Stavanger Bay On a stormy sea of moving emotion

@Orochi if he's around and you want first dibs!

 What could have been the last moments of her life brought her coughing and heaving on the shores of the bay. The thoughts of her boys being left in a time of great loss and danger that stuck with her from the moments she had washed up far off from the wilds. It had taken word of mouth and a plunge of faith to bring her back and though her limbs shook with exhaustion and her pelt was weighed down by the sea water she forced herself to start the trek through the wilds her weary, stinging eyes looking around her for some sort of clue as to what direction to head. Nose lifted to be breeze she inhaled, smelling bark and moss and other signs of forest life that had her quickening her pace till she saw the first signs of treeline and made her way to the shade they offered. Sitting down she leaned against the sturdy bark, ears twitching at the birdsong and rustling brush around her watching her own back as she took a rest she was embarrassed she even needed. 

As she smacked into the water pieces of the Rocky cliff began to rain down hitting her and knocking her down into the depths, stunned she floated at the mercy of the waves choking as she rose above the surface and was sucked back down. The awareness of what was happening wasn't as terrifying, she was sure that she was drowning. She hoped that Deku and Orochi learned to get along. The thought stirred a panic and she kicked against the current, fighting to get back for a few minutes before passing out.


A twig snapping brought her out of her memories and she looked around with a  shiver, turning to groom at her pelt and cringing at the salty sea water taste in her mouth. The weather was warm already, she figured the season for pups was around though her own had stayed away thus far. The worry she wouldn't bear children again was also why she was determined to find her sons, a find memory of Takara bringing a hitch to her breath as she finished grooming and stood up walking at an easier pace as she trekked deeper into the wilds.

The snap of a twig draws her attention, and leads her swiftly to the lost soul within the Bay. Though Nefris has been diligent about refreshing the marks of Amaranthine Keep's claim, it seems more wolves wander in every day. She finds it annoying, yet there's little to be done about it except greet the intruders. She chuffs to catch the dark woman's attention as she draws nearer, tail flopping lazily over her hips. The woman looks rather beaten up, so she feels no need to posture excessively, but this is still her domain (as far as she's concerned).

Motherfuckers! How dare they (whoever 'they' were) lay claim so close to his beach. No, not just his beach, but his island. He was sick and tired of strangers waltzing around his home, this pushed him over the edge.

The dragon stomped over the markers. Seems like he hadn't learned his lesson after the nightwalkers. But this wasn't like the nightwalkers. There were significantly less of them by the smell of it, and besides, he had all of Yuèlóng to back him up.

Further along he went, growing more irritated as he did so. He kept his eyes peeled for any sign of these intruders. Then came a snap. He too was drawn towards it. 

A growl rumbled in his chest as soon as he saw the two. Both are faces he recognized, each draw a different reaction from him. 

You again?! He snarled at the younger woman. She was the center of attention at first because, hello, what the fuck? He could've swore he had told her off before and now she decides it's a good idea to settle nearby. Hell no. He took a few steps forward, but stopped as soon as he glanced at the other woman.

Minori. It's a face he couldn't forget. It reminded him of everything that came before now, and everything that could have been. Good things, bad things, frightening things. 

Orochi stepped back, his eyes widened with disbelief. I thought you were- Far from here. Back at the plateau. Gone. He narrowed his eyes. Are you with her?

Another snap and then the scent of a strange halted her leave seconds before she spotted the woman. Eyes swept over the other quickly to assess the mood, noting the calm but tense posturing. Taking a breath she noted a detail overlooked because of the saltiness of the sea water both in and outside of her nose, this was territory overlooked. "Hello, I'm just pass-" she started her tone polite but cool enough that it would have made quick work of any potential conversation. Suddenly movement to her side and with the sharpest sensation she had ever felt a familiar voice doing the work for her shouting at the strange woman. 

Orochi. The dragon wasn't so small anymore, she would have smiled if not for the sudden inability to breathe as the boy turned to look at her. It was almost sad to see a lack of anger, she had expected the raging inferno of a temper she had hated and also grown to love anyway. What had he thought of her disappearance? She opened her maw to reply and caught sight of his missing limb, eyes widening for a moment as it sank in. An entire leg lost...had he gotten into an accident or lost it in another fight? Either way she felt ashamed that she hadn't been there. "Orochi" her tone was warmer and fragile, wavering just a bit as she looked to the stranger and shook her head before turning back to him her tail tense and held still nervous that this would go wrong "Just came ashore. You're looking strong. Not that I thought you wouldn't" the compliment fell without hesitation, a burst of warmth loosening her muscles as she revelled in the truth of it. He looked every bit the warrior he used to scream about becoming and hope blossomed in her chest that he had kept an eye on the others left behind too, sticking with them. She breathed in his scent and swallowed a trickle of grief as she found it nearly foreign save for his own which had become different in itself. Unsure what to say she straightened herself up trying to rid herself of the weariness that had taken over in the moments she stopped moving while waiting to see what he would say if anything.

i am sooo sorry for the wait on this, skippable unless addressed!

The woman is polite enough — but soon enough an unpleasantly familiar face appears on the scene, snarling as if he has any right to do so. She growls immediately in response, hackles lifting — but any further reaction is delayed by the apparent reunion between the two. She falls silent then, glaring at the boy but making no move to interrupt. Perhaps the woman will be able to talk some sense into him, get him to leave.

Her quick glance, the way her face shifted when she saw the missing limb, did not go unnoticed. He clenched his jaw and tried to conceal it behind his forelegs. She didn't need to see what had become of him. He didn't want her to see his injuries. She probably thought he was weak because of them. You're looking strong, she says, but does she really mean that?

I know. A pause. I was kidnapped you know. Another pause, longer this time. He furrowed his brow and grit his teeth. But I fought them and escaped. Then I was kidnapped again, got my leg ripped off. I escaped them too. All on my own. He helped himself, just like he said he would. I'm not weak. So yeah, I'm strong.

Orochi took a step forward. What have you been doing?

While her attention remained on Orochi she was wary of the woman, shifting so her posture made it clear she was on the boy's side as she listened to him angrily tell of his experiences while she'd been gone. She hurt for him though the way he spoke to her caused her to burn with anger as she had never done anything but try to protect him and teach him to use his skills properly.  As he began to gain an attitude she felt her muscles tense up, tail sticking out straight behind her as she sucked in a slow silent breath trying to be patient with the traumatized young boy, remembering her own troubles and the ones they had shared eespecially.He had the gall to step toward her, the aggressive gesture expected but nonetheless leaving it's mark.  After all that they had been through together she had grown to love this boy just as fiercely as she had Deku. Orochi had always screamed and fought her while she had worked day and night to raise him and Deku, get a home going and search for his mother. What could she have done better? Her own son had been lost because she had focused on the rage prone boy more often than not. 

A shaking breath left her maw"Does it really matter to you where I was? I'm sorry you've been through hell but you never wanted me around" the words fell limply from her maw, numbly almost as she stepped back and away from him her eyes averted as she tried to hide the tears that stung as she truly mourned his suffering. Her tail lowered to hang loose at her hind legs as she swallowed the lump down and spoke in a shaking voice "I wanted to find you because you're one of my sons and I've always found you, wanted or not. that's what matters. To me at least. " what else was there to say? She returned her gaze to him waiting for him to chase her off or say something to shatter the rest of her heart and numb her again...just something to put her out of her misery.