Emberwood What Do We Do Now?

Ibis kicks off in pursuit of her friend, and does not need to go far. The snow has begun to melt but there are still slick patches of it, parts of the forest blanketed where the shadows held on to winter. It was one such patch that she drifted across - seeing a moving shape just beyond, until it paused. As she closed the distance Ibis made out the silhouette of her friend and pushed herself to move faster.

The moment Ibis lunged from her patch of snow, she tripped. Paw tangled against paw, black ice shining where her claws scraped at it; she tumbled and tried not to impact the dirt, but instead staggered up against Reiko and connected shoulder-to-hip against the girl. It felt like the wind was knocked right out of her for a second and then abated, but the bruise that would blossom between them - that would be shared - would last a few weeks.

Wincing from the collision, Ibis sank to her haunches. She wasn't going to let a little clumsiness get in the way of what came next: A big stupid grin and a jovial, Reiko! You're still here. Sorry -- I, I tripped. Hi. Gods, it was nice to see her.