Dragoncrest Cliffs leave me a literature of toothmarks & tongue-tracks

The relief is thick on the air and even with a little seasalt back in his lungs, he feels a bit more like his usual self. Exhaustion still reigns supreme, and his own gashes and bruises were only minimally managed for the road.. but every little step is one forward. He can tolerate it all a while longer; others are no better off and he is stoic, so will wait.

Their commander had gone already, with Étoille (who Dio thought deserved the coziest nap and nicest meal of them all after his tenancy in Blackfeather) not far behind her. Since he noticed she had not yet come, he held onto his hopes that his speckled mate has gone to intercept them already and rightfully so. None of them that had seen to the battles are unscathed, and they're all tired as hell from a long cold walk.. so maybe it is what they also bring back that keep the spirits dour.

Still, the greetings were fond and he watched as others arrived questioning. To them, he owed them something. The pale wocha feels he isn't as triumphant as they may expect however.

Turning his sights to Wildfire, he straightened his aching posture and nodded; despite the mood they all wore, it was good news. He shifted to halfway look the part. "We won." he answered firmly, and tried to swallow some of the grit from his voice. "We drove Blackfeather away from the woods in the end, they retreated when their losses were too many and risk too high.." He still sounded tired and guessed that once they had regrouped, there would be more information to be had.

It wasn't a perfect defeat. Many Blackfeather (some that probably fled before their invasion) did live to see another day. His own group's individual battle had not gone stunningly well so he thought, and based on the commander's countenance, it was not all smooth sailing for the others either. But when it was all done with, Redhawks had suffered too right alongside them and befitting their loss and retreat, he believed Blackfeather had lost lives in the process. Drageda had come out on top again.

anyone else can def hop in if they want to hear about any return stuff here but i thought i would post again to keep it moving <3