Emberflame Ridge Circle Check

30°, currently it is snowing and set during the late afternoon. Located in Sunspire Mountains, emberflame ridge | ooc notes: i think you also wanted emberflame ridge threads yes?? also side note, Sativa and Reiko are ooc officially traveling together, had no time to tack on an ending to our previous thread but ooc it was decided! | tagging: @Sativa @Ibis

Porcelain paws dusted in black as the ashes of scorched lands clung to her paws while the trudged through the forest. The beauty that surrounded her, the snow, the still fiery leaves that clung to the trees were barely enough to give her a spark of life. The once so full of future and bright, Reiko was deeply saddened and felt more alone than she had before meeting Evergreen and being brought back to the river.

Once again the promise of family and belonging was stripped from her, so quickly and viciously by the fangs of another. Though this time was not her sister's greed and lust for power, instead of a stranger she didn't even know the name of. Fur ruffled in places as it struggled to grow back from the wounds, the pink flesh not as swollen or red as before were easier to hide - but she wasn't certain for her throat. Rarely did she chose to speak, and when she did, it only felt rougher as if the lack of trying had slowly been taking her voice from her.

She had to keep face around Sativa - to add to the struggle by panicking would only bring them more hardship.

It felt as if she had been walking for days since Moonspear. With no idea of a location, of a trail to follow to bring her "home", the dead-look in her baby blues simply stared forward in fatigue, desperate, and only focused on going one more step forward. Her paws hurt, stomach ached with the lack of available food, but all she wanted was just one more step forward in hope of seeing something familiar... Next to her was her newfound friend Sativa, though she brought some joy to the snowy damsel, homesickness struck her deeper than the loneliness ever did.

The female didn't know where they were going but she was somehow enjoying every minute of it. She marveled at the territories that they passed through and hunted whenever she could. She hoped that since the earth was no longer angry; that prey would soon return but so far it hadn't and the once easy going female feared the winter to come. Even now snow laced the ground and froze her paws causing pain, though she was certain she would get used to it eventually.

However she kept her fears from her traveling companion and tried to be as optimistic as possible  even though their situation looked bleak.

Once she got in the habit of roaming again rather than rooting herself strictly to the marsh, things felt a little better. Being able to stretch her legs was nice, to feel the wind even though it was so brisk, or to investigate familiar - and not so familiar - vistas as she scouted for a new place to move; that, and Ibis hunted for any sign of her brother. There weren't any, but the many other tasks she had lined up in her mind kept her from being too sad about it.

While roaming she came upon one of the many paths leading towards Elysium; rather, what once had been Elysium. A day of hiking would have eventually led her to the willows and a part of Ibis deeply wanted that connection, but... She was afraid too, nervous, and couldn't make herself go all the way there.

While roaming the nearby ridge with its prolific red-crowned trees, she was reminded of the Emberwood and all of her friends - ah, but then, there came the overwhelming scent of lavender and whatever thoughts she held were banished. The scent was so strong! But it wasn't just floral (which itself was a strange thing to find with winter approaching) but warm, leading her to turn and seek it out.

The pair of wolves looked healthy; one was particularly small and made Ibis frown with concern, though the look vanished as she pranced closer. When she was within earshot she called out, Hello! And as her pace slowed, she dipped her head, fluffed her tail in a friendly little wag.

"Hello!" The word caused Reiko to turn around, quickly placing herself between the stranger and Sativa protectively. She didn't growl or snarl, no, instead she watched the individual with care. She looked friendly, the wave of her tail and sweet smile indicated so, but again, the young exiled princess had a hard time trusting anyone lately. No matter how friendly they seemed. It always felt as if there was something more behind their kind words and actions, something secretly selfish. 

It took a moment, but eventually, she calmed. Ibis, is it not? And what felt like an eternity since the last time she smiled, her face lit up with the familiar figure of the young lady. She was not a friend, but neither was she foe.  She was the lost female that came to Kaistleoki a while ago, the one who left to look for her brother. Reiko's mind wandered to the thought, wondering if Ibis did indeed find her brother after leaving Kaistleoki's borders. That would be a future question, for now, she relished in seeing anyone familiar, even if it was only a little.

Behind her, her tail swished softly in return, unable to completely snuff her excitement.

They continued until a voice came. It sounded friendly but her traveling companion was cautious once more and stepped out in front of her. There was no hostility but there was hesitation. She stopped and listened to Reiko speak and caught the other females name. Ibis Was what she had called her and for now she remained quiet for them to continue speaking.

When the strangers took notice of her it was the pale woman that turned first, and although she was initially very tense, that appeared to melt away from her; the iceberg was suddenly exuding a sense of glee, maybe even relief, and wagged their tail as they noticed Ibis. The woman's voice sounded a bit formal—and not at all familiar—but what really surprised Ibis was the use of her own name.

Ibis couldn't remember visiting Kaistleoki; so much had happened after that little hiccup in her plans. Faced with this woman and her charge, Ibis couldn't immediately make the connection and so she felt immediately warm in the face, her ears flicking in different directions as a subtle sign of confusion. Um, yes! That's me, she confirmed.

Are you on your way to Elysium? She asked next, figuring that would be one of the only reasons someone would be crossing through this section of mountain; but she presumed that these wolves knew of the sanctuary and that they hoped to find shelter there, which wasn't going to work out for them at all. Unfortunately the pack no longer exists there, the quakes were very hard on them and.. I think they left the region. Ibis' expression remained neutral but she felt the weight of the comments deeply. Hopefully she hadn't screwed up their plans, whatever they were.

It was just as likely these two were merely travelling in the area with no knowledge of the sanctuary, but... Better to be safe.

Though Ibis' reaction wasn't negative, Reiko felt her heart sink none the less. Chalk it up to her growing sensitivity to the world around her, but seeing the strangeness in Ibis' eyes was enough for her to grow saddened that she was not recognized in any way shape or form (this helps not having her find her way home LOL YES!). Was she that forgettable? If so, that must mean Ira, Evergreen, Speedy and everyone else in Kaistleoki must have forgotten her too. The pendulum behind her had stopped, froze, but not stiff. A neutral lifelessness befell on it as he continued to keep as much of a smile on her face as she could. 

I- I was not aware. Even if her plan was not to go to Elysium, nor did she even know of them to begin with! Reiko didn't have the heart to tell Ibis that she had no intention of finding the now-disbanded back, to begin with. That they were just aimlessly wandering, walking until the prey grew more abundant with time, vagabonds, nomads for the lack of a better term.

Have you found your brother after all?

Ignorant to the strife she had caused, Ibis nods. She presumes the sorrow which passes across the girl's face is due to the news that Elysium is gone; she has felt that pain herself, strongly. The empathy within Ibis grows stronger as she hears the girl's voice again, and then she is stunned, because they mention Okeanos. How did she know...?

Oh! It finally clicks in Ibis' memory where she's seen this pale woman before. Thoughts of Kaistleoki flood her mind, although she cannot recall much about the encounter besides how worn-out she had been, and how despondent. The people who came to her aid had been kind, though. I did, she answers swiftly, with more enthusiasm than she means to.

We've been living in this valley a while, now. Well.. I say we, but its mostly been me. I found my brother for a while and then he got lost again. She tried to chuckle at that, but there was a thin dark undercurrent, a nervousness, for Ibis had no idea if Okeanos was safe, injured, or even alive, and it was often too much to think about. You were with.. Kaistleoki, right? Do they fare well?

Perhaps it was a silly thing to ask; the Wilds had been plagued by so much terror of late, and if this woman was so far removed from them, chances were that the pack had fallen just like Elysium.