Like Duolingo but it's a wolf instead of an owl

With the bonfire lit and the festivities well underway, Ember separated herself from her family's side so her mother and father could play the roles as hosts and mingle with the guests. It also seemed like some sort of scuffle had almost started, and while Ember wouldn't shy away from the chance to partake in a brawl, she didn't want to stoke those flames on her own home turf. While her father took care of the drama, the Carpathian princess began to peruse the party, seeking out one wolf in particular. She'd heard from other wolves in Hemlock that aside from Víðarr who was otherwise disposed, Erik's half-brother Steig was the family's lead authority on their native tongue. That little tidbit of information became invaluable to the princess, especially for the plans she had.

Searching for the boy of earthen brown hues she'd seen occasionally around Hemlock, Ember found him after some moments of seeking, her expression brightening with triumph. She approached the surprisingly large boy who had clearly benefitted from both his parents' genes, all smiles and sweetness as she prepared to ask him for a favor. "Hiya Steig! Enjoying the festival?" she asked, getting the pleasantries out of the way first. This was still a party after all. "Did you have a moment to chat? I wanted to ask a favor of you."

Ember led the way over to a quieter side of the bonfire—more importantly, the side away from earshot of Erik. Once they were out of sight, Em sat down in the glow of the fire and smiled up at the lad. "So I hear you're pretty smart when it comes to your family's language, right?" She would wait for him to give some show of confirmation before explaining her need for him. "I was hoping you might be able to teach me your family's tongue while I'm staying in Hemlock? I'd really like to learn how to talk to Víðarr and Erik like you do." Maybe it was tipping her hand a little bit how much she was crushing on Erik, given how she really wanted to learn to be able to say sweet things to him in his native tongue, but hey, it wasn't like nobody would guess why she wanted to learn the viking language. "I can teach you things in return. Anything you want! Fighting techniques, weapons skills, navigation, hunting, fishing, swimming—whatever you want!"

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"