Qeya River dracarys

Bat groggily picked her way to the river, her foot sore where the obsidian had cut into the leathery pad. When she reached the bank, she ducked down for a drink, then splashed water over her face, where salt crusted her fur. The water was shockingly cold. As it dripped off her nose and whiskers, the news of her mother's death washed over once more and she began to cry again, the tracks hot against the chill damp of the Qeya.

Eventually, the tears slowed. She sniffled and splashed her face again, then finally her thoughts turned to @Tristan. Whatever the outcome of yesterday's conversation, she wanted to bring him something to eat. If only she could coax her leaden limbs to begin moving.

The sound of sobbing wasn't particularly loud, but it was the only sound beyond the whistle of summer air in his ears; it piqued his interest for one reason or another, though he lacked conviction in his empathy, and so Revui chose to investigate. At the very least he'd get a chance to study the lay of the land. His heavy, lurching steps took him further in to the taiga and as he moseyed through a patch of yellowed grass, Revui noticed the scent of water and then, feeling a pang of thirst, he chose to seek out the source — briefly forgetting about the sound of crying as he hastened towards the embankment and remained oblivious to the depressed girl nearby, dipping his snout to the surface for a sip.

She couldn't get her muscles to cooperate and Bat didn't try long. As much as she wanted to grab something to eat and return to her friend, she resigned herself to sit beside the river a little longer. She heaved a great sigh, one she felt in the root of her lungs, and peered at the water. It might be nice to go for a swim, yet the water was too frigid and, anyway, that also required energy she couldn't presently muster.

Her mind wandered as she lingered there, thinking back on her conversation with Tristan the evening prior. "What's up with dragons lately?" he'd asked, which made her think further back, to a fellow she'd met on her travels east of the wilds, not long after separating from Sequoia.

He'd been an old, grizzled fellow by the name of Drac. Bat had asked him if it was a nickname and he'd responded by regaling her with a few vivid tales about the mythical reptilian beasts called dragons, which had of course made her think of Drageda. According to him, they were colossal in size, breathed fire and flew with great wings.

"Bat-like," he'd told her with a wink. "There was a word to command them; if you spoke it, it caused a reflex and they belched great flames. "

"What was it? The magic word?" she'd of course wanted to know.

He hadn't been coy, simply answering, "'Dracarys.'"

"Dracarys," Bat murmured aloud, her mind filled with the image of fire billowing from jaws wide enough that she could walk into them without ducking and a forked tongue longer that her entire body, from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail.

The sudden appearance of a stranger downriver jarred Bat from her reverie. He was no dragon, yet he was a fairly immense wolf, with pitch black fur that paled toward his underside. Although he cut an intimidating figure, she didn't feel afraid. His presence finally spurred her back onto her feet, her tail giving a few slow waves to indicate that she was friendly, if a little off color today.

"Hello."

The water was soothing to his throat but at the same time it made his stomach roll and gurgle, reminding him that he needed to eat something soon or his mood would surely shift. Revui's attention started to drift from the waterway to thoughts of fresh meat - and that's when he heard a distant voice speak, but not clearly. He lifts his head away, feeling the water dribble down his chin and slick his fur in to a tiny goatee; he licks his lips, turns his attention to his surroundings, and notices the girl in the next beat - in time to hear her speak more clearly, Hello. She's young, probably close to his own age, and narrow-built in a way that's almost awkward, not that he minds. Revui isn't exactly an attractive creature himself, what with his hefty figure.

He is curious of the stranger nonetheless and wonders if she'd make a good addition to Kiwi's encampment; there is a certain athleticism to her and a wild quality that reminds him of his sisters. So he approaches with his usual lumbering gait, not exactly cautious but also not obviously eager to try and make friends with this girl. As he gets closer he sniffs the air, studies her scent for illness, and when he is finished he said, Hello. Is this your home? She smells like ice and pine to him, and briefly Revui's mind flashes back to the glacier where he'd fought with his sister before she'd abandoned the family; it isn't the best memory, and comes to him in a flash that makes him huff and shake his broad shoulders, as if that would kick it from his mind.

Before Bat could take a step, he moved toward her, closing the distance. His demeanor wasn't overtly friendly, nor was it threatening. As he approached, she kept her posture guarded but her face open. Meeting new people was one of her favorite parts of traveling. Sometimes she gave her real name (as she'd done with Drac), other times she used an alias. When the mood struck, she even came up with elaborate false back stories, though usually they didn't bother delving too deeply into such matters. With strangers met on the open road, it was usually small talk, which she didn't mind.

"No," she answered, her voice sounding a little more nasally than usual from all the crying yesterday and today. Bat cleared her throat, pausing to eyeball him now that he was closer, then elaborating, "I don't actually have a home." That fact didn't normally make her feel sad, though in the wake of Wildfire's loss, saying so did leave her feeling a little bereft. "I'm a scout and ranger," she continued, "and currently traveling. Name's Drac. What's yours? Are you from around here?"

The more he studied her, the more her answer made sense. She seemed ruggedly built but in decent health, which meant she was likely a rogue living off the land - successfully, which Revui imagined was quite the challenge - and as she admitted she did not have a home at all, he became curious. Perhaps this was a potential recruit to the army that Kiwi was building? With some work, this girl could become a formidable warrior; this was the only thing that kept Revui interested enough to linger.

When she introduced herself as Drac and parroted questions back at him, Revui took a breath and answered, I am Revui, I am from the mountains -- a place called Moonspear, my parent's kingdom. He was proud of that, you could hear it in his voice, see it in the way his posture subtly shifted. I left home and now I run with warriors, Kiwi and -- he almost included Yami in the explanation and caught himself; words were so tricky! God, he hated them so much. Kiwi is the leader. I am her best warrior, and I am looking for anyone worthy to train. You look strong, fit. I could train you.

She didn't think she'd ever heard of Moonspear but she loved the name and would've said as much, if Revui's drop of Kiwi's name hadn't immediately derailed her train of thought. Did he just say...? He said it again, referring to Kiwi as both a leader and a warrior. Bat's brow furrowed in confusion. This Revui couldn't be talking about her sister, could he? What were the odds of there being two Kiwis in this area though?

"Are you from—" she began to ask, meaning to inquire after the Firebirds, but her voice cut off abruptly. The Firebirds weren't warriors and Bat never would've used that term to describe her sister either. Besides, they were literally across the map from the copse. Her puzzlement deepened as she thought of how to rephrase. "Kiwi is the leader of your pack?" she queried eventually. "What's it called? Where is it?"

The boy didn't notice the mental block that formed for Bat, but he did squint as she stammered about seeking answers. Revui wasn't a skilled recruitment tool for any pack — he'd never convinced anyone to join Moonspear, but defended the borders liberally as his skills centered around being a guardian. He didn't realize what he was about to say might've been taboo to anyone outside of Kiwi's claim; it seemed right to him, at least, to answer the questions honestly.

Kiwi lays claim to a small mountain, he explained, thinking of Moonspear and comparing the two peaks out of habit, filthy with bias. North, almost to the coast. It is called Nova Peak. The oncoming battle would be for some other place but Revui was not up-to-speed (nor focused enough to care about—) the plans that his superior had set in place. He'd come when called, spill some blood, and maybe linger if there was something beneficial in it for him. Perhaps he could convince this stranger to do the same.

She seeks warriors. Are you skilled in battle?

None if this information made sense, so there were either two Kiwis or her sister had left the Firebirds. Perhaps she'd fled after their mother's death? Bat didn't know how to feel about this possibility. On one hand, she understood. On the other, Kiwi had given her so much grief for running away because of nomi and had never forgiven her, in which case she was the world's biggest hypocrite.

Revui asked her about her skills in an obvious attempt to recruit her or, at the very least, vet her. "No," Bat said so swiftly it was bordering on rude. Clearing her throat, she added, "No, I'm not a warrior at all. And I'm not looking to join a pack right now." That much was true. She was enjoying her time on the road, plus there was Tristan's take to consider. "Sorry," she finished with an apologetic smile.

She could've sent a message to her sister via Revui or even considered paying Kiwi a visit. But Bat discarded both of these options fairly quickly. The hatred Kiwi had always felt toward her wasn't exactly mutual but she also didn't think there was really any love lost there. She would leave Kiwi and her inexplicable endeavors alone and keep going her own way.

Well, his first attempt went sour quickly. He was persistent, but so was the girl - refusing him, denying interest. If that was the case then, what good was she to him? Revui wasn't going to beg, he was above that. It suited him just fine to keep moving and find someone strong, worthy, and interested. So he shrugged to her apology, disregarding it as hastily as he felt his request had been, and huffed a grim response, So be it.

He didn't linger; Revui had no reason to pursue the girl further, and it didn't dawn upon him that an abrupt departure might be seen as rude. The boy had always been given free reign of the world around him and pithy things such as polite conversation did not matter to him. If she wasn't going to hike back to the mountain with him, he'd best keep moving and find someone of actual value to bolster the ranks. He said nothing more, and stalked on - leaving her behind.

She wasn't sure how to respond to those three words, though he saved her from worrying about it by quickly retreating down the riverside. Although Bat did find his abrupt departure a little rude, she didn't think particularly ill of him. She shrugged her shoulders, gaze following him until he disappeared into the distance, wondering. Was he really headed back to Kiwi?

The thought made her miss her mother again. As grief welled up inside her again, Bat swallowed thickly and turned, forcing herself to move along and find something to eat. She winced a little as the motion of her legs reminded her of her sore foot, though she ignored that pain too, trying her damnedest to lose herself in the distraction of small game hunting.