Whitefish River but that's not where mine lives.

Set around the 20th-22nd! Tagging @Akavir if they want to appear too. Also tagging @Howl or @Ira or -- yknow whoever wants to intercept them.

They moved on from the plateau, and from there it became easier for Ibis to gather her bearings. She knew by now that Kaistleoki would have migrated to their original claim and so she was unafraid going forward. When she got tired she would tell Akavir, and they would rest together - or spend a few hours enjoying other aspects of their shared company - which meant their travel lagged a bit, but the girl was happy. Happiness was difficult for her to keep hold of, so she was somewhat covetous of Akavir and the attention he granted her. She studied the sound of his voice when he spoke, and would often watch his body move should he take the lead. His ink-dark coat blotted out all the light around him, but sometimes if the sunlight slanted just right, he was framed for golden hour by a dynamic, almost angelic, aura.

As soon as Ibis found Ira's scent along the riverside she thought to call out for her, but then abruptly chose not to. They were friends and their packs were allied, but perhaps she was busy — Ibis could recall all the hard work that went in to running a pack, and she empathized deeply, which earned her silence. It took a little convincing to prompt Akavir to follow her across the invisible line, though. They could rest easy here, maybe even grab a bite to eat, before the hard climb in to the vale.

Note: The date this is set for he still has healing wounds from the lynx attack!

The knight was roaming around the borders, the sights were getting more familiar as the days passed, eventually he would master them and be able to notice when he left Kaistleoki's borders. It was he would come across the sight of the little pretty thing that came with the group, and an individual he could only assume was a friend of hers. He couldn't smell them, so the lack of any pack on the dark one's body went noticed, he could only trust that their ally wasn't bringing anyone threatening to their borders.

Greetings! I don't think we met, my name is Hieronymous. He sang happily as his banner waved behind him non-threateningly while approaching them. Just taking a rest? He wasn't about to chase them out anyway, but he always enjoyed meeting new faces - especially if they were from the ally pack in the mountains.

Lightly PP'ing Akavir - I can edit it out if you'd prefer, Rachel!

Although the boy lagged behind her a few paces, Ibis tried to prompt him to follow with a gregarious wave of her tail and an inviting smile, having already explained to him along the way that Kaistleoki wolves were friendly; more importantly, they were allies. It would be a quick visit.

The arrival of a patchwork wolf to meet them had Ibis redirecting her energy. She had hoped to see Ira but there were many reasons why the leader of a pack such as this might be distracted or preoccupied - it wasn't a big deal. When the stranger got closer Ibis felt a flicker of recognition within herself but couldn't place his face at first.

Then as he began to speak, she connected the sound of his voice to their last meeting - gosh, a lifetime ago - where the angry woman Laurel had intervened. Hello! I am Ibis, she said, wondering if he would remember her at all - but then almost as an afterthought she motioned to the distant soot-colored boy following her: This is Akavir. We're heading home and it felt safer to cut through here, if that's alright? Rather that than... I dunno, stumbling our way to the mountains in foreign territory.

Unfortunately for the little lady, he did not recognize her from his time in Easthollow.  It was long enough ago that it was but a fading memory, and his time with her was brief as the rude woman chase him away - but he did recognize her from seeing her wandering around during their time within Kaistleoki just weeks ago. 

Hello Ibis, and Akavir. He repeated the names to remember them for later use. Oh absolutely! Please, come on in. Mind if I join you? I'd like to get to know as many from the sister pack whenever possible. I'm just a knight here, so don't worry, I won't be questioning too much. Offering a playful wink he was ready to walk alongside them and talk, if not do so here while they rest up before continuing through the river's lands and back home.

Akavir remained behind a few feet, which was okay - he was shy, she got it. This was probably the last thing he'd have signed up to, had he known Ibis was the queen of some far-off vale kingdom. She would explain to him later. For now they would walk accompanied by the dappled man, and Ibis was more than happy to have the added company. The wolves of Kaistleoki seemed to always be doing well; how fortunate for them.

Yes, please, lead the way. I don't want to disturb anyone - so a quick route would be best. She murmured to him as she kept pace, working her little legs.

He tried to keep pace with her instead of the other way around, doing as she asked and leading her to the route he took to take to their home when he first went to visit. So how are things over there? Is everything going well? New packs can be tough to settle in. And he hoped it was all going over well - they seemed nice for the few he had met, hopeful, determined, which were all very good traits. Plus, Ira liked their leaders from the look of things, and that was always a bonus in his mind.

Yes, very well. We settled in the vale, which you probably know. Its a spacious area so it will take time to map, but that's less a challenge and more... Fun, I suppose. At least for me. I look forward to exploring it. Ibis answered happily, choosing to omit the fact she had only briefly visited for the initial claiming before spiriting away for her adventures; how things fared within the Empire in truth, was not something she could answer. But it kept the conversation flowing. How have things been for Kaistleoki? After partaking in your peoples hospitality I recall someone mentioning a.. move, was it? Returning to the original homestead?

Sorry for the delay on this one!

That's exciting! And sounds complicated and tough for someone like him, but he supposed, they held the whole vale within the mountains so perhaps not... with the mountains marking their borders on their own, it would make it pretty obvious for him to know what was and wasn't their land. Anything interesting found yet? He couldn't imagine all the pretty things they could find in such a place and obviously he wasn't wise on how little time she had spent at home just yet.

It's been good here too! He chirped, despite some heartache but those were personal matters not to be shared with anyone outside of him and Ira, Hiero was not one to share such things with everyone it not anyone at all. Yes, this is it. The river is where Kaistleoki had originally called home, and an earthquake had him evacuate - so now we are back. I joined while they were in the plains, so this is all still new to me.