Hushed Willows Lithium

@Riqtajinaq and @Bane - set after whenever NW settles at Raven's Watch

[table width=80%][tr][td]Rather tired had the mother urged them to stop more often than she would've liked - delaying the time it took to get wherever Camazotz was leading them. The Scythe hated being a mere burden to her daughter, but knew she had to rest to be strong enough to face the mountains. Of course they could go around, but that was not the lioness' style. At the beach, there was not a lot of cover and it reeked - disgusting, in K'atik's humble opinion. Here, luckily, only the salty smell of the water reached her nose which was (sort of) acceptable.

It was near twilight that they started to move again, this time into the safe embrace of a forest. Weeping willows, lighted by the last, warm rays of the Golden Orb of sunshine as far as the eye could see. Caves near the foot of the mountain, cold streams and - as it gradually got darker; fireflies. It was a place of dreams, and for a moment the lioness thought she was doing just that: dreaming of a land where her Bats could roam free and feed off of as much as they liked.

But Camazotz had not led them here for that - no, K'atik knew the Great Black too well to fall into this trick. It was the reason she kept going, glancing at her daughter whenever she could to make sure she was not alone and yet playing close attention to where they were going. Her muscles, despite having been tensed up the earlier days of travels, had finally relaxed and her long mane lay almost flat around her neck. Red eyes scanned the dark, seeking for a way into the mountains where they would go - as she had told Riqtajinaq a few sunrises ago.[/td][/tr][/table]

The sun set on their new home, the towering mountains bringing nightfall earlier as the sun slipped beneath the western spires. He waits before he goes out to explore the slopes of the valley below. He waited first for @Mazatl to sleep, his head resting on the slender body of the boy, feeling the flank slowly lapse into a gentle rhythm before the strigoi rises. Athan is silent as he can be, though the stones rolling down the slope as he lightly brushed them. Their percussive clatter annoys him; he must figure out how to stalk down the mountain silently soon.

He reaches the valley after a long and careful treprediation down the slope, his interest first going to the willow forest. It presented a welcome opportunity for an invading force to hide from their sight, unless they positioned a sentry overhead. He stalks through the forest, eyes scanning through the dancing tendrils for any signs of movements.

For the moment, there is nothing but the light glow of the dancing fireflies, but Athan is not lulled into security by their peaceful presence. Especially not now, when there is a canid scent in the air. His head tilts up, breathing in the air before the feminine scent hits him. Athan is quick to follow, hunger suddenly hitting him like a tidal wave as he approaches the dark figure in the distance. Doamnă, He murmurs politely to her, his eyes beginning to burn with hunger.

She is tired. She can admit this to herself, but she will not admit it aloud. Camazotz is watching; Riq will not displease him with her trivial weaknesses. 

Fresh blood is hard to come across. There are few sickly beings even in this frigid land. The frozen corpses they do come across are unable to give blood though the priestess is grateful for the meat. 

After much travel, K'atik leads her through the brine-scented forest in search of passage through the mountains.

The fireflies dance among them as he approaches. Riq watches him calculatingly, unable to understand his foreign words.

He is a pale man, nearly bleached colorless in the twilight, a stark contrast with her and K'atik. He is devoid of blazing eyes as they have, instead they are a deep purple like the insolent whelp who approached her mother. 

Riqtajinaq studies him. Perhaps he is more than a godless heathen like the apparition Nimue.

[table width=80%][tr][td]Camazotz always had a plan for them. They had not been led away from their home, their family, for nothing. There had to be something here, either on the other side of the mountain or hidden in plain sight. K'atik, as always, was kind of sceptical. The mountains were cold and dangerous, and perhaps it wasn't the smartest move to conquer them while being inexperienced and stubborn. Luckily, the Great Black had taken care of this all. A man approached, dressed in silvery fur as a marked ghost. Defensively did the Scythe stand back to protect her daughter if the hunger in the man's eyes was anything Judgement thought it was. Then, he greeted - however softly.

Greetings. Said the lioness, loud and clear but without a hint of emotion. She did not know what language the man spoke, nor what he had said, but perhaps he understood English. English? She asked with a squint, tail brushing her legs in a form of slight respect. Perhaps the marked ghost lived here, with his own wolves, and that was why Camazotz had led them here. So far, the Great Bat had been anything but talkative.[/td][/tr][/table]

There is another, and his hunger ebbs away from him, knowing that so long as both are capable of fighting back, he had no chance of feeding on either of them. A pange of guilt fills him, as he is unwilling to feed from Mazatl once more. He would have to find another if he . Instead, he resorts to pleasantries, his tail raising; is they had been farther from the newly claimed Watch, he would be less domineering, but the knowledge that his baiatel was lingering safely nearby riled him internally.

The first ruby-eyed woman asks if he spoke English. He chuckles for a moment. It is my mother tongue, He explains, wondering how they would react to know that he was fluent instead of some backwards wolf. Though I find that other languages have a sense of effectiveness that English lacks, no? Athan tilts his head, the question entirely rhetorical. May I ask what you two are doing? Are you travellers?

Riqtajinaq does not speak.

She keeps her molten eyes trained on this stranger. He shows promise of enlightenment but he is not Aq'ab Sotz'. He is not to be trusted. 

He questions, Riq's ears twitching in response. It is the only response given by Camazotz's lost daughter.The priestess waits for K'atik to speak.

[table width=80%][tr][td]The lioness did not find the situation a laughing matter, and yet she menacingly quirked up the corners of her lips. It was a rather hateful smirk more than it was a sweet one - as if she had forgotten how to express joy altogether. Her eyes remained on the stranger, stance wide but less dominant than she would've liked to be. They were simple "guests" here for now - bringing danger to her subjects and The Bat was the last thing she wanted to do. I'd rather listen to something I understand. Her "smile" faded as the simple words spilled from his lips; not interested in what the language was or what he had said.

Eerie laughter spilled from her throat then as she procrastinated giving him an answer to his question. Camazotz would not like to be revealed, and so she had to make something up on the spot. Luckily the man himself had given her an idea. Yes - we are simply looking around. Does this place belong to you? She asked innocently.[/td][/tr][/table]