Shanta decided that she would look around the village a bit more. She had really only seen it scarcely when she had walked through earlier. She changed into her Optime form, feeling the familiar shift in bones and muscles. Soon, she rose to her feet, standing at approximately 6'3". She smoothed her fur and checked her tattoos. Shanta strolled around the village. Avoiding getting in the way of others. 'It'd be nice to have some friends.' she thought to herself. Though it would take her a while to actually make friends, she would do her best.

Shanta decided to head for the stables. She could smell them and would just follow the scent. Her pace did not quicken, it stayed at a very graceful, purposeful speed. She rarely ran in her Optime form, she felt awkward. As she neared the stables, she was relieved of some tension. She was now the Elan Soquili, a beginner animal caretaker. The stables would be like a second home to her, she guessed. "I wonder if I'll get my own horse one day." she said softly to herself. Shanta finally reached the stables and entered.

Ayasha had decided that today would be a good day to visit the stables. She entered and went over to Inez. "Hey Inez, when we're both big enough, I get to ride you. Though since I'll be ready 'fore you, I'ma gonna ride Fuerte. OK?" She stayed outside hie stall and just talked to him like they were old friends. "Don't be mad at me, OK? It was J'adore's decision not mine." She stopped when she heard someone come in the stables.

She saw an unfamiliar adult come in the stables. "Hi, there! My anme's Ayasha. What's yours?" She gave the female a big smile. She wondered why she was in the stables.

Shanta was observing the different horses and their stall conditions. She checked the watering and topped off any troughs that were half full. She noticed the small Arctic wolf pup walk in. Shanta kept to herself for a bit, giving the pup privacy as she talked to a horse. Then the pup noticed her and introduced herself. "Hello there! I'm Shanta Wanagi, you can call me Shanta." she said kindly. The pup was still rather small, just a few months old.

She could tell the pup questioned her presence. "I'm new to the pack, I am now the Elan Soquili. I'll be helping take care of the animals." Shanta smiled sweetly to Ayasha. Through her sense of character, she could tell Ayasha was from a rather harsh history, whether or not she remembered it all. Shanta and Ayasha had something in common, it seemed. "Do you need help with anything?" she asked the pup.

She gave Shanta a massive smile. "It's nice to meet you, Shanta." She was polite. She looked up at her. "You're really tall. I can't change yet. I'm only four months." She just thought she would be that piece of information out there. Not that she expected the adult to do anything about it.

About what she's doing here, she replied. "I came to visit a horse, Inez. J'adore said that when we're both big enough, I can ride him. But I'll be ready before him. But until then I can ride Fuerte." As she said that, she mentioned to each horse. "Do you know Liliana?"

Shanta held her smile as the wolf commented on her height. She crouched down near the wolf and sat, cross legged, near the pup. She was right, the pup was not yet old enough to change. When Ayasha asked about Liliana, Shanta replied, "Yes, I know her. I do not know her very well, but she met me at the border." Shanta informed the pup. Why would she want to know though?

"Is there a special reason you are asking me?" she asked Ayasha curiously. She kept her voice light and kind. She did not wish to appear rude or mean to the pup, nor did she want to treat her like a newborn. Shanta stroked Ayasha's back gently, knowing that she, as a pup, loved when her mother pet her back. She hoped one day she would find a mate and have her own pups. . . one day.

She smiled happily when Shanta got closer to her height. About why she asked, she said, "I met her when I first came here and know she takes care of the horses so I thought you would know her." She gave a shrug as answered.

Her grin got big as Shanta stroked her back. She loved being stroked, petted, and cuddled. She got a mischievous smile. "Why did you ask me why I asked my question?" She giggled a little at her own question.

Shanta laughed as well, a melodic type of laugh. "I like to know my answers little one." she said slyly. She then stood to her full height, winked at the pup, and shifted into her Lupus form. "Let's go for a walk, darling." she said happily. Even if it was just a pup, it was a friend. "You can show me around the village, maybe introduce me to some wolves." Shanta started to stride over to the door to the stables. She pushed the doors open and held it for the pup.

Shanta felt a blast of cool air when she opened the door. She didn't want to keep the door open to long. "Come on, Ayasha." she called encouragingly to the pup. She smiled again, happy that she met someone. Maybe she would meet more wolves today, hopefully.

She grinned. "Adults apparently like asking questions almost as me." She was impressed when Shanta shifted. "Is that how easy it is?"

Next thing she knew Shanta was by the door and waiting for her. She ran outside and said, "Hurry up slowpoke." She looked at her impatiently.

Shanta laughed again at the pup. She let the door close tightly and began after the pup. "Shifting is a simple process, it may take a while, but you'll get the hang of it and it'll be faster. But you really just have to think about the shift and it will come, though you still have a couple more months until your first shift." she told Ayasha happily.

Shanta had to slow and shorten her strides, her legs being much longer than her companions. She didn't mind though. "So, where are you going to take me first?" Shanta asked, she was like a tourist in the village. She still needed to absorb the sights and scents of the village.

She pouted. Not at being laughed at. She knew it was funny that she said that. It was having to wait. "I don't like being so little." Her pout got even more extreme. But she didn't have to wait much longer. She brightened at that thought. "But I only have to wait two more months!"

She thought for a moment. "Well the only place I know that isn't someone's hut, 'sides the stables, is the Great Hall. Wanna go there?" She started to head that direction without waiting for an answer. She was rather excited. She had a new friend.

Shanta thought of the Town Hall, there was bound to be wolves there. "Of course!" Shanta said and loped along the pup. She was very aware of the fact that she had just joined the pack, that only a two members knew her. She wanted to be a bit more known in the pack, not just a shadow on the edges. She would introduce herself, she didn't need to be close with everyone! "So what is life like in Aniwaya?" She asked Ayahsa.

Shanta continued to pad along side the pup. They walked through the village to the Town Hall. It was larger than the other huts and had large puffs of smoke coming from in front of it. She had just glimpsed it earlier and never got to take in the full sight. It was set perfect, the symmetrical building and the large fire that was always lit in front. She was excited for the first ceremony she would witness, just to see the magnificent ceremony happen!

She thought about her life in AniWaya. "I don't really know. It's still kinda confusing still. I've been here two months so I don't really know a whole lot about the tribe or about the language. But all the wolves I've met so far are nice." She hoped that was helpful. She didn't think it was.

Though she did know a little about something. She nodded at the fire. "That's the Great Fire. It's not supposed to go out. The fire tenders make sure of it." She wasn't really sure who was around in the Great Hall. It had been a few days since she was in there for more than a few hours. "You just missed a massive snowstorm. We had to stay inside for several days. And Dawali, our Chief, broke his leg."

Shanta knew of the flame already, it was a sort of guide to the pack. It was a hope, a leader to many wolves. She could see why, the flames seemed so promising, like it would never disobey her, it sparked hope in her. Then she heard of the snowstorm, remembering it so perfectly. She had been on her own for the end of it; she had stayed in a cave for most of it, going out to hunt when possible. Then she heard of the leader and his new disability, she started questioning and imagining how he could have hurt himself.

She looked at Ayasha as the pup finished her explanation. "Who is usually in the Town Hall?" Shanta questioned. She walked closer to the fire, about 15 feet away, and sat down. She waited for the pup to join her. She liked this little one, she was a bit rambunctious and curious, yet not annoyingly hyper or nosey. However, Shanta waited for another wolf to come and join them, just anyone.

She could tell that the adult knew most of it already. But that didn't really phase her. So she happily chirped, "I can tell you knew that." She truly didn't care. She figured that adults tended to know more than her. So she wasn't upset in the least.

She sat next to Shanta by the Great Fire. About who was usually in the Town Hall, she shrugged. "It depends. Right now there's an injured pup in there. But it's mainly just where people go for important stuff and when they needed to find shelter."

Shanta smiled at the pup as she watched the mesmerizing flames leap. She then got up and shook a bit. "What else is there to show me?" she asked happily. She looked around the area, they were a bit away from the village, might as well take a look there. "How about we go back to the village?" Shanta asked as she started to pad away. She kept light footed and a steady pace. Her interest in this pack grew more and more as she learned more about it.

She wondered where she would be staying, living, the hut she'd call home. She was s pretty sure she would need to build it. The thought of decorating brought interest to her mind. She would find feathers and jewels and glass and so much more! "So Ayasha, when I get around to decorating my hut, would you, maybe, want to help me with it?" she asked, just imagining the pups reply and expression. "I could use some more imagination than just mine."

She got up when Shanta did. "Well, I don't know. I already told you that. Remember?" She hoped the adult wasn't forgetful. Or else she would have to explain herself more than once. And that was hard for her to do. About going back to the village, she nodded and followed Shanta. She was happy to be with her.

At Shanta's suggestion, she grinned and nodded. "I'd love to help. I can even bring you things when you need them. But don't you need a hut? Or have you already found one?" She knew that she asked a lot of questions. She couldn't help it. She was curious and a puppy. And those went hand-in-hand with each other.

Saphrinas short legs carried her as fast as they could, she ran into the stables and ran into Ayasha falling over and landing ontop of her, "Ayasha! Im sorry!" she said getting off her friend. She got up and shook her fur from hay and anything elts. She giggled and nuzzled her sister. "Where have you been? Iv been looking for you!" she said wagging her tiny tail happily. She nudged her sister then stoped instantly and looked to the bigger wolf. She looked up and then hid behind Ayasha, being much taller and older than she is she hides and cowers behind her hopeing not to be hurt by the much bigger wolf

OOC: we're not in the stables anymore xP lol, you could just say "she ran up to Ayasha" haha. ahha I am soooo sorry I only now got to reply!! i was sooooo busy this weekend!

Shanta laughed as the pup asked if she remembered. She didn't remember asking that question! She remembered asking how life was in AniWaya, but she just nudged the pup playfully. When the other pup ran up to Ayasha, Shanta sat up right. The new she pup hid behind Ayasha. Shanta laughed lightly, she couldn't believe the pup was intimidated by her!

"Hello there. I am Shanta." she said sweetly to the new little one. She brought herself down so that she was smaller than normal. "No need to be afraid, I'm new to the pack, but I won't hurt you." Shanta laughed again. Her sweet, loving side for pups was showing itself and she wasn't worried.

When her adoptive sister ran her over, she just grinned and nuzzled her. That's alright, Saphrina. I'm OK. Are you? She gave her a tickle. When she hid behind her, Ayasha gave Saphrina a nuzzle. It's OK Saphrina. She's not gonna hurt you. And I'd protect you if she tried. She gave Shanta a stern look.

Her face softened. This is Saphrina. She was hurt by her daddy and another wolf. So she's afraid of unfamiliar wolves. She gave Saphrina a 'she's alright to meet' nuzzle. She explained, We're adoptive sisters. We're being cared for by Ralla and Kemo.

Shanta winked back at Ayasha when the pup gave her a serious look. "Well I would never lay a claw on anybody who didn't deserve it." She said meaningfully. Her family had always been loving and kind, no abuse, only play fights. She couldn't imagine her bear-like dad ever hitting or biting or any other type of abuse towards her.

"That's very kind of them." Shanta said when Ayasha informed her that wolves other than their parents were taking care of them. It was a pack, she guessed, they must do it all the time. She thought of herself having pups, adoptive or actual birthed pups. She longed for a family again, but the thought of losing another loved one was too much. "I hope to have pups one day." she said with a slight smile, "I'll need a mate first, though!" Shanta laughed in a false cheerful way.