Namid’s paws brought her across now familiar lands, much more recognizable now that there wasn’t a few feet of snow blanketing their marks. She shuddered at the memory of those long cold months alone, without much of a soul to talk to until she came across Vespertio who then inevitably saved her life after her drop. In the aspect of everything, there had to have been a reason for her to have gotten lost in that first blizzard. If she had had the spiritual heart that her mother and brother had developed, she might have said that it had been the Ancestors guiding her to where she was truly meant to be. But, she had taken more after her father’s wandering spirit and eye for knowledge instead. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the heritage that she came from, quite the opposite in fact, but…in the end everything that went with it simply hadn’t interested her as much. She believed more in fate, that Fallen Tree Cove was always where she was meant to be in the end.

The day before they had left at about mid-day, her and @”Desideria”. She’d thought it best to take her subordinate because of what she aspired to be. She’d need to know the lands around them, and also need to see how a proper interaction between packs needed to go. A scout was a messenger, and if they didn’t have the proper etiquette things could go south quickly. She’d planted kisses on each of her children’s heads, answering any questions they might have had and lingering with Vespertio. They’d said their good-byes, offering more kisses before heading out. They made their way through the Sacred Grove directly below the mountain, then from there they had traveled to the edge of the marsh. They’d rested that night in a small hollow before moving on, now successfully coming upon the border she recognized still well. There weren’t as many scents there, she found, as there had been when she’d left and that fact alarmed her. A small frown tugged at her muzzle in concern, but she stopped a respectable distance from the border. This would surely be different from before, for she was coming to Narime as an equal now and not as a subordinate. Still, she would treat her with the respect she deserved for Namid did indeed respect the woman greatly.

Turning her attention to her friend she motioned for her to stand a foot or so behind the queen. “Hopefully this will go without incident. Narime is an old friend of mine, and we are here to respectfully ask for an alliance. Please sit back and listen and I will do all of the talking. Your only job is to take notes on the interaction, and god forbid if they attack we will run not fight back. Do you understand this?” she said, her voice kind but still solid. She didn’t need her friend trying to defend her, and despite the big heart that she had she would need to let Namid handle this no matter where things went. With Desideria’s confirmation, the pale queen lifted her muzzle to the air and emitted a friendly call for Narime and Ash for they both should be there for that moment. Then, she allowed her stance to shift to an open and friendly manor. They were at another pack’s doorstep, not their own and it would do no good for her to express any form of dominance.

Quickly, as she suspected they would, Ash and Narime arrived to the scene. Ash being the first, his posture was anything but friendly. The pale queen stiffened for a moment, auds swiveling and straining forward and mismatched gaze giving a wide-eyed blink before she took a breath to collect herself and relax. Though she had a feeling Narime would likely not harm her, Ash was a different story. She didn’t know him quite as well as the queen whom she’d served a term under second from, and even his fiery coat suggested to his nature. The scowl was hard on his muzzle, posture stiff and powerful but she did not cower beneath it. Of course, she still remained respectful but she reminded herself that they were equals.                 The Cavern’s matriarch’s snarl was a bit of a blow to Namid, and a small frown slipped to curl at the edges of her lips. ”I thought I made it clear that we don’t treat deserters kindly…?” he said, and suddenly her face registered shock. Not once had she suspected that they might take her as a traitor, a deceitful thing that had made her bed in their homes then promptly abandoned it. That was something that the Star Dancer was not, something she made sure of after her past.

Namid allowed a dip of her head to both, mismatched gaze flashing over to do a quick check on her subordinate who seemed to be doing the same. “Hello, Ash and Narime. I am glad to see you are both doing so well,” she said, her voice calm and thoughtful. She allowed her gaze to trail between the two, debating how she should go about this before a small sigh left her lips. Nothing but the truth would be needed here, for no doubt both were looking for answers.

“I know my disappearance may have seemed suspicious, but…it was not something that I had planned. Whisper Caverns was my home, a place that I did not know I had longed for since being torn from my own.” she said gently. Her gaze drifted to the side as she remembered the day she was lost from the caverns, her frown only deepening. “I had gone out to see if I could perhaps catch a hare, but the search brought me past the borders. There had been dark clouds in the distance, but I had thought that I could make it back before the snow set in. The storm came fierce, drowning my sight and my senses. It was a foolish thing I did but…I decided to try and find my way back to the borders. All sense of direction I had had been taken by the storm, I could not have seen a few feet in front of me. When it finally ended, nothing around me was familiar and the blizzard had washed away all tracks. I went back out, completely lost but with a will to want to join you again. It happens that I went the wrong direction after being driven into parts unknown, and further blizzards pushed me even farther to what I know realize was the north. I wandered for months searching for the Caverns again, you must believe me. It was all I had wanted, even when the blizzards drove away the prey from my path and I was lucky to eat a hare perhaps every two weeks or more. I grew disoriented and managed my way up the mountain east of here. It was there I had the misfortune of stepping on an over-hanging snow drift and plummeting down the side of the mountain. I escaped major injuries but still managed a severely sprained paw, which…in my state I would have…” Namid said, trailing off. As she took memory of those horrible months, the ones she tried to forget about, her head had little by little lowered. She could feel the shame in her soul, the shame that came with her ignorance and broken promises to not only Rook but Narime as well.

“I was rescued by an Alpha that resided there. He took me to his pack despite my injury and that it was still the winter, when he knew that I would not be able to provide the pack food but simply take from it. He nursed me while my leg was all but useless, and even then I had every intention of coming back to you. But…it seemed that in the end I had found a home in him as well. The previous matriarch had abandoned them, leaving them for dead and he asked of me to fill that role. Narime, Ash, I am sorry for what I have done. I am offering my deepest apologies for not coming sooner, and…I understand if you hate me. I remember those who left you while I was in your ranks, and I remember each one a slap in the face as I have felt the same within the ranks of my own. I just…I wanted to come and try and set things straight. You both deserve that much respect,” she said quietly, ears folded back. It was a risky thing, for an alpha such as herself to be showing such weakness. But, they needed to know what she said was true and that wouldn’t come with having a stiff posture and challenging aura. Namid just needed to be herself, and perhaps…perhaps in the end they might understand. She could only hope, truly hope.

Things were only turning from bad to worse, with the posture of both Narime and Ash looking close to attacking her. However, her tension only grew worse as the scent of a pup come into the air. Mismatched gaze slid sideways as she was able to catch the pelt of a silver youth before it snapped back to the duo. It seemed that she had not been the only one who had been busy that spring. She didn’t want it to come to blows, especially not in front of someone so young. She wouldn’t want her own children to see such a thing from her, and despite the situation she knew that Narime wouldn’t want that either. Perhaps that was the reason that neither had made a move other than Desideria, who had anxiously moved a bit closer to her flank. She gave the woman a quick glance, a simple look to be sure that she wasn’t doing anything to aggravate things but all she saw was anxiety in those golden eyes. She knew just as well as the woman that their best bet was to leave, and so she knew she would.

With the current happenings, Namid’s motherly instincts told her that she should not be outing the existence of her children. Nothing good would come of it, not until they were older and able to defend themselves. ”I did come here hoping to ask for your forgiveness, but certainly not to make an enemy of you. I realize now that it was a mistake to seek that, but I still feel I owe you at least the respect of an explanation which I have given.” Namid stated. Her posture did not go above theirs, but she did allow herself to straighten more. If they weren’t going to be at least partially understanding to her, she felt no reason to bow to their feet. The statement that she was not welcome there stung slightly, but it wasn’t something she hadn’t guessed during the encounter. Whisper Caverns was a piece of her past, but now it was not her home. She had lost a friend, but at least she had not lost her home. Not again. “We will be leaving now, I thank you for your time.” the woman stated respectfully, taking steps backwards and giving a nod to Desideria that they were moving out. She didn’t yet feel comfortable turning her back to them, and it was only when they were a little ways away that she finally turning and disappeared into the trees.