Greatwater Lake it's where you live but you don't know how it's built

03/10 — @Ying

night had passed, though the sun was yet to break the horizon.  a deep primrose colored the freshly fallen snow.  fengmian rolled to his side to stretch his limbs as he tried to shake the last of the fatigue that still held on.  when he moved to stand he did so quietly as not to wake her, though he didn't actually know whether or not she was asleep.

ying, he says softly, are you up?

Yeah — a wide yawn — I'm up. She stood to stretch out her limbs and shook the debris from her fur. Had Feng not said anything, she might have aimed for another hour, but Ying knew that it was probably best to rise. 

She walked toward him and moved to brush shoulders, tail wagging as she turned toward home. How did you sleep? she asked. Ying wasn't the best at small talk, and her morning breath wasn't helpful.

had she mentioned it, she likely could have convinced fengmian to sleep for another hour.  instead she tells him she's awake, and he watches as she shakes the sleet from her coat.  well enough, he said, leaning against her briefly before she turned towards the coast.  what is it like, where we're going?

Someday, she would return to this region. The southern reaches of the Wilderness seemed to hold more than Ying had anticipated. Her thoughts dwelled on this for only a moment, before shifting back to her companion. 

She laughed with his nudge and did the same, pushing him with more force than she had before. It's quiet, Ying told him, Too quiet, even. It was only a matter of time before something happened; she had to remain on guard, even with Orochi taking over security.

It's pretty secluded, too. If you're into that sorta thing. She wasn't particularly fond of the privacy, but that was personal preference.

he returns her shove with a playful snap of his teeth as his tail whips behind him.  it's an island?  he was only assuming, but it made sense for them to have settled somewhere familiar.  unlike ying, feng mian was truly a coastal wolf; he found very little value in traveling inland, and would be put at ease to return to something familiar.

i am, he replies.  he had never quite grown out of the comfort that a den could bring, and found solace in other similar spots of seclusion.  if it's too quiet, why don't you do something to make it not so?

She nodded. It's...yeah, it's an island. Ying's tone was one of slight disappointment, though she added a laugh to soften it. It stinks. Her idea of home didn't smell like brine, but for her family's sake, she would cope. 

Like what? Ying looked to Feng, wondering what mischief he might have in mind. It felt wrong to share her thoughts in that moment, though she wouldn't lie if prompted.

he was startled at the differences between them.  do you not miss it, then?  he thinks that when he makes it back to the coast, it'll bring him comfort.  (he is wrong). i'll give you that, though.  it never has smelled very good.

to her other inquiry: that depends on how much like home it is.  the last thing he wanted to do was disgrace his new one.  you'd know better than me anyway, hmm?  what do you think?

It's just not the same. How else could she explain? There were things that he didn't know yet, things that she would never tell him; without exposing the details, this was the best explanation Ying could give. She shook the dwelling thoughts from her mind and continued onward.

Ying had always been close to Feng. She knew that he was trustworthy, but sharing all of her plans with him...it felt risky. After considering the options, Ying replied, I'm planning to upheave my sister. She laughed and smiled, wondering if he might interpret this statement as a truth. You should help me. Get into more trouble, for old time's sake.

her response does not bother him but the delivery does.  there's something behind it that he's unwilling to touch, at least for now.  maybe that is a good thing, he says, casting his thoughts back to his upbriging, his father, before moving them along.

really?  there is a twinge of interest at the edge of his tone.  which one?  he says this as if her answer will convince him one way or another, raises an eyebrow and smirks.  do you have a plan for after?  how you'd run things differently?

there is no doubt in his mind that the young, ambitious woman before him was capable of anything, but he wanted to see what she felt she could accomplish on her own.  sell me on it.

Yingyue tilted her head and hummed a contemplative note. She hadn't thought about specifics, but had a general idea of the changes she would implement. Conversations with the Rusalkan Betas and the Moonspearian Queen had provided her with much needed insight on the matter. 

Huāzhen, Ying explained, She calls herself Empress. For the sake of civility, the others did the same, though the distance between each member was telling to a deeper sentiment. Being on the island felt strange; something was bound to happen, but one could not predict when or what it would be.

Continuing onto Feng's other questions, she explained, I'd prioritize protecting the family. Training everyone to know basic combat skills, so we can be prepared if something were to happen. She'd shared with Hua how important it was, and how much it meant to house capable wolves. With no visible changes, she was growing antsy. 

I'd also move off of the island. It's too secluded, which makes it difficult to communicate with other packs. Diplomacy was important, especially with wolves who so easily offended their more powerful peers.

huāzhen.  he remembers her, though she's but a foggy figure in the past.  a fine woman like the rest of the jiangs.  he had nothing against her.

he is silent for an imposing amount of time before he decides to respond.  being on an island — one, from the sound of it, not a chain — is dangerous.  think, if we ever went to war, how easy it would be to hold us hostage on our own land.  they could do much worse, too, but he would leave that to her imagination.

i could help you. if you wanted.  he returns his gaze from the ground where it'd dropped and looks at her the way he does, from beneath his brow.  it was never my favorite thing, training, but i could teach your citizens form and technique.

he takes in a breath.

what is stopping you from this?  if you have the numbers that will listen to you, you do not need her title.  you do not need your sister's permission to run a class, or to send out scouts.

Courage, or lack thereof. It's difficult, she explained, There's officially only three wolves — counting Revui, who she had not since heard from — pledged to the effort. She was working with Orochi and Aiolos, but had a feeling that they would be reluctant to join after learning her true intentions. I've been meaning to talk to my cousins, see if any them might be interested. Some of them seemed as frustrated with the current situation as she was, but would they go the same lengths to fix it?

She paused and brushed against Feng's side, rubbing her forehead against the underside of his chin. I'd appreciate the help, Ying told him. His company was always appreciated, and knowing how capable he was as a fighter made her excited to see what knowledge he might be able to pass on.

her touch elicits a small purr, and he leans his face down against her crown.  four, he says, if you had not already counted me.

so it was settled, then.  it would be nice to have something to work towards, to help with, and it would be even better to have someone familiar and comfortable to work alongside.  tsiokwaris was a kind man, but he could never be comfortable in the other man's shadow.

not counting our numbers, how many would we be up against?  how many would we need to convert, or drive out?

Surprising! Feng's reaction wasn't expected, but she did not move to correct him. Instead, Ying decided to remember the quiet sound and continued on their path. It seemed safer to count liabilities on the opposing side. Nine, she replied. Orochi and Aiolos could potentially go either way, depending on the sequence of events. On the other hand, Kun, Lei, and Ruo were still unknowns.

She looked toward Moonspear and lifted a paw to motion in their direction. Hydra, she rules a pack in the Wilderness. I'd predict that if it came down to it, she would be willing to help. Ying didn't know how invested the Queen was, but thought that she'd shown enough interest in the guardian's rise to provide some aid when needed. It would be nice if everyone would just agree to move, but I know it won't be that easy.

nine is no small number, but perhaps it will be easier than you think.  sometimes there was no need for violence.  an uprising could be swift and simple, especially if the current empress was empress in title alone ... 

he begins to walk behind her again, eyes on the ground as he continued to strategize.  i would caution against relying on outside forces.  an ally is beneficial, but if the situation becomes too hostile, i would not blame hydra for pulling out.  he sits on this for a moment.  it might be worth it to try to strike a deal with them where they don't have to fight, if it comes down to it. so that your wolves may pass safely through their territory, but your sister's will be attacked on sight... something along those lines.

Hydra seemed trustworthy, but he was right. She had her own pack to lead, and if things became too risky, no one could fault her for pulling out of the deal. Ying would continue working with the woman, but now knew that it would be best to not depend on her forces. Come with me to our next meeting. There was no choice, no question of his presence; being the most capable of those she'd recruited, Feng had no option but to accompany her. Ying didn't think that he would mind.

of course.  it did not sound like he had much choice in the matter, but this is the role he'd stepped into.  further discussion would be more productive with the rest of them present.

with that, the pair lapsed into relative silence and carried on their way.