Shadow Mountain grandiose

it is during a lapse of torrential rain that otherwise pelted her already damp coat against her and stung her eyes — a truth she knows because she tried to venture out during said heavy rains — that she ventures up from the canyon to shadow mountain. the rock path she ascends is slick with rain and loose rocks but she makes the climb with a fearlessness she wouldn't have exhibited as a small child fresh from losing her mother. she'd once sworn she'd never call any mountain range home again and twice, no three times, she's broken that oath.

from up high, she has a good view of the canyon yawning wide before her. she shifts her weight and mentally traces paths that she knows and paths that she does not. there is much more in the canyon than she initially thought — though it is still, largely, redrock and sand. a soft noise is made, a silent confirmation that she should be down within the saints' claim mapping out more of the territory, but as she rises to begin her descent the rains pick up.

chased from the outcropping of rock, from the fear she might slip and fall over its edge, she finds shelter in a yawning mouth of a cave she had not found during her first venture thru the mountain. it is dark beyond the entrance, and how deep it goes is unknown but at least it's dry.

gloom and misery everywhere, stormy weather — yanín continued singing her song to fill the unsettling silence inside of the cave. it was dark and seemingly uninhabited, the sole exception being those night-crawlers which lurked near the ceiling. she hoped that by ignoring them, they would go away.. though that was unlikely the case.

her second verse was stopped at its start by the sound of someone entering, or exiting, her abode. yanín took pause, straightening her spine for a better view at the more distant opening. 

it would seem that their meeting depended on her initiation, much to yanín’s dismay. hello? she called out, is there someone here?

praimfaya does not expect the cave to be occupied: at least not by another — though 'another' was a broad classification of her assumption it is a wolf that calls out to her and not some sort of bear. even so, her hackles bristle all the same; the stirrings of leathery wings of bats as their sleep is disrupted lulls her deeper into the darkness, towards the origin of the voice with caution. sha. praimfaya finds herself answering in trigedasleng; a natural defense she subconsciously slips into. i didn't realize the cave was occupied. she admits, though it is not offered as an apology. surely, the cave is big enough to share ...at least until this curtain of torrential rain passes.

another woman. yanín waited for her bristled form to become visible before responding, occupied isn’t the word i would use. they must have both noticed how large this cave was, which meant that even if she tried her best, neither could ever really “occupy” it — not alone, anyway.

the heavy rains were good at washing away scents, making it difficult to know where this woman came from without asking, which yanín was yet unwilling to do. instead, she asked, you are seeking shelter here? an obvious question, but one that might start their conversation.

it is almost impossible to tell distinct details in the swarming shadows of the cave but praimfaya can make out a silhouette, the gleam of grey eyes. it is enough to assure the wanheda that the other occupant of the cave is of her own ilk; though it is not enough to entirely abate her caution. she knows better than most that wolves can be plenty territorial over lands they 'occupy' whether claim is official or not — she bears the scars of such an altercation with pride despite how close to dying she came. some wolves can be very territorial. praimfaya murmurs aloud, giving voice to her train of thought. from the woman's words, it would be easy to assume that she wasn't such wolf. still, praimfaya is hesitant to assume.

only until the rain lessens. praimfaya answers, quick to assure that she does not intend to stay for any real length of time. to climb down now would be treacherous. and not a risk she was willing to take, though she wonders if she is just being redundant stating it out loud for surely the woman is well aware of the dangers of trekking down a mountain in the pouring rain.

i'm praimfaya. she offers her name after a few beats, deciding that names was the very least they could exchange while they were here.

some wolves can be very territorial — she inhaled deeply, holding that heavy breath for another moment longer. yanín knew better than most what it meant to be territorial, to have something to protect, but knew just as well that one’s effort did not always return in full fruition. 

yanín knew that she was meant to be something greater than halcón, but her father didn’t share that vision. he chose to see it in someone else, as did grandfather during her appeal. it wasn’t fair! she thought, but knew that these things were in the past, and ought not to be talked about anymore.

she exhaled, hearing next praimfaya’s introduction. venena, yanín offered this variation of her abodo, then took a step closer, a pleasure to meet you.

venena; the woman introduces herself and praimfaya tucks the strange sounding name away. though, in truth, she isn't one to talk about strange sounding names for her's probably takes the cake. praimfaya barely contains the snort at the pleasantries offered. you wouldn't be saying that if you really knew me, she thinks to herself; no doubt there are many wolves who would stand to disagree on it being a pleasure meeting ( or knowing ) praimfaya. instead, she offers a noncommittal noise of muted agreement in return.

small talk wasn't her strong suit; admittedly. for a moment she wonders if she should offer some useless mention about the weather — which was shitty.

what brings you to the sunspire mountains? she inquires casually, unable to tell for sure if the woman's pelage bore a pack scent or not. she can't help but wonder if attempts to recruit for the saints would help her cause or simply make matters worse. she doesn't exactly want to bolster their numbers but she also doesn't want to raise suspicions by slacking on duties, either.

poison wondered if honesty was a requirement, or if she could lie her way through this encounter just as easily as the others. could she do both?

maybe. i’m running from something, yanín laughed, this cave is temporary. like all things, she thought. there wasn’t any one person coming after her, but the suspicion and accusations — that is what she was trying to escape.

why are you here?

the admittance that she was running from something sparks a hint of suspicion within praimfaya; triggering her fight or flight instincts with the brush of some internal button. running from what? praimfaya presses the issue if only because of self-perseverance. if this woman's presence might lead her into danger then she feels she deserves to know about it. if that's the case: she's out. she can get herself into enough danger on her own. was in plenty of danger of her own making, in fact. if there's a bear about to come angrily lumbering into the darkness of the cave, i have a right to know about it. she says with a soft laugh; figuring that probably isn't the case. hoping, at least.

scouting. she states simply; becoming a woman, especially in her current situation, whom is unwilling to let her coveted cards too far away from her chest. in the end, 'scouting' was true enough.

praimfaya’s demanding response left yanín both amused and impressed. she could tell that her new roommate wasn’t someone easily walked over, which was probably for the best; poison didn’t want to play any of her games tonight.

that didn’t mean she couldn’t get some entertainment from their exchange. are you afraid? yanín teased, a toothy smirk alighting her face, don’t be. i’m sure you’re strong enough to fight a bear, even if you won’t win.

direct confrontation wasn’t really her style. yanín preferred a slower, more deliberate approach; was that the reason she’d missed her promotion? those men were either blind or soft-minded to not see the potential in such a leader.

scouting — a vague enough answer. praim was private, it would seem, which yanín could certainly respect.. but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t pry. scouting for what, then?

no, praimfaya responds. i merely like to be prepared. and, though she doesn't add it, isn't looking for a fight. she needs all of her strength and needs to remain in peak form if she plans on continuing down her chosen path; and really she has no choice. there was no going back to what was before. there was only forward and where the hellhounds spit her out once she accomplished her goal.

the woman tries to pry and praimfaya is quick to keep her guard up; and considers that the woman had conveniently managed to entirely side-step her own prying question. it felt like they were too assassins, matched in wit, trying to out maneuver the other. circling slowly, neither willing to make the first move; to reveal their cards.

the best path to escape should the rains flood my home. praimfaya offers the small and inconsequential truth. it is one she can afford to part with; insignificant. it is just a sliver of a truth; one of the many that make up her present reality.

having her exit so i can wrap her threads. :)

that’s something we have in common. yanín smirked, though it might have been difficult to discern in low-light. she turned away from praimfaya and began walking in the opposite direction from the entrance.

she turned over her shoulder to respond — well, you keep looking then. — before disappearing behind a spire of stone to sleep the storm away.

praimfaya watches the woman leave; departing deeper into the abysmal shadows of the cave. frostbound gaze watches the writhing shadows for a few moments, blinking owlishly, ears twitching as she thinks she hears the faint brush of shoulder against slick cavewall. she does not think the woman poses threat to her, but still praimfaya is loathe to turn her back to her despite that she is no doubt far into the yawning cave now; mysterious as her appearance was. still, she turns her back only to retreat into the grey light of the day and poke her head out before she's decided that the rain has lessened enough to continue her scouting mission.