Paradise Falls transition

Under the guardianship of this new family, Pan was feeling a little better every day. She had been growing a little healthier, a little bigger, and a little bit stronger. And she had noticed a very big difference in how energetic she was, too. Now, there seemed to be almost nothing stopping her from exploring as much as she wanted, aside from her own fear of getting lost again.

She must have explored most of the territory that belonged to the falls. Pan had also tried to be helpful in the ways she knew how; scavenging for some of her own food and just in general looking out for herself so as to not bother the adults too much. Her transition into this new life had gone about as well as it could have.  

But still, she wanted to see more of them. The child missed what she’d had with her sister, mother, and father. Where were those other kids Luca had told her were here? Pan was determined to find them this morning.

-aw, but maybe one of the other kiddos?

There wasn't much that drew Addison away from the pack den's immediate proximity, but her curiosity about the newest scent amongst them was peaking. Today she had resolved to track the other pup down, find out who they were, maybe find out why they hadn't said hi! Her russet paws took her effortlessly through the forest and its litter of plant debris, and when she thought she saw a flash of the other, an unusually pale and thinner frame, Addy let out a warm bark of greeting.

She picked up the pace, practically prancing toward the other girl, almost impatient in coming near enough now to properly speak.

"Hello! I'm Addison. You're Pan, right?"

Addy liked that name, short and fun.

She had thought about trying to follow a scent trail, but there were still so many of them. She was pretty sure she had counted around.. ten or so, different individuals. Pan had yet to be able to associate that with who they were, though, aside from those few she had met so far.

There was sound off in the forest soon enough, that sound of paws crunching through snowfall and foliage, so someone was nearby. Pan stopped, scanning, until she spotted someone. Another kid!

This one stood out against the forest backdrop, her fur a bright tawny that seemed to glint and glow whenever sunlight managed to hit it through the trees above. And she had those bright green eyes, too.

”Hi Addison! Pan greeted, maybe a little too excitedly, tail waving in a blur she couldn’t see as she pranced forth to give the other kid a friendly nudge. ”How’d you know my name?” They hadn’t met, so she wondered who’d told Addison about her?

Pan Pan Pan Pan Pan.

She'd thought maybe Pan would be shy given how long she'd remained elusive, but she wasn't! Addison smiled broadly and giggled at the touch. How?

"M'ma n' Fa told me," she answered simply.

"They said give ya space, but... well... you've gotten a lot of space."

Three weeks or so was enough time, wasn't it? To adjust, or whatever it is her father had explained to her? Addison had been listening, genuinely, it was just hard for some words, some concepts, to really stick. Anyways, in her ideal little part of the world, there was nothing she could think of that would make another wolf want to be left alone for so long.

"Wanna walk?"

Her parents had told her. A more than satisfactory answer to the simple first question - it made sense that the wolves around here would talk to each other. And that they’d probably notice someone new almost right away. The next revelation had Pan frowning momentarily. Give her space? Why? Nothing about that made much sense to her.

”Oh. Well.. you don’t have to, now. I want to meet everyone,” the orphaned child explained. That must’ve been the reason she hadn’t seen any of the other kids yet, if they had been told to give her space.

A walk? With a maybe new friend? ”Yeah!” She beamed again. It sort of reminded her of a few months ago, exploring with Sonnet.

”Which ones are your parents?” Had Pan met them, too?

Pan confirmed Addison's skepticism, making the russet girl grin brightly even before she'd agreed to the proffered activity.

"Cool," she chirped, turning to lead the way as indicated by a pointed sweep of her muzzle onward. There would be no particular destination or route in mind. There often wasn't, with Addy. She simply wandered, following whatever attracted her eye. It didn't occur to her to take Pan to the Falls themselves, where she could then hopefully meet @Micaden and @Atara as well.

"Chan n' Flair. Y'probably know Ma better?"

Their mom seemed to be involved in everything, what with being leader alongside Jethro. That was about all that the ranks had come to mean for her, so far.

"Who're your parents?"

Pan had spent a fair amount of time exploring thus far, most of it alone. She considered herself at least decently familiar with the territory, but it didn’t stop her from still marvelling. The trees here were massive, bigger than any she had seen. There were caves, streams, not to mention the falls themselves..

Chan and Flair, the names were somewhat familiar. Flair more specifically, whom she recognized as the other leader alongside the dark man that’d greeted her initially. ”Yeah. She’s nice,” Pan confirmed, a tad wistfully.

She envied that Addison and the other children had gotten to grow up here. Safe, protected, and with their families. She wished hers could’ve been here too. Even more as the other asked who hers were.

”I-I..” the child paused as her voice cracked a little on the single word. But she paused and took a breath to compose herself. She didn’t want to cry in front of someone else!

”I don’t know. I got separated from them a while ago and.. I never learned their names.” It wasn’t something Pan had thought of before now, but it hurt to not know her heritage. Not even really know who her parents were..