Oracle

'Where are they?' The singular thought drifted through Oracle's mind as she stalked through the rolling landscape, her giant paws leaving clear tracks in the freshly fallen snow. The liger's pale coat blended in decently with the wintry landscape - bold rosettes aside - but she still felt vulnerable trapsing alone across the prairie towards known enemies.

'They've got to be around here somewhere.' Oracle's thoughts continued. She turned her nose to the breeze, and kept her almond eyes fastened to the horizon, listening, scenting, and watching for any signs of other big cats.

Autumn Sun

"Fancy finding a Haunter, all the way out here?" The rumbling voice came from several yards to Oracle's right, where Autumn Sun was crouched amongst the tall, brown grasses that camouflaged her presence so well. She rose slowly, powerful shoulders flexing to lift four-hundred and fifty pounds of her muscled frame. She wasn't much larger than Oracle, but she did beat her by a few pounds. "And alone?" Autumn stepped forward, her golden paws crunching softly against the semi-frozen ground. Her path carried her in a loose semi-circle around the lion ligeress, in a posture not too dissimilar to a predator hunting their prey.

Oracle

Every muscle in Oracle's body tensed. Autumn's words had hit her as suddenly as a set of fangs, and had the big cat wheeling around with lips pulled back and face twisted into a snarl. She had been careful and alert, but not alert enough. Oracle mentally chided herself as she now looked upon the other feline crunching through the frozen grass.

"Yes, alone." Oracle forced the words out and struggled to keep her long tail from thrashing from side to side. Autumn Sun hadn't made a move to attack yet, and Oracle seized the opportunity to explain herself, "The Ruins have become a little too crowded for my tastes, and a little too tame."

Autumn Sun

Oracle's words put a halt on Autumn's predatory stalking. Her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the other and her curious statement, "You're saying you've left the Haunters? Why leave such a powerful pack, and why venture out here, of all places?" Growing a little suspicious, the ligeress raised her head and took a quick glance about herself, double checking that the pair were indeed alone, and she wasn't walking herself into some Haunter ambush.

Oracle

She wasn't about to admit the real reason she'd finally stalked out of the Ruins, still seething about her father and brother, so she discreetly stepped around that incident. "Like I said, it's grown too passive for me. Too many frail and infirm wolves being coddled, we have two damned deer living in the Temple with us that can't be hunted, and we can't so much as touch the fur on the head of any youngling outside of the Haunters because our leaders have grown sentimental in their old age." Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a little, but in Oracle's mind, these were all issues that were making the Haunters weaker, and she yearned for freedom and less restrictions.

She looked to Autumn Sun, holding her gaze with firmness, "I came out here to find you. You're pack, anyway; I want in."

Autumn Sun

The big cat chuckled to herself, listening to this young liger vent about her life in the Ruins like some disgruntled teen fed up with their family. Subtly, her golden dial was inclined as she shifted from a stalking posture to a more attentive one, "Well isn't that interesting." Behind her, the tip of Autumn's tail flicked from side to side while her thoughts roved over the possibilities before her. "You do know that by joining us, the Haunters are your enemies. That you're expected to attack them without mercy when called upon to do so?" She held back her amused smile, not sure if Oracle truly knew what she was getting herself into right now, but interested in seeing where this might go.

Oracle

Oracle didn't so much as flinch when Autumn relayed the consequences of joining the Nuova Alba. Truth be told, she wasn't sure if she could actually attack her parents or brother, but in the moment, she was angry enough with them that she didn't question it. "I know the drill." She answered firmly and without hesitation, with her eyes held unflinchingly upon the other big cat. "What do I have to prove to join your pack?"

Autumn Sun

"That would be up to Layra and Tuini, they're our pride leaders." She emphasized the 'pride' part, letting it be known that 'pack' simply didn't fit with a group that was predominantly feline. "If you're truly ready to shed that old Haunter skin, all that's left is to follow me." Now satisfied that no one had followed after Oracle, and convinced that the pale-coated ligeress was legitimate about wanting to switch sides, Autumn dared to turn her back on her as she headed for the Crinoid Caves.