Welcome to Gaia! ::

A shadowy grey female paused to nibble the ice from between her pads. She had nothing against snow - that would be laughable for a wolf who lived in the mountains - but even she had to admit that there should be a limit to how long it stayed on the ground. Still, it was odd that it should make her feel a little blue now of all times. She was out in the world, fulfilling her quest and loving every minute of it. There was so much to learn! So many stories just waiting for her to collect them! So many fascinating people to amuse her.

Perhaps that was the crux of it. There were other wolves, yes, but they went as quickly as they came. They were just chance meetings. There was no permanence. If she were being honest with herself, as much as she loved her freedom, Laughing Shadow also craved stability. How long had it been, now, since she had left on her quest? How long since she had seen her friends, her pack? Though she met many new wolves, she missed the comfortable familiarity of their company. In these long winter months that clung even to spring, she had especially missed the simple pleasure of having a warm huddle of bodies to curl up with.

Despite all of this, the she-wolf knew that she was not quite ready to call an end to her trek. There was something more she was meant to do out here, she was sure of it. She only had to find what it was.

Satisfied that her paws would be fine for a while longer, she stood and shook herself off. Perhaps today would be the day she would meet her fate.

Quite suddenly, the female found a pair of purple eyes mere inches from her own. She froze in the middle of her shake, blinked owlishly at those eyes, and took a step or two back to get a better look at the rest of the wolf. Those eyes, as it turned out, belonged to an admittedly handsome brown male with perhaps the loveliest dye she had ever seen. Of course, his exuberance made it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

"Aha?" He was acting like an epiphany had just struck, or like he had found the answer to a particularly vexing question.

Any thoughts that Shadow may have had about finding her fate had disappeared, and she was wholly focused on this new creature that chance had dropped onto her path. Whoever he was and whatever he was so excited about, this was sure to be an interesting encounter. Enough to stave off the loneliness for a time, perhaps.

At first, she had to wonder if she was facing a mad-wolf. It would not be the first time, but he would certainly be the silliest one she had ever met. Then, her mind caught up to her and she realized something that should have occurred to her right away. He had purple eyes. She would have put the pieces together sooner if he had not taken her so completely by surprise. If the stories were to be trusted, and Shadow made it her business to know which stories to trust, then only Seers had purple eyes.

He said he was looking for her, but she had no idea who he was. She might have been traveling for a while, but the Kazkar-to-be seriously doubted that she had made enough ripples in the world to make any strangers seek her out. That left only one explanation, and she was not at all sure how she felt about it.

She briefly considered just ignoring it and acting like nothing unusual was occurring, acting like this was just another meeting, but if there was one unchanging truth about this she-wolf, it was that her curiosity won every time. She simply had to ask.

"Well you've found me now," she observed. "Why were you looking for me? Dis you See me?" And if he did, in what context? It looked like destiny might have found her, after all.

It appeared that she was correct. The Seer had had a vision of her. While flattering, it was certainly surprising. The wandering storyteller hardly considered herself to be anyone of real importance, in the grand scheme of things. Why would he possibly have Seen her?

As he described the rest of his dream, she barely contained her laughter. A warm and peaceful valley? Surely he was not describing her home! It was true that her home valley was temperate compared to the rest of the mountains, but that was definitely a relative comparison. Long though it may have been, the winter months she had spent in the lowlands of Kells had proven to be infinitely warmer than any in the valley. There was, of course, the fire, but surely he would have Seen that rather than a general sense of warmth? Then again, who was she to dictate how a Seer Saw.

As for the rest, well, though the inside of the valley might be peaceful enough...if one discounted the endless training of the warriors, and the sometimes rigid regulations of the elders that conflicted with the pups' young exuberance, and the snippy politics of late, and...well, perhaps even the inside of the valley was not so peaceful. As for the borders, the pack was always fending off attacks and invasions. They were in a near-constant state of military alertness.

She had to wonder if his vision was meant to be ironic.

Then, he continued and his words pierced her. A shared destiny...the words so closely echoed her own thoughts that it was almost eerie.

However, the male was demonstrating his excessive energy once more and she had no time to ponder this. She grinned ironically.

"Then greetings, Twilight Morning. My name is Laughing Shadow." At least his dreams had gotten that much right. Though she was not so sure about the calm caress.

Her mind returned briefly to what she had been thinking about just before he had nearly plowed into her, to the long winter she had spent away from her pack.

"Yes," she agreed. "I have been traveling a while. However cliche it may sound, it sometimes seems like I was home only yesterday, and it sometimes seems like it has been a lifetime since I have seen my pack."

In a way, it had been a lifetime. Laughing Shadow was not the same wolf who had left on her Kazkar trial. She had seen and done and learned too much for that. She had changed; become stronger and less...innocent, for lack of a better word. What would everyone think of her when she returned? Did the changes show? It was something to look forward to.

Realizing that they would likely be conversing for a while, the she-wolf sat down, curling her tail around her in an almost feline gesture.

"I'm sorry to have kept you on the hunt for so long," she teased. "But at least I know how determined you can be, now."

Would he not? She would have to ask him why he was not going to return. The female did not bother herself with any concerns that there could be a painful reason behind his decision. Of course, given his tone, she doubted such was the case. Regardless, she was curious and wanted an answer. It was as simple as that. However, he had asked his question first.

"There is a tradition amongst my pack," she replied, wondering what he was feeling so uncomfortable about. "Every wolf who would be Kazkar - storyteller - must first complete a quest. We must go out into the world alone and return with new tales. It is a...rite, of sorts. A way of proving one's worth. I am on this quest now. When I return, I will be named Kazkar."

Of course, there was more to it than that. A good Kazkar would collect more than just stories. She would also bring news of the outside world. She would know of any potential threats and anything of significance. It was a way of keeping in touch beyond whatever gossip they picked up from the occasional new recruit to the pack. It was not as though her homeland got many visitors.

"Why will you not return to your pack?"

A little feminine giggle welled up in her and nearly escaped, surprising the she-wolf. She was not a tom-boy by any means, but neither was she prone to fits of girlish giggles. Of course, it was not all that often that she came across such a candid confession of romantic notions from a male. Those in her pack tended to be a little more...reserved, stoic warriors that they were. Besides, his words did speak to something within herself. Despite all of her bravado, she still preferred warmth to the cold.

When Twilight changed the topic, the warm smile that Shadow had not realized she wore changed to the grin of one speaking of their passion. "Do you, now? I'm sure I could be convinced to share a few if you ask nicely."