After leaving her realm, the winter goddess traveled far and wide across the lands. Her journey took her to places that she had never seen. Worlds far apart and very different from her own.

Her travels first led her to Olympus, a lush, floral land with towering waterfalls, high among the clouds. The buildings were tall and intricate, carved from marble and granite. The temperature appeared to be mild all year round, and the flowers were always in bloom. The people were friendly enough, albeit a little invasive, so Yuna preferred to avoid them when she could.

In doing so, she found herself content. Her white fur stood in sharp contrast to the green landscape, so she often chose to remain in humanoid form to avoid drawing too much attention. It worked to her benefit, allowing her to wander aimlessly through the realm without trouble. While it was far from perfect, it was a place she wouldn't mind calling home. And for a time, she did, living in the forests and observing the fairies and nymphs. It wasn't until a fateful encounter that the goddess decided to continue on her journey.

. . .

The goddess relaxed on a smooth stone at the base of a pillar near the outskirts of the city. Her long hair splayed beneath her like a sheet of silver as she basked in the morning sunlight. Her chest rose and fell in slow rhythmic patterns as she dozed without a care in the world. Her stay in Olympus had been pleasant so far. Her time in the wilderness had kept her safe from interaction, and those she did encounter seemed to pay her little mind. With the exception of a few raised eyebrows, most were content to simply ignore her as she caused little disruption. Yuna had almost began to grow comfortable, wondering if this realm was one that she could continue to reside in… until a fateful encounter reminded her that nothing good could last forever.

"My, my, what do we have here?" A gentle voice reached the goddess's ears, rousing her from her slumber.

Her golden eyes flew open, her body reacting without thought as she quickly rose to a sitting position. Before her, two male gods were approaching, both regarding her with interest. To the left was a statuesque young man with long maroon locks, adorned in red drapes and jewels. He had a sculpted chest and a voice like honey that purred with every syllable. She remembered this god well, encountering him many times during her treks through the forest.

It was during a recreational hunt that she had first encountered him, the sound of whispers and giggles catching her attention. The alluring lull of his voice had attracted her, drawing her to a clearing like a siren's call. It was there that she had first observed him debauching one of the forest nymphs in a shameless display. Embarrassed and startled, the goddess had fled the scene, leaving him to his conquest.

The one beside him, Yuna didn't recognize. He was a shorter man, with a curtain of golden hair cascading down his back and over the strange markings that covered most of his body. She had never met this god, but his presence reminded her of home. His bright aura was reminiscent of Vara, his beaming smile all but rivaling the very sun itself. He too, was an attractive young man, though his presence was slightly less imposing than his taller companion.

The pair observed her curiously as they walked towards her, the taller cracking a smile as he looked her over. They had never seen this particular goddess before and her presence there was a subject of fascination. Her appearance was striking, with silver strands trailing down her back and skin so pale it was almost ethereal. Her white flowing dress wrapped gently around her frame and a snowflake pendant dangled loosely from her neck. She was beautiful, in a haunting sort of way.

Regarding her with curiosity, the taller god spoke again when he received no response. "I don't believe we've met. What is a beautiful goddess such as yourself doing out here all alone?"

Slowly sliding her legs over the edge, Yuna rose nervously to her feet. Having interacted very little with the people of this realm, she was unfamiliar with their customs and their language. To make matters worse, the goddess was unaccustomed to socializing with other gods in general, and his daring approach only served to increase her anxiety. As she couldn't understand him, she had no way to discern his intentions, and she was a lone goddess in a foreign land.

As she slowly backed away, the second god turned excitedly to his taller companion. "Oh, you're right, Di-Di! I've never seen this goddess before. I've never seen her."

The taller god shrugged, watching her movements as she moved away. He wasn't certain who the strange goddess was or why she was there, but he could see that she was uneasy. Was she frightened of them? Sensing her uncertainty, he slowed his advance. "Apollon… I don't think she's Olympian."

His blonde companion, however, took no such precaution. Practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, Apollon continued forward. Realizing that she was likely a foreign visitor, he tried a different approach. Switching to the universal language, he addressed her. "Is that it? Are you visiting?"

"I… Y-Yes." Yuna replied, her eyes shifting nervously between the two men. She was relieved to finally have an open line of communication between them, but she still couldn't be sure of their intentions.

Apollon, ecstatic to have understanding, remained blissfully oblivious to the goddess's unease. "Welcome to Olympus! You'll like it here. It's great. It's really great! I'm Apollon, and this is Di-Di. What's your name?"

The goddess simply stared, her eyes slowly widening with every passing sentence as the other god rattled off words like a machine gun. The image of Vara entered her mind as he all but skipped towards her, his smile glowing brightly as the sun. The resemblance was uncanny. "Y-Yuna…"

"Yuna… A beautiful name." Apollon smiled warmly, stopping in front of her. Her eyes followed his movements as he reached her, slowly leaning forward. He was getting closer… and closer… far too close. Was he going to…?

"Ah?!"

Terrified, Yuna pushed him away, earning a confused stare from the other god. She hadn't the slightest clue was his intentions had been, and she didn't care to find out. If he was anything like his flirtatious companion, they couldn't possibly have been pure. Without a further word, the goddess turned and fled, running off towards the forest and leaving the confused god calling behind her.

. . .

After fleeing Olympus, the winter goddess found herself traveling once more. The second leg of her journey brought her the land of Egypt. Endless expanses of desert sand led her to a bustling city filled with gods and goddesses dressed in elaborate robes and gold. Curious, Yuna found herself drawn in by the fascinating clothing styles and towering architecture. Unfortunately, the goddess was unable to enjoy the sights for very long.

With no forests or brush to hide in and sand as far as the eye could see, traveling in wolf form quickly became problematic. Unlike her time in Olympus, however, staying in god form didn't prove much better. Her pale skin and silver hair ensured that she stood out amongst the other gods and the blistering sun did little more than threaten to roast her alive. It was by far the worst place she had visited during her voyage, and the only upside had been the meeting of a new friend.

. . .

Yuna panted tiredly under a sycamore tree, trying desperately not to melt in the desert sun. With the sweltering heat proving too much for her fair skin, she had decided instead to relax in her canid form in between her exploration. Of course, a double coat of snow-white fur didn't bode very well either. For about a half an hour, she remained in the shade before moving on for cooler ground.

Despite the lengths she had gone to initially avoid it, her search eventually led her closer to civilization.

The goddess let out a sigh of relief as she padded along the cool marbled flooring. In her quest to escape the sun's violent assault, she had found herself inside of a massive building. The smell of books hung heavily in the air, indicating to her that she had stumbled upon a library of some sort. The idea of a library so large it required a multitude of wings was foreign to her, as the place must have housed tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of books. For the moment, however, she was grateful for the outlandish floorspace as it seemed that the area she had chosen was utterly deserted.

With the hall to herself, Yuna took the time to appreciate and admire the decorum, taking in the various statues and paintings lining the walls. Gold seemed the material of choice, followed by marble and stone. Each sculpture was well-crafted and intricate, enrapturing her as she enjoyed the sights. In fact, she was so distracted admiring the decorum, she hadn't noticed the sound of padded feet approaching from behind. It wasn't until the new arrival brushed softly against a nearby pillar that he got her attention.

Turning her head, she noticed the newcomer vanishing from her periphery. Peeking out from behind the pillar, a large black creature that resembled a jackal was watching her. He eyed her curiously, his body language telling her that he was apprehensive to approach. As Yuna was equally shy, she found herself doing the same, safely observing him from a distance. It took some time for their curiosity to win out, as neither one had any wish to spend the entire afternoon staring at one another.

As canids, they shared an understanding of the other's language, making their meeting far more successful than her last one had been. Lowering her head, she shrank her body close to the floor to show that she posed him no threat. Similarly, the jackal did the same, as he also had no desire for conflict. Emboldened by the other's reaction, both gods slowly approached one another, shifting into their humanoid forms and observing one another.

She took in his tan skin and shoulder-length ebony hair. His gentle golden eyes and his dog-like ears with a black cloth headdress surrounding them. His attire was similar to those she had already seen, a toga-like wrap around the waist with gold adorning his arms and wrists. Strangely, unlike others she had seen, he seemed to have discoloration, with dark pigmentation blackening his forearms. As she looked him over, the other god spoke to her.

"Bara bara kaba?"

Blinking, Yuna tilted her head to the side in response to his unusual speech patterns. While she wasn't familiar with the language that anyone spoke in this new world, this god seemed to speak in a language all his own. It was strange to say the least, but in the end, it didn't matter. Perhaps it was kinship between canines or maybe their minds were on the same wavelength. Somehow, while she couldn't understand his words, she could read his intentions. She could feel his desires and responded in kind. He was a playful soul, and one with little in the way of companionship. They were similar in that way.

Smiling, Yuna returned to her wolf form, watching as the other did the same. Then, with wagging tails, they began a quiet game of frolicking around the empty hall. The pair enjoyed one another's company with the goddess happy to have met a kindred soul and the god to have found someone that could, in some way, understand him. After a few minutes, the two ceased their play, relaxing quietly on the cool marble floor.

They remained that way for a short time, rousing only when the sound of footsteps echoed from a nearby hall. Someone was approaching. Yuna lifted her head nervously as the steps drew nearer, eyeing her newfound companion uncertainly. His posture told her not to be afraid and she wanted to believe him. But as a thundering voice sounded from the nearby hall, she quickly rose to her feet.

"Anubis!"

Startled by the aggressive god, Yuna turned and fled from the hall without looking back. As Thoth rounded the corner, he saw the god he was searching for gazing sadly down the hallway. His wings ruffled in irritation and his eyes narrowed. What was that mischievous jackal up to now? Following his gaze, he raised an eyebrow as he looked down the corridor. While it was only for a moment, he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the tip of a white tail rounding the corner.

Alarmed, he pursued the intruder, ignoring the pleas of the jackal god, but when he reached the hallway, the animal was gone. Rolling his eyes in irritation, he turned and made his way back, fully prepared to scold his companion for playing with his friends so close to the library.

. . .

Yuna was disappointed to leave her newfound friend behind, but she welcomed the loss of the blistering heat. After braving the Egyptian sun, the temperate climate of Japan was more than welcome change. The goddess found herself wandering once again through the forests, her eyes taking in the towering foliage and wooden structures. The gods here were different from the ones she had observed so far. Unlike the imposing residents of Egypt and the bold gods of Olympus, the Japanese gods were far more reserved. They were mild, respectful, and relatively friendly, although she couldn't really say as she had only observed them from a distance. She resided in that realm the longest, enjoying the temperature and landscape. It wasn't until her run-in with a particularly volatile god that she had decided to move on.

. . .

The moon shined brightly, illuminating the ground below. The night was quiet and still, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. Beneath a cherry blossom tree, Yuna laid quietly beside her silent companion. Her body was wrapped in a tight furry ball, and a small white rabbit laid resting on her back. Beside her was the god Tsukuyomi. His purple hair cascaded from his head, angled upwards towards the sky. He was watching the moon as was his duty, and he performed it diligently. An activity that, coincidentally, Yuna often indulged in herself.

The gods had met by chance a few weeks ago through an unfortunate turn of events. Having gone a few days without food, the winter goddess had been wandering through the forests in search of something to sooth her snarling stomach. She happened upon a small white rabbit unattended in the woods. Deciding that a small meal was better than no meal at all, Yuna quickly gave chase. The animal proved to be far craftier than she had anticipated, and she had contemplated using her power. It wasn't until the creature led her to a clearing that she found, surprisingly, that the rabbit was in fact not alone, nor was it a wild animal at all, but someone's familiar: Usamaro.

After a profuse apology and explanation, the Moon god had offered her a portion of his bento, which he had been enjoying prior to the interruption. It wasn't long before the two found themselves spending time together each night, silently observing the moon. She did not mind his presence and he didn't mind hers. Even Usamaro had grown to enjoy her company once it had been established that he was not a menu item.

"The moon is full tonight." The god muttered quietly into the silence.

The wolf slowly nodded her head in vague understanding. Her grasp of the native language was still uncertain, but she had spent enough time around him to know that the only thing he really talked about was the moon. Short conversations like this were common between the two of them and she dared to say that her quiet companion may be considered an acquaintance. Perhaps someday, she thought, he may even be considered a friend. Yuna didn't mind the idea of such a life, relaxing beneath the moonlight… but such a fate was not meant to be.

Stirring, the familiar stood and shook its fur. Yuna's body twitched slightly as his tiny paws padded their way down her back and onto the ground. She followed suit and rose to her feet as well, stretching out her torso and shaking off the blossom petals. Lazily, she turned her attention to Usamaro as he hopped slowly towards the clearing edge and into the brush. He frequently wandered off on his own, so she saw no reason for concern. On this night however, their tranquil moon gazing would be interrupted.

"Oi, brother! Akira is looking for you. He -"

The voice came to an abrupt halt as a small, blue-haired god emerged into the clearing with Usamaro in tow. His clothing was of a design that she had never seen before, but the armor gave her the impression that, unlike Tsukuyomi, this god would be far less inviting. Her suspicions were quickly confirmed as his initially casual expression changed into one of surprise. Upon sighting her, he immediately drew his sword from his hip. Yuna didn't need to understand their language to know what that meant.

"Is that a -?!"

With practiced reflexes from years as a predator, she leapt to the side just before a stream of saltwater crashed into the spot she had been previously standing. In that instant, the aggressive god was upon her, his sword barreling toward her from above. She spun around it, whipping his backside with her tail in the process. While he was off balance, she turned and bolted into the trees. She could hear him shouting behind her, along with the quiet voice of his dutiful sibling, but she wasn't about to stick around. Not with a volatile water god in pursuit of her.

With a longing sigh, the winter goddess moved on. It seemed that her time in this peaceful realm had finally come to an end.

. . .

After leaving Japan, Yuna found herself wandering aimlessly for some time. She had visited various locations but hadn't found any places that suited her needs and piqued her interest. Some were too hot and others too humid. Some were too open and others too enclosed. The gods in some were too friendly and others too hostile. She had begun to wonder if she should simply return to her own realm… but her memories of their harsh treatment quickly convinced her otherwise. Her adventures had taken her to nearly every corner of the realms and she was growing tired. It seemed that the best course of action may be to live out her days as a nomad, roaming aimlessly from place to place until she reached her end. After some thought, the idea didn't seem too unpleasant. No, in fact, it may be just what she needed. After all, a life of relative solitude wasn't foreign to her.

Deciding on her path, she continued on… until the next destination made her question everything.

When she arrived in the new realm, she felt a sense of joy wash over her that she had never before experienced. She was standing in a frozen landscape with snow and ice as far as the eye could see. Within the tundra were forests of tall, thick trees, but none so dense as to greatly inhibit movement. Her fur blended perfectly with this new environment and the temperatures were well suited to her preferences. Yes, this new world would do quite nicely.

Melding into her surroundings, she easily slipped around any watchful eyes, blending in with the wildlife as she explored this new world. As a wolf, she didn't draw much attention, since their presence seemed relatively common here, along with plentiful food and little in the way of people. It was a perfect place for her to call her new home, even if it were only temporary.

Raising her eyes to the cloudy sky, the winter goddess decided that she would remain here for a while. Likely, she would remain as long as possible until other gods drove her out. But until that day came, she decided it best to enjoy the realm and count her blessings while she was able to. As she trotted across the thick blanket of snow, she happened upon a sign that gave her the name of her of her new paradise.

Asgard.