Noctisardor Bypass sinister mist

happy new year y'all <3

Ivana stopped, her large frame as still as the stone walls behind her as another dark man approached. She watched him move through the snow, her pale eyes tracking his weight and the steady set of his shoulders. When Uktark spoke her name, she didn't turn to look at him, but she heard the dry note in his voice when he called her stubborn. It was an accurate assessment, and for a rare moment, the acknowledgment felt like a quiet victory.
Ivana turned her gaze to Blackfell when Uktark suggested the Warden might like her. She drew herself up to her full height, her dark tail held high and steady against the cold wind.
„Whether he likes me is his concern, not mine,” she said, her voice a low, level rasp. She met Blackfell’s red gaze directly, her stare steady and hard. She watched the way he and Uktark stood together, noting the lack of tension between their shoulders. It was a position of trust. The valkyrie acknowledged him as the second in command with a short, stiff nod, though her expression remained cold. Whether the Warden liked her was irrelevant; she was here for the strength of the valley, not his approval.
She looked back at Uktark, her ice-blue eyes sharp. „Continue,” she directed, signaling that the introduction was over and her inspection was not yet finished.