Sparta was more likely to join a pack led by a woman as opposed to a man, as it stood though more than likely it severely limited her choices she was sure. Having had her entire existence ignored by her “father” simply because she was born of an illicit tryst between him and a slave, and having been a slave for a good part of her young life she had grown quite an disinterest in males. As far as Sparta cared they were good for one purpose: siring children. It was all her father had been good for, despite that he'd called himself 'Alpha' of Elysium Fields. Once upon a time she had let his scorn hurt her, cut her to the bone, but now if she had the chance she would have thanked him. For making her a stronger woman for it. In the end, it was her own progression that mattered.
Steeling herself the smoky grey woman drew in a deep breath, tilted her head back and let out a howl, announcing her presence to the wolves that inhabited the claimed lands here.
The past few days had been difficult for Larus. He was restless and homesick, but not at all prepared for the long trek home. The boy didn't even know which direction home was; just that this place, with its salty air and big scary blue water, was not it. He had taken to sleeping outside of Caiaphas' big cave, even though the nights were growing longer and colder. It felt right to hear the wind whistling through the trees.
He had woken up early in the morning, as soon as the first light caught upon him through the canopy, and spent the early hours roaming the forest. It wasn't too unlike the glacier forest - or the copse of trees in Swiftcurrent that had housed the children initially - but the trees here were a lot bigger. So much bigger that Larus couldn't even fathom their height - he stared up at them as he wandered, hoping that he'd get a glimpse.
As his portly self departed the forest's edge, he found himself in an area that he had never been before; the forest stretched on around him, leaving him stranded and lost. And then, as the terror of his circumstances were realized in his tiny, slow brain, Larus heard a howl. He bolted towards it without pause - hoping that it was Caiaphas, or the fox (not remembering that foxes and wolves were different); or even Aktay.
When he burst from the underbrush and caught a good sight of the stranger, Larus became instantly shy. This was not one of the sisters, this was a stranger. He hiccuped a little cry of surprise, and as he shrank down to the ground, muttered a quick greeting:
H-hullo.
It was uncommon for a consort to greet those who called upon the sisters, but it was common for them to be there in case the sea witches needed any assistance. When the call of a stranger made its way to Spyro's ears, the born and bred sea wolf lumbered toward the epicenter of the call as quickly as he could. His dark fur was fluffed by the wind and sea, and he made it just in time to see one of the spawn speaking in the common tongue to the strange woman. This was no sister—that much Spyro was certain of—and she had no right to Larus, who was one of the sound's children now.
Swiftly, Spyridon stepped in front of Larus and the stranger, though he made no aggressive movements. His mission right now was to remove the boy from this one's grasp. It was not uncommon for some of the younger ones to have family seek them out. But now that Larus was here, he belonged to the sea and its sisters. “Μείνετε πίσω, μικρή.” he said to the spawn, nudging him closer to Ankyra Sound's heart.
With the boy taken care of, Spyro turned his attention to the stranger. “Ποιος είσαι εσύ;” he questioned. While Spyro had been taught to respect girls rather than boys, outsiders were always the lowest ranking of them all. In all reality, he could do nothing but keep her at bay until one of the sisters arrived, seeing as they could speak the common tongue.
She caught sight of them just in time to see the dark male she knew as Spyridon had already shepherd Larus backwards, and was now speaking to the stranger in the old tongue. She had her reservations about whether or not the steel colored stranger would recognize the dialect; if anything, the language was as long gone as the summer winds. She was content, however, to witness the stranger struggle to answer,. With sharp poise to her step she closed the distance between them, giving Spyridon an approving glance before her fierce gaze settled on the stranger, clearly awaiting an answer.
but my petals have fallen.
Caiaphas was quick to arrive, though it seemed the onslaught of sound wolves was too intimidating for the stranger. As soon as the leader arrived, the girl was bounding away from Ankyra Sound. Spyridon was glad to have avoided conflict, but disappointed that they had lost a potential recruit. He muttered this disappointment under his breath, inaudible even to him. “Δεν είναι απειλή,” he clarified, watching as the unknown figure disappeared into the distance.
Satisfied that she would bring Ankyra Sound no harm, he gave Caiaphas a quick, cursory glance, and then turned inward to their home. Unless she called him back, he would continue with his daily duties.
And like that, the girl turned heel.
Caiaphas watched with a rueful color to her sharp gaze, her expression drawn taut with a thin frown. Like Spyridon she shared a similar taste of disappointment -- though the girl's instant decision to flee perhaps suggested she was not of the same thread as those who belonged in the Sound.
She listened to Spyridon's assertion, and similarly vested with the same opinion, the waif returned his cordial gesture with a dip of her own head and left, leaving Larus to his own devices in a most unmotherly of fashions.
but my petals have fallen.