My goodness that place is Ominous. And it sure do also be Tower. The view actually manages to fully take her mind off the joy at giant wolf for a moment. It's decently sized, notably larger than she was imagining. Yeah, that place is far too large for two people to live in alone. Well, without it being unbearably empty, anyway.

These wolves are fast. She's not quite sure if they're moving faster than you can on a good horse, but- she'd guess so, honestly.

Crin bends forward over her wolf, and spurs it on, and somehow their motion grows even faster. This can't be natural; no normal wolf could maintain this kind of speed for long. Branches whip by at a considerable clip. 

It's exhilarating. She doesn't know of she's actually moving faster than a car on the freeway but it feels like it. Joy rises in her and rises and rises until it almost overflows its banks. She's riding a giant wolf and it's moving as fast as a car and the world is whipping by her and the wind is in her hair and she feels free in a way she hasn't for a long, long time.

(In summary, giant wolf go nyoom.)

And she must focus if she wants to avoid getting thrown off, even if it is wonderful.

And finally, the wolves slow to a stop outside the gates of the tower. 

The guards posted recognize their Lady, and open the gates for her and Ishaza, as well as Alethia in company. The wolves pad into a large inner courtyard, and come to a stop, panting and blown. 

"Well," Crin says mildly. "That was certainly bracing." She slides off her wolf, and a woman with red hair comes to lead it away. 

She turns back to Alethia. "How was your first trip by wolfback?"

She likewise slides off of her wolf.

"It was lovely. One of the best ways I've ever spent my time. I don't think I'm going to forget that for the rest of my life. The speed and the-"

The wolf she was riding chooses this moment to give her a big sloppy lick. 

Giant wolf!!!!

She will not hug the wolf for she knows dogs experience hugs as somewhat unpleasant since it's a restriction on their movement around a very vulnerable part of their body, and likely wolves are the same, but she wants to hug the giant wolf.

"You are a very good wolf and you should be proud of yourself!"

This is objectively a ridiculous thing to say to the very good wolf but also it is true and it just licked her!!!!

Crin can't help it, she grins. 

"Of course you two would take a shine to each other. It's good to see you so happy about something after all this grim work."

Ishaza dismounts, and gives Crin a knowing look.

"You know, I grew up not knowing that wolves any bigger than a person were real. But- we had stories. Stories we all knew were stories. And I always wished they were true."

She turns from her new wolf friend and grins over at Crin and Ishaza. She- feels somehow like later she'll feel like saying this, acting like this, should be embarrasing, somehow. Right now though, she can't quite bring herself to care.

She looks back at the wolf she rode in on.

"What's their name? Do they have one?"

"That one's my Grey, she's my favorite. She's the best at giving a smooth and even ride at full speed. Ishaza's is White-Ear, who's a boy wolf. And the one I was riding was Claw; he's bad-tempered compared to these two. Fierce in battle, but a poor riding animal without my touch on him."

"Well, as wolf goodness is clearly entirely proportionate to how much they like me personally, with bonus points available for friendly face licks, you are clearly objectively correct to favor Grey."

Grey is Best Wolf. She has decided it.

Crin comes over and pets the side of Grey's head. "You hear that, Grey? Someone else likes you." She skritches behind Grey's ear. "Aren't you such a good wolf."

Grey nuzzles into her touch and gives her a small lick.

"Could I pet her too? I know when it's okay to pet a dog but giant wolves are presumably a different matter and so I am checking."

"It's safe, but only when I'm close and paying attention. She does snap at strangers ocassionally, but I can calm her."

Then she will reach out to softly pet the wolf, imitating Crin as she does so. Yes, she is using one of her absurd powers to better pet the wolf, of course she is what do you take her for? Someone who doesn't desire to get a good grade in wolf pets?

It's faint, but she can sense the connection between Grey and her owner, built on kindness and even love, with an undercurrent of deep respect on an instinctual level. Grey isn't quite intelligent the way a person would be, but for a big dog she's quite bright. 

Grey nestles in, lulled by Crin's presence. She's not entirely comfortable with Alethia's presence but she's willing to tolerate it. And the pets are nice. There's a sense that if Alethia wanted to, she could reach out and put pressure on this animal, subtly... but at the same time it seems clear to her that Crin has taken the time to treasure Grey and tend to her every need, slowly lulling her into a deep bond that Alethia's meagre powers can't break or even bend too far.

Crin strokes her hand down along Grey's side. "Good girl," she says softly. "Very good girl. My Grey." Her smile is warm and genuine. 

It would feel wrong to touch that bond. Like she was tainting something sacred.

She loved her dogs so much, when she was growing up.

Petting the giant wolf, however, does not feel this way at all. Grey is a good wolf who she has decided she loves.

The giant wolf is fluffy. Fluffy fluff fluff.

Crin looks over at her for a long moment, then returns to petting Grey herself. 

A slight smile lingers on her lips.