Phantom Hollow my heart is spinning

As she roamed the wilderness, canvassing the valleys beyond the spear of a mountain then onto the flatlands zigging and zagging, the rains were her constant company. Sometimes a downpour, others a drizzle, the gray skies were terribly familiar as the days bled together, a wet mess where it scarcely mattered where one began and the next ended. Opalia felt her searches were further away now, since it was primarily for enemies that she pursued now, ones that were mysterious and seemingly far from her reach now that the crime to her was well buried in the earth.. but, somehow, it suited her better than nothing right now when her feet got too restless and lonesome for the slopes of the Spear.

She had threaded through the heartwood when the rains had been heaviest, but now, under what appeared to be a brief reprieve, she came to where the forest seemed to change in aura. Her process through was slow, and alert. She did not think that she had ever been here precisely before, hence a sharpening of her senses in the face of unknowns as she began to pass by the trees. Everything simply smelled like rain, felt like rain, and.. hardly anything more.

benry hated this. the rain never stopped, no matter how long he waited. this wasn't normal. not even for this area, he guessed. it was annoying. he huddled under a particularly thick bush, somewhat sheltered from the rain. he needed to find a rock or something sturdier next time.

he wasn't alone in the woods at least. yo, he called to the wolf wandering in the forest. you, uhhhhh... headin somewhere? in this? he looked up towards the sky, permanently stained gray. cringe man. come get some shade or uhhhhh.. sum'n. his tail flicked invitingly. he hoped it was inviting.

from the canyon she heads down, traveling with the flow of rainwater as it trickles in a steady stream down the sunspire, overflowing from the torrential rains that plague the wilds. or, at the very least, the areas of the wilds where praimfaya is likely to haunt. she scouts for prey for the canyon offers little other than pronghorn and they are not her ideal source of meat as it took the entire pack to take down. there were rabbits, too; rangy things that she swear tasted like sand. or perhaps that was just because the grit of sand was unavoidable and tainted her catches. for this reason, she tries to avoid the food caches.

she hopes the flatlands offers her something better, something un-sandy.

the scents are waterlogged; musky and damp earth mixed with a scent that only becomes familiar and solid the closer to opalia she draws. opalia! praimfaya calls out to her. there was much — again — she had to catch opalia up on. praimfaya's muscles tense as she catches the scent of the other, hackles bristling as the wanheda draws nearer and sees and hears the movement, the hissing invitation of the cat. ready to fight to protect her kru, praimfaya draws alongside opalia, frostbound gaze cutting and upper lip curling back from her teeth.

She kept going, slowly enough.. one soggy step after the next through what felt like a drab woodlot even on a good day. It didn't occur to her by scent that she was not alone any longer, she had been too focused on all the wrong things not to notice. The strange note of baritone drew her eyes his way, and revealed a long, feline body--entirely unexpected, and she realized she had never looked one over quite so thoroughly. Tension shot through her immediately, her paws stopped, jaw just slack enough for her expression to register nothing but pure confusion before she sunk into some battle-readied stance. But, had he just invited her to cover? And asked her if she was going somewhere? She watched his tail, then back to his cat-face with a swift glance, while her instincts were saying go.

Truth be told, she had never lingered long enough to chat with one such beast. It was bears that were her finest foes, true, but through her father's tellings, these could be hellish creatures. Ambush predators, at their worst. Territorial hunters as well. Bad news. Distrust colored her mismatched gaze, once surprise had begun to let up and she still couldn't get out an answer for him besides: I have never heard a cat offer me shade before, she had to say, the wary look about her remaining as she held her ground.

As her hackles threatened to give rise, she suddenly heard her name in a voice she did recognize, which startled her in a new direction where for an instant, she wondered if she was simply dreaming. Dissociated already before this, she wouldn't outright admit, but this was much to take in, suddenly. Wanheda..! she barked back, surprised to see her too as she joined up beside her, but this came as a relief. I.. the sofstepa.. don as... she murmured with a low hiss, though the thought remained incomplete, replaced with all of her unease as she eyed him. Physically, his kind registered as threat. Behavior.. not yet, not when he spoke of cringe and and offering shade--very benign matters.

sounds like you met some rudeass cats, he wrinkled his whiskers. 's bad weather. shouldn't be rude like that. being wet, it, it, uhhh, it sucks, man. y'know?

he heard someone call...something. the other wolf did too, turning her head. and soon enough there was another wolf, all hunched up and ready to fight. huh? benry cocked his head, hearing the first wolf ramble on in something like the language they were just speaking in, but not quite. you need cover too? he asked the second wolf. i think...yeah...there's space, mmhm. he bunched himself up into a crouch, then flicked his tail to the newly opened space that his body no longer occupied.

praimfaya is attentive as opalia fills her in, keeping her uneasy words simple; but her frostbound gaze remains fixed on the apex hunter before them. even for the two of them, he is a threat at least on an instinctual level. tripi. praimfaya muses in a low murmur; confused by his non-threatening behavior. as it was, she wasn't even aware that other apex predators could communicate with wolves and for a moment this new information throws her for a bit. she has never before regarded their lives as much more than a threat to her own, if only because they are a threat to food and resources.

the cat asks her if she needs cover too, even going so far as to move over to make space for her as well. no, no, no, no — every instinct in praimfaya screams out against it. her tail twitches, frostbound gaze icicles as they bore into him. though praimfaya cannot say she's ever met any cats before she held onto this stigmatism that they were feral base creatures; instinctual and little else. you aren't going to eat us? praimfaya asks then, addressing the cat directly for the first time; dubious.

With equal parts caution, curiosity, and surprise, she watched the way his expressions shaped. Up close, she had hardly considered them before. It was strange to her, the way his whiskers emphasized certain pieces. The body language, too, was terribly foreign to her--she didn't know what his signals were, exactly, not beyond the ones that looked outright aggressive. There was some universal cues at least, so she felt like she could get by on those, and none of his said ill. Guess so.. she murmured. But I also have not personally met many, she amended. Perhaps it had been rudeass cats that her father had known, and done well to warn them about. Sounded like they had been the types to make trouble, not extend an offer for cover in a rainshower, even perhaps at the cost of their own comfort (although again, hard to tell--what was comfortable to a cat? their long, feline bodies so different..).

Then, she offered a vigorous nod to parrot Praimfaya's sentiment to make sure the wolves weren't on the menu of any sort as if to say you're absolutely sure this is okay, yeah? He was good, right? It was difficult for her to let go of her concerns, so drilled into her over all of the years that said keep watch for them, and then, keep them away. But, this year had turned a lot upside-down for her; what was one more?

@Opalia i went ahead and wrote benry out since he fell inactive.

it takes all of praimfaya’s control to keep the disdain from her face; the skepticism and mistrust. she barely trusted her own ilk …let alone that of the feline species. for whatever reason, the cat decides they aren’t worth his time and takes his leave. praimfaya watches him go with her guard hairs prickling along her spine before, assured that he wouldn’t make a sneak attack at them, turns her frostbound gaze to opalia in full. well, she draws on a breath in trigedasleng. that was strange.

are you ok? it didn’t hurt you? she didn’t smell blood but praimfaya cannot keep the crease of worry out of her brow, out of the tug of her lips into a slightly terse frown. how are things at moonspear? she asks and then adds, more important, how are you doing? she asks; putting opalia and any news her kru might have before her own. a thing she was definitely trying to work on.

Her unease manifested, and she could feel wanheda agreeing. Opalia was offering no qualms in a little distance between them once it seemed the cat would just let them be when they were not exactly the most warm themselves. She offered a short nod, it was strange, and couldn't help but stride on further--craving more space, and maybe some relative shelter of their own as her sights skim for opportunity.

I am fine, she breathed, shaking her head a bit as well. Such an up close look was still settling in. Nothing happened.. the gona added on before her thoughts went distant. Moonspear. How were things? She was quiet a long moment, trying to make it seem like the focus on her whereabouts as she glanced around the sodden woods drug it out. The mountain had been feeling guarded, though she knew more than a rain was going to bring it toppling. Moonspear is fine. Drenched, though.. she then had to answer for herself, etching a worsening frown. I am okay. I feel distant sometimes. The rain doesn't help.. But it's.. alright, her lips pursued, determined that it would simply go away one day. Was it better now? Time had numbed her some, or rather, she was learning how to keep away from the worst of it--the constant thought that she had not been enough to protect her brother, or even help keep him here among them.

That aside, she left a long look in Praimfaya's direction, lingering especially over some of her more recent scars. It was good to see her, and the weariness in her heart felt further away. So how have your battles been lately? she asked, lightening a touch then.

i’m glad to hear it. praimfaya responds as opalia informs her that she is fine. the rain appears to be a plague upon the wilds. praimfaya murmurs her observation with a slightly amused and mostly exasperated twitch of her lips. she is tired of endless rain, but she supposes it is preferable to the earthquakes that had killed her mother and surely others like her.

i haven’t almost died, if that’s what you mean. praimfaya tries to lighten the fact that she had almost died. the woman that is responsible for these scars is dead, praimfaya deadpans. but not by my jaws. which made it sting. the death should’ve been her’s to take. instead, donovan had killed nemisis himself for turning traitor. it was ironic and bent praimfaya in the almost obsessive need for jus drein, jus daun. she has been denied taking nemisis’ life and so a saints life she must take.

and not for the last time, praimfaya wonders if there will be any satisfaction in it. he was a tool; interested in who he could bed. this much was obvious to her.

i’ve been infiltrating the saints’ — the pack she belonged to — ranks after the wolves of the coast chased them into the sunspire, her mouth twists with displeasure. learning what i can of them. how they operate, how their leaders think, how they fight. praimfaya informs her former kru with a twitch of her tail. i made a promise they would rue the day she attacked me. i intend to keep it.

She sighed softly.. dwelling only a second longer on the rain's true reach. Beyond that, another exhale, and maybe she was feeling more grounded. Starting to, maybe. It's been a long week--but she felt like she had that thought a lot lately. Well it is a start, Opalia had to admit she wasn't wrong, a soft smirk to go with it before she listened on, ears tall. Good news, and bad.. then big news, a lot of it all together. Nemisis was dead, but the pack still could pay and bleed on her behalf.

The gona raised her head, sorting through a few thoughts, but most of all, settling somewhere adjacent to proud--and looking forward, if she could be so lucky. Oh, so you've been very busy then, she said, several questions, and a few feelings later. How long have you been with them? It warmed her heart to see her back from death's doorstep with a vengeance like that--and one with a chance at a very satisfying conclusion. She knew she should expect nothing less, and not worry deeply. So what do you think? she asked, curious on even the basics about these self-proclaimed saints--and infinitely so, what wanheda schemed for them.

i have. praimfaya murmurs in agreement, tail brushing against her hocks. not long. a week. maybe a bit more. praimfaya responds in a thoughtful hum. it cost me sagtannet. but it was a price she’d been willing to pay. it’s too early to know for sure, praimfaya begins, frostbound gaze fixing upon opalia’s own gaze. they are a big pack but i’m not yet sure i’d call them formidable. she admits with a twitch of her ear. the grandmaster, her mouth twists around the title, making it clear she thought it was pompous. seems to be collecting warriors. and he has a habit of calling me pet names that makes me want to rip off his ears. praimfaya admits with a curl of obvious disgust to her lips; unaware that, that wasn’t exclusive — which when she learned would only make it somehow worse.

i will observe them closely. spar with them so i learn how they fight. when i leave, i will make sure i have more than enough information to be useful to the wolves that will rally against them.

Details poured forth, sounding like an eventful last while for the wanheda as Opalia got up to speed on this. There was a lot to take in suddenly about his previously hazy foe for her, and from the rare treat of a wolf whose assessment she could believe. The idea that a grandmaster was collecting warriors was ill-omen enough. Hearing he disrespected her with pet names rankled Opalia, too. Disgusting, she seethed, a shift in her furs to match. If he is collecting warriors, he must have something in mind.. she drawled as she considered him--whoever he thought he was. It could be any number of things. Maybe he was hiding something, or wanted to defend his right to be disrespectful. No matter the reason, she didn't find that she particularly liked it coming from someone described as such.

Deep down, she admired Praimfaya's willingness to dig this deep.. and already, even without an outcome, was proud of her work so far. She wondered then if Dacio would've felt the same at all, and what warnings he might impart on her to help guide her. Who all will rally against them? she asked for clarification in one direction of many. That fact seem weightier than some of the others. The scheme of things loomed large. What do you want Moonspear to know about them.. if anything, this soon? she asked carefully, wondering if that could be a bead of usefulness in her stance there among them. Maybe it was too soon to say anything major yet, but she had a sense Praimfaya wasn't passing her judgements on a mere whim, and while Moonspear had it out for others that had hurt their own, this cause seemed to fall in line with theirs anyway.

it would seem so. though she is already beginning to doubt that the saints are the Big Bad that they pretend to be; still, as she will say in the near future: even the idiot can be dangerous. dangerous didn’t describe just the cunning or the rutheless. i’ll keep gathering intel, sparring with them so i learn how they fight, praimfaya says, knowing that when she has more concrete information, she will be more confident in sharing it. presently, she doesn’t want to give half-assed information and so, thinks it’s better to leave things vague.

as many as i can convince, hopefully. i have contacts in yuelong and kastleoki but i’m not sure if i can convince them. still, when i have more information to offer, i will try. that was all she could do …and if no one would help her plight then she’d do it on her own. for now …nothing. or if you’d rather give hydra something then tell her that they’re a rising threat. praimfaya tells opalia. when i have more to offer i will make the trip to moonspear, to apologize for my wrongs and to offer the information.

Mistrust in these Saints only grew deeper. Every piece only added up against them. She had yet to hear any good news about their likes, and with Praimfaya's continued observing, she did not suspect this would change soon with what was already set into motion. Only another enemy, another to strike out against before they could do further harm. While they had not revealed themselves as the ones she wanted, specifically, she would relish in her wanheda's revenge. I'm glad to have you on the inside, she said, sincere. I know I can trust your judgement of their ilk, Opalia added, pairing with a slow, deep nod.

Alright. I don't know what all Hydra knows of them. I believe she has good favor with the Yuelong wolves too, she replied, so maybe there was a connection to be made somewhere. Kaistleoki was wholly unfamiliar. It gave her something to figure out in the meantime though. But I would like it best if she heard it from you anyway. Opalia decided. Straight from the source, and from near to the golden gona's heart, no less. I'll keep an eye and an ear out, on my end. Just in case I find out anything good.. and she would be sure to share.

After a hint of a pause, one where she contemplated if she should even ask so soon.. she opted to make her mention, knowing Praimfaya wouldn't fault her for holding onto the old hurt that had taken so much. Do you think.. that any of the wolves this Grandmaster-- she scoffed and frowned over the title, it leaving a bad taste just by itself. --keeps for company had anything to do with what happened to Dacio? If he was gathering warrior sorts, maybe there was a slight chance.. but Opalia didn't know if his assailant had been more than just a fluke set of angry teeth, or an actual fighter belonging to someplace, or cause. It was a long-shot, she knew, hence her trepidation in bringing it up at all--but she simply had to ask, even if there was the tiniest sliver of a chance.

to her kru’s words, praimfaya offers a few nods of acknowledgement., having nothing to add. the knowledge, however, that opalia is willing to keep her ear open earns her a twist of praimfaya’s lips in a grateful smirk. it feels good to have a purpose; which only brings to light that the commander doesn’t do well with being idle. she is a warrior …and a warrior needs a war — or else the distraction of running a pack to keep her busy. war is the most obtainable thing at the moment and her revenge — petty as it perhaps is — is what’s fueling her fire at the moment.

praimfaya consider’s opalia’s question, feeling the weight of dacio’s name like a cage of locks and chains upon her chest; heavy and crushing. she misses him fiercely, and understands now — a bit older and a bit wiser — that surely opalia misses him more. i don’t think so. praimfaya gives a shake of her head. i’m not real sure what donovan is doing yet …it seems that he has no actual direction and the loyalty of most of his wolves appears to be held by the thin veil of his ‘sexual prowess’. her lips curls with disgust and disdain at the term.

praimfaya does not give it long until those threads begin to fray and split apart.

there is one; renard, whom suspects my purpose there... at my own fault. he hasn’t exposed me, though i'm sure he's had ample opportunity to. that alone is enough to garner some of my trust. praimfaya admits, letting her worry about him shine thru her visage. around opalia, she does not have to keep up the constant fortress of confidence and ferocity. she allows herself this small moment of lapse; and small it is. before long she sobers up. she is a commander and a commander does not falter in the face of her enemies nor her kru. but not all of it. not yet, at least. the other leader, derg; he seems to be the only one of the two that thinks with his brain. yet, even with all his potential he still is donovan’s lap dog at the end of the day. and though she doesn’t know derg well, it still disappoints praimfaya; and thus, she means to conclude that she stands by her belief in her doubt that any of them were the ones that attacked osiris and dacio.

The pale warrior was quiet, though she had held her breath for a scarce second. But, no leads yet. No ties to anyone to answer for Dacio's death. She supposed it could just be too soon to tell. Another mention of Donovan's nature only kept her scowl in place.. she couldn't imagine their loyalty to be anything good if that were true. Even without meeting him, she didn't care for his sorts. She didn't trust him on principle, with or without any connection to her revenge. It's bad enough that his wayward bitch had been foolish enough to cross the wanheda in the first place. Now, this was what they deserved.

As for the others worth a note, Opalia knows best to keep this. These could be important names later, if they did not fade into obscurity before then. She already got the sense that this was something not to rushed outright. Praimfaya had more to gain still but a careful line to walk in the meantime. Interesting.. maybe his loyalty is not where it seems either, she suggested. But probably too soon to tell. Just be careful, she offered, though her trust was well with the wanheda, no questions. Renard could be a delicate matter though if his interests did not align with her own later on though, but it was important not to discredit him entirely.

On their other leader, she had little of good to say. Ugh, too bad he wastes it then, she scoffed. Maybe their peculiar loyalty could be shaken still. But maybe that can be in your favor somehow too. I wish I had more to offer you in return, without knowing them better. Keep me informed of whatever else you find out, and tell if me I can help somehow, the Drakru wanted her to know. I trust you will make the right call, she said quietly, yet determined as they schemed, and got caught up between themselves.

She was thankful for company like this--a necessary mending to her weary soul. Maybe.. she could return to the mountain a little better than she had left it.