Dahozhoni Meadow seaborne

for @Nimbus!

sunset; the departure of her only companion, though nausicaä was too far removed from any true sense of companionship to mourn the loss. the light would return, anyhow.

nothing else ever would.

nausicaä picked over the decaying corpse of some large bird, nothing but scraps by now. she wasn't beyond hunting for herself — but who could pass up a free meal? her muzzle wrinkled slightly at the sour taste of rot, though.

Nimbus watched from a distance, his silver coat blending seamlessly with the dusky shadows of the approaching night. His pale yellow eyes locked onto the lone figure as she scavenged, her movements methodical but weary. He stepped closer, his presence deliberate but unthreatening. The crunch of frost under his paw broke the silence, a subtle announcement of his approach.

You won't find much there, Nimbus said, his voice low and steady, carrying the weight of someone who had seen more than his share of empty offerings. His gaze flicked to the carcass she picked over, then back to her. Winter gives little, but it rarely gives freely.

the stranger came bearing words as silvered as his own furs, some kind of desultory offering at the bare shrine of her desolation. he was a pretty thing, heavenswrought — but he didn't know her. nausicaä glanced up, swiping her tongue across her muzzle to erase some of the rotten scent from her mouth.

whatever the price, i'm sure i've paid it a thousand times already, she murmured, a glint in her eyes akin to amusement. enough for both of us, maybe, if you fancy a carrion dinner yourself.

Nimbus tilted his head, the faintest flicker of a smirk ghosting across his muzzle. Generous, he said, his tone carrying a quiet humor that matched her glint. But I’ve had my fill of decay for one lifetime. He stepped closer, his movements deliberate, the fading light catching the streaks of silver in his fur.

Though I’ll admit, he continued, his gaze unwavering, I’ve paid my share of debts as well. Some to the forest, some to the ghosts it keeps, and some I will carry to my fucking grave His voice softened, not with pity but with a calm understanding that felt almost weightless. 

Nimbus lowered his head slightly, his pale eyes scanning her face, reading the steel beneath her weariness. You don’t seem the type to settle for leftovers He spoke with quiet certainty. Whatever price you’ve paid, you’re still here. That’s worth more than you think.

He let his words hang in the air, it was all he had left to offer. But maybe we can work together to find something more appetizing.