Today Kova had needed a break from the worries of pack life. This sort of wandering away to get some peace and quiet was happening increasingly as of late, and Kova knew that it wasn't right for him to be traveling away from the pack so often. He always tried to get back as quickly as he could. Today however the young wolf found himself traveling much farther south than he normally liked to. Past the downs then slightly to the west his steps took him. Eventually Kova found himself relatively close to the mysterious thickets that housed the woodland wolves. Kova had already met two of the woodland princes by the names of Silentium and Unitas. It had been a long time since then, and the memory of traveling along behind his sister closer to the Hervok's pack sent shivers down Kova's spine. @Noble would have probably decided that she didn't like the woody wolves and kept away from them, but he was curious. Perhaps too much so, Kova wanted to see if they had their good and bad family like his own pack.

Of course Kova was smarter than to just waltz right through borders and disturb a hornets nest. He would rather get information out of a wolf wandering or hunting outside of their borders. It was more safe that way.

...but just in case Kova.. Remember to run fast and don't look behind you while running... The prince told himself quietly while looking around the odd landscape. A break in the trees revealed a large, but rather dead, field of grasses and what looked like flowers. Kova lowered his head to gaze at the dried plants a little sad that he couldn't see them when they had been colorful and vibrant with life. It was just another hint to the young wolf that winter was coming. He wasn't sure if he welcomed the snow or not, but seeing all the trees and plants die off certainly made him depressed. Especially when his thoughts about dead plants drifted quickly to his dead parents.

A strange noise hurt the young males ears causing him to yank his head and look upwards at the sky. The distraction was enough to yank the youths mind from his depression, though the noise was very painful. It had seemed like the squeak had come from someplace high, and Kova imagined that it was a bird who had called out. However all his eyes were met with was the deepening color of the sky as dusk slowly turned to evening. A flash of movement and another painful screech in his ears made Kova twist himself around trying to see what he kept missing. Unfortunately he still couldn't see the bats that swarmed above the glade going after bugs drawn to the dying wildflowers.   

The young wolf didn't realize when the she wolf had appeared. He was too intent on figuring out just what was hurting his ears. It wasn't until one of the little bats attempted to land on him that Kova realized that he was indeed dealing with small flying creatures. ..but they aren't birds? He thought as the bat swerved around him instead of landing. The tiny brown creature had realized that Kova was a living thing with one release of its echolocation and then went back upwards towards the sky.  “What are those?” Kova muttered darkly as another squeak bashed his ear drums. His eyes grew accustomed to the dark quickly, and soon he was able to see the bats dipping and darting around the clearing. It was while his eyes followed a particularly slow moving bat that he spotted the light brownish gray she wolf. Kova flicked his tail in surprise as his body became stiff and rigid ready to flee at any moment.

The scent is right. Just like that creepy guy Unitas. Kova thought before noting her opened mouth. It seemed that she wanted to say something but well.. couldn't. By her scent he could tell that she was around Calanthe and Moraxia's age. However unlike them she looked to be rather delicate. Kova cleared his throat somewhat uncomfortable with the idea that she might have been watching him for quite some time before he noticed her. Then he finally spoke up.

“Just so you know I don't mean you or Secret Woodlands any harm. I just wanted to ask a few questions if you are willing to answer them for me.” Kova speaks clearly before letting his eyes drift off of the she wolf's brilliant teal eyes to the forest's edge. His tail tucked a little lower as Kova attempted to show her as much as he could that he was not a danger to her or Secret Woodlands. He still held himself like a noble, but showed the respect that was due to a peer and superior.

A flicker of amusement flashed across his maw as the she wolf quite literally snapped her mouth shut. Then it slowly turned to a smile as she looked towards him and spoke. He listened before shaking his head and taking a single step forward. “You have no need to apologize miss. I'm the one getting closer to you packs territory.” He assured her that she was doing the right thing despite surprising him. His ears perked forward an inch at the word "bats" before Kova looked up to the flying creatures she was looking at. Putting two and two together the youth smiled glad to know that the things hurting his ears were not birds at all, but some other flying animals called a bats. Maybe he would take the time later to actually observe the little things more closely.

 She steps forward then, putting on airs for the young wolf before asking him his name. Kova wasn't sure what to answer with. Kova could recall that his mother had spoken with the woodlands leader about things and the war had been resolved before it had even begun thanks to Inali. So the packs should have been in good or at least neutral relations right now. He figured that speaking his name wouldn't cause much of a problem. Though the young wolf could only hope that there were no negative effects from this visit.

“Ah, my apologies. My name is Kova Lagina prince of Round Stone Crest pack. ” He held his head high despite the wiggling thoughts in the back of his head saying that he wasn't a prince anymore. Not with both Minka and Tokino gone now, and Kova wasn't sure if he could 100% trust that Gent's plans were real. Either way Kova didn't want to sit and do nothing about it. He couldn't do it right now, but soon he wanted to test himself. Kova was sure that Zilas would be a good wolf to test himself. Well that was if Zilas stayed in the pack and didn't disappear like so many others had.

The clouds drifted across the moon casting the pale light onto the she wolf's fur. Kova's eyes trailed along the she wolf's grayish coat as it glowed in the moonlight. Her coat was beautiful, that much he was able to appreciate much like appreciating a colorful sunset. However a moment later Kova blinked realizing that thinking of her as pretty was awkward. His eyes flicked to the trees and sky now uncomfortable by his own actions.

“May I ask of you name?” He questioned her lightly while keeping his eyes off of her pelt and trying to continue being business-like.

“A very nice sounding name miss.” Kova bowed respectfully to the lady after she gave her name. Respect for woman was something that Tokino had instilled in Kova at a young age. Kino had been the same way with Minka in the beginning, until he really began to love her. For woman were what held the pack together; not a strong alpha male, but an understanding confident women. When he came up from the bow Kova shook his fur to relieve the tension in his shoulders. The longer he stayed in her presence the more he trusted that she was not going to attack him or call for her pack mates to chase him off. He smiles at her comment about her own pack. It was around then that the wind shifted revealing the scent of a carcass not too far away form their current location. Kova sniffed at the air for a moment, not taking his eyes away form the delicate form of the pale she wolf. A true laugh finally escapes his maw as she reacts swiftly to the swift form of a bat nearly flying into her. Seeing her embarrassment afterward though Kova relinquishes the smile on his face and replaces it with an understanding and serious one.

 “Blood? How can one survive off of blood alone...” The question was half to himself as Kova glances to the sky where the bats flung themselves through the air. Then his gaze fell back down to the she wolf when she asks what he wanted to inquire about. “First... Would you like to come and share a meal with me?” he asks giving her a quirky half smile while gesturing in the direction that the scent of the moose carcass was coming from. He took a step towards it then waited to see if she would walk with him. Then, concentrating on what he originally came here to do, Kova opened his maw to answer her original question. “I just wanted to know if pack life was the same for you as it is for me. Do you guys have trouble with certain members? Does the royal family actually like each other? Are there always troubles with the younger wolves and the older ones as they try to transition into the adult ranks of the pack?” Kova pauses wondering how much he wanted to let Sijinali know about his own pack. He figured that these things were the same in each pack, but was not 100% sure. If things were different in Secret Woodlands than it was in Round Stone Crest than maybe there were some serious issues happening in his own pack that needed taking care of. Issues that Kova would want to fix.

“Not to say that my pack is having problems like this, but in the past we seemed to have issues like it. Most of the time its nice around the Crest. Everyone is cordial and proper, but not too uptight. We have fun when there's time to do so.” He tried to think back on what the pack was like before Minka's death, because that was what the pack was really like. Not the down depressed wolves who were working themselves to death now to forget the pain in their hearts. Maybe soon Kova could find it in his heart to have a little fun in the Crest again. Only if the others were okay with it though.

Kova creases his face as the she wolf notes how many questions he had asked her. “Sorry...” He offered the small apology before looking down at the ground between his paws. Then his face comes up as an astonished look crosses it. A pup died and the mother was exiled? He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that other packs might have been during much worse than his own. At least there was no real reason why his own younger siblings might suddenly die. The thought of them dead though sent innumerable shivers down his spine. He hoped that they would forever be safe, unlike his sister Noble.

When she asked about royalty he tilted his head curious about her words. It seemed Sijinali was unsure of what she herself might have once been. Kova had grown up with parents who continually reminded him of his position. Tokino especially had poured lesson after lesson down his throat about the "royal" family he had elsewhere and what being born in the Downs meant for him and Noble. So Kova had a clear understanding of the title and word called royalty. 

“Well... If your parents were the leaders of your old pack then you would have been a princess where you were born. When a wolf leaves their birth pack they lose their title as heir to the pack and simply become a subordinate. That's what I was taught. ” Kova explained carefully making sure to word himself correctly. He liked to help other wolves out and give them information. That was exactly why he was in training to become a teacher. He continued padding along until the carcass came into sight. Once there the youth slowed to a stop and began sniffing around near the moose's stomach. He was well fed and actually not too hungry right that moment. With a warm smile he backed up from the carcass and pointed to it with his nose. “Ladies first.” A small wag twisted his tail while Kova watched to see if the she wolf was hungry or not.