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A healthy dose of wariness adorned the girl's features; she was young but not foolish. It would have surprised her if she hadn't reacted in such a way. Survival was the product of intelligence and a tinge of fear, both of which the hybrid seemingly possessed to have made it this far. A simple nod was given in reply to her affirmation - the adolescent was in fact a loner, as she'd suspected. Companionship had been taken from her early on in life, a broken childhood all too similar to what Lilin had experienced. Sustaining each other's gazes proved to be a difficult task. The Virding understood the reason behind the youngster's avoidance, including the delay wedging itself between her invitation and an answer.

A meek response was eventually captured by her dichotomous receivers. Lilin offered a lopsided smile then, wiping the palms of her hands on her pareo before rising into an upright position. The Soulstorm heir was unresponsive to the unemotional facade presented to her. She often acted the same in awkward situations. Not quite as often nowadays but back when she'd resided in Hilsburn, Lilin had greeted just about every single one of Barry's conquests with the same frigid expression. ''The Stormbringers. My family and I live just south of here. We recently claimed these lands for ourselves and created a pack of our own, Vinatta,'' she revealed then, gauging the youngster's reaction for recognition. ''My name's Lilin, and who might you be?''

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"Andara," she repeated tentatively, savoring the girl's foreign name before nodding decisively. "Pretty name." And it was. The Virding couldn't trace its origins or meaning, if any. Not many parents based their offspring's names off nasty little imps hailing straight from Akkadian mythology, such as Lilin. Whatever the inspiration behind the youngster's name, she certainly hoped it did not resemble what had driven Lillith Stormbringer to name her only child after shadow daemons. Andara surely had a story of her own, as did everyone, but Lilin made a solid effort not to pry into the adolescent's business until she was ready to share - if that moment ever came. She herself had never explicitely shared memories with anyone, not even Saul.

Mediterranean blue irises followed the lavender gaze of her interlocutor relentlessly, picking up on the obvious interest in the girl's eyes only moments before an inquiry tumbled forth. "Wha-?" she stammered, knitting her eyebrows into a frown before realization washed over her. "Oh!" Her right hand settled over the birthmark then, fingers tracing the approximate outline of the symbol as she mulled over an answer. She couldn't control the smirk that found her lips; many had wondered the same and none had been so bold as to ask out loud- it was comical in a way, how this child turned out to be bolder than anyone she'd met thus far. "I wondered the same for a very long time- a birthmark of sorts. I stumbled upon the same symbol in one of my books once. Turns out its the first letter of my name in Hebrew," she explained with a shrug, ushering Andara forward with a hand gesture. They could head back to Jordheim and talk at the same time.

"Maybe Loki's attempt at a joke," she gathered, throwing in another speculation for good measure. According to Miskunn and the elders, the Stormbringers descended from the Trickster himself. The Soulstorm heir surprised herself, realizing how much the Godja's teachings had rubbed off on her in less than a full moon's time. "Are you familiar with the Norse Gods, Andy?" she questioned, sparing a sideway glance at her guest.

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Sparking the girl's curiosity was effortless; her desire to learn and her eagerness to explore was unmatched. Children naturally bore these characteristics but the level of maturity evoked by Andara made her much smarter than the others. The complexity of Lilin's explanations did not lessen because of her interlocutor's age- her intelligence made up for her lack of experience. This made things easier for the Virding, notoriously known for having little to no relationships with the Aeskar in her pack. Even Temeraire, son to her lover and co-leader, shared no special bond with the Soulstorm heir.

''Loki is-'' she started, searching for a way to simplify the Trickster's role amongst other Norse Gods, choosing her words carefully to make him seem neither good or bad. He was, after all, a neutral-chaotic entity. ''He's the personification of balance. He is a shape-shifter, often recognized for his mischievous pranks. One of our many Gods.'' Attributing a single role to a deity as complex as Loki was nearly impossible. Lilin was still learning; forging her opinions along the way. She cast her guest a sideway glance and a smile, in a swift attempt to gauge Andara's degree of confusion. ''My cousin Miskunn will be able to tell you more. She's our closest connection to the Gods. Many refer to her as the Godja,'' she continued, clasping both of her hands behind her back.

She would have offered a literal translation but Lilin saw the Godja as more than a priestess. Her role was invaluable to Vinatta and describing her work was no easy feat. ''You'll be staying with her tonight,'' she revealed then, knowing that Miskunn would certainly be able to provide a deeper insight on their pack's culture. Azure irises scanned ahead, spotting the familiar earthen paths leading to the eastern entrance to Jordheim. Their pace was brisk and much to Lilin's surprise, Andara was keeping up remarkably well. "What are your plans for the future?" A silly question to be asking a young girl, maybe- but it was legitimate nonetheless.