Ocean's Breath Plateau my waves meet your shore, ever and evermore

Ariadne walked along the starlit shore in silence. She relished in the gentle silence as she strolled, finding solace in her solitude.

She exhaled slowly; it felt like she hadn't taken a proper breath in ages.

chakliux returned from his time in saltshore a more somber man. @Rodyn was still with his young ones on the spear, but moontide needed the seal hunter's presence also. after visiting @Tullik, bringing her what was needed, staying with her for a time, chakliux took to a patrol of the seaside.
beneath the starlight he found the daughter of the moon woman, who had sung the death songs for her sister with their mother. "i am sorry, ariadne," chakliux said quietly, falling into step alongside her.

”I am sorry, Ariadne,” Chakliux said.

It has been a strange time, she admitted. There were things she wanted to speak to and vent about, but she wouldn't. She'd keep those thoughts to herself until they soured and left a bad taste in her mouth whenever she spoke about them. It is difficult to feel such sadness for someone you love, but feel like you hardly knew, was all she'd offer.

"i knew her," chakliux answered, salt grain scratch at the back of throat as he fought the grief that was after all his own to carry. "she was careful and had a good humour. she was kind and considered her words before she said them. she loved her husband with all of her. and her heart also belonged to her people, both her family ones and moontide."
perhaps chakliux had loved her. perhaps he only almost had. either way, it mattered not now. the seal hunter listened to the sea and was quiet.

Ariadne frowned. I am sorry for your loss, too, she said as she brushed her cheek against his shoulder. You have lost a friend and leader—that is a lot to lose in one fell swoop. Samani was none of those things to Ariadne; it was more complicated and distant than that. They'd been close, but her absence had put a hold on their relationship. Although they had been able to reconnect the night before her sistraa's death, they still had an unfamiliarity. She had seen this distance as a promise of rekindling something beautiful. 

I was so excited to be home ... but now, Truthfully, she longed to explore again. Being around her family hurt too much.

chakliux felt that sorrow humming again; he thought of rodyn, a father now with no wife. a man who has lost part of his soul.
nasamik was gone but she had not died before him. chakliux had not witnessed her closed eyes and weeping around her still body.
he drew an understanding breath. "when a seal hunter man loses a brother, we bury him beneath the ice. we give blood to the water to fill oil father's belly so that he guides the dead one to the long stars." his accent made the sunshine words of the moonclan heavy, weighted, but he said them all the same.
"sometimes the brother left behind wishes to leave the place of sadness. for a time."

Although she was aware that his beliefs were different, she wasn't sure what they entailed. But, before Ariadne could ask about Oil Father, Chakliux suggested that she could leave. 

It is tempting, she admitted, feeling the pull of the open road in full force. But I would not want to go too far—not like before. I want to be close in case anything happens ... But—she wanted to say, and there were implications of her wish to speak further in her silence.

chakliux had not known ariadne long, hardly at all. but she was spun of the same stuff as all of them; for the moonwomen, he found himself weakened, entranced.
"you cannot stop those things from happening by staying close," the seal hunter offered with a sideways flicker of his brightberry eyes. "what is it you want, for yourself?"

"What is it you want, for yourself?" Chakliux asked.

Ariadne hesitated; did she even know what she wanted? Or had she lost herself somewhere along the way?

I ... want to belong somewhere—like my sisters and mother—she decided. I want partners and children, and a village to love with every part of me that I had a paw in creating, before she got too ahead of herself, she looked at him to gauge his reaction.

she wished to be as the moon woman who had borne her, as the sister of the proud mountain. what samani had been, sea-spirit beside a placid ocean.
she desired love, in a way that sounded more alike to what sialuk had sought, with he and with others. wanderlust bloomed hotly in his chest; winter's taste bit the air each morning and he longed for the ice. nasamik had not come home and tullik would return to moonspear. mojag had left upon his hunting-seek. 
chakliux wished to become a roaming spear. but he did not say this.
"then you must go. gather who will come. find a love. you do not need to wait for someone to tell you these things."

You make it all sound so easy, she said, glancing sidelong at him. And a part of me knows that it is so simple. But its complicated, too, There were so many factors that could make or break this newfound fantasy. Rodyn and his children need help, and it feels unfair to leave them. She felt obligated to stay and help; they were family and they were in need of assistance.

It would feel even more unfair to take anyone from his village to make my own. But, then again, who would even follow her? They hardly even knew her.

she spoke to the places in himself which wished to be in a new home. but rodyn had made this place with samani, and chakliux too was not ready to leave the shocking small mound of the death ulaq behind him.
a breath, floating. 
"the first thing you must do is find the place you wish to make your own. go to that land. put your feet upon it. know its heartbeat. it will tell you how to seek those who will make your village."
another moonsister, departing upon her path; a sharp sense of loss plagued chakliux, still reeling from samani's abrupt demise.

She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. Alright, she decided slowly, studying and tracing every line on his face. I will, it'd been easy enough to persuade her. I do not think it hurts to go and look, this also gave her the option to come back as though nothing had happened in the event she didn't find a place that spoke to her.

There was a pause where she studied him with a question on the tip of her tongue. Is there ... any chance you could come with me? She asked. Find a place, at least—like I said, I cannot steal you away for good. But you seem to know what you are talking about ... and I am very lost.

her eyes were not the hue of spring-green nor seawater, they were the soft dappling of inner bark during a spring melt.
ariadne invited him, and chakliux felt the hum of wandering hunger grip him more harshly than it had before.
the moon glowed; the sea lapped; "i will come with you," chakliux decided. "but i must hunt here for a time first." he would not forgo his duties to moontide, even if his heart leapt at the idea of exploring once more.

She was delighted that he'd be joining her. That is wonderful, I thank you, she said, her tail whipping from side to side and her eyes shimmering like the ocean they stood beside.

When will I know that you are ready? She asked.

"call for me after two days of travel, sunshine woman," chakliux jested in reference to her mother's sea island. the smile did not touch his eyes.
"we will meet and i will spend three with you."
the eyes shone; he waited for her answer.

She smiled and nodded, considering his words.

I will call to you in two days, seal hunter, she agreed. And then we will travel for three. There wasn't much she had to do to prepare, but she figured this was her cue to go and try and get some sleep. I guess this means that it is time for bed, she remarked, eyes round with excitement.

There is work we must be rested for..

chakliux found himself studying her, the girl who had grown ambitious before his eyes.
perhaps she had not known it before this time.
her mother led a village. her sisters had led their own. it was in her spirit to seek this.
"i will see you again." a nod, and the seal hunter man turned to depart.

See you soon, seal hunter, she said in return as she turned and set off in the opposite direction towards her den.

Ariadne had discovered something within her that she didn't even know existed until now. She strode through the territory with renewed purpose, scheming and dreaming of what would come.