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 If there was one thing Alexei wasn't ready to give up, it was the Run; it was the little fishing hole he'd made for himself. When he couldn't find anything else to do, he'd just go to his spot in the pass and fish. It might seem boring to others but, the silent time spent alone with the water was giving him more confidence by the day. The man still tried not to look at himself in the water's reflection, in fear it'd make him sad or stuck endlessly staring back at himself, caught in a whirlwind of memories that led him here. Recently, there wasn't immediate fear when the river was a little high from a rain the night before. It helped that he'd blocked off the faster flowing part of the river with his little off spout of water in a hole in the river's side. He'd expanded it enough to where he could put his front half in with no problem, adjusting rocks if he needed. 

 The fisherman sat back, waiting for the river flow and the fish either swim off or get caught in his little trap. As one says, a watched pot never boils, and yet, he didn't mind as the time passed by. He could sit here forever, most likely. Of course, he'd get lonely, but he was used to that feeling. It was endless and temporal all at the same time. For he knew company and knew without, and the time in between was fathomless, unable to comprehend sometimes. And so, after tending to his fishing spot, he decided he was allowed some rest. The front half of him was a little wet, but the sun's heat would help out with that. The days crawled closer to summer, an inescapable heat. Thankfully, the pass held lots of brush and foliage to keep those who inherited it, cool. The river also helped, with a refreshing spray of water when the wind was right. 

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 Little clouds were in the sky, not enough to cover the sun nor put a dent in the blue sky. It was nice to look up at, and finally see the daytime for what it was. Brightened aqua that resembled the river; though it was a few shades deeper. Tainted with algae and years of erosion. But the sky it was pure. Even the clouds told the story of the innocence they held — and when they got too tainted, they would expel the things that held them down. 'To be a cloud...' A peaceful thought passed in his mind, tilting his head to the side a little as he tried to make shapes out of some of them. 

 Lexi could have stared for hours, aimlessly pondering the meaning of the sky and if there was a world up there that they would never know about. But a scent caught his nose. Usually, Vanderfell wolves passed through here and held a different sort of aura to them. This one stood out. It was not a Vanderfell wolf but.. Shiroshika? Alexei quickly found himself scrambling up to a sitting position and looking around. If he hadn't been aware and present within that moment, then the wolf wandering in the river could have been completely confused as a water spirit. But since he'd caught her scent first, he knew it was another tangible creature. 

 She did not notice him, or at least didn't come off like it. Out of fear of scaring her like he might have been if he hadn't caught her scent first, the man let out a soft chuff, friendly enough for.. what a chuff was. A few fish had gotten caught in his little trap. They'd been swimming for some time and he was going to wait to empty it but... If this was an opportunity to get to know someone else, then maybe he should go for it. "Oh.. Hey there!" He called out, now rising to all four paws and taking a step closer to the river, out from underneath the shade of a tree. Maybe she'd finally notice him. "You're from Shiroshika, right?" He could be wrong, right? Maybe she just knew someone from there and was passing through on her way back home. Just like how Quicksilver had held both Vanderfell and Shiroshika scents the first time they met. It was easy to get confused when they were filtering in and out of Vanderfell territory. 

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 The sun cast little rays through the branches that protected creatures from exposure. It warmed the area pleasantly. Though it made it hard to fish in the traditional way — which Alexei didn't frequent as much as he used to. He was still getting used to feeling the water wade up to his ankles, especially with such a quick current. Sunny days forced fish lower in the water, hiding from the sunlight and the rays that made it hard for them to see. The easier way to fish was by allowing them to get caught in his trap rather than get completely soaked by trying to spear the fish with his teeth. 

 After calling out to the woman, she turned with wide eyes and a warm smile. Alexei's ears picked up and a small smile graced his lips as well, happy that he didn't startle her. It was rare that he smiled — but he was learning how to each day, finding little pleasantries in the new life he'd worked himself into. Also, he thought it'd be rude not to smile. His mother would have swatted at him if she were here. The stranger confirmed his suspicions as she confirmed she was a part of Shiroshika. "Good. I would have felt silly if I'd gotten you wrong." He said breezily, thankful that he had pegged her right. He suppressed a sigh of relief. 

 Alexei found his way towards the edge of the riverbank as she sat on a stone amidst the river. He felt somewhat jealous that he could not do the same because of his own fear of the current. He let it wash away quickly, though, knowing it was his own fault rather than anyone else's. Slowly, he'd been working on his fear of the water. One day, he wouldn't let it overtake him. He'd return to the water at some point or another, without the trauma weighing on his back. "That's me, Alexei Veteris. I joined not long ago..." He trailed off, thinking about how he'd joined and how this was one of the first wolves he'd met from Shiroshika — not the very first but, still. All of them felt like strangers, and he hated that. "And you are...?" He asks softly towards her with a small tilt of his head, curiosity shown through his features. 

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 The woman was kindhearted — she didn't seem to mind that he might not know the difference in them yet, and confirmed that Vanderfell were not the only ones around here. Which he'd thought might be true beforehand. The mountains are so vast. He also remembers glimpses of his first awakening in this strange place; not in the mountains, but almost like a jungle in temperament. 

 Upon closer inspection, amethyst eyes glancing ever so slightly over her pelt. She was beautiful in an ethereal sense, unfathomable to those who had not seen the universe in close inspection or those who had not faith to a God, her beauty akin to divinity. Soft browns outlined her cream colors. The light hit her in a way that she seemed to glow, rays bouncing off the river creating a kaleidoscope astride her. Her airy voice, carefree of awkwardness, affixed to a pack mate, told him of who she was and whom she was friends with. Alexei had not been graced with meeting the prince or princess, or not that he'd known, anyway. He was sure they were at the uniting of Reiko and Quicksilver. "Sachiko Sahiko," her name foreign on his tongue, "it's nice to meet you." He was grateful, in fact, for this meeting. Becoming someone who was not new, but slowly integrating his way into knowing his way into his new home. 

 The male's ears flicked up to her offer to answer questions. He still had a lot of those. "It's been kind. Quiet. But that's not a bad thing." He was quick to reassure her of that. "I don't mind it at all." He also knew that they'd been through a lot, and he tried not to bug anyone too much. He'd be a friend among shadows until the tension had settled. Once they felt safe again. 

 "I don't want to take up too much of your time. And I guess it's not completely pertaining to Shiroshika, but uh, do you know any about the other packs that are around the mountains? I haven't spent much time away.. or awake here, I suppose."

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 A red sweltering heat flushed his face as soon as the woman corrected him for saying her name wrong. Alexei's eyes widened and his mouth contorted into an 'o' shape. "Sa-kE-chii." The man followed along after her, pronouncing her name correctly this time before he added, "I am so sorry, Sachiko-san." He tested out the phrases he'd briefly encountered and heard about — but he was still trying to learn much of it. His white eyebrows scrunched together as if to ask, 'right?'

 The woman crossed the bridge between them, elegantly. She seemed to float upon the air instead of walking, her jumps as graceful as a dove flew. It was hard to believe that she was mortal. Alexei stood there, feeling someone adequately dressed for this interaction. His pelt still smelt of river water and fish, — he was sure of it, since he'd been caught in the action of his duties. Her tail hung slightly above the ground, in a higher fashion than his own, as if she was one of the nobles. She looked the part and akin to Reiko in the way that she was kind. Some nobles acted as if they were higher up — but not here. His heart warmed at the thought. 

 Sachiko wasted no time in assuring him and then telling him what she knew of the lands surrounding them, and the packs within them. She explained the hierarchy of Vanderfell. He'd met Ira, but not her significant other. It seemed funny to him that someone as serious as the Queen would be attached to someone carefree. But then again, opposites did attract. Elysium. That sounded familiar — wasn't that the place that Harper called home? It wasn't far at all then. He'd have to go visit. He made a mental note to do so before pulling himself back to the beauty of Sachiko, not wanting her to waste her breath just because he wasn't paying attention. She commented on not having been out because of the situation they were in. Alexei felt uneasy, but more so for them than for himself. "Yes, I know..." He murmured, glancing over her again and wondering if she, too, bore any scars of the encounter. "I'm sorry.." His voice was quiet, offering an apology to her through sad eyes. He felt guilty, even though he wasn't even aware of them during the time. His heart ached for them, and there was nothing he could really do.

 "Hm, okay. So quite crowded up here then." Alexei chuckled. It was very short and mostly to wade away from the thoughts of the trauma that they had endured. "I think I know someone in Elysium, actually. I didn't know they were so close." He glanced behind him, in the general direction of Vanderfell, thinking beyond them. Then, returning his eyes to the sight before him. "Thank you for the information. I'm still finding my way around... well, everywhere." He smiled softly at her. "So, you were you raised in Shiroshika?"

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 The high pitched noise that came from the lightly colored wolf made Alexei's cheeks hot with a blush, especially after she'd told him he'd gotten it right. Black-tipped ears falling down slightly as he glanced to the side, smiling profusely. "Oh good. I felt silly." He said, gazing back at her. Had that been formal? Ugh, he was really not nailing anything today. There was still so much to learn. Trying not to make too much more of a fool of himself, he just chuckled and nodding in understanding. 

 Guilt hung heavier, a feeling that made his heart sink in his chest. A chain around it with an anchor attached. His whole life had felt similar to this, a sinking feeling. Sachiko's face changed, just slightly, but he could recall the shift. It seemed whenever it was spoken of, they all reverted to a somber state. Part of him wished he'd known them before — so he could have helped fight the tiger and the she-wolf. But to know them before and see them this way after, in the long run, maybe this was the easier path. Alexei kept his lips together, a firm line crossing through them as he continued to peer over at her. The softness in her face was gone, and her edges softened to the world, without will or want for it. A sadness that came and went, as quickly as spring fall to winter, and so on. And yet, she was still beautiful; he thought. Just as beautiful as spring was to summer. Each with their different effects on the surrounding world, every so slightly changing, and yet there was something heart-wrenchingly charming. 

 With the change of the subject, she bloomed with her light and airy glow. She affirmed to him that she loved chatting and sharing information — which was great for Alexei, since he felt so in the dark about some topics. Sachiko drew closer to him and he shifted awkwardly, knowing he'd just been fishing, which probably meant he didn't smell the best. But she didn't seem to crinkle her nose or leave, she just.. sat with him. His blushing had settled into a warm smile.

 Her shoulder gently bumped alongside his, and he could feel his fur stand on end with the warmth against his slightly damp pelt. She shared with him a little about the beforehand of Shiroshika and he listened, all of his body attentive to her and her words. The fisherman's head tilted ever so slightly to the side as she told him it was complicated, but he didn't pry. Her last words made his lips dip downward. He didn't regret the choice he'd made or anything of the sort. But he felt awful and wished that he could share some of his childhood with her — and with Harper for that matter. They'd been through so much, it sounded, and he yearned for a way that his parents could comfort their souls, like they could with his. "It's about time that you're do for a win then." He says, leaning back into her shoulder for a moment, offering his support, "Good things come to those who wait. That's what my mother always said. And, I don't know. Something tells me you've waited long enough... Sachiko-kun." 

 Realizing that he was still leaning into her, the heat returned to his face, relying on his ownself to support his weight and glancing towards the small cache he'd set aside to bring back. "Are you hungry?" He asks, breaking the ambience of the moment.

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 Being corrected once again, the male's entire demeanor seemed to slum into an embarrassed one, with red cheeks — thankfully there was no part of her that was touching him or she might have felt the heat of his sheepish mistake. "Oh goodness, I should stop trying." The fisherman says, nervously chuckling. Of course, he would never stop trying, it wasn't in him. 

 Alexei shook off the awkwardness of the moment before as he picked himself up off the ground and took a glance back at the river's churning waters. "That's awful nice of you Sachiko-chan." He held a breath, hoping — praying he'd finally gotten lingo right. "Let me catch a few more fish and then we can be on our way." And with that, he plunged back into his fishing routine, working twice as fast so the woman wouldn't have to wait near the fishy smelling area. 

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