Falls of the Hinterlands Hope that they don't think I'll forget about them

Arlette dared a little further as she traveled from the Saints. She wanted to see what was more for her to explore especially herb and medicine wise. The female continued through cedar sweep and continued to follow along the river. Arlette was eager to see what was all around. What she didn't expect was to come across some falls. Mist was welling up from the water thundering down.

She stopped to admire the sight, and to take in the roar of water that came down. Perhaps there were some pants that would grow on the slope she might be able to use, at least the fast running water would be good to clean wounds with. Arlette was paying more attention to the world surrounding her than to wolves that might approach. @Wintersbane

wintersbane travels further than he's originally set out too, paws carrying him south and just a little west of the bay. recruitment has been, once more, slotted into the forefront of his mind and consumes his focus and thus he excuses the travel. they could wait for wolves to come to them, sure, but when umbra saw fit to chase them off for whatever little nuance they annoyed her with it doesn't seem like that's going to be a liable option.

following the winding, serpentine water; drawn by simple curiosity born of the sound of rushing water. though he's came across scents fading and fresh peppered among the cold earth of the terrains he moves across, the tundrian has yet to come across a possible recruit. as it always does, it feels strange to traverse the hinterlands; reminding him, perhaps a bit too much, of hazy memories of teaghlaigh, his mobster father and the nightingale queen he called mother. of his numerous fights with a sister he was all too happy to disown ( and would've been happier to kill ).

deeper he goes towards the heart of the falls, the thicker the mist becomes; cloaking the landscape and eagerly swallowing him in tendrils of fog thick with water. a shape begins to appear, cutting thru the mist and it takes wintersbane a second to realize that he recognizes her, if vaguely. he does not, however, recognize the pack scent clinging to her pelage.

arlette? he inquires.

Arlette looked up when she heard a voice call out her name. By the tone she knew that it wasn't Derg or anyone she knew from the Saints. She turned to see a dark shadow approach. She was quick to recognize the man though. Her tail wagged. "Wintersbane!" she greeted and trotted forward. Her original goal forgotten. She hummed as she came to a stop.

"How have you been?," she asked, he did smell different but she assumed the male was just traveling a lot. After all she met him before all the way at otter creek. It was weird to run into him here, but then again, she did remember his home was somewhere close to this region. Arlette was definitely more cheery than she was last time the male saw her.

busy, wintersbane replies; wryly. recruiting, not for rusalka though. they and i have parted ways. a long story better left for the shores it had happened upon. i'd offer you a place among my ranks but it smells as if you've already found a home. and though it might've brought with it a small twinge of disappointment; wintersbane was nevertheless glad for her.

i don't recognize the pack scent though. despite his vast travels all thru the wilds. still, it was worth noting all the same; providing arlette inclined to share and sate his prodding curiosity, that all the while was a subtle invitation for her to fill him in on what has been going on with her between then and now.

Arlette quirked up her lips into a soft smile. "I see, I never got to ask you but was there someone named Keen in Rusalka?," she dared to ask. "Are you starting your own? That sounds great." Arlette dipped her head and flushed a bit. "Yes. I have. You were the one that showed me a different perspective and I found more that shared that. I don't feel like I did before."

"I'm with a pack called 'The saints of the Dying Light'," she chuckled. "I just call them the saints. They have been really good to me," she smiled softly. She was mostly thinking of Derg but also about all the other pack members she met and who had been giving her so much confidence really. "What will your pack be called? Do you know where you will settle?"

no, that name doesn't sound familiar, wintersbane replies after a moment of quiet contemplation; though it was true he hadn't spent a lot of time making friends. rather the opposite, he was hellbent on making enemies of rusalka when he tried and very briefly succeeded in overthrowing it. not really my 'own', more of a collaborative effort — wintersbane admits with a lofty shrug of his shoulders. he offers her a soft smile, glad that he was able to help her in some way.

she goes on to speak about the pack she runs with, a clan calling themselves 'saints of the dying light' which, to him, sounds like an unnecessary mouthful. i'm glad, wintersbane chimes in, sincerely. and i hope they stay good to you.

the attention shifts back to his and he offers a soft hum. stormbound and stavanger bay, if all goes well. he gestures idly in the bay's direction, still plenty far from the falls with its cool mists and terrain that looks like it should be evergreen.

Arlette's ears fell back. Too bad. Maybe her sister left soon after Derg? The female quickly perked up though, no matter. Her sister would make it, she was certain. Plus Wintersbane didn't seem like the most social type and not the type to hang out with her sister. Then again, he was hanging out with her at the moment. "Oh, with who will you be leading?," she asked curiously. "Perhaps you can remember the Saints for an alliance!" she offered. She was not sure if the Saints wanted an alliance but that is usually what her mother did, and that was all she knew.

The female nodded but wasn't exactly sure where the bay was since she never had been at the ocean. "I've never been at the ocean but, maybe one day I will visit your pack," she smiled. "Perhaps I can do something in return for your nice advice and kind words," she smiled softly. "If so I might not have found the confidence to join this pack."

it would not, as time would tell, come to pass but for now wintersbane remains ignorant of that fact. for now, he entertains the suggestion of alliance though certainly what they were willing to offer would have to be hammered out. true enough, the falls is far enough from the bay to be entirely inconsequential and he would assume that her pack is further yet as he had not scented any on his way thru the hinterlands; region of his birth. wars could be won or lost in the span of time it took to travel between their packs ...but that was something for further consideration in the future.

a woman named umbra. he supplies readily enough with a small shrug of his shoulders. perhaps, he murmurs though makes no promises on that front. arlette, a kind soul wintersbane thinks, speaks of returning the favor for his advice. i require nothing in return. he assures her.

Arlette wagged her tail gently. She didn't know that the bay was more than days of travel. She didn't know the locations in the hinterlands. She had lived her sheltered life in Easthollow, not leaving the territory until she was two years old. It was crazy to think that she never left before that time. Traveling and distances didn't come naturally to her.

'Oh that is a lovely name," she hummed. Perhaps she would be Wintersbane's mate. However, she felt that they weren't enough befriended to ask him that. "Why not? I'd like to return the favor. Or would love to help where I can since you helped me," she offered.

wintersbane doesn't comment on arlette's mention of umbra being a lovely name. if anything, though it would not be meant cruelly, he has to bite his tongue to suggest to arlette that she might not think so if she met umbra. the ebon cloaked woman was certainly, for many that come across her path as far as wintersbane can deduce, far from likable. he, himself doesn't dislike her but he can see how her brutish and blunt nature might cow others. he, personally, doesn't put much stock behind names, evidenced enough by the numerous he's taken over the years.

because if i required something in return then i would be my father, he offers her a wiry grin that is absent mirth and does not touch his glacial eyes. making deals and hoarding favors. i appreciate your kindness, arlette, but i truly do not seek anything in return.

Arlette nodded understandingly at the dark male. She accepted his words with a nod. "Alright, Wintersbane. I respect that," she spoke with a soft smile. The soft smile stayed on her lips. "But if you ever need help then you know where to find me," she chuckled. She knew she would probably never seen him with a favor though. He didn't seem like the type.

Arlette lifted her chin a bit, something that she before would never do. She looked at the waterfall before them. The light catching it just right. "How is the recruiting going?"

arlette relents to wintersbane's explanation of why he did not want payment, though, in that way, it could also be seen as a debt that never closes. he, personally, doesn't like owing anyone and while he was certainly arturo's son, he got no joy out of holding debts over the heads of others. he was callous, but not to that extent. the conversation shifts to recruitment and wintersbane draws in a deep breath and lets it out in a heavy exhale. slow, wintersbane informs her. slower yet because umbra seems to enjoy chasing wolves from our bay than she does bringing them into the fold.

Arlette hummed at that. It didn't sound very logical to really chase out wolves compared to trying to make them join instead. It didn't make sense. No wonder it made things slower. "That doesn't really make sense, but whatever works for her then," Arlette commented politely. "Well, I won't keep you any longer then," she offered with a soft smile. "It was good to see you," she hummed, tail wagging.

wintersbane does not chime in with that he was thinking: that what worked for umbra was not working for the fledgling stormbound that was struggling to find its footing. whatever disagreements he had with umbra's style of recruitment ( or lack thereof ) was kept to himself. it would do no good to show that this caused a fissure that wintersbane feared he could not bridge; especially not to an outsider. as it was nice to see you again, arlette. the tundrian offers her with a small dip of his head before heading on his way.