Ocean's Breath Plateau sun-worshipper

the coaltree, he whispered.

and even as he said it, he heard her voice, saw her face, in his mind. would she and her island forever haunt him? he stood a ways back, rooted in place, trembling with apprehension and the everlasting lust for coelacanth.

aditya had finally found the plateau, more or less the same as how he'd known it as govinda. it was like returning home after a long voyage; the relief he felt upon arriving here had only cemented his desire to settle. after giving the necessary parties a tour of the place—for sure brook, but perhaps others, idk timelines are weird—he had began to process of moving in. digging caches, making mental landmarks.

but now, this. he saw a figure, illuminated by the blaze. could have been one of his. . . but no, it was a stranger, he noted, as he moved closer. a stranger dangerously close to fire.

arrey! he called out, stomach churning. at dawnlark plains, the fire had spread so quickly. they had never recovered shale's body. still, he shifted into a trot toward the man, kicking up the snow. maybe it would not grow so rapidly considering the ice—but he was cautious all the same.