In her free moments, Naia had found herself wandering further from the pack than was strictly necessary given the amount of border runs she was expected to conduct as an official scout of Cut Rock River. There were the pups to look after too—that middle child was especially a handful, making an escape attempt whenever an adult’s back was turned. She was well aware of all the things she should be doing at this moment, and yet here she was drifting through the heart of the Lore as if she hadn’t a duty in the world. Scouting, she told herself. Oh yes, she was scouting, and that was important work. Thank goodness no one was here to ask what she was scouting for, because she had yet to completely admit it to herself.

Inali. The very wind seem to whisper the name the farther north Naia traveled, drawing the loyal scout away from the land she was tied to. Strange, before she met Inali she didn’t feel tied down at all, but now she felt like she was attached to a yo-yo, running north just to be tugged back south once more. She never even made it all the way to the blackberry fields before she felt the tug of duty pulling her home, but occasionally she made it to the cherry orchard—their special place—and walked among the low-hanging cherry blossoms imagining that she saw Inali waiting there for her at each turn.

There! Naia stopped in her tracks and her breath caught in her throat as her honey eyes landing on Inali. No.. not her. Her breath rushed out in a sigh. It was a wolf she had never met. The stranger perhaps looked a little like the wolf Naia had mistaken her for, but not really enough to excuse her mistake. Get a grip, Naia. She shook her head to clear her mind, and then she put on her usual friendly smile. ”Hello,” she called to the wolf, a loner from her smell. ”Are you new to these parts?” She made it a point to be friendly to newcomers to make up for how decidedly unfriendly others had been toward her when she was peregrine. It was odd to see loners wandering the wildwood once more—there had been a point there a few months ago when the only loners she ever saw were the ones at her border, begging to be allowed into her pack. Few wolves could survive a winter like that one on their own.

The stranger’s tail lifted into a pleasant, inviting position, and Naia moved closer to the Plains lady in curiosity. What luck! Here was an interesting stranger to take her mind off.. things.. and perhaps reattach her to this world that felt as if it had flipped upside down lately. The woman smelt of a wanderer, the distant scents of various territories wafting from her pelt. True to her word, it smelled as if she had stayed nowhere long. Naia found this difficult to understand; when she had first stumbled upon Relic in the spring of last year, she thought she had found a slice of heaven—so many gorgeous, unique territories just teeming with wolves to meet. She couldn’t imagine leaving the Lore after experiencing its beauty, and it surprised her that this woman had been able to do so. Everyone had their reasons, of course.. and Naia was dying to find them out.

She grinned at the newcomer’s cheerful reply, her honey eyes lighting up at the stranger’s infectious attitude. It didn’t happen often, but Naia always enjoyed interacting with a wolf that didn’t take herself so seriously. ”Oh..” she began, as she realized that her new companion was awaiting her reply. ”I.. I’m really not sure, to tell you the truth.” She had always been an honest wolf—honest to a fault, perhaps some would say. ”I have a home here,” she added quickly, ”Cut Rock River, to the southeast.. I’m just not headed back quite yet, I think. It’s such a lovely day for exploring. “ There. The weather was a perfect excuse for her aimless wandering, and Naia grinned confidently. ”Are you considering making a home here, this time around?” Even if the answer was no, Naia thought she might still figure out what this stranger’s reason was for always passing through, but never settling. She was a hopelessly curious wolf, to be sure.

Naia’s expression turned somewhat wistful when the stranger mentioned the stories her father used to tell her of Relic Lore. She too had been told stories of this place as a pup, but her stories were more like legends.. No one in her birthpack had actually been to the lands belonging to the mysterious and powerful Hidden Tree wolves, but in the stories the territories were so beautiful and diverse that Naia had no doubt she had found the right place. How fascinating that this stranger’s father had once lived here, perhaps as a member of the Swift River pack that she had heard so much about. It was even more fascinating that in those times it was drought that swept over the lands instead of today’s floods.

Naia made sure to mention her pack in all encounters with strangers, just in case one might curious such as this one. She wasn’t one to miss an opportunity to talk about her favorite subject, and who knows; maybe she could recruit a member. ”Cut Rock River is led by Maksim Baranski, and though he has a mate and pups of his own he considers all of us his extended family.” Naia stood a little taller as she continued. ”I am Naia Aegina, his Second. I am not the largest and certainly not the most domineering wolf in the pack, but I achieved my rank by working hard and fulfilling my potential as a scout.” If Naia’s guess was right, this stranger might be interested in a pack organized according to loyalty as opposed to fighting ability. The scout knew an easygoing wolf when she saw one— she was like that herself. ”It’s a pack I’m proud to call my family,” she finished, wagging her tail to invite further questions. As a seasoned scout, she knew a little about the other packs in the area as well, should the stranger ask.

Naia had discovered that there were two types of wolves that came sniffing around their borders: those looking for a pack to join, and those looking for a connection to the past. It was much easier for her to assist the former type, though more often than not she came across a wolf asking about Swift River, the Attayas, or the floods. This particular wolf, Liran, was unique though. Her connection seemed to predate the Attayas and the flooding incident, and Naia felt that she was going to be even less helpful than usual. "I’ve roamed these lands for a year now, but only this territory since winter, I’m afraid,” she imparted with a sigh. ”There are wolves that have been here longer though—since before the flooding. You’re welcome to keep sniffing around the Cedarwoods as long as you mind our boundary.” She smiled an apologetic smile, wishing she could do more to help.

Her honey eyes brightened as an idea struck. ”I could put you in touch with Makism, he’s been here a long time. Though he’s quite busy with his new pups…” Naia trailed off, wondering if this matter was important enough to call her leader away from his family. Accepting a new wolf into their ranks was really the only reason he should be called to the border at this time, she reasoned. ”He will visit a loner at the border if she’s seeking a pack. Perhaps if you decide this is a place you want to settle down, you could speak to him.” Naia waved her tail amicably. She liked this stranger, and it was about time a new face joined Cut Rock River. She hoped Liran might consider settling down.. she could always come back later too, if she intended to estivate as a lone wolf for now.