The chill in the air had returned and with it came the longer nights. For the lone hermit, it meant the coming of the harshest time of the year. Long ago, Gaia used to love the winter months. She remembered frolicking in the powdery snow as it fell from the dark clouds above. It was always so nice to return home to the den with Mom, Dad and Cae and just snuggle together as the world slept. Of course, those days were long gone. Now, she slept alone in a long-abandoned cave in a forgotten part of the Spirane territory. It wasn't so bad, but she couldn't help but feel lonely, especially during the long nights.

The wolves of the mountain left her alone for the most part. On occasion, an adventurous pup would find her home, but rarely did they ever go inside. Other than that, Gaia would hear their howls from time to time, but never would she join them. It had been a long time since she sang, she even wondered if she remembered how. A gust of wind ripped the older wolf out of her thoughts and dragged her back to the present. She had been resting upon a large boulder to give her weary paws a break from the day's travels.

Her journey had brought her into the forests around the tall mountain. She knew that some of the wooded area belonged to her niece's pack, but she still avoided the area. Gaia had never met Zelda. She doubted the young queen would want anything to do with a long, lost aunt. So, she padded along the outskirts and continued deeper into the woods. It didn't take her long to hear the distant voice of another wolf.

Almost as if they had a mind of their own, her paws turned her in the direction of the voice. She didn't talk with pack wolves often so it was nice to find another loner she could share a few words with. The sight she saw, however, made her wonder if she should have picked a different loner. The boy was about ten or so years younger than she but old enough to enjoy the freedom of adulthood. He seemed to be enjoying the beautiful day as he pranced about, talking with himself. Or rather… the skull at his side.

Gaia could see it from even this distance that it was an old, and weathered wolf skull. What on earth was he doing with that?! She had heard of loners going a bit mad and talking to strange objects like they were real things. Was this poor fool one of those hermits? For a moment, she thought about turning tail and leaving the boy to his own devices, but something compelled her to step towards him. Was it the way he smelled or how he looked? She had never seen this boy before and yet there was something distantly familiar about him. Of course, she could not have known that this was her very own nephew carrying the skull of her other kin. The blood that flowed through their veins called out to each other but was lost in the doubt that filled the mind.

Clearing her throat, Gaia stepped out of the shadows with a gentle smile on her face. "Hello there! Mind if I join you on this lovely day? It's been a long time since I've shared the company of another wolf."

Sixteen - Loves none - Fated for none - Homeless
Eldest daughter of Iblis & Rhae