She would pad across the beach quickly as she tried to brace herself from the wind that blew from the sea. It had gotten considerably warmer as she found herself closer to home, still she would rest better once she got back to the side of her husband. His warmth and comfort were all she could think about as her foot steps left prints behind her in the cool sand. She had gone off trying to gather some more herbs for her collection, she was helping Symphony stock up before the coldest months arrived. So far they had been doing well, but the winter was already upon them and it was quite uncertain how much longer they would even be able to gather live plants. She would do her best to harvest as much as she could, but she had been gone a couple of days and she was tired. Home sounded too sweet. "Speech"

Royale loved the tug of the wind as he ran, how it ruffled his fur in an almost familial caress as he raced the Northern gales. He found joy in the fervent burn of his lungs as they labored on for the sake of a directionless chase. Such a deceptively simple delight running was that he always couldn?t fathom why only the designated few were sprinters like him. Though in hindsight, if ever wolf in Alacritis was a runner, sharing in the same feat of agility and swiftness, than he would not be so special. For indeed being a runner, even if their duty was not fitted for combat, was no less essential. But beyond obligation, beyond the desire to be considered useful, there was merely the hushed murmur in his heart begging for this release. The three-toned male bounded in the shallows with vivacity rarely seen in those his age. It was as if he were still a pup the way he gracelessly charged through the water that erupted into miniature geysers at his disturbance. Despite the cold that was quickly setting in Roy could not say he felt the chill. His body no longer perceived the dropping temperatures as he huffed and puffed with each stride, claiming more distance as he rocketed down the coast. There was a chance that he might regret playing in the frigid waters when he did not have adrenaline to boost his natural insulation now sodden and thoroughly soaked, but the running he would never lament. It was while he was bouncing in and out of the waves that something other than brine entered his nostrils, a decidedly difficult feat considering the seas potency. The roving male quickly became aware that his hapless journeying had found him a few leagues away from another wolf ? of which gender he couldn?t discern but he was positive to its species if nothing else. Still, what was he or she doing? They looked neither sad nor happy to be where the gulls crowed nor interested in the hermit crabs scuttling around the sand. Why go anywhere that did not make you smile? Feeling that this was a grievous error on their part, Roy took off like he?d been stung, sprinting toward the retreating form with renewed vigor. It took him only a few minutes ? too long for someone to go without a smile he concluded ? and quickly began to jump around the lady (which made him grin a bit larger). His tail was a blur of tan and russet fur, beaming at her like she would be offering him gifts in mere seconds but all the while he stayed a respectful few feet away from her as not to startle her any more than his sudden appearance might. ?Hi!? he panted out breathily; even he got tired you know, ?Whatchadoin?? Roy questioned, chirping so rapidly that his words blurred together while as he continued bouncing like a caffeinated hare, bobbing in and out of her line of sight. ?Are you lost? Smile! It?s a beautiful day!? He bayed in childlike glee. Speech,

The pale dame would not realize her company until she was surprise by his bounding leaps. The sound of the crashing waves had distracted her from the sound of approaching feet, she would be relieved as she realized that the man held a wide grin across his features. His tail would wag with incredible speed as she realized how harmless the man was. Instinctively she would return the excited grin, though there was an obvious amount more of exhaustion. She was very worn from the days travels, but she would be happy to stop and talk to the excited young man. He would greet her breathlessly, Song would assume he had just sprinted across the whole of the beach! He would bound around her as her lope was obviously slower than his bouncy run, ?Hi! Whatchadoin? Are you lost? Smile! It?s a beautiful day!? With hardly a chance to get a word in she would just giggle and wait for his quick questions to end. "Well, hello!" She would greet just as enthusiastically, he slightly reminded her of the pups she was going home to. "Oh I'm just on my way home, no I'm not lost it's right over there." She would potion down the beach. She couldn't see the mangroves yet, but she knew she was getting close the feint scent of the pack lingered on the buffeting breeze. "I'm tired, so I'll have to apologize for my earlier lack of smile. It is a beautiful day! I'm glad to be able to enjoy it, though I'm certainly distracted by the thoughts of seeing my family." She would explain to him softly, "I'm Song Destruction by the way, who are you?" "Speech"

Her salutation reached him, pleasant sounding and thrilled, despite the ocean?s intermittent roar. The male?s dark features brightened considerably at the white dame?s receptiveness and he skirted around her with the animation more alike a puppy than a brute of three years. ?I see. Well that?s good. Being lost is no fun, I?ve been lost before and lemme tell you I?ve managed to lose fleas faster than I?ve ever managed to figure out where I am.? He joked politely, scarcely taking a breath between the streams of words. The woman, Royale noted to himself, was rather a pretty little thing ? though he supposed little was subjective. He did like her eyes though. One was a shimmering blue while the other was a melted gold color that he quite enjoyed looking at. The speedster chuckled to himself before he piped up again. ?But hey! Home?s a great place to be heading! And you won?t be distracted for long since you?re going to meet them!? There was the barest hint of envy in his tone as he spoke these words. His family was miles and miles across the sea and he was disconnected from the life they lead. His ears perked as she introduced herself and Roy?s bouncing came to an immediate halt ? something his paws didn?t much appreciate as they tripped over one another. The youthful boy was met with a face full of sand courtesy of the beach and his own thoughtlessness. Gosh he needed to stop embarrassing himself in front of ladies; his pride was beginning to suffer. Still his surprise was palpable and his heart clenched uncomfortably for a moment, rendered unnaturally silent as he mulled over what he?d just learned. The woman?s name was Song. His mother?s name was Sang. It shouldn?t have bothered him. He?d long since put the death of the dame behind him. But it did bother him and it wasn?t as far away as he?d like to convince himself. ?O-Oh, you?you?ve got a pretty name. Do you sing?? He asked, a bit more subdued, as he pulled himself to his feet and winced visibly. Apparently there had been a seashell where he?d crashed ? and not in the good way he was used to ? and it had made a slight incision in his foot. It stung but wasn?t larger than the pad of his paw so he wasn?t overly concerned. Still, it was an inconvenient twinge whenever he took a step. Speech,

The resemblance between he and her offspring was visually slim, thought she saw much of the same behavior in them both. He would bound around her own slower pace happily while they conversed. ?I see. Well that?s good. Being lost is no fun, I?ve been lost before and lemme tell you I?ve managed to lose fleas faster than I?ve ever managed to figure out where I am.? She would let out an unashamed giggle at the humorous comment, she had only been so lost once in her life, "The only time I was that lost was right before I joined my pack." She would barely finish before he excitedly continued ?But hey! Home?s a great place to be heading! And you won?t be distracted for long since you?re going to meet them!? She would pick up on the emotion in his voice, who was this wolf? As she finished her introduction he would suddenly halt his feet finding their way into a knot. Song would stop as soon as she took the information in, she hoped the poor boy was alright. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" She would pad around to his side, hoping to help him to his feet. ?O-Oh, you?you?ve got a pretty name. Do you sing?? He would say with a wince, there was something wrong physically and maybe even mentally. Had her name somehow caused him to stumble? The man would take only a few steps and she could see him give a slight limp. "You've done something to your paw! May I see?" She would gently ask for his limb as she managed to answer his question, "And thank you, I'm glad you like it." She'd give him another gentle smile, "I don't really sing to anyone but my children." Song would attempt a better look at his wound as she repeated herself, "What's your name?" "Speech"

It didn?t hurt all that much. Honestly it didn?t, just a little bit of a twinge whenever his paw made contact with the ground. It was very likely that he would forget about it entirely and it would cease to ail him the moment his mind was no longer registering it. However Song?s abject concern flustered him and he couldn?t seem to put it out of his mind farther than a few feet before his attention was forcibly diverted to it again. Royale sighed, ?I?m fine. It?s just a scratch really!? He assured with a lopsided grin. He didn?t want to worry her unnecessarily though he?d be lying if he said he did not enjoy the attention. Her insistence paid off however and the boisterous boy sighed in an exaggeratedly put-upon way but presented her with his forepaw. The cut, as he?d suspected, was tiny and shallow with only the slightest beads of crimson collecting in it. A scratch at best and nothing to be overly concerned about. Roy certainly wasn?t going to stress over it. ?You children must love it.? He murmured tamely. He could only just recall his mother singing to her brood but the tune of her voice was little more than static in the memory. Dwelling on it only stole more of his vibrancy and further distracted him from the present with the moroseness he wasn?t accustomed to showing so he was slightly startled when she asked for his name. He hadn?t introduced himself already? His mother would have scolded him for his acute lack of manners?gosh he really needed to stop thinking about her otherwise he was going to start making comparisons and then start projecting. It?d be messy and unfair to Song but damn it if just thinking her name didn?t conjure up the memories he?d tried to bury beneath each and every smile. ?Uh, it?s Roy..I mean Royale. You can call me Roy though. Most everyone does. Well not everyone cause I don?t actually know that many wolves. But yeah, Roy?s fine. Royale sounds really pompous and that?s not me.? He rambled, nerves getting the better of the blue-eyed speedster. "So~" Dragging out the vowel uncomfortably. "How many kids do you have by the way?" Speech,