Sunspire Mountains oh, he hops with the hippest of them

artifice! i missed writing them and it's only been a couple times and a little while!!

he waited until she saw him before pulling back from the mountain lip and starting a descent to greet her; his gait stiff, and measured, but no less eager by comparison. they met halfway, his name nothing but a breath on weary lips as she came to him, nearly crumpling as they met.

she felt soft - too soft, he thought with alarm - and though she did look older, it was not in the way he had imagined or would have preferred. there were lines in her face now; where sleeplessness had settled and left deep grooves of fear and uncertainty and, most prominently, hunger etched across her bony expression. stigmata would have cried at the sight of her if he were capable. instead, he only held her, letting the small, soiled flame take shelter against him for as long as she dared to crave.

he licked the top of her crown: tender, slow, and rhythmic. until both their heartbeats had settled, and stigmata could find his voice through the well of emotions he felt at the sight of her now. he felt no need to chastise, or remind her otherwise of the plight she had just endured. he wanted only to make it better, for now. "come. the best thing for us to do now is find some shelter and something for you to eat," he told her, but would wait until she was ready to move, to start her journey anew.