[Brielle]

The past was barely on her mind these days, why dwell on what you couldn't change? Short accelerated life had shaped much of her outlook, added fuel to her vanity, and her choice to depart made it seem as if the world was at her fingertips. Of course, in the spontaneous choice to hop ship, the freckled ex-Captain had taken what was rightfully hers. Which in Brielle's proud mind was looting the craftery she had built up from nothing, bringing it back down to low stocks and making off with the more valuable gemstones, paints, dyes, tools of all kinds, a few trinkets, bags, and pelts she'd made. All neatly packed away onto a sled Puffin from Nardir had gifted to Tortuga. 

Her own saddle bags that were shrugged on her shoulders hung neatly with the pockets each buttoned closed. She'd hope to create new bags in a new era of her life, not that the stunning woman had any idea where she was wandering into. Only that the area was rich with materials, life, and her and Pandora were just sick of traveling around watching their backs. Brielle had enjoyed her time wandering about, spending much time calling over borders and meeting new faces. Swimming across lakes, and wandering through muck. The scent trails they'd left behind long gone in storms... Which was beginning to happen now.

Clouds had been growing ominous all morning, and this afternoon lightning streaks across the sky with loud claps of thunder. It was unfortunate that it was beginning to pour, her lovely eyes batting upward to attempt to judge when it would all open up. Pandora shouldn't have been too far behind, after all her curvy hot Wife had just paused with her bundle of goodies for a break. Lowering to her belly to fiddle with a few items from her saddle bags, rewrap some threads, adjust pelts that had been slipping from their places on the sled and roping them down with leather strips. 

Dazzling eyes grazing upward "HellLLoooO, whose there?" Silky confident voice asked, tattooed body shifting to face another direction Brielle thought a sound had arrived from.

[Maia]

She was grown now, no longer a pup in most people's eyes. Maia had grown into a lanky yearling now soaring above all of her siblings. She felt awkward around them — she had been the runt most of her life until the last few months. Even her mother had commented on the girl's growth spurt, commenting that she was a lot like her father. Was he tall too? Maia didn't know, but could only see him as a floating nebula much like in her dreams, and that was all she could hope for at this point.

Today however, the princess decided to venture beyond the wall. A rule two of her siblings had broken when they were younger, but now that she was a year old, Lev Malakh set them free. They were adults, they could take care of themselves and the curiosity of where her father died had chewed on her mind throughout her childhood. She wasn't naive anymore, she understood the concepts of death. She understood that there was evil in this world that could swallow anyone whole.

Curiosity captivated too strongly.

So she stepped out, looking between the gateway — to the lowlands and highlands. One vast and hilly, the other soft and foresty lined by the ocean. Maia took a few minutes to push herself through, and once she did, her legs didn't stop traveling. They carried her through the shrub lands where the snow-capped mountains towered over and the wind whipped wildly as the rain cut through the air. This part of Gemini was so foreign, like she was a stranger in some distant land, her home so far away. This was her home, this was her father's home. That realization made the star girl stop, tears building up and falling to the wind and washed away by the rain.

She only wish her father could've shown her the world.

The day dream was shattered as she heard someone call in the distance, her heart stopping as she realized she was out in the open. Maia shifted slightly to face whoever came, a dappled woman with trinkets adorned across her frame. Maia felt vulnerable, lost and afraid, but the girl swallowed this fear and stood her ground. She sensed no aggression from this stranger, but she would keep her guard up like her mother taught her.

"Um... hello?" she called back, paws shifting in the mud. "Who're you?"

Should I be afraid?

✦ ✦ Speech Text ✦ ✦

[Sybella]

The thunder rang like an alarm, echoing within the small hole in the wall that she'd chosen to rest in after a long day at work. Quickly she learned that playing tag and answering demanding, quizzical questions from the young flock of children she watched could be exhausting. But with the rain falling and the thunder rolling, she bid farewell to her original plans of napping. But no way in hell was she traveling in the rain.

As it fell, it grew harder to see beyond the few feet in front of her. It was by chance that she was able to catch a glimpse of the young Maia slowly trotting through the narrow opening of the wall, between where the two skulls lay. Sybella sat for a moment and debated on following her, but reminded herself that she'd already chosen to stay out of the rain. But then, she heard Maia's voice faintly... "Um... hello? Who're you."

Without a second though, Sybella rushed to her feet, racing after the tri-colored yearling. She reached her in just moments, slowing her pace the closer she came before she stopped just a couple feet behind Maia. Wolfgod, why did it have to be raining? Squinting to peer through the rainfall, before finally landing her sights on Brielle. There was a figure a bit beyond her, too. What a vibrant looking lady Brielle was.

"G'day, lady. Quite the weather we're hostin' 'ere." She smiled, but only for a minute. She did not feel like smiling in the rain. It was actually terrible weather and she hated that she was standing in the rain. Of course she'd have to handle an acceptance here and now. "What can we do for ye?" Careful not to exclude Maia, as she was the one who came to greet the newcomer first.

Please let this go smoothly.

And quickly.

▌note:

[Pandora]

---

Decked out in various Tortugan accessories and her own sewn saddle nearly in match to her mate's, Pandora had kept close to her partner in life and crime, to some, as they scoured the endless beyond before them. Pandora would follow Brielle into hell if she so chose, just as she did that night they'd spoke of leaving Tortuga. Pandora was initially puzzled, even concerned that her Captain (she would always be her Captain, regardless of what that beast of a man took from her beloved wife) had even breathed of leaving her lofty position within the pack. But Pandora had noticed an unwelcoming shift in the pack just as she could assume Brielle did. They packed the sled and left, Pandora didn't care where they were going as long as she had her best friend and beautiful wide beside her.

It had been a lot of work carrying around the supplies, normally the foxy girl didn't fuss over things like that, but traveling endlessly without a goal or a source started to tax on her, just as she could imagine it did for Brielle. Their voyage didn't prepare them enough for the real trials and tribulations of the world, to which Pandora near scoffed at the concept. Whenever she felt bitter or angry, she'd brush against her partner and feel instantly at ease, reminding herself that nothing else mattered in this world except for her. They would survive any storm, any roadblock, any disaster in their wake as long as they were together.

The sky was ominous and looming and Pandora had frowned, looking along their belongings and feeling the weight of their travels coming down upon her. Pandora halted, murmuring softly to her Captain. "We should find some shelter, can you scout ahead?" Pandora felt tense speaking words like that, but her bones ached more then her heart to encourage the minor distance between the two of them. Not long after it started to rain, a downpour of ugly tears as the sky opened up and sobbed down on them like a mother reuniting with a child. Pandora grimaced, suddenly feeling anxious that Brielle had moved away from her and their distance became less visible from the steady stream of rain.

Adjusting herself, Pandora rose to her feet and grabbed tightened the straps on the sled, having offered to assist in taking the hefty load today as the two alternated throughout their travels. Pandora, most days, didn't mind taking it anyway as her stature offered a bit more stability than Brielle's. As she approached she heard voices, quickly heeling right beside Brielle as she nudged her affectionately and somewhat possessively, smiling charmingly to the strangers before them; just as she would in the Tortugan days as a siren.

"G'day, lady. Quite the weather we're hostin' 'ere. What can we do for ye?"

With that sweet smile, Pandora turned to Brielle and wondered if this group was friend or foe. Despite the time they'd left from Tortuga, Pandora continued to have a hint of caution toward all the faces they met, always unsure, never too sure. "Hello~ It's a pleasure to meet you." A quiet coo, somehow just barely loud enough to not get drowned out from the rain. "Might I ask where we are?" Brushing her tail across Brielle, she allowed her to have her say as well, multi-toned eyes danced between the adult and the yearling that stood before them. They seemed harmless enough, anyway.

Pandora waited to gauge her wife's reactions, curious as to how she felt about them.

---

[Brielle]

A figure showed herself, a lovely looking young girl with specks of black on her brown and white coat. Lanky, Brielle's eyes were almost tired for running down miles over them. Then back up to the pale face, The Captain shuffled herself upward to lean backward into a sit. Eyes holding firm on Maia's pretty face, who seems so very uncertain on those stilts. "Um... hello? Who're you?" A soft return that brought a beautiful smile up to Brielle's lips. "Hello." She'd repeat on a silk tone, friendly posture that could never hide her beauty. "I'm Brielle, 'an you are?"

Though Maia likely didn't have too much time to answer before a second female showed up, Brielle's sapphire gaze didn't leave the pair despite her curiosity for where her Wife had gotten to. Pandora was a bit of a ways behind her, unknown to the speckled artist at this point. "G'day, lady. Quite the weather we're hostin' 'ere. What can we do for ye?" A charming laugh as she cast a glance upward into the rain, giving a cheeky grin back once her chin dipped down. "Well, nice ta meet a pair of pretty faces out here. We've been traveling a long while, and well... I don't know about my Wife, but bout time we settle... Dontcha think Pan?" She murmur toward her partner, a lean toward the long tail that brushed against her.

Brielle was not accustomed to be in this position, and thus it might be fairly obvious she once held power... and in her opinion still did. Though, she had never been the Captain to throw that in faces and flex her muscle. After all, the Captain was the Wench first, and grew her status from there. Moving to stand and keep her eyes on Maia, with the intent to have the Girl continue onward since the pretty little lady was here first. Not to completely leave out the other female, who seemed much more experienced... Internally Brie smirked at this thought. "Hello~ It's a pleasure to meet you. Might I ask where we are?" A nod, waiting for more information on this rainy paradise.

[Gothy]

(sorry, vyx you can skip me)

[Sybella]

More thunder clapped at the appearance of the second female, and Sybella took an instinctively protective step in front of Maia. She hoped it was subtle enough that the two strangers wouldn't feel as though she was being defensive. Hard to keep from staring, Sybella noticed the load of supplies the second sheila carted with her. Strange. But intriguing. These materials looked as if they could be some sort of use to Gemini, not that she knew how.

She gave Maia a brief chance to respond, but as she seemed apprehensive, Sybella chimed in cheerfully. "Oye, yes.. I'm Sybella. You've arrived in Gemini. Where ye comin' from?" She took a side glance towards their luggage, "An'uhhh what'cha have with ye, sheila?"

She listened as Brielle gave interest in joining Gemini. Settling, as she'd put it. But these females looked a little more eccentric than anyone else Sybella had encountered at the border. Their gear and unique attire was worth questioning over, she figured. "Sure," She started, "We've always got room fer friends 'ere, tell me a bit about'cha self first, ladies!" Hoping they'd understand, but in case they didn't... "Jus' gotta make sure you are a friend, after all.." Her tone was flat here, even trying to eliminate the accent to show that she was serious. It'd be Sybella's luck to accidentally give the wrong wolves the go-ahead to join Gemini.

▌note: ahhh sorry it's shit.

[Brielle]

Expression had lit up as Pandora hauled their items, soaked fur sticking to the muscles in her legs that had grown over their travels, Brielle would have to swoon over her strength later. The pretty kid didn't speak more, a shame, she had wanted to hear how Maia would pitch this pack to them. Lovely gaze moved slowly toward Sybella, who'd receive a stunning smile. "Oye, yes.. I'm Sybella. You've arrived in Gemini. Where ye comin' from? An'uhhh what'cha have with ye, sheila?" Brielle stepped aside slightly, a little dance to lean into Pandora as their sled was revealed and her packs bounced against her sides.

Her accent was intriguing, greedily the Captain wanted to hear more. "Travelers now," voice slipped forward vaguely "used 'ta reside in Tortuga, til it wasn't the place for us any longer. Held a pretty high rank there, politics turned our home... into not such a homey place." Her nose wrinkled playfully followed by a shrug, it wouldn't do them any benefit for Gemini to learn they'd deserted their pack. Trust was a two way street after all. A pause to give Pandora the opportunity to add anything she may desire, though the beauty remained quiet, nonetheless Brielle's ears turned back to Sybella.

"I was a crafter, we both were. Made all we're wearing, tattoo's too..." With that the curvy woman gave a turn closer to Sybella to show the tattoos down her spine and tail, her trinkets resting on her shoulders shown off as well. When she'd turn back with her chest puffed, scarred paw pads cupping her necklace. " 'Suppose why I'd be an asset to Gemini: My artistry and tattooing skills. I taught this skill as well." A confident gesture for Sybella to move closer in the rain to inspect her worn items. If she did, Brielle's eyes would half lid to watch the pretty woman, sapphire eyes washing over her face and lime eyes. Half tempted to murmur something lovely to her, yet she bit of tongue this time.

"We're friends, are you?" The Captain would ask in return, Tortuga had been no friend to any soul. No matter the masks they wore to mislead that fact, Brielle knew best. She wore the cracked mask of the Captain a barely a year of age, and Brielle was better for it.