Firefly Ravine the moon overlapped with the sun

his steps within the gorge on the banks of the rushing river, ice crusting the sides against the bank where the water flow is slower; are measured and cautious. the ravine offers very little land at it's bottom and with the patchy snow that has begun to fall with sundown he is unsure how deep it is or if he was in danger of stepping off the ice and snow crusted bank and into the river. he spares it a glimpse; fiery gaze studying a chunk of ice that floats past him, carried by the tide.

to left, towards the wall of the gorge, a toad lets out a rasping croak, big beady eye staring at him before it hops forward, dispelling the snow that had camouflaged it. ríoghain recoils with a short huff and keeps trudging forward, fiery twin-sun gaze looking for a relatively safe passage back up from the ravine's bottom.

she had only just found the place of her dreams, the forest that would shelter her and her subjects - but already was she exploring elsewhere. Knowing that she wanted to settle among the willows was not enough, she had to know what was around it and the wolves she would share the sides of the mountain range with. She knew that on top of those mountains lived Clementine, a friend she hoped to visit before establishing her claim, and the Taiga itself held many friendly spirits in which she could confide. To the coast she had not explored, though she assumed Hua came from those parts - the smell of salt had been fresh on her coat that had been roughed up by seawater.

With Loinnir by her side did she travel North from the willows, soon stumbling upon a handsome presence she did not recognize. He had features unlike any she'd seen before, and hoped his copper gaze would soon find her delicate features so she could strike up a conversation - he did not seem entirely pleased with the moment and so she abstained from pursuing him directly.

the moon has just begun to crest over the edge of the top of the ravine, painting the gorge in it's soft, sugarsweet moonbeams. it grants the snow an ethereal glow that is otherwise blinding in the sunlight. despite how pretty the ravine looks, ríoghain still searches actively for an exit, a safe passage ...something. over the rush of the river, the creaking protest of the ice as the water shifts beneath it, her footfalls are masked; ríoghain isn't sure what makes him look in her direction — a feeling, perhaps — but his fiery gaze of twin suns falls upon her slender frame all the same.

she is cloaked in shadows and moonbeams; disarmingly pretty, ríoghain realizes with a jolt. she is accompanied by a pale, feathered familiar — and owl he thinks — but his attention doesn't stray from her for too long; volleying back to the other wolf. though the crow makes no move to hide that he's seen her — in his familiar way of emulating his gangster father, ríoghain will not be the first to break the silence that hangs in the air between him and her.

She felt the grasp on her shoulder loosen as Loinnir lifted off into the night sky, landing shortly after in the way between her and the stranger. The bird cocked his little head at the young man, eyeing him up and down. It wasn't the first time Loinnir had been protective of something he considered his own, but it was the first time he had come to protect her.

Worriedly, the fae floated towards her companion, inching closer to the handsome stranger and protectively standing over Loinnir in case the other thought he was a snack. Her expression was apologetic, though her tail wafted behind her small frame in a friendly greeting of sorts. My apologies. She chirped lightly as Loinnir hopped and fluttered back onto her woodsmoke cape, never letting the male out of his sight. He's not very keen on strangers — but I am.

the owl is quick to grasp the crow's attention once more as he lifts from the fey girl's shoulders to land between them; in a manner that strikes ríoghain as protective. though he acknowledges the avian's proximity, ríoghain's gaze volley's back to the girl as she chirrups an apology. ❝he hasn't harmed me,❞ ríoghain murmurs, casually waving away her unwarranted apology as she owl hops back — presumably — to it's perch at the junction of her shoulders.

he's not keen on strangers — but i am.

a glimpse is given to the shadows creeping thru the gorge, watching another small chunk of broken off ice bob up and down, a helpless ragdoll against the rushing current of the river they stand near. ❝i'm ríoghain.❞ the caped empyrean offers with a gentlemanly bow of his head; not unlike the tip of a gentleman's hat.

In her hurry over there, she uttered; Oh, I very much doubt he could - he's a lot of hoot but not much peck. It made her chuckle nervously after. The boy seemed like he could hold his own against the pathetic predator of the sky - even she could, if she so wished - but it was simply rude to treat strangers like this. It was a continued problem with Loinnir, thinking he owned the world. Lumi was afraid it would one day get him killed, and she had gotten rather attached to his annoying presence and grumpy exterior.

Luckily the gentlemanly wight didn't seem offended, and like that a conversation had started despite neither of them really wanting to engage first. She got just a little closer - though the moonlight was plenty, she wanted to read his emotions clearer and pick up on details she otherwise would've missed. I'm Lumiya — This feathered ruffian is called Loinnir. She chirped, tone ever chipper and melodious. She curtsied in greeting, following with; A pleasure to be meeting you.

she hurries forth and is quick to assure him that she doubted her pale familiar could hurt him. a volley of fiery gaze moves to the place where he knows the pale owl roosts upon her before it drifts back to the girl's face where it rests. he doubts that he's totally 'all hoot and no peck' — that beak and those talons could do plenty of damage if he truly wished to. regardless, the coywolf dismisses the idea with a casual shrug of his shoulders. no harm was done and there was no sense in dwelling upon the 'what could've been'.

lumiya, she introduces herself as; followed by the introduction of the owl: loinnir. a small smile is offered; and the gangster's son murmurs in the charming way he was taught since cubhood, ❝the pleasure is all mine.❞ though for the first time he believes it just might be; despite the almost-possible mishap with her protective familiar. even her voice is pleasing; melodic.

❝are you familiar with this place?❞ ríoghan inquires, gesturing casually to the ravine they stand nestled within with a soft motion of his muzzle; it's as close as he'll come to admitting that he's lost and trying to find his way out is proving more difficult than finding his way down, as treacherous as that'd been in and of itself.

She felt a warm flush of red on her cheeks, hidden 'neath downy fur marked with distinct patterns. The gangster was a charmer, so she presumed, but didn't allow herself to fall for it. Mother had said, if anyone would ever pretend to love her despicable form, they would be using her. She knew it wasn't true, but the thoughts came upon her anytime there was a possibility of romance in the air - dawning on her suddenly, rapidly and making her want to flee the scene.

This time she didn't; she remained calm, for the court she wanted to establish. Anyone would think her weird if she just up and left after the introduction, she realized that. The fae nodded solemnly, giving a quick glance to the forest behind her.

I am. She answered more clearly, following with; My court of wonders will be established in the forest near here, so I've decided. She chuckled lightly then, the sound ineffable. And you?

a soft swell of relief rises like an unbidden tidal wave within his chest as she gives a solemn nod to his inquiry. her familiarity of this place could easily be invaluable to the crow; especially given his own lack of familiarity with the territories of the wilds. she affirms her nod with a verbal confirmation ríoghain makes noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, ears fluttering back against the curve of his skull; only to cup forth with mildly piqued curiosity as she speaks of an elusive court of wonders. not just any court, he corrects himself; her court.

❝you're building a pack here? this ...court?❞ comes the soft fluted inquiry, not bothering to hide his curiosity. in ríoghain's mind if she hadn't wanted him to know if it then she wouldn't have mentioned it — that he is curious about is only natural. ❝me? no,❞ the diviner lets out a sheepish chuckle as he offers his unfortunate admittance. ❝i am not from this place.❞ though he had numerous half siblings that were.

Another nod was granted, accompanied by the saccharine smile she carried anywhere. That was what most would call it, a pack — a promise of unity and protection. So far, she'd gathered up many allies, but none completely devoted to the idea of faeries and rituals. She understood; she, too, had been hesitant upon hearing details and going through initiation herself. But the rewards outweighed the sacrifices, if there even were ones, and she hoped to convince others of that fact.

Indeed I am — At least attempting to. She answered. She wasn't cocky nor did she take the opportunity for granted. Watching her parents from the shadows had proven useful to realizing that establishing a court - or pack, as the stranger called it - was hard, sometimes unrewarding, work. The fae was ready to take on this challenge, but even if she the most devoted creature on the planet, it wouldn't mean anything without followers.

Her ears perked then. Then where are you from, if I may ask?