Horizon Ridge And I know that you miss him, the way he used to listen

Gloves of darkened brown against backdrop of sand. Masked like the large trees that borders his families borders way back in the furthest reaches of the cliffs. Golden eyes glinted and moved along the many landmarks that lead him home, and away again.

Etienne had not planned to go far. Just a small foray into the nearby territories. Something to break up the monotony of every day life and hopefully jar him from whatever mind terror he was experiencing. Where he thought coming home would fix him and in a way it had.

He was more relaxed than he had been in months. And yet. There was a part of him that called out for sunset eyes and cold broad shoulders. Also for the warmth of the two sisters, even one he sort of hated. And the children. Gods he missed the children.

But Etienne also knew that he was not ready to go back. he didn't know if he would ever be able to return. Atop the mountains of heartache, now beaten upon his furrowed brow was glaciers of shame. He had done the one thing he had promised he wouldn't do. He could try all he wanted to excuse this behavior. Yes Anselm had told him to leave. Yes he was heartbroken and it hurt ot be there. However, that did not excuse his refusing to speak to Heda and Anselm.

Part of him knew though if he were to speak to Anselm, one questioning plea from the broken mountain man. And he would have stayed. Set aside his own misgivings, his own heart. And gave it still beating to the man that meant more to him than most anyone else.

He sucked in a deep breath and walked along the ridge. Nose finding small crevices where once upon a time, a land slide had slid. He wondered briefly if everyone had survived, and if they hadn't. Had the survivors been okay. It reeked of bear here. At the edges of the forest glades. It made his fur stand on end.

But he continued forward. Anxious. Curious. Heartbroken.

The pair had traveled inland in search of prey. Birds, specifically, were Raelle's favorite. Vixen found them to be too difficult. She didn't like how they had all of those feathers in the way. She didn't like their tiny sharded bones and she especially didn't like how they could fly and how that made them more difficult to hunt. But she did like this girl, at least a little bit. So she would put up with whatever to make her friend happy.

With two hunters at work, it took little time before they each had their own ptarmigan. Vixen had finished her meal while Raelle was busy mangling hers. She took the empty time to scout ahead and made sure not to stray too far.

The garish ursine stench came over her quickly; she couldn't think straight. Branches cracked. Cowering offensively, curled and snarling, she whirled towards the source and was surprised to see — Etienne?

Etienne was not a hunter by any means. And he had in his walk about, disturbed quite a number of fowl and hares. They ran about all willy nilly, but he largely ignored them. Lost in his own thoughts and misgivings. He just was not sure.

Etienne saw a figure in teh distance, but before he could speak. She turned with a snarl and was almost upon him. Ears rose in idignation, followed by the fur along his ruff. He quickly back pedaled and shrunk backwards, but golden eyes blazed.

Bon bondye Wut a way to greet someone!

He wrinkled his nose in distaste. A feeling of irritation and surprise. His fur began to smooth, and the shake in his limbs lessened. He stared at the face looking back at him and startled realization drew him cold.

Vixen. Er I mean.

It was the scent which drew Raelle back onto Mercy's trail. She pursued doggedly, unwilling to let some asshole bear get to her companion before her — but even so, someone else got there first. Someone she thought she recognized, if only faintly.

Someone from Sapphique?

Rae halted a short distance away, standing at Mercy's back with her eyes fixed on the man. Her tail lifted, posture stiff, but for the moment she made no threatening moves. Bear or wolf, it made no difference. If he couldn't play nice with Mercy, he would need to get the fuck on.

The shame she felt at his admonition stoked the embers of her temper. Had she been any younger, she would have lost herself in it. They hadn't known each other well, but she had always been a firecracker; maybe he would even be expecting some misbehavior.

But it had been a year and a half since her departure, and Vixen had grown up. I didn' mean to greet you like that, she said, only a fraction of her indignance creeping into her tone as she straightened her posture from her defensive curl into something resembling a neutral stance. It's that damn bear that's got me all riled up. Even now, standing in front of Etienne, she couldn't smell Sapphique on him. She couldn't smell anything on him. It was all bear.

She cast a glance back at Raelle, grateful for her presence — she trusted Etienne, but it was better for them to be together, given the circumstances.

Etienne shifted and shook out his fur the rest of the way. His ire falling and his temper cooling. And he looked her over with wide golden eyes. She looked healthy. She had clearly been walking for some time.

Etienne nodded his head and looked around, his fur rising a little again. I don't like de bear smell eidder.

When another was suddenly there. Etienne moved a paw step back further. Her face was not a welcoming one. She stared at him as if he were threatening. He didn't like that cold hard stare or teh way she seemed to measure him. But instead of shrinking. He lifted his head, golden eyes blazing. A prideful can't of a turn and he waited.

You look like you been travelin'. Better to stay with safe conversation.