The Heartwood Fear of power invisible.

He was short on patience, not that it was this woman's fault or anything. The ruddy red of dried blood still plaqued across his skull at the base of one ear, diluted a little from the rainshower he now found himself beholding. A similar stain soaked his neck but it wasn't as dominant; washed out by now, with a crudely healing wound at the terminus point of his neck and shoulder. He had seen combat recently. Perhaps the nagging aches were what drew him closer to home.

The woman explained herself and he appeared to listen, with his eyes fixated on the distant mountain shrouded in layers of graphite clouds. Her name meant little; so too did Ying's, except it brought to his mind the memory of his last encounter with Arcturus for some reason, and his jaw clenched.

Hua — Yuelong. Should he know of it? He has been away for months now, and months were a long time to a wolf. In remembering the competition with Arcturus he recalled Hydra, her teeth, the feeling of betrayal upon waking up in the field with his sisters — and Kukutux, telling him to go your own way.

Revui huffed softly, his breath a thin plume despite the season. The rain was picking up tempo and chilling the air tremendously. You are from the coast. Why are you so far inland? He wondered aloud, watching her too-blue eyes against the stark backdrop of her petite face. As much could be asked of Revui — what was he even doing here?