Northstar Vale reign

it was still beautiful.

the vale's colors matched the canyon only for the strength of autumn. yet this place was lush and held much life, unlike where @Pala had led her away from. if she had any nerves to meet this grand Matriarche, then it was hidden beneath her contentment for their journey.

when they arrived to the edge of the pack's claim, she halted. eyes warm on pala for guidance on what came next.

The pair approaching the border, Pala looked to Bracken. "Come, I'll lead you to our settlement."

She began the trek in and through the vale, lifting her chin to let out howl. Announcing her return, and that she carried a guest with her.

She assumed that Viskani would be sat in her den, for it was not often as of late that she was anywhere else.

to be invited in felt so great an honor.

she had not needed to swear loyalty or take any kind of oath. she was guided into this place of knowledge well beyond her. each step was taken with a grace not befitting her tree-tall height, paws respectful upon the earth where they walked.

she kept herself silent as they neared thicker, fresher clusters of scents. only now did the nerves begin to wiggle about in her mind and gut.

For a moment she looked back to Bracken as they walked. She could see the nerves, but said nothing of it. When meeting the leader of a pack that is not your own, it was not a bad thing.

Soon they reached where the pack had settled. Groups of dens scattered about, dug into the ground or simply nests sat upon rocks. Pala walked through the various arrangements, ignoring the looks of nearby packmates as she approached the foliage surrounding Viskani's sleeping quarters.

Pushing her head through the willow trees hanging leaves, she gestured for Bracken to follow before entering.

everyone a place.

the scents of some stronger in certain spaces. she did not go out of her way to gawk at anyone or anything in particular. she understood that she was a stranger, even if she was a guest.

her face became soft, but unreadable to her best ability. hunched over so she did not seem so tall as she ducked through leaves. eyes adjusting to the change of lighting and scenery. respectfully her gaze swept the area.

A clean, small area that had been decorated with various objects. Flowers, rocks, shells, you name it. Under the roots of the tree a den he been dug out.

"Viskani," She called out. "I have brought a guest."

Her eyes then flicked back to Bracken, her expression calm but stern. A careful warning that the other should be on their best behaviour.

Pala calls, and begrudgingly the Matriarche raises from her den. Her expression calm, regal.

The woman she brings with her is tall, appears strong. Viskani finds herself impressed. She is quick to turn her attention to the stranger.

"What brings you to the vale, my dear?"

the woman is regal, clean, composed.

many things that bracken has found she is not. she was more aligned to pala's own guard-frayed ways. even if she was not as scared and war-torn.

you, a respectful dip of her head. met pala twice. now i ask to meet you. a tentative smile on her face.

slight pp of Pala <3 she is me so I'm sending her off

The woman was blunt and spoke few words, but Pala knew her and seemed to approve. Gesturing for the smaller woman to make her exit, Viskani decided she would give the stranger an audience.

"I see." She responded. "I am Viskani, and as I'm sure Pala mentioned I am the leader of the wolves in this vale."

"May I ask for your name?"

<3

pala departed, bracken gave her a warm look on her exit.

viskani did not use her own fancy title and she wondered if the woman preferred her name or claim.

regardless, it was time to give her own introduction — bracken. nomad. for now, she knew. maybe not forever. maybe not for long.

beautiful home. nice wolves. she complimented these things as if the regal woman had made them herself. pala tells me some. think asking Matriarche might be better. a glitter of humor in her gaze, but she meant no disrespect to anyone.

bracken was aware pala had been more than kind in humoring each and every ask.

It surprised her, really, to hear that Pala had been so tolerant. But Bracken was right; she was not necessarily the best wolf to ask.

"Well, then I will answer to the best of my ability." The woman seemed innocent enough, and Viskani did not smell the ridge wolves on her. She saw no threat in telling her of Montagne de Ciguë.

Briefly her eyes drifted back to her den. Faust still slept inside, and Viskani hoped he would remain there until Bracken had been satisfied.

Those outside of the vale did not need to know of him.

pala says a healer, but no dedicated hunters.

bracken wondered if the guardian might find trouble in how much she had divulged. yet she thought if the leader was okay with a guest being brought so deep in, it might not be so terrible to be transparent.

suggested... diplomacy. go off mountain for hunting, for allies. the tangles unraveling and unfurling. bracken realized that perhaps she held too much information.

pala says no one to let you. iris, she called it.

there was nothing pointed in her voice now. only reciting facts, things she had been told now regurgitated.

Montagne has needs. wish to learn more of life here.

She nodded along as Bracken spoke, her expression neutral, failing to give any sign of what she may be thinking.

"Pala is not wrong. We have no dedicated hunters yet, so each member has to help with that side of things." Viskani responded.

Her expression now one of pure thought, Viskani then nodded. "What do you wish to know, Bracken?"

Clearly Pala had told her some already, and so she did not wish to tell her what she already knew.

say maybe i want to be here, but i must be needed. she did not want to be a simple warm body, rotating about mindlessly until something killed her eventually. where would you put me if i ask to be here?

she wanted to devour each crumb of new knowledge until it was no longer new.

until the idea was no longer scary.

The question made her think. She looked over the woman, a gentle frown growing on her face. "It would depend on the skills you have to offer."

Viskani could not decide simply by looking; she would need to know more about the woman. "We need hunters and midwives primarily." She stated.

Life in the vale depended on a variety of wolves with a variety of skillsets and personalities. That was what made things work.

new things can be learned.

her eyes were bright and warm. obviously not deterred at all by the frown that had grown on the leading woman's face.

i have roamed far. out to taiga, over mountains into wilderness, back over mountains into valley. her head leaned each which way to vaguely gesture to her back and forth pathing. i learn much. learned much about Montagne before even inside. my wandering can offer diplomacy, can offer herd tracking.

but would she be needed?

There was a pause after Bracken finished speaking. A moment for Viskani to think.

"A scout, then." She said, "You would be a Magnolia."

Yes, such a thing could be useful. "When I cannot leave yes, you would be sent to take care of diplomacy for us." A good life, but more difficult than the other's due to the constant travel. "A respectable role."

magnolia.

another flower. she wondered if such a thing was close to an iris. maybe all roles here were flower-given.

respectable.

her ears softly flipped out then in, as if she was taking in this information physically as well as mentally. her silence hovered for a moment. thoughtful, considerate.

she knew everything.

it felt like she knew nothing.

i want to be a magnolia.

then she could still travel, she could still see the faces that she yearned for. all the while she could still be needed somewhere specific. somewhere less unknown.

"Then you will be a Magnolia." She responded with a nod. "So long as you wish to join us."

Yes, she was pleased. Pala had done well, bringing this one back to Montagne.

Silently, she awaited Bracken's answer. Should she remain Viskani would welcome her with open arms.

yes,

she decided with a firmness that spoke of her certainty in such a thing. she knew her decision must be now and it must be final.

let it be done, then she could roam to spread word and learn more.

"Then I will accept you as our own." She said with a gentle nod.

"All I ask is that you keep us aware of your whereabouts, and return to us to take your work." Viskani was done here, and now she wished to return to her den.

"Make yourself comfortable, eat, and I will send you off soon."

fade? <3

thank you.

a dip of her head. she was prepared to leave the surely busy woman.

in her departure to go find her own space, she would be sure to tell pala what had occurred here now.