Razekiel and Nayru had picked such a variable place to settle. Ichika no Ho-en represented a mystery to Arye that begged to be solved. There were so many different nuances to the lands that stretched forth that could be claimed by this new pack. Not only were these lands strange - they were the ether between what once was Phoenix Valley and Dahlia de Mai. But those that surrounded the young, cream-colored female were much like strangers to her, the remnants of the two packs brought together.

The newly minted Chen-tao took to heart the fact that she would need to learn these lands very well. It was something that sparked excitement within her, bringing her an energy that made her feet swift as she took her time to absorb her surroundings while moving at an eager, even pace. While technically no longer a child, she was still young, still some weeks from reaching her first month of life. So she had to sometimes combat her eager and impatience, although they were conquered when she was with Pripyat and time seemed to slow down little by little.

Arye found herself in the first place where Razekiel and Nayru had told their assorted band of followers that they had found a home. Honey colored eyes touched one particular bent tree that looked so familiar, and identified it as one that Razekiel had thought was special.

Arye did not mind solitude, but found the company of others to be preferable to being alone. She was still trying to adjust to a new view of things, a new way of life. Admittedly, as a member of Phoenix Valley she had hardly taken any of its traditions to heart. She had only tried to be a good friend to Pripyat and a decent pack mate to others, and that had seemed to serve her well enough. Now Nayru and Razekiel, two virtual strangers who she now looked up to and was beginning to trust, preached of a different way of life with a higher set of ideals. She didn't know how she would put them into effect; she had had a rather idyllic life and had yet to face any real opposition. But she could definitely agree that living a peaceful life would be better than living one filled with violence and struggle.

The cream-colored girl recognized the dark furred male who greeted her, and she turned honey colored eyes on him to investigate his appearance. She had yet to really meet him, but she remembered seeing him from time to time, usually in pockets of other Dahlians, when they had been traveling to their new homeland. The girl smiled tentatively at him, aware of the tense way he carried himself - something must be bothering him. "Hi," she said straight-forwardly, not shy or too wary of him, but trying to assess the best and most polite way to greet him. "I guess you could say that I'm curious; I'm trying to learn my way around here. I'm Arye - who and how are you?"

Arye did not need to stop and think long to formulate her answer for Saluce. It was something that had been at the forefront of her mind for the last few days, since Jefferson had announced that Phoenix Valley would be "no more." "I was part of Phoenix Valley, but I had never really made myself 'part' of the pack, if that makes sense," the cream colored girl explained. "I stayed mostly to spend time with my friend, Pripyat, who I met when I first got into this area - I am not originally from around here." She had simply been drifting from shore to shore, taking from life what she needed in order to survive.

"I didn't come from anywhere." Her childhood had consisted largely of listless wanderings, alone and away from people to love or to love her. She had found something to anchor her to one place in her friendship with Pripyat Soul. It was something worth digging her feet into the ground for. "I guess I'm just trying to make this my place."

That was the long and the short of it, really. She had finally found something worth staying for. Having Pripyat in her life was very important to her. He granted her a sense of belonging, which explained her willingness to set down roots and to try something she had never done before.