This was a new place, a new beginning for her. It was time for her to go on her own, and though she didn't necessarily want to leave her parents and siblings behind she knew that it was what was best for her and what was best for them. Sloane had come to the realization that she could be .. suffocating. Her siblings had made sure to tell her such over and over again - she couldn't be ridiculed for caring any longer. She wanted a new start, one that didn't involve being judged for having a big heart. There were plenty of prides and unfamiliar scents that swirled across this place, this place that she still didn't know the name of, but Sloane was confident that she would be gathering more information in time. But this place in particular had caught her eye. She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame and Sloane wasn't going to ignore something that seemed so right for her. She hovered near the borders, paws crunching in the snow before she finally pulled to a halt. Curiously her muzzle lifted as she let out a soft chuff, beckoning for them to find her. @Nymeria

day-by-day, the snowfall seemed to get lighter and less frequent, signifying that the end of the winter season was soon to come. nymeria craved the embrace of spring, and knowing that it would soon be knocking on her doorstep made her chest flutter with a feeling of relief and anticipation. today, however, she had duties to attend to, and opted to start her day with a quick patrol of the pride's borders. considering that aquila had secured his own crown within the oasis, there was a bit of work to pick up on, and the druid found her thoughts fluttering to him, wondering if if he was doing the same thing as her, right now, in the desert.

the soft call of another broke the valour from her thoughts, pace quickening as she rounded a bend in her path, aiming to approach @Sloane from the cover of the grove's canopy. she regarded the unknown woman for a moment or two, pausing, as a small smile flickered across the edges of her complexion. "good morning," she greeted after only a moment more, sweeping forward a few feet further, whilst offering a brief dip of her crown. "my name is nymeria valour - what brings you to vermeda brook?" she had learned to expect the unexpected, at this point, and so she would simply wait patiently for further clarification from the beautiful woman before her.

It was very serene here, only the gentle chirping of birds nearby being the only sound that seemed to interrupt the atmosphere. Sloane was lost in it for a few moments, the beauty of the place she found herself in. Her paws remained rooted where she stood, she was no idiot and she didn't plan on trespassing however her lilac eyes continued to glance around her as she took everything in. It wasn't long before she was greeted and the woman that did greet her was rather attractive if Sloane had a specific opinion about her. Quickly her gaze swept across her features, taking in the subtle freckling across her wheat coat before her eyes locked with the female's. 'Good morning, my name is nymeria valour - what brings you to vermeda brook?' The woman spoke and her voice was soft and pleasant, Sloane offered her a cordial smile in returns. "Hello, my name is Sloane. I'm new to this place, I've come across a few different prides on my way but none quite like your brook." She spoke honestly before casting another glance around her. "It almost reminds me of home in a way.." She said softly then, falling silent for a moment before returning her gaze back to Nymeria. @Nymeria +10 - Learn a character's full name and rank

there was a moment of pause where the two women regarded each other with a silent sort of knowing, nymeria's own eyes taking their time to loom and shift across the brunette's frame. she was undeniable unique, clearly crafted with great care and tender details -- but it was her voice that prompted the shift of the druid's gaze, swiveling back up towards the other's complexion, as her ears tilted forward. "well, you're in luck, @Sloane - i rule here, alongside my sister and the rest of my family." nymeria mused, offering the information up with candor and a willingness to share whatever information the rogue needed. she was opening up more-and-more to the idea that there was much to learn from the newcomers, and was doing her best to keep those tall, stony walls down, when it was safe and appropriate to do so. "oh? i'm flattered, but sorry for whatever made you have to leave it behind." she sympathized quickly after sloane's next set of words, offering a soft smile, despite the fact that she hoped that the familiarity was a good thing, and not a bad one."do you mind me asking what brought you all the way to amaryllis?" she assumed that this was a fair enough question, albeit the fact that nymeria did not want to pry too much.

'well, you're in luck, sloane - i rule here, alongside my sister and the rest of my family. oh? i'm flattered, but sorry for whatever made you have to leave it behind. do you mind me asking what brought you all the way to amaryllis?' Floppy ears flicked as she listened to the Queen speak meanwhile her gaze continued to scan her surroundings curiously. There were definite similarities to the land she had once lived in but at the same time it was entirely unique in it's own right. Her attention only turned when Nymeria asked about what had brought her here to begin with and that alone was a complicated question to answer considering it had been a multitude of things. "Well for starters .. plague and famine." Sloane spoke bluntly then, because the truth of the matter was that she had had no choice in leaving her home behind. When the sickness spread famine did not come far behind it, Sloane had been forced from her home whether she wanted to leave or not. "I didn't want to leave but .. it was better than the alternative. My family scattered along with the few other neighboring prides." She said then, her gaze locking onto Nymeria then before she continued, "I don't carry any sickness if that is what you are wondering .. for whatever reason I've always managed to stay fit as a fiddle." It had been an odd occurrence but one that Sloane was ultimately grateful for. "And Amaryllis? Has there been anything of the sort here? I'll admit it was nice just smelling fresh air for once .. my old lands were filled with the scent of the sick and dying.." She said then before pausing, waiting. @Nymeria

it was with a heavy heart that the druid listened to @Sloane's explanation, immediately feeling a bit guilty that she had unknowingly asked her to divulge such personal information. sloane, however, seemed willing to do so without too much thought -- and nymeria would take the time to listen to her story intently, brows furrowing and smile falling, at the realization of such tragedy. "i know nothing i say will make what happened to you any easier -- but i am sorry that that happened to you, and your family." she offered once there was a break in dialogue, head bowing in a look of somber acknowledgment, before she gave a brief, assuring shake of her crown. "amaryllis has always been a place of life -- healthy and brimming with nature. our deity, maua, crafted it in their image, and meant for it to be a place where everyone could find peace." she hoped that this truth would bring further ease to sloane's mind, and protect her from worrying about another incident, similar to what she had already endured.

the valour was already acutely aware, however, of the fact that she would like to do what she could for the mahogany dame -- at the very least, offer her a safe place to rest her head, until she could get back on her feet. "i hope that i can at least offer you a sliver of solace, here, in my home." nymeria added on after a moment more, shoulders rolling, as she looked to settle her attention back upon the other's features, doing her best to maintain her composure and look towards the future, rather than dragging sloane through the travesties of her past. "here, in vermeda brook, i emphasis loyalty and community, above all else. we all have our own skills, and are expected to contribute, but this pride has been in my family for generations, and my goal is to keep it prosperous and peaceful." she explained finally, hoping that the woman would understand the intent behind her words. though, nymeria assumed that it would all be agreeable terms, considering that it seemed as though sloane needed some tranquility in her life, as well as a fresh start. nonetheless, nymeria would watch for a reaction, pausing to allow for a few seconds of silence, before adding on briefly: "is that something you think that you could agree to?"

The lands were a refreshing reprieve from what Sloane had previously known and even the Queen before her was a welcome change. She had only ever known horrific power hungry men and the fact that women were in a position of power here gave Sloane hope that things were very much so different. She offered a small smile to @Nymeria when she apologized about her family before speaking, "Thank you, you are very kind." She said then before quietly listening to the other information that Nymeria had to offer. When Nymeria described her pride and the duties she expected of her members Sloane couldn't help but smile a genuine smile, it was what she had been searching for and she wouldn't have even the slightest of issues when it came to following Nymeria's guidelines. "I can do that. I don't have any intentions of bringing trouble to you or your pride. I'll pull my own weight and help with whatever I can." She said with a nod then, because if anything Sloane would never be a freeloader. She paused as she waited to see if Nymeria had any other requests from her, meanwhile her gaze briefly flickered back to their surroundings, still taking in the beauty of the terrain.

the formalities of things like this did not matter so much to nymeria -- she was more interested on knowing who @Sloane was than anything else, and ensuring that she was a good moral fit for the likes of vermeda brook. this pride was meant to be a haven after all, and a place for travelers to lay their head and have a chance at a new beginning. and so, it was no surprise that the woman seemed to fit perfectly into the queen's vision, her warm smile remaining perfectly placed upon her features, as her tail gave a brief, idle flicker behind her frame. "i'm glad to hear it." she hummed happily, offering a brief bow of her head towards sloane, before her lashes fluttered and her eyes moved back onto her new pride-mates features. "let's get you settled in, then, shall we? unless you have any other question you'd like to ask right now." the would have endless days to get to know each other further and indulge in the nitty-gritty details of their lives -- but unless sloane had a pressing matter to discuss, nymeria figured that she could use a proper, filling meal, and a long night's rest.

There was a sudden influx of relief at the mention of getting her settled in. Perhaps it was because she could finally stop running, not that she was necessarily running to begin with but at the end of the day Sloane had worked hard to put her past behind her. She wasn't ready to share everything with @Nymeria just yet, mostly because her trust was earned and not just given. But from what she could tell the woman seemed to be very genuine and for that Sloane was grateful. The fact that she was being welcomed into the Brook spoke volumes and Sloane decidedly nodded a polite nod before moving to follow after the freckled Queen. It would take some getting used to living in this new place but Sloane was ready to start over. exit.

if nymeria had learned anything from the past year, it was that second chances were well-deserved, and did not always need to be earned. coming to the lands of amaryllis by the will of maua was enough justification, in and of itself, for some semblance of mercy and retribution -- and the valour had come to realize (likely after too much hesitation), that it was not productive to turn others away simply based on where they had been born. she still had her reservations, of course, but sloane, from what she could tell, was a thoughtful woman, one who deserved to put the past behind her and try again. and so, with another small smile and a nod of her head, nymeria would look to lead the woman into the folds of vermeda brook, content to have her a pride-mate, and hopeful friend. exit.