'Oh Ameira... If you only knew how much you shamed us both tonight. Thanis' pack is one of the largest around, in both property and membership. Their warriors are strong and fierce, loyal to a tee and above all fearless. Their healers are some of the most knowledgeable in the area. Their bellies are always full and even with that the prey in their lands are innumerable. And all of this they were willing to share with us.'

"But ..." Ameira was silenced with a single look from the was opposing her, a femmes whose coloring and blood Ameira shared, and whose womb she had occupied - her mother, Sygnus. Sygnus had once been considered the most beautiful lass in all of the lands, her form a lithe yet muscular shape. Her ivory coat was shined and even, and above all, her entrancing lavender gaze set fire to any brute who looked into them.

It was the sign that she was to be the queen of the lands. Just like her mother, and her mother's mother, the unique trait was passed to a single of their pups, no matter how many litters or bairns they whelped. It was always a lassie that was so graced by the gods with the ivory fur and violet gaze, and with their coming of age, whichever pack they belonged to always fell ill, be it scourge, fire, famine, or war. It was the signal that the pack was to pass Tor's Lily - for that was the title they were given - onto another. Never would a Lily remain in the pack of her mother, for these two conditions were the law of Fenris to prevent Tor from favoring a single pack for too long, for he was a jealous mate.

When she had been promised to Orion, Ameira's father, it had been at quite the cost. Boundaries had been redrawn, wisdom shared and armies loaned. But so desired was Sygnus, that the steep price was happily paid, as owning the most beautiful lass in all the lands had set Orion's pack at the top of the hierarchy. Once the top three packs had proven their worthiness by putting their Princes against one another in battle, the bidding war for her paw in marriage had been drawn out for months as all the lairds had sought to win the fair maiden. Her parents had picked the top contender, not leaving Sygnus any choice. The stipulation, of course, was that Sygnus was expected to be able to bear a litter within the first year. That she would be fertile. It would only be after the first pups were born that the payment would be given in full. Though she had been granted that full year's grace period, her parents had urged her to rush it as much as possible, for a scourge had come upon their lands and they needed the help before the winter destroyed them fully. And thus, Ameira and her many siblings had come to exist. But of them all, only Ameira shared the beautified grace of their mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was weary limbs that pulled the lass forward with each stride, but worse still was the feeling of loneliness that lag heavy in her gut. Never before had she been so utterly alone - since she had been born she had been pampered and trained and watched. But now all of that was behind her now, her life, her family... It was all gone. Oddly enough, it was strangely fulfilling and freeing. For though she had wanted for naught in terms of worldly possessions, always had Ameira been contained and controlled, set on a short leash that defines what future she was allowed to have. But the path before her now was her own, and at every fork she had a choice instead of a demand. And so, though she was exhausted, she had travelled on and pushed herself to not stop until the darkness overcame her. That was how she had travelled for the last few weeks, determined not to stop until all who knew of her were lain far behind, never to come upon her.

But as night began to hasten its decent, the lassie realized she had nowhere to stay. Already she had passed many pack grounds, but Ameira had no den. She needed high ground to keep her safe and protected, and so she began the ascent up a steep cliff. She was relieved to find it leveled out, but distraught also to find that the spot was claimed by another. Instead of yielding however, she approached the wolf, the first she had come into contact with since she had left, and sat in front of him, waiting for him to address her as was proper.