continued on, clambering up and over a section of somewhat hazardous rubble. The way it gave beneath her paws was a reminder of the fact that the danger of the terrain would only continue as she went up in altitude.

"Not a damn clue where I'll head now, though." And what of this woman, she wondered? She smelled distinctly of a pack, one Kaija wasn't familiar with, but she knew very little about any of that. "You're not familiar with this mountain, but you from around here? Or just passing through these parts?" Maybe she was a little nosy but it wasn't for any nefarious reasons, just her own ever-present curiosity of the wolves she came across.

Kaija seemed to share her thoughts, agreeing with her statement of climbing just to see what they could find. She would walk along at a leisurely pace, matching the pace of the femme she walked near. They were strangers, and there was a respectful amount of distance between them. Nirvana didn’t mind that fact. She acknowledged trust was something gained, not just given. As they picked their way along she let her gaze turn back to the dark stone. Besides the ash, she noticed further up there were short plants growing among the rocks. Had to be some hardy sort of plants to grow with little soil. Could certain plants grow in a rock garden of sorts? Nirvana arched a brow at them, but an ear was still swiveling toward Kaija as the loner spoke.

So she was a Northern wolf. At least she was, having spent much of her time there over the past couple years. Almost stumbling over some rubble brought Nirvana’s focus swiftly back down to the path they were walking on. “I’ve seen them from a distance, but never traveled far enough to explore them. I had a direction to follow… though part of me wonders if I shouldn’t have taken a bit more time to check them out.” The other femme hadn’t had a clue where to head next though. Nirvana frowned. Well, the woman wasn’t in a pack, and maybe she wasn’t interested in them. Her red gaze would flick to Kaija as the tusked femme asked about her.

“I've passed this mountain, but this is the first time I've made the effort to travel up it. I’m a member of Elysium, a pack that has settled further here in the East. My kin are there.” A sigh leaves the pale woman’s lips. “But… sometimes I get the itch to wander and see the world. I might have come here with the intention to see if there were any resources worth notating, but the real reason is I needed to get away for a while. I love my family, but many of them have their soulmates, paths of their own. I’m still figuring out exactly what I want to do. I’m loyal to my kin, but I’d also like to be selfish and satisfy some of my own needs as well, you know?” A playful smirk crosses her features.

“Can’t do everything in a pack after all.”

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Explore a new land (Mount Volkan) - 3/3

"Speech" 'Thought.'

There was something undeniably freeing about exploring somewhere to your heart's content, especially places like this. This mountainside was mostly desolate, clearly not a place for soft, squishy wolves. One wrong move up here and.... Kaija's thoughts trailed off briefly as she glanced back behind her, noting the steep sections of terrain they were beginning to traverse and just how dangerous a misstep could be.

Kaija grunted in acknowledgment as Nirvana spoke, nodding along with her. "Always loved the mountains. Couldn't tell you why - just feels like home," she admitted. Not many places really felt like that to her lately, which was a shame considering once she'd felt at home everyone. Oh well. Things changed and so had she, apparently. That deep, restless feeling only felt like it was being exacerbated lately though and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with that.

Nirvana explained a little more about herself. She was part of a pack called Elysium, and it sounded like most of her family were there. Kaija hadn't heard of it but that wasn't surprising. "I get that," she commented, pausing to catch her breath after loping up over a section of rubble that inclined sharply. The rocks spilled out behind her, echoing as they bounced down the side of the volcano, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I think about my siblings a lot, but our paths have gone different ways too." Why was she telling a stranger this? Maybe because she was lonely. And the fact that Nirvana was pretty certainly didn't hurt. God, she was a sucker for a tall, pretty woman - she couldn't deny that. "Satisfying your own needs is more important than going along with your family. At least that's what I think." And that was what she and her siblings had been taught from a young age. It wasn't like she didn't love them - hell, she'd move mountains for them in an instant - but she wouldn't shape her whole world around them. That didn't do anyone any good.

As Kaija told her that the mountains felt like home, Nirvana’s thoughts shifted towards Elysium. The Rock Garden had that feeling for her. She was near family but also separated enough that she felt like she could breathe. Live her life. What she sought now was a balance between being loyal to her family and being able to do so. Had she come back to Elysium too soon? No, Nirvana thought. She did not regret coming to see her aunt, nor did she regret staying when her cousin rose to the position of Matriarch. She was happy and yet unhappy. It was a strange feeling, one that she couldn’t place. Maybe it was because so many of her kin had found their soulmates? Was her heart crying out to wander to find her own?

For a moment, her focus was on the terrain. It got a bit steeper, and the albino woman would shift her weight to accommodate for the climb. Stones would shift beneath her pads, and Nirvana gritted her teeth before rushing up the rest of the incline. The angle had been far too strange to deal with for her liking. Her ears flicked back as she glanced over her shoulder at how far she and Kaija had come. At least the trip down would be more leisurely. Her red gaze would then shift back to her companion, ears perking towards Kaija as she spoke of her siblings. Siblings… What a strange thing. Nirvana had grown up as an only child, but she could imagine the bonds one might have with them.

“I was raised in the care of my aunt, the only one in my litter who lived to see more than their birth.” Nirvana spoke, her voice showing a bit of sympathy. “I’m not sure what growing up with siblings would be like, but those feelings you have, I’m sure they are similar to those that lead me to my family’s pack. My aunt was the leader at the time.” Her gaze flicked back to the mountain. “I’ve considered trying to find a balance where I can satisfy those needs but still be close to them if that makes any sense. To be able to return, but also able to see the world as I please. I’m sure they would support those desires.” Nirvana let out a soft sigh.

“I believe I allowed myself to let those wants blur in favor of being close to my kin, but, hearing someone else share those thoughts, I see it wasn’t so strange to have the feelings of longing to travel once more.” The subject had turned heavier than Nirvana expected. She allowed herself to chuckle and shake her head. “But enough of that sort of talk! What way are you thinking of heading after this? Got any lands you’d recommend me seeing with my own eyes?”

"Speech" 'Thought.'

Sitting around and talking about her feelings never did her any good. She tended to not dwell on thing and feel sorry for herself for that reason along. Sure, she missed her siblings, but being bummed about it didn't do any good. Briefly her mind drifted to Ophie, as it did so often these days, but she always decided that dwelling on her did no good either. "I'm sure," she agreed, sounding genuine as she nodded along to Nirvana comparing their lives in that way. Family was family, no matter how you framed it, and she did understand the pull of those bonds even if she didn't agree with sacrificing everything for them.

It seemed Nirvana had dreams of her own beyond staying and supporting her family. Unsurprisingly, Kaija would only encourage that. "I say you do it. Your family should be happy for you if you're happy, yeah?" And if not? Fuck 'em. Kaija knew not everyone had that kind of flippant attitude though and she knew expressing it wouldn't change Nirvana's mind on the matter, no matter how she felt about it, so she didn't bother.

Still she spoke on those thoughts, coming a little closer now to how Kaija felt. "Ain't strange at all. Exploring is my thing. Life just wouldn't be the same without that freedom, not to me," she added with a shrug. Her question perked Kaija right up though, breathing harder now as they climbed even higher. The terrain here was uneven and admittedly dangerous, and every so often she had to pause to assess her path before continuing on. "Probably further south, I think. I need a change of scenery."

What exactly she needed, Kaija wasn't sure, but she was going to find out. She hummed thoughtfully at Nirvana's question - as much of a hum as she could muster, as hard as she was breathing - and considered it. "One of the coolest places I've ever seen is way, way west of here. No fucking clue how I'd point out the location, but," she started, giving a snort. How could one really explain how to get to a non-descript cave? It wasn't like pointing out an island, on a mountain range, that was for sure. "Looked like a regular cave from the outside, but inside it was packed full of these weird, glowing mushrooms. They were everywhere. Looked like something out of a dream," she admitted with a chuckle.

"I'm partial to the north though, as far as sight-seeing goes. Real far north there's this castle covered in ice - like, completely iced-over. I love that part of the north, where it's all ice as far as you can see." See, Kaija could be all poetic and thoughtful and shit sometimes. Maybe just not often. But it was true, she loved the frigid cold north with all her heart, and how could she not when the northern blood of the Jarvela ran through her veins?

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The woman beside her only encouraged her musings, to get out and see the world. She gave a small nod, a smile on her lips as Kaija mentioned that her family should be happy for her if she was happy. “I think they would be.” Especially if she managed to find her soulmate when she did so. In fact, she was likely worrying too much over it. It wouldn’t be the first time members of her family set out on their own. There had to be a way for her to satisfy both her wants, to both be selfish and feel like she was able to stand by her kin. As she walked, claws clicking upon the stone path, her red eyes took in the landscape that they still needed to climb.

“A change of scenery can do the body good from time to time. There is a nice nook, not claimed by any packs nearby. If you happen to pass it, it might be worth checking out. Especially in warmer seasons when the leaves are there, I bet.. She suggested. It was probably really pretty, rather than visiting in winter when the trees were bare. She took a moment to focus on her breathing - climbing this far up was not without effort. But it gave her the chance to listen to Kaija again, brow arching curiously as she mentioned a cave in the west, seemingly normal, until you went inside. A cave full of glowing mushrooms.

“It sounds like it is out of a dream.” Nirvana chuckled. “But I don’t doubt it is real. The world we live in is full of so many wonders…” On both the living beings and environments they dwelled in. At the mention of the North, Nirvana gave a thoughtful hum of her own. “I’d imagine it is a unique sight, seeing everything covered in ice like that. Ice alone has such an interesting appearance on things, especially as light just begins to hit it.” She wasn’t afraid of the cold, though it wasn’t her favorite. But hey, it made having a fire all the nicer, didn’t it?

“There are some islands, out to the south west. A big contrast to the North.” Nirvana told the other woman. “And I hear there is a beach with black sand out that way too, near a land that could be considered a healer’s heaven.” Places she had heard in passing, places that she also wanted to visit. “I’m not entirely sure which way I’d even want to go at this point. There is so much of the world to see.” Nirvana chuckled softly. “Guess it wouldn’t hurt to just pick a direction and go, huh?” And maybe start by heading west, to attempt to locate that cave Kaija had mentioned.

"Speech," 'Thought.'