Dahozhoni Meadow seaborne

Nimbus stood over the jackrabbit's still form, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm from the brief but focused chase. He watched as Nausicaä delivered the final blow, her movements precise and unyielding. There was no hesitation in her—no sentimentality. It was something he could respect, even if the detached efficiency of it reminded him of the hunter he had become.  

When she tore a strip of flesh and turned away, Nimbus lowered his head, inspecting what remained of their catch. His pale yellow eyes lingered on the lifeless creature, its glassy gaze reflecting the finality of the cycle they had both spoken of earlier.  

He sank his teeth into the rabbit’s side, pulling free a portion for himself, but his eyes remained on Nausicaä as she gnawed on her prize. Efficient, he remarked, his voice low and measured. You don’t waste time—or effort. That’s rare.

Nimbus settled onto his haunches as he began to eat, his ears twitching at the subtle sounds of the forest around them. After a moment, he glanced at her again, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. You don’t seem like someone who’s just passing through. What keeps you moving, Nausicaä?

The question hung in the crisp air, soft but pointed, like the way a hunter tests the strength of the wind. He wasn’t sure if he was expecting an answer—or if he simply wanted to understand the path that had brought her here, to this forest, to him.