Northstar Vale natarum

The sun dips low, its final rays piercing through the toothy peaks that cradle the belly of the vale. A light mist curls along the ground, weaving between pines and casting long, creeping shadows. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth — forecasting rain, or perhaps it has already come and gone.

A wiry, dark-coated man crouches beneath the shelter of some trees. He is clearly travel-worn, stained with dirt and streaked with mud that has scarcely begun to dry. He pauses, taking a moment to observe his surroundings and to catch his breath, his gaze sweeping across the lush, hidden paradise that unfurls before him. He is both in awe and wary, being in this place so far from home.

As he takes a cautious step forward, he feels his heels sinking in to mud. He moves silently, or as near to it as he can muster; but he is most adept upon sand, or where shale sits exposed beneath the open sky. This place is different — and as he pushes through a thicket of ferns, he freezes. His gaze is locked upon a glint of silver just beyond, where the crooked shape of a willow tree weeps, catching the faint light of sunset.

---

@Viskani ?

Sorry for the wait!

Traipsing through the wet territory, she found herself on her own yet again. An unfamiliar feeling, and one Viskani did not enjoy while surrounded by the large area. She wished to see a future where the vale would be bustling with activity; pups running about, hunting parties coming in and out, and the comfort of her Iris' practically flanking her each and every moment of the day. That was what she craved.

The woman was confident that it would come soon; this was something where she could not afford to fail - it would only tarnish her mother's good name.

As Khalid steadies himself, his attention is drawn to that silver shape again. What he'd thought was merely the trembling net of willows was, in fact, a determined looking woman. As he watches, she traipses through the wet territory alone. Her face reflects a mix of confidence and longing, and as he tries to follow her eye-line, he sees a flash of frustration. She reminds him of strongly of a Zafiran woman; not any in particular, but there is a familiar mien to the way the woman carries herself.

Someone like this must be a dreamer. With any luck, Khalid's hunt would be over. He decides to step into the open, revealing himself with a cautious but respectful nod.

Drahma, shayka.

The thought that this woman of ferns and trees might not understand what he was saying had not struck him yet, but it would soon. In his haste Khalid pressed on, stepping closer. The end of his tail was kept barely aloft and twitched with indecision.

Neshta aretni vishan? Eska thalani novatu?

Caught off guard as the dark figure emerged from the shadows that his fur kept well hidden underneath, her stance was quick to grow tense, however it was soon masked. Dirty and unkempt, her first impression of him was not the best.

"Pardon?" She blinked at the wolf, puzzled by the words he spoke. Being bilingual herself and having travelled for some time, Viskani had heard many different ways of speaking before; however this was not one of them.

It certainly wasn't French either; sure, it had been some time since she spoke it but it hadn't been that long.

The sun continues its descent, casting long, dramatic shadows across the vale. The mist thickens, weaving between the trees as Khalid stands facing the woman, his frustration evident. The words he used earlier were not understood, and he realizes that he must find another way to communicate. His mind races with the urgent need to convey his message, particularly the ill omens he carries. This quest that the elder, Amina, has sent him on — for now, feels like an impossibility.

Khalid takes a deep breath and tries again, resorting to simple gestures and expressions, hoping to convey his message through non-verbal means. He gestures to the forest first, motioning with his head, then motioning to the woman, and pressing his feet in to the mud. This, yours? That's the best he can do, for now.

It feels like dancing, almost, as he tries to communicate without speaking. Khalid is reminded of the festivals of his home, of the dances, and of the stories conveyed through motion rather than sound. It would be more alien to do that here and now, so he does not.

Perhaps the best thing he can do is motion to himself, and with another small bow of his head he says, Khalid. Nama. He looks to the woman expectantly, wondering if this is working or if he is only appearing the fool.

Na... khari, na namari, Khalid. It was as good a place to start as any. Ta? Nama?

She watched the wolf with careful eyes, attempting to decipher what he was attempting to communicate. She watched his steps and listened to his words, looking for anything she could decipher. 'Khalid' a name, possibly - one she had heard before, and 'ta' similar to a word in her mother tongue meaning 'you' or 'your' - she questioned if they could mean the same thing.

"Are you attempting to tell me your name?" She asked, an eyebrow raising. "Khalid?"

As Khalid's relief washes over him, he nods with a smile, his tail swishing in a gesture of both gratitude and friendliness. Ia! Khalid, na Khalid am! Yes, this was a start. But she did not appear to understand his earlier question — and so she did not provide her own name. This would be a long, slow conversation and he could only hope that the woman was a patient individual.

Ta? Nama? He repeats this, motioning to her. Then again, slowly, and looking at her with the bright expression akin to a hopeful child. It indeed felt foolish, but Khalid needed to find someone that could help him.

Unsure of his exact words, she simply followed her assumptions. "..I am Viskani." She stated, keeping her words careful. "Why is it that you have come here?" The she-wolf asked.

He seemed to want something from her considering his desperation. What could it be - Food? Shelter? Information? She was unsure of the answer, however she was determined to find out. She had time to pass.

Vis..ka..ni, Viskani am nama? Saksa am Viskani. He thought he understood, and now had some point of reference for the woman. She was a shrewd thing by the look on her face. Trusting, though; she had not yet driven him away or found offense at his attempts to seek understanding between them. Good signs. She was not of the desert, he surmised next — earth-toned and muted with grays and browns, although not as dark as himself.

Khalid wanted to ask about her dreams. Such a topic was not so strange in Zafira, but, here... He was unsure what to do. He could not say much because of the barrier between them. What, then? Ah, tiri homa? Viskani, homa, nai?

While he had hoped the woman was patient, he had not counted on his own frustration. This was slow work. It would have been so much simpler if they could find common ground, but Khalid had traveled a vast distance to seek what he needed. He had to trust the talyn.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, as it seemed like the most obvious answer to her questions. "Myself and my pack live here; I would have thought you would smell our markers."

Markings were a universal language as far as she new. She wasn't too angry however and, had to question if the rain had masked the scent at all. It could have nothing to do with the markings, however; this was quite the odd wolf.

Vaskani asked her own questions, and for the most part Khalid did not understand any better than she would of himself. However she spoke of others, of pack, and that word was simliar across many languages.

Famili? It was in this moment that Khalid huffed, trying to clear his sinuses of the cloying scents the forest granted. The pine-rich air had overwhelmed him and dulled his ability to notice more about the paths, such as the scent of others like Viskani.

Kam vi am? He was excited again, which brought about more of his quick questions; but this time Khalid caught himself and with a smirk and a bashful shrinking of his head down, looked a touch sheepish. Khalid knew by now that this woman didn't understand him. Khalid vana ahta famili. Viskani, famili. Tia?

Maybe that was too much at once. He tried to nod and say again, Tia?

'Family' she had recognized, as it sounded similar enough to her own version of the word. "Yes - my family lives here. It's just me and my son right now - two of us." She was unsure of how much he understood, but it would feel wrong not to try.

She began to make her way further into the territory, gesturing for the other to follow. She would feed him; food was universal.