Her tears had dried. Her soul had quieted. @Shrike had returned to her, and she had kept herself as tightly wrapped in to his embrace as she could get, stealing that moment that did not just offer her relief, but also a reason to continue.

She was grateful to him – but it did not change the recent pain of the past, nor did it help sorrow that seemed to grace their shoulders at every turn. Allure remained gentle and diminutive in the presence of her beloved, but there was a certain hardness that glinted in her eyes now every time she scanned the wilderness before them.

She had desired to put space between them and the Caldera, as well as Blackfeather Woods, and whatever remains had been left there. She led Shrike to Swiftcurrent Creek, insisting for now they could rest there. Her parents had met and fell in love here – they had insisted it to be cursed, but it couldn’t be more cursed than what seemed to befall every Frostfur.

Shrike was not at her side at the moment, though it was unlikely he was far. Rigid, the black and white she-wolf stood upon the edge of the rushing waters, her bright eyes fierce upon the shifting waters. Winter was still within the lands in the traces of snow – but with the trace of her own heat, and the warmth of the season, she knew spring would be upon them soon.. and so she was in no rush for the pair to find a pack to call home. She wanted to weigh their options.

aditya relished in all there was to explore on this side of the mountains. it seemed a vaster, more interesting land, and while he did miss some landmarks to the south--the hot springs, first and foremost, and the striking majesty of the caldera--he was quite content in this new, fresh place, even if it was a bit colder.

today he had meandered south from the maplewood, skirting the edges of the wetlands before finding his way to a dangerously quick-running stream; now that the ice was melting, its full power was on display. keeping a careful distance, aditya followed its course, noting in his mind the landmarks nearby.

an unusual-looking mountain, to the east, and a beautiful meadow in the foreground. this was also where he'd understood easthollow to roughly be; he wondered how far off their allies were, from where he stood.

he rounded a bend and found a striking gray woman standing at the edge of the water, aqua eyes vivid against her dark face. she appeared to be alone, though adi didn't let himself be fooled by appearances; she could very well have a companion or two--or more--nearby, watching his every move. with a chuff of greeting, aditya padded over, keeping a few tail-lengths between them as he spoke.

"is there good fishing to be had here, in these waters?" he asked, thinking her a local and therefore an expert on the local fauna.

the woman was calm but tense, and he relaxed his posture, hoping to demonstrate to her that he wasn't a threat. he gave her answer a slow nod, understanding. the current was quite strong, and aditya knew all too well the terrible power of water. he had never had much of a taste for fish, anyway.

"my name is aditya," he introduced himself. unlike with kove, he gave his true identity to the stranger. nothing seemed suspicious about her, and her pelt held no pack-scent. "do you live around here?"

only one smell did cling to her fur in excess, that of a male's, presumably her mate or at least traveling companion. his ears folded forward, intrigued. a couple of members had defected from morningside lately, and as scout, it was up to him to bolster their numbers. after all, their territory was much larger now, and pups were coming--they needed more wolves.

he dipped his muzzle in gracious acceptance of her introduction, the smile remaining on his face. she was as wary--if not more so--than he was, which was a good thing. wolves up to no good tended to be bolder, more open. wariness and self-preservation went hand-in-hand; this woman was clearly just trying to make her way through the world.

"my pack lives on the plains to the northwest," adi responded, gesturing that way. "we're pretty new to the area. still trying to meet the neighbors," he added, with a gentle laugh.

he sized her up casually, falling silent for a moment as he pondered. he wondered if she'd be amenable to the prospect of at least considering morningside as a home, if she truly did wander alone. then again, she might not trust him enough for that. the tension was muted but still there, taut between them.

"are you a traveler, then?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral. prying further might scare her away.