Ever the vagrant, Eleuthera kept on the move. The coast seemed, for the most part, to be claimed lands — so the lilac shewolf moved inland, but instead of traveling through the flatlands to the southwest, she opted for the more challenging route through the mountains. Perhaps it was that she had been born on a mountain that made it so, but Eleuthera had always a knack for climbing. Secretly, however, Eleuthera suspected it was more than the circumstances of her birth, because Séamus had been born at the very same time, upon the very same sunspire, and he did not entertain his sister’s proclivities for climbing.

Séamus…

The terrain had become more and more hostile. As she departed from the coast, it was no more than low-intensity hills and mountains that were well-worn and sustained life — easily several million years old at the point she graced their slopes. This did not last long. Eleuthera reached a peak that was so high that, to cross it meant that she must see and experience snow in the dead of summer. It was strange and made the sprite feel uneasy, but instead she pushed on (she always had been the more headstrong of the two, and in need of her brother’s restraint). Then the woman found herself in the midst of broken ground and twisting stone; jagged edges upon which she tore the pad of her foot and now as she climbed, she left a distinct bloody footprint upon the sun-beaten stone.

It was impossible to miss that fact that there was little way forward — from this tip-top vantage point, the woman could almost see into the valley below them; a place that might have been her saving grace had it not already been occupied by a pack (this was easily scented on the wind), and had there been any way to descend from these godforsaken peaks... something of which, Eleuthera could find none. She must pick her way back the way she came, Eleuthera mustered, but her foot seared with pain and fresh blood whenever she pressed upon it. 

Quite certain that she was lost and spending the night in an angry, sadistic environment that did not want her there, Eleuthera sat in the weak, hot shade of a large rock and began licking at her wound. 

 Eleuthera needed no more convincing. She rode towards and after the silent woman following the waif’s brief, unspoken introduction and a nod towards the supposed exit, a thousand questions buzzing in her head. She wanted to know who this woman was, why she had been up to these heights — was she here to rescue her? If so, who had sent her? It seemed as if this woman was the stoic type, however, and Eleuthera was not keen to turn her new friend off so quickly. Eleuthera kept her lips pressed tightly together, ne’er a word escaping.

Even though she now had the intention to light her movements, and a partner with the knowledge to help guide her, Eleuthera’s foot still proved to be a hindrance.  She wobbled between walking of four legs and walking upon three, but the site of the wound caused her no small amount of pain. However, there was nothing that could be done about it right now — it would have to wait until later. When the unnamed woman looked back to check on her, Eleuthera offered her a soft smile and hobbled right along.