Mystery padded through the winter snow, stopping at the edge of the boarder. Sitting down, she curled her tail around herself and lifted her head to the sky. She let out a lone howl, asking if someone could come to the boarder. After the howl was finished and the sound spread around, she trudged over to a large, low hanging tree and laid down, curling up into a small ball for warmth. Her pure black fur was easily see-able with a blanket of white around her. She set her head on her paws and wrapped her tail around herself, draping the lightly feathered tip over her nose. Her ears, though, she kept pricked up, listening for any signs of life, something other then the death she had grown used to seeing. After wondering around the lone for a while she thought about the packs and realized that her thoughts kept going towards the Helidos Pack, now she just hoped they let her become a member of the pack. After she finished her short meal, she laid back down, fluffing up her fur as much as possible to keep warm. She still made sure she was away from the invisible boarder line. Other wolves had told her that she should become a healer but she never actually thought about going through with it. That was, until she heard about a warm welcoming pack. She just hoped they would be the same towards a wolf with a hate and death fill background but a warm and loving heart.

Nnlya came running as soon as the call found her furry ears. Now fully covered in her winter coat, the female ran easily through the whitened lands in the general direction of the border from whence the call came. Bounding as quickly as she could without tiring too much, her ears swivelled for any sounds of a threat. Barren trees flew by in her peripheral vision. The quintessential beauty of winter was displayed all about her. In the icicles dangling precariously from thin branches and the light they refracted. In the frozen ponds and streams. In the snow-capped mountains off in the distance. In the fleeting glimpse of the odd doe as she darted through the forest. There was little enough colour, but it was stunning all the same.

Arriving shortly on the borders, the Elite needed little time to search for the intruder. A soft scent lead her right to the resting fae where she lay, curled atop the snow. Nnlya was not a harsh wolf in a general sense, nor was she cruel. Such a blatant disregard for ones own safety could be very dangerous, however. Even more so for those with whom the individual shared pack lands. She might be overconfident in her abilities enough to lay here in the relative open. Although perhaps the path of a warrior was not for this individual. It was possible she sought some other calling. A huntress, healer or caretaker. The answers this charcoal fae sought were only a few questions away. She cleared her throat and raised her tail slightly to a more dominant position, looking down upon the dark traveller. "You know, it is unwise to leave ones guard down in unfamiliar territory. Especially here. There are known to be some more... Unsavoury characters in these parts." Her voice was low and rich with both authority and wisdom, though her joking mind wondered where she had achieved both. She offered the female a slight grin. "Lucky for you I don't count myself among them. Elite Nnlya of Helidos. I would ask of your own name and business here." Her voice was far softer than it's initial sound, hoping to set any nerves the female might have to ease.

Mystery stood up the moment she saw the other wolf and bowed her head in respect to her. Keeping her tail wrapped around her side and her ears pushed back slightly against her head she answer her question "My name is Mystery and I came to ask to join your pack" She had disregarded that comment about her safety, not because she was being rude, never that, but because she had never cared about her own safety, she had always cared for others instead.
"I was taught to hunt as a pup, I have been fighting by whole life, and I know almost every herb and even little tricks to keep wolves healthy." She didn't know why she told the wolf about fighting, she wanted to stop it, but she knew that would never happen with her, she was too scarred up to let others believe that she was innocent, she was far from it actually. Her ears flicked slightly as she listened to the sounds around her. She was still paying attention to her surrounding. Not because she didn't trust the she-wolf in front of her, but because she wasn't sure who else was around. All the scents of this pack were running around her, making it harder to sense each one individually.

Nnlya watched the female as she rose. After speaking the traveller sat, wrapping her tail about her hind paws. It was a particular favourite of hers, especially in the cooler months. Though she knew it puzzled Drogo to no end. He found the practice uncomfortable, something she was unable to understand - the curling of her tail had been almost second nature to her since puphood. The female gave a quick overview of her talents. But it was still quite vague and provided no real insight into what the other female would be suited for in the life of the pack. Everyone had to pull their weight in Helidos, there would be no slackers. "Mystery, an interesting name. Did you choose it yourself or was it given you?" Nnlya lowered herself to her hindquarters, settling in for the moment. She wished to know more about this female she would be granting access to. "Please, do tell me of your life. What events brought you to our borders, Mystery?" Her dark tail swept around through the snow to curl around her paws as she waited for an answer.

Mystery shrugged slightly at the mention of her strange name. "I was given that name because I was the only pure black wolf in my old pack." Memories started to flood her thoughts and she shook her head lightly. "My past is one of evil, hatred and loneliness. I was born into a pack but was alone when I was a pup." She didn't specify why she was alone, she slightly hoped that the other wolf didn't ask. "After I became a year old I saw the evil in their hearts and the darkness in the eyes so I left and went on by myself. I've been a Rouge for about a year." She shrugged and glanced up at the wolf, wondering how she was taking this. "I'm just tired of fighting for my life every second." She shifted to the side and showed the she-wolf she scars on her shoulder. "This is a little of the result of going Rouge, but I was able to help myself with Alder and Horsetail. Along the way through different pack boarders, I've helped many wolves. This is not the first pack I have ask to get in, but you are the first to question my background. All the other packs I have been chased away, even if I wasn't on pack territory." She hoped this would be different.

Nnlya nodded. She really had no right to question the choice of ones name, but it all interested her. Some names had significant meaning, some were just jumbles of syllables brought together into a relatively pleasing form. Her own name for example. It was an old pronunciation of a more commonly known name. But she enjoyed the uniqueness of it. Other names like Fenris or Shadow had often been heard before and the individual was usually named after the one who came before in the hopes that the child would live up to the adults reputation. Then there were names like Mystery, Aurora or Crystal, named after an object or idea. Would they live up to their name or juxtapose it completely. It was all so beautifully complex. Would this fae called Mystery indeed be a mystery? Or would she be an easily read person?

Of her past little elaboration was made. When the dark fae claimed she was alone as a pup, the Elite believed her to mean she was the only pup of the litter. Not an uncommon occurrence, but not the most fruitful either. Her home pack must have been small and unable to sustain too many helpless little mouths. She nodded. To hear this female had run from a pack because of their values, Nnlya saw a strength in the female. Many young, impressionable minds would simply follow through with their parents orders and become what was expected of them. That Mystery formed her own opinions at such a young age was a sign of intelligence. Her ability to name the herbs she had used to care for herself spoke the mind of a healer. Perhaps this was her calling. "We are not ones to chase away a traveller without just cause. If you can give us no reason to distrust you, then we have no reason to send you running. From what I have heard I could give you two possible positions in our ranks. Would you say your talents lie with the education and protection of our young, or with your knowledge of plants and their properties?" Her charcoal tail swished softly beside her, shaking off the snow that had accumulated there. The sky overhead was growing dark and a storm seemed to be brewing not far off.

The pure black wolf shook her body slightly, knocking off the white fluffiness that had fallen on her fur. She knew that the fae in front of her didn't fully understand her past but that was fine with her. The less ear that heard her past meant less hearts that could judge her. But for some reason she believed that the fae should know more, much more then she already revealed. Sighing slightly Mystery looked down. "I apologize, you have not been told my full history, you have heard what I have come to consider the good parts of my past. Though hearing the rest is entirely up to you." Her voice was steady and sure but her eyes remained indifferent, not showing any emotion. That was something she had learned a long time ago. The less they see the less they know. "If you do not wish to hear my complete past, that is alright, if so, just know that that is the past. Something I do not normally cherish, yet I saw the curiosity in you gaze, I hope to answer you unanswered questions." She spoke softly but her voice never once wavered.

The Elite nodded. "Please, I understand better than most what it means to keep the secret of a hidden past. Even when I first arrived here I only told half-truths for fear of judgement. Only you can know if you are easy to discuss your past with another, and if that other should be my I would feel most privileged. To give my personal opinion I would say you dearly want a friend to be able to talk to about these things. The way you offer little bits of information and circle back to the subject. I am a curious being and knowledge of such things do intrigue me. But I know where to draw the line between inquisitiveness and nosiness. If you would like we may speak further on your past and I swear that I shall not judge you for it. I believe in an old proverb: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I do not judge you and perhaps in turn you would not judge me." Her voice lowered some. Her azure eyes flashed with a quick gleam of knowing. "Everyone has their dark side. The question is whether we let it consume us and be our more dominant side." She would leave the questions of rank a few moments. This fae needed a one on one and Nnlya was more than happy to provide it.

Mystery smiled and nodded "Thank you, you are the first to not judge by the scars scattered on my body nor the tiny tidbit of history I told you. When I said I didn't have anyone I meant no family at all. My parents were killed in my old pack because of a raid from our rivals. It happened when I was a two week old pup, the neighboring rival pack, who had been fighting over my packs land since before I was born, launched a midnight attack when my pack was asleep. Like any protective wolves, my parents launched themselves out of the den we would share, me, my mother Heather, and my father Ash. Ash attacked the first enemy wolf he saw, while Heather went into each den, warning them of the attack. I stayed quiet and crawled out of the den to hide in some bushes." She took a deep breath but continued telling her history, for once it felt good to let someone else know.

My Alpha and Beta quickly came to help, but my father was already bleeding out. A much larger wolf, who I soon learned to be the rival Alpha, pinned him to the ground and tore out his soft underbelly. I watched as my mother raced to his side, taking advantage of my mothers detraction, the rival Alpha killed her, taking her life by biting her jugular in one blow. I stayed hidden until the last rival wolf was either killed or fled. The last one to flee was the Alpha. Even then I made a promise to myself that I would make the Alpha suffer under my own claws. And I did." She glanced up at the Elite, looking for any reaction.

"For seasons, I blamed myself for not being able to help my parents. Not just because I was a pup but because I had no idea what to do. After that day I started watching the healers work and started memorizing different herbs and their uses. Though my old pack was the one I was born in, after I turned a year old, they put me as a fighter.I learned hard by practicing by myself or with a few of my litter-mates. After a while though, I saw pups, barely three moons old, becoming apprentices and wolves barely away from their mother, fighting along side me. My Alpha's reasoning was that we needed more fighters. I knew that wasn't right and after watching my only litter mate being killed by the Delta male, simply because my litter mate was in the running to become Beta and the Delta thought without any detraction in his way, he would get to be Beta. Much to my distaste, it worked.

"I couldn't stay in that pack anymore. So I left, sneaking out while most of the pack was out on a hunt and slowly I started to make my way to a different pack. But before I cleared the woods I stopped by the rival Alpha's den, who was by then in a weakened state. With no defenses to protect him, I killed him by slicing open his underbelly like he did to my father. Though, he was still alive, I ended his life with a crushing bite to his windpipe, much like what had happened to my mother so long ago. When I went out of the den I saw three wolves, all barely apprentices, bleeding out. It looked like claws had ripped through their sides. I couldn't help it, I instantly gathered multiple herbs and cobwebs, letting them eat the soothing plants and placing the healing pulps in their wounds. When I knew they wouldn't die I left, yet none of the wolves knew who had helped them, they were barely alive enough to eat the plants I had given them. For nearly a year I have been on my own, helping others, healing myself and defending those I honestly thought needed my help." She finished telling the fae of her past and looked up at her, wondering if it had been a mistake or if she would still be welcomed. Her past was haunting but it made her who she was now.

Nnlya listened earnestly to the females story. It certainly was not happy to say the least. So much forced fighting. To Nnlya this didn't seem so odd. In her pack she had been trained from around three months of age. As the then Alphess-heir she was well versed in both hunting and fighting as well as pack protocol. But that was a long time ago. The only reason she was reminded of her old life was because of how the other female had said it was wrong to train pups from three months. This was natural to the Elite, but maybe there was more to it. Maybe the pups were taught harshly, maybe they were dragged away from their mothers too early. At least in the Aurora pack the children had been required to have rudimentary fighting skills, enough to get them out of trouble and run away in a fight. But they still had the ability to choose their own craft.

Nnlya really couldn't think of anything to say to the female. She figured that the scarred wolf wouldn't want any pity. So she settled for a typical sorry. "I'm sorry for what you've had to live through. But you appear to be a survivor." She took a breath to keep things moving forward. "Taking what I can from your story I would assume you have no desire to be a warrior. So I will offer you the rank of Healer. If you can swear yourself into the service of our Alphess the rank is yours. Only then may you cross our borders and enter your new home." She ended with a difinitive nod.

Mystery smiled and nodded. "That I do, I swear that I will be a part of this pack and do all I can to keep the wolves safe and healthy. I will follow the Alphess with no question." Her eyes sparkled slightly with new found happiness and her tail wagged slightly. Nodding her head she smiled at the fae. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, I will not disappoint you, the Alphess, or anyone within the pack" She once again shook out her fur, removing the droplets of white that were very much visible on her pure black fur. Twitching her one silver tipped ear she sniffed the air. Her tail wagged slightly, she was happy for a chance to finally become part of a pack again. This was the chance she needed. What she had been waiting for, and finally she could have a safe home again. Glancing around she looked back at the wolf in front of her. A smile forming her lips, well about as much as a wolf can smile that is.

Nnlya offered her own smile and a nod. "That'll do. Welcome to Helidos, Healer Mystery. Cross the border and join your pack mates." The new Healer looked so excited to the female. She was almost humming with excitement. Happiness radiated from the female, making the Elite happy. She stepped aside to allow the healer safe passage into her new home, choosing to escort her some of the way. When they reached some territories a little closer to the pack clearing, the Elite turned to the Healer."I have some work to do, but the pack clearing is just ahead a few leagues. There you can choose a den for yourself. It would also be a good idea to introduce yourself to the other healers, Jackle, Ember and Kokoro. They are more than friendly and will be available to answer any questions you may have. They can also show you the main Healers den where the herbs are kept. I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends in no time here, Mystery." A nod goodbye and a wag of the tail were her final pieces if communication with the female before she left.