Kildeer Rest He will tear your city down, o lei o lai o lord

The sylph was gradually expanding her grounds, thinking just maybe, their brother, parents, cousins or simply members of Déorwine perhaps were more inward to these lands. Much to her younger sister dismay, Célnes continued on exploring. She didn't travel too far though, and the journey tended to end just enough where she went back at nightfall.

However lately Célnes was thinking of telling her family, maybe they should start walking forward the wilderness, in the hope family was around. She even had the inquiry of a thought with perhaps aligning themselves to another pack as a temporary haven- they all could only do so much with their wounds. Fréobearn was young and inexperienced, her healing techniques could only go so far.

The elken woman thought it might be their best interest to stay within a safe territory for a while..

Yet, there was Kendrick.

Where are you brother?

---

Beyond the odd stones she encounted with a man, Célnes came across a large field, with only rocks scattered. She could see the variety of prey hang around, scurrying between the tall grass and nests near the rocks. All seemed to be at peace, almost like none visit too often. Quietly did the elken woman cross to a flat rock, and gently laid flat with her paws crossed. She watched the ecosystem with an interest.

The mice gathering the seeds, the birds swooping into the bugs. Nests could be visible at some parts, but not all. It was a quant area, that she wondered if the High Elk had blessed. Perhaps not for the wolves to hunt however, it looked more for the home of the prey.

She isn't sure what brought her so far from home now. In a way, she misses the familiar smells, the cool days and tall grass teeming with prey of all kinds. In part, Astral even missed her family.  Her pale brother, tall and brutish as she assumed their father would be, how he tried to be noble and serene yet still couldn't resist jabbing at her with a sharp tongue. Their mother, the mirror of a pastel golden sunrise, small and dainty like herself- Astral couldn't really think of any good things to think about the woman who gave birth to her. Even that of itself seemed to be a curse, a burden brought upon the sunrise she-wolf in the form of a dark daughter one with the shadows. Surely, they would never come close to finding her here, though Astral doubts that they are looking.

So she moves onward, further into these strange new lands in search of- something. She doesn't know what. A better life, a freer one. She can smell the whispers of a pack on the breeze, somewhere farther off, so she knows, if she so chose, she could find others, maybe start a family, or be a part of something bigger than her; but she doesn't want to. Astral feels like this life has prepared her for solitude, she has reserved herself to such.

The land opens up before the little she-wolf, a field alive with small creatures of all types. She can hear mice skittering about on the ground, through grass that towers over them and under rocks. Overhead, birds claim the skies, and on the wind, the scent of another wolf, much closer than the pack she had smelled earlier. Icy eyes pick out the figure as they lay on a flat rock, basking themselves in the sun and Astral watches them closly, almost warily, wondering if she had been spotted or if she had time to slink away undetected.

These lands were strange to her, its people not hers, and frankly she wanted no part in it. The dark girl lowers herself to the ground, hoping she can blend well enough that the other wolf won't notice her presence, not ready to be charming or cordial, or social in any way.

hope its ok to spot her!

Her ear flickered. It wasn't hard to detect others when the prey hurrying in their scurry, the sounds of them fleeing through the grass and clawing upon the rocks. It was a good sign someone came through to the area, and a telling to Célnes that they were near. A fleeting smile, "I know you're there," she called out.

(Yes that's alright! I didn't mean to totaly imply that she couldn't be seen lol)

"I know you're there."  Calls the other wolf, another female from the tone, and Astral curses herself for ever stepping into this small clearing of rock and field.  Whatever fauna that hadn't fled at her precence now scurries away as Astral stands, her stance straighting so she can get a better look at this woman who had spotted her.  Dark choctolate tones like her, thinner in some spots from some sort of injury.

"So, pretend that you don't," Astral rebutes, still she slowly steps closer, ears tilted back slightly uncertain.  Well, if she is here now the least she can do is gather more information about this land, where she is.

 Astral keeps a few paces between her and this stranger, eyes the only thing to imply that Astral is looking up to her raised position.  She isn't afraid, Astral has never been fearful of other wolves in the short years that she has lived.  She just doesn't like them.  This one, Astral would admit, is beautiful, tones taking on a redder hue over Astral's own muted colors, firey orange eyes regard her in a way that she cannot decipher. 

"These lands... Have you been here long?" She asks, not wanting to be here any longer than she has to, or perhaps Astral will do or say something unsavory and this conversation will be cut blissfully short- mother always seemed disdainful of her.  There had to be a reason way.  Maybe, the rest of her life would allow her to find out.  "I am a stranger here." She admits, gaze straying from the other wolf.

The woman displayed a rather awkward smile to the remark. Her thoughts were if she didn't hide, they could peacefully coexist, but upon hiding from Célnes, she felt there was more motive. Some prefer to observe their prey before attacking. Maybe she should've stayed silent at her presence, but what was done, had been done. The other approaches, but she stays rested ontop of the smooth stone.

A chilling wolf of similar browns, but the difference was like winter and summer, "I have not." The Déorwine had no reason to lie about her recent arrival, "I only arrived to these wilds recently as well, i'm afraid there is not much for me to tell about it."

"I have not. I only arrived to these wilds recently as well, I'm afraid there is not much for me to tell about it."

Astral blinks. Well, shit. "Oh."  She has never been good at conversation, and now this shewolf has nothing to offer her, she feels the need to leave, maybe turn on her heel and walk off like this had never happened. Instead, she looks back at the other woman, and though she doesn't seem uninterested in Astral, there is gaurdedness there. The kind that comes from who might feel they are in danger.

Astral forces herself not to scoff, irritation bubbling under her skin.  She's never shied away from conflict but never has she been stupid enough to incite violence unless it was to protect her own interests, and she had no interest in it today.  "I'm not going to hurt you. And I wasn't stalking you either, I just-" she pauses, trying to think of how best to explain what she had been doing, knowing her voice was transparent in what she was feeling, "... didn't want to be seen."

It didn't really help her cause much, her awkwardness the culmination of not wanting to give away too much information and simply having not conversed with many of her own kind before. Besides her family whom she had argued with almost constantly, most interactions she had had in the past never went beyond 'no I will not give you what I have, it's mine'.  Still she felt like she was waiting to be dismissed or written off, or chased away if this other girl so chose, if that didn't invite the temper that lay underneith Astral's skin. 

She didn't think being on her own would be this difficult. She knew she could survive well enough on her own, she'd been finding her own meals since she could hunt, ever unwilling to spend any more time with her mother and spoiled brother than she had had to. Still she kind of missed being around others, the few rare moments when her brother actually acted like her littermate instead of a bully some of her favorites to look back on. Dynamics in a family start off young, and they had never been regarded equally, her brother knew that and used that when he could. Especially when he was upset with her, which happened more fequently as they grew older.

"So.. It is common for wolves to be alone here? I smelled a pack-  but you don't smell like them."  If that is the case, then Astral might do fine in these lands. If wolves without family units aren't preyed upon chances are she wouldn't be seen as a threat to others if she didn't stick her nose where it didn't belong. That's really all she cared for.

Innocence, the idea of purity of this wolf came as a clear image to Célnes. She seemed so fighty, yet guilty of that and she took the girls words as a vague apology, "It's alright." She only assumed so until the girl spoke, as most who tend to hide near another, had ulterior motives. Though supposed she didn't think that some simply do wish to be seen, but for herself, she would've left the scene.

The awkwardness of the girl was given no mind as she gave a placid smile through the others inner ordeals, "There are Packs," she encountered a few wolves who smelled of one, but the elken woman personally never came across them so she doesn't know of their locations, "but just as many lone wolves." It was like in any forest, the amount of wolves in a group would always match the amount of loners wandering. 

Perhaps even more though- as many strive for a home of their own.

She was no different, but the Déorwine would keep those thoughts at bay.

Her platitude soothes her some, at least Astral knows now that she won't be accused of anything.  She rocks on her paws a little as the other wolf speaks, before finally deciding to sit where she is, contemplating over her new aqauintance's words. There will be many like her here, wolves without a home. Astral doesn't know how she feels about that. If they are all like this one here, she supposes that would be alright. Though surely not all of them would want to entertain a stranger like her, and that, she supposes, would be alright as well.

Unwilling to give up such undemanding company just yet, Astral lingers, dragging a stone from its resting place to peer at the life underneith.  Little bugs skitter to and fro in the dirt, suddenly lacking their cover that protected them from the elements. She keeps an ear swiveled toward the stranger as she gazes upon their surroundings, some of the small creatures that inhabit this place returning to assess the potential dangers now with two dangerous predators staking temporary claim to the area. 

A doe crosses the far side of the field and tepidly gazes at the pair, ears alert as it smells them on the air. Astral's own ears prick forward in interest. Though she isn't particularly Hungary right now, she doesn't know when she may get another opportunity like this one, or when a meal might walk upon her assumed doorstep again. The white of the deer's tail flashes breifly as its tail wiggles, her nose twitches, trying to get a scent of weakness from the prey animal.

She could probably chase it down from this distance, though given her somewhat small stature, Astral knows a healthy deer might pose more of a risk to her than it's worth. 

(This will probably be my last post for tonight, ive gotta get ready for bed since tomorrow is a workday lol. Sorry if there isn't much to go off of!)

A doe flashed, one without antlers, "My name is Célnes Déorwine, and those who are from the Déorwine family follow the High Elk," she wasn't sure why started to talk about her homeland, but seeing the doe, free in all it's form, prompted her to speak. She watched the grand being, flicker it's tail while ignoring the two. The company beside herself, was watching with an interest. Her eyes seemed to follow the deer, and naturally, so did her own.

"We only hunt, those without antlers."  Before her, was one of those apostles. Granted by the High Elk himself, he sent a blessing in disguise, perhaps a sign of his presence. She would be sure to share with her siblings about it eventually, as the first sign of seeing them in the forest, was one without antlers. Her younger sister in particular, may know of the signs. 

"It is a blessing, he has granted us a chance." With being said, the elken woman, skulked down the rock in a prowl, as her pumpkin gaze was locked upon it.