Felltree Marsh close my eyes

@Ariel.. I logged in to check out the scene and saw your message. Easy to say the dynamic between these guys is what brought me back. <3

P.S. This is gonna be super rough 'cause I literally haven't written in months LOL.

Awake.

Queenie peered around through squinted eyes, trying to remember when -- no, why; or.. how? There was no timeline for her to think back on; no footsteps in her memory to try and follow. Birds chirped loudly from each direction as if to mock her confusion, with some even being so bold as to step within her reach.

And yet, despite their taunts, Queenie lay still. It wasn't a lack of desire, but a deficit of strength. The winter had taken away every gift that her effort had given; instead of the bulky huntress she had once been, Queenie now stood as no more than a lanky nomad with bones almost as frail as her very sanity.

While the avian choir continued with its serenade, Queenie allowed herself to drift back off into a light slumber.

WAAH <3<3

he's set out on his own in the direction of lost creek hollow, his mouth full of the gift he's prepared at lily's request -- a soft rabbit skin borrowed from his wives' den, wrapped as carefully as wolves can around a bundle of herbs (what they are exactly, he's not sure, having outsourced that particular part to @Olive while she was making her own gift). it's been some time since he departed from the sanctity of elysium, and longer still since he had to playact at pack diplomacy, and he feels a bit anxious about the whole affair -- particularly given the situation between seabreeze and terance, and his, ah, new role in seabreeze's life. but lost hollow creek and elysium have remained on good terms, and it will be nice to see rannoch again (yes, he still harbors the tiniest crush on the guy).

barely out of the territory, ariel realizes his trip is going to be delayed.

there is a thin veil of snow on the ground. every step he takes cuts back to the grey earth beneath, a reminder of what still is, thinly hidden by the season. and there is a familiar woman, another reminder, only not one he expects, and for a moment he thinks he must be hallucinating. "queenie?" ariel rasps, his shock plain as he drops the bundle of skin and herb, taking several quick steps til he is at her side. he hasn't seen her since -- hell, solomon's disappearance, the moment when bracken fell apart and rebirthed itself as elysium. there's no time for that, though, because she doesn't look good: not injured, maybe, but too gaunt, sickly. afraid to touch her (whether because she'd disappear, or because she'd lash out at him, who can say), he draws back but does not leave, eyes wide. "what are you doing here?"

By the time Delight had finalized his approach, Queenie had begun to reawaken, albeit just as confused. It was as though her head was submerged under a thick cloud of mist; she knew that there was someone, and she knew that they were speaking, but who it was and what was being said was unknown. Queenie -- not one to be tested even in sickness -- rose shakily onto her feet and turned, taking a few steps back to even out the distance. 

She stared for a moment, eyes thin and mouth slightly ajar. There was something about this wolf, something that she knew that she ought to remember; whosever face this was, they meant something, and Queenie couldn't stand to not remember. She looked away for a moment, huffing deep and shallow breaths, before turning back with a sheepish gaze. I don't know, Queenie whined, voice raspy and soft, as though this was its first-time use, I didn't-- I don't know.

he does not move closer when she backs up, taking it, at first, for a positive sign. surely she'll snipe at him for being too sensitive, for underestimating her, just like old times. only when she looks at him, there's no flicker of recognition; ariel scans her face desperately for any familiar sign and comes up empty. it's more than a little unsettling.

when she glances at him again, this time sheepish, his heart sinks. "don't know..? queenie, what happened?"

To say that Queenie didn't remember would be to misspeak. The truth was that Queenie remembered every moment between then and now, but in a last ditch effort to forget, her mind had begun to erase every memory leading up to -- leaving Queenie with nothing else to think about but the trauma. So, the issue wasn't memory; it was her ability to articulate what it was that she'd been forced to hold onto. 

Queenie's eyes widened as she peered over at him, still searching. There was an air of distrust accompanied by the urge to run, to embrace him; to greet her old friend. Yet, she did not move. I don't know, she repeated, tone noticeably more forceful. I...left, she continued, And now...I'm here. Queenie, trying with all of her might to pull something of use from her head, took two timid steps toward Delight.

srry!! finals are hell

he can't read her expression--which, to be fair, he's never been good at reading queenie, their downfall in the first place. she's just repeating herself, though from her tone he suspects he's running out of questions, and questions are all he has. nervously ariel licks his lips, the impulse to try and find out her in-between (what came after left but before i'm here) temporarily muting him until he can get his thoughts in order.

"you can come back to elysium," he says at last, "it's-- a sanctuary, you wouldn't have to stay permanently, but--you should let someone look you over. get some food, at least." if it were anyone else he would not leave room for disagreement, but queenie? she could never be forced into anything, he doesn't think. and truthfully... he doesn't know if he wants her at elysium, after everything--what would that do to him and seabreeze and olive? could his heart handle it? he isn't sure--but he also can't just leave her like this without, at least, making the offer.

While Stephanie had been listening carefully, she had comprehended almost none of what had been said. Her hackles bristled slightly as she took an apprehensive step back, still steadily studying Delight's face. A sanctuary? It sounded familiar, but not enough so as to earn her trust. It was probably a smart idea to go with him, at least until she was back on her feet, but Stephanie remained unsure. No, she breathed, though audibly unsure, I have to find, um...I have someone to find. At this point, she still didn't know who that someone was, but she was confident that she would find out eventually.

I can't, but I think that I'll be back, maybe. Stephanie gave Delight another uncertain glance before slowly limping off.