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The weather was beginning to chill, the air just a bit colder with the passing days. The light was beginning to dim just a bit earlier every day. Geneva felt autumn coming upon her. It was hard to imagine that almost a year ago, she had found herself at this very border. So much had changed, but she treasured each experience. Even those experiences which had kept her awake for countless nights were treasures for her. She would not change them, not for all the love in the world.
The Savant, in lupus form, tread the invisible dividing line of the pack territory. She relied heavily on her memory of these borderlands to aid her in finding her destination. Lime green eyes flashed to different places she remembered. In the distance, she knew that she find places that would spark her memory. She came to a point where she was certain she was standing on the outskirts, and then raised her voice to let others know she was here. She had news.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 300+
The day hung steadily over the lands of Souls, sharing its comforting rays and peaceful light with the territory comprising Crimson Dreams. The autumn breeze made itself felt upon the air, reminding the pearl femme of her first autumn within Nova Scotia. As lonely as she had been then, she was beginning to get used to the solitary walks and the nights spent on her own, counting or discovering stars from galaxies far away from her. Although her thoughts had remained with Pilot, she had been able to focus her life on a more forward direction-- though not always happy with the way things turned out, and most of the times still unable to rid herself of his poignant absence and its undesirable effect on her, she was still content with belonging to Crimson Dreams and being allowed to have shelter and as much security as she could have.
Shifted in her Optime form, the pale female walked steadily through pack lands, bound towards the outskirts, as she usually did when in this more humane form. She had gotten over most of her discomfort in coming to terms with her two-legged shape, yet her reticence in showing herself in anything other than Lupus still made itself felt. It was why her choice remained with the boundaries of the pack, so that she would not be in the way of a fellow pack mate, and thus be forced to have another set eyes on her until her confidence was certain to hold. It was as such that her blanched ears picked up the howl, and, curiousity rising within her and pushing her initial reticence aside, the ivory Crimson Dreamer started in the direction of the call. She stopped a few feet away from the stranger, taking in the female's appearance and establishing that she did not seem threatening. However, she was not yet ready to let her guard down. She could not disappoint her home. She sat down, legs bent like a pretzel, and watched the new she-wolf with an expression betraying patience and mild interest.
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Geneva remained standing when someone finally answered her call. An ivory colored woman appeared, and she was not someone that Geneva recognized. Geneva usually had quite a good memory for faces and names, and she searched her memory but could not find a link to this mysterious ivory hued Crimson Dreamer. Geneva could only surmise that the mystery female had joined this pack after she herself had left to join Phoenix Valley.
With her hands and arms hanging loosely at her sides, she inclined her head a fraction to acknowledge Crimson Dream's sentinel. The woman did not mean this pack any form of harm. Far from it, she was a messenger bearing good news. After a few moments of silence, during which she studied this mysterious woman, Geneva opened her mouth to explain her presence here. "My name is Geneva Stockholm. I am the Savant, second-in-command, of the Phoenix Valley pack," she explained, first introducing herself and giving the woman a way to identify her. "Crimson Dreams was once my home." There was warmth in her voice as the better memories of this place colored her thoughts.
"I come bearing news of Naniko D'Angelo," she said, and her lime green eyes took in the ivory woman's face. She cocked her head to the side a bit, curious as she asked, "Do you know her?" Naniko had once been the leader of this pack, and although Geneva hadn't met this ivory woman during her time in Crimson Dreams, she figured that she must at least have some idea about Naniko's identity.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 500+
The ivory femme listened to the alabaster stranger before her, realizing that the she-wolf before her would know more about Naniko. Her tail wagged imperceptibly at the thought, yet the blanched Crimson Dreamer put it away temporarily, knowing that the Savant would have priority; she was curious to know what the Phoenix Valley second-in-command needed from her pack, and she also felt it was her direct responsibility to try to cater to the female's wishes as best she could. After that, if Geneva was willing, Urma would ask her about Naniko's well-being. Her friend was a concern to the pale femme, and she realized that it was a pretty well-founded concern at that; it could not have been easy for the emerald-eyed she-wolf to cope with her loneliness in the solitary shop in Halifax after having had all her friends in her pack turn her back on her. This went, of course, without mention of the fact that Naniko had had to struggle with overcoming her addiction.
"Welcome, Geneva. I'm Urma. Although Crimson Dreams has always been my home, since its very beginning, I have been gone for a long time. I think that lengthy absence would explain why we have not been acquainted before." She was on the verge of continuing when the she-wolf's next words revealed to the pale Crimson Dreamer the reason behind the Savant's journey. Her pulse raced at the mention of her friend's name, fear creeping in at the thought that something had gone wrong with the birth of the pups. Her head was buzzing with these thoughts and Urma almost choked on her words as she hastily asked, "Has something happened to her? Has something happened to her pups?" She could not contain the worry from her tone, panic evident in her features due to all the thoughts that were battling for priority in her head. "Yes, I know her. She is a very old and very good friend of mine." She tried to calm herself down, hoping that nothing bad had become of Naniko or her pups. Anything of that sort would not only crush her-- it would crush everyone close to her, especially Ehno. At the thought of Ehno being one of the few still on good terms with the emerald-orbed she-wolf, Urma added, her tone as neutral as she could muster, "You have been lucky not to have met some of my other pack mates. Although they were all once under Naniko's command, they do not remember her kindly. I haven't been here to see what happened, and as such I do not judge anyone. All I meant to say was that Naniko's named is now frowned upon and best avoided by many of my pack mates." Disappointment ebbed into her words as she said the last sentence. It was sad to see her friend had become more of a bad memory to most of the wolves who had once looked up to her.
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The Crimson Dreamer, introducing herself as Urma, neatly filled in the gaps in her knowledge. It made sense now that she hadn't met this woman. It was true that Geneva had not been part of this pack for more than half a year, but she had been hoping to encounter someone with whom Naniko was well acquainted. A lot had obviously happened in the time she had been absent from this pack, and although she knew bits and pieces of what had happened, some of what Urma revealed was still startling.
The Savant shook her head mutely, waiting for her to stop speaking before she interjected. She did not want Urma to worry about Naniko. Geneva had been there to witness the miracle of Naniko and Ehno's children being brought into the world. To the best of her knowledge now, Naniko was perfectly healthy and getting on her feet again. She did not know the last time Urma had seen Naniko, but Geneva remembered meeting the white wolfess when she had been the Commander. She had had a commanding presence and she had a core of strength.
The disappointment in Urma's voice caused Geneva to look at her sharply as her thoughts drifted over those she knew Naniko had been close to, her mind settling on Savina and Anu. Savina had been Naniko's best friend, and although Anu and Naniko had had a falling out, they both still shared a bond through Naniko's first litter. Had those ties been severed? She hadn't though to ask Naniko, but she remembered finding the white wolfess in Halifax, utterly alone. Had her old pack abandoned her?
Geneva kept her tone neutral, although she expressed her thoughts without reservation. "That's unfortunate," she said, those two words expressing an entire world of emotion: disbelief, disappointment, and acceptance of the shift in reality. "Naniko gave birth to a healthy little, two boys and two girls. Ehno was present, and has an open invitation to stay in Phoenix Valley for as long as he needs or wants to." Geneva smiled a bit more after giving this bit of news. "I wanted those who care about Naniko to know. She is healthy, and she is staying in Phoenix Valley."
She chose her next words carefully. "Phoenix Valley borders are open to Naniko's friends, if they should care to visit." Her voice became hushed as her gaze on the Crimson Dreamer was more intense. "Is Jazz still...?" She hoped that Jazz was still on good terms with Nani. The woman wanted to know the climate of this situation now. It was almost a personal matter - her old family was scattered to the winds.
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OOC: ::Word Count:: 600+
It was clear that the Savant was using the small silences to adjust to the turns things had taken. Until now, the pearl femme had not realized how this sudden rift between Naniko and her former pack mates must sound to anyone else who might have been close to Naniko. Obviously, the alabaster Crimson Dreamer had taken the piece of information, when it had arrived, with little doubt or questioning. The fact that she had been absent for the most part had kept her from interfering with a personal opinion, had stopped her from approaching Savina or anyone else and trying to convince them to let go and forgive their friend. The most she had ever contributed had been her conversation with Ehno, and that alone could not count for much. Now, registering the mute acceptance from Geneva, she found the entire situation between Naniko and her former friends unsettling-- yet the fact that she had not been present when the shortcomings of Naniko's mistake had torn them apart indeed acted as an obstacle in her desire to alter the current situation. As it stood, however, the same silence that had signaled the Savant's acknowledgement became her own recognition of the same disappointing truth they were now facing.
The news that the pups were well eased the growing tension the blanched Crimson Dreamer had felt in her bones. It was a relief to know that Naniko had safely delivered her litter, that she had a healthy four pups she could be proud of later on. The fact that Ehno had been present brought a smile to the ivory female's features. She remembered very well how distraught he had felt, facing so many tormenting decisions, but it seemed that for the moment he was content to live with the present situation, despite the fact that it brought a sense of alienation with it. Urma nodded once, to indicate that she agreed with the Phoenix Valley leader's words, before saying, "Thank you. That is a kind gesture to do; opening your borders for so many, for Naniko still has friends she can rely on, I'm sure, is indeed a noble, heartfelt thing. There is little I can say on the pups before I actually see them with my own eyes, but may this new litter bring many joys to both its parents, as well to the pack that will be their welcoming home."She had always viewed young ones as the pride of a pack-- maybe because of the circumstances regarding litters that she had grown up with in her own pack back in Greenland. And, in probably a very selfish manner, she was glad Phoenix Valley would be their home-- after all that Naniko had done for Crimson Dreams, and after her subsequent exile, the least she deserved was a home for her pups who, after all, bore none of their mother's mistakes upon them but were, nonetheless, taking the same blame.
The Savant's next question put Urma in a dilemma. She did not know of anything concerning Jazper and Naniko, had been much unaware of her friendships. Her absence from Crimson Dreams yet again put her in a disconcerting situation regarding what answer was expected of her, and the little she could offer in its place. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and began, "Well, as I've said, I've been gone a while... I'm afraid I don't know what the situation between them is. But I am sure that Naniko could tell you better than anyone what her situation is with everyone. I'm sorry I am not much help. I would have probably known more had I not been... forced, so to say, to leave for such a long period of time." She knew that this next silence that threatened to follow would not have anything comforting in it.
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She seemed to regard news of the new little lives with an untarnished joy though. That was a bright mote in their exchange, at least. The Savant hoped that this woman would take her up on her offer to visit the pups. Naniko was in good health and fine spirits, but she wanted her friend to be surrounded by her supporters. This was a transitioning time in her life, and she knew that having friends around would make it more bearable.
"Don't apologize," Geneva said, smiling through the awkwardness. She could see that Urma's heart was in the right place. "I am sure that Crimson Dreams was happy to have you back." Geneva's words were sincere. Urma seemed like a wonderful lady - someone honest and sincere. She hoped that Crimson Dreams hadn't changed so much that the pack wasn't a "home" any longer, although she had faith that Savina and Anu would hold everyone together.
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