Moonspear floating nescient

Along the borders, the rain had begun the moment morning gave way to midday, the sun lost behind thick, graying clouds. If the day had not been cool enough, this certainly added to it, though neither proved to be a damper to his mood. How easy it would have been, he thought, to simply slip away for a spell to roam much further outer fringes where they could not necessarily claim but defend all the same. And how easy it would have been from there to slip out just a little further to venture old haunts that he had not touched in some time.

But the recent, unsettled climate of the mountain itself kept him from stray too far, lest bad go to worse. At least he had been somewhat able to tear his gaze from the jagged peaks that lined the barrier mountains that Moonspear rightly butted against, but the uncertainty lied less than still in how stalwart they were. He had heard the rumbling, the shift of stone and earth and forest alike, but it had been distant and now days old. Somewhere out there, beyond where his gaze could draw crisply, something had given way.

A thought had crossed him to venture out to such a place, but he would not.

There were the interlopers in their midst to think of, but also of the children.

Hiking up a leg to better cover a weathered stump, he took note of the quiet here too. How long had it been since there were braying elk along this stretch? Or even the skittish deer? No doubt tied to the upheaval of an angry earth and the unsettling air not unlike the tension that had plagued their land months ago. But this was a different sort than an unspoken war of spiteful wills and courting rights—it was otherworldly, a firm reality that he did not care for at all.

@Reiko perhaps?

Day by day the young snowy damsel was getting better. Though her voice still hoarse, and scars not quite covered in fur just yet - but she was walking around just fine now. There was that fear for leaving Moonspear, even if every fibre of her being wanted to leave and go back home to Kaisteloki, or at least to tell them that she had not abandoned them, that she thought of the river and its inhabitants every day; but she feared the russet woman out there, and the rumblings of the mountain stopped the young exiled princess from exhibiting any kind of bravery just yet. 

After her meeting with the small group that questioned her about what had happened in the field (i'm keeping that thread Vague with Hydra, Jarillo, and Vela for now!), Reiko didn't take the initiative to introduce herself to anyone and feel comfortable. She still felt like an outsider, as if she wasn't welcome and should leave soon, very soon. So in her little stroll to familiarize herself with the mountain, when she came across another unfamiliar face at the top of a stump, she was uncertain about what to do.

Should she introduce herself? Stay out of the way? Keep going on her merry little way and leave him alone? Would that be rude to the people who had bee harboring her for so long still... all these questions made her head spin. This was not Kaistleoki, where she felt comfortable with their members and happy to approach to get to know them - she didn't know what kind of personality this group has. 

All the while she pondered on what to do, she just stood there...

When satisfaction came that he had thoroughly marked the stump, he was ready to move on. Yet Dirge did not get that far along—it was relatively hard to miss the glimpse of white in his peripheral and naturally, his attention detracted from the path ahead to take her in. It wasn't hard to tell her apart from the other injured dove they had in their relative roost; at least this one was a bit more out and about and perhaps a little less secretive in her mannerisms.

He mustered a thin smile to his features as he shifted away from the borderland towards her, his tail swaying easily behind him as he continued to regard her gently. What he did know about her was far and few between; she was an acquaintance of Arcturus and if Dirge had to venture a guess, at least someone outside the purview of the pack that he seemed to care about. The unfortunate victim of choice in someone's nasty little game, and someone he hoped he would not be crossing paths with again any time soon. But the damage had already been done, least for one of them, and he took note of the subtle tension that had eked into her slyphish frame.

"How are you healing?" He spoke gently, as though it would encourage her to ease.

His movements startled her just enough so that she came out of thought and back into the situation at hand. Hesitantly her steps backed up, unsure of what may come from this man. Hydra's words stung, though Vela was kind enough to offer to escort her back to Kaistleoki soon, the thought of gaining favor from them was enough to make the dove rather uncomfortable with the thought. Here, she felt like a fish out of water. Flapping and floundering out in the open air uselessly as she gasped for air in a panic.

But as he grinned calmly, she eased up just a little. The swing of his tail elicited the same reaction from her and finally, she broke into her own little smile. Slowly... She admitted, shamefully her eyes shifted into the empty space away from the man who stood before her as if she couldn't handle the thought of how slow the process was as if she could do more to speed it up rather than medicate, stretch and exercise so her muscles didn't atrophy. 

I wish I could do more to speed the process up. Maybe gain enough strength to run to Kaistleoki, wherever it may be from here; run fast enough so that the russet woman and her companion would not be able to find or catch her this time should they want to finish the job. this could all be some elaborate plan in which we are played for the fools, Hydra's words still echoed, she wanted to prove the raven woman wrong... but how?

He could sympathize with her—it must have been a test of patience waiting to heal. He had been fortunate enough never to be laid up for long; a minor scrape here, or a bump there, maybe a pulled muscle. But to end up relying on others? Dirge didn't want to think about that, having long been independent and on his own. Yet the shame that crossed her visage spoke volumes and he realized that he could only know and understand a fraction of it all.

"There's no harm in taking time to heal," he decided then, his own gaze drawn to the empty area that she viewed. "Don't rush it. There's no sense in doing more harm before you're good." And if she was still worried about the circumstances that had brought her here, then he supposed he couldn't fault her. Yet the borders remained quiet, however stirred by something unearthly beneath. He doubted the likelihood of another coming to ruffle their feathers, so to speak.

back on this horse! let's finish this thread <3 dirge is so kind TAT

I'm not welcome. His kind words pushed at the floodgates she struggled to keep shut. To ignore and keep a strong facade in order to not seem weak anymore, especially in the face of those who accused her of being some kind of malignant presence, a virus only wishing to do them harm. The queen here doesn't seem interested in trusting me.

"I have to leave before they thrust anyone to my side." she thought to herself. "Before they impose anything on Kaistleloki on my behalf." Her mind was a whir - afraid of leaving the safety of the borders to meet more evil specters that wish only harm upon her, but spurred on by the desire to not be a thorn in anyone's side. You're very kind, the kindest words I have heard in a long time. Already her hoarse voice only cracked further under the weight of her grief, the gratitude she felt toward this stranger.

The face she wore seemed to crack at his words, and within those growing fissures he found truth of a troubling sort. Though he was aware of the ultimatums that Hydra had issued, he had not thought her entirely the sort to cast out another so willingly, so soon. Perhaps there was more to that story than he could imagine, but he did not spare the time to ponder, and his ears slicked back for a moment as Reiko seemed to degrade further emotionally.

"She is slow to trust as we all are, but with good reason," he offered. He couldn't have claimed to trust her fully either, but she was certainly a better option than those who had sought to rend her lifeless. But the tumultuous history of Moonspear was not entirely lost on him either—it had been the proverbial outsiders who had time and time again proven they did not deserve trust placed in them, and even some who had led to harm.

"I'll talk to her," he went on, "my wife may be equal parts fire and brimstone, but she does listen. If you're not ready, then you're not ready—the harshness of this mountain does not send the unable to die without reason, or turn away the able and willing." Though it did, he knew, and ignored as well as he tried to shape stone and minds otherwise. Kindness had little to do with it; Dirge sought to find boundaries within his own station, to find just where they would heel and listen, and it had been a time consuming affair thus far.

"And if you'd prefer to stay once you've healed, we can come to an accord then."

Slow to trust - it seemed that the lead female and Reiko had now something in common. The wilds were cruel and everyone eventually had reasons to distrust all they came across. It was hard to compare one's inner turmoil through history when neither of them knew much of one another, however, it seemed that there would be no time for that. Despite the man's kind words, Reiko's mind was made up. The distrust had already settled between herself and Hydra. Feeling nothing but disdain for being treated like an enemy or a tool to gain something from Kaistleoki upon waking up. (not to mention her player had already moved onward lmfao)

Thank you, but my mind is made up. I am thankful for your offer, and will not forget your kindness. My name is Reiko Izuka, I don't know where I will be, but should we meet again I hope to return your warmth.

After their little conversation, she felt a little braver. The bitterness upon her tongue had faded and perhaps she had just found herself in the mountain at the wrong time. Perhaps next time she meets any Moonspear wolves, it will be on better terms. 

Unless the man had something more to add, she would be off. Swallowing the hard stone in her throat to enter the wilderness one more - this time, wearier and more defensive than she was before.