Hoshor Plains Dixie Chicks

@Ibis or @Sativa maybe? Open to anyone who hops in first tho! This is set after Ira and Reiko speak at the borders, letting their RE group stay for a couple days to rest before they go back to NSV

It was strange to be within Kaistleoki again. There were familiar faces here and there, she didn't know how to approach the familiar ones after such a long hiatus from their ranks, even now she was not one of them but granted to rest within their borders by Ira before heading out again. There were others who were brand new faces that had joined after her disappearance. Not to mention the lack of the river, being in the plains was strange to think that this was the same pack as before.

The biggest change was Ira as Count while Evergreen seemed to have stepped down and into a more humble position as a knight. Never would Reiko have imagined that the bear of a man would have preferred to take a back seat while he enjoyed a more simple life after all the hard work he and Ira had done to create the pack in the first place - but then again, he always came off more so of a friendly softy... The soon-to-be-empress had to admit, Ira did suit the position quite well as the leader of the pack.

Before heading off further into the plains borders, Reiko made her rounds among the the small group that traveled together.

The loss of Sarah left her empty of feeling. She had cried a little at night when she thought the others were asleep, and in the morning forced her composure. Together the group left the range, seeking a route to the valley edge below, and through that ordeal Ibis was preternaturally quiet. A hollowing had overtaken her gaze. She moved in the middle of the caravan of wolves, but only offered thin smiles and a diminished sense of enthusiasm when spoken to.

At some point Reiko had sought out Ira. Ibis could have gone with her, but she chose not to. Instead she hung around with Kukulkan and helped him with Wren. Eventually though, she drew away from the group. She wanted to be alone. Her trail inevitably flowed to where Reiko waited, not knowing why she was drawn to her friends side; but when she caught up to her, she felt another thin smile crease her little face.

Reiko was drifting among them, much as Ibis had been. There was an odd look on her face which piqued the girl's interest - perhaps for being so similar to her own. As she drew close she murmured privately, Are you okay?

As Ibis approached, Reiko offered a wave of her tail as a greeting. One of the few friends she had left, the closer ones who had remained after the disappearance of the pack and strange feeling she got from Kaistleoki. Ibis was precious to her, she would admit that openly if questioned. Though the signs of wear had not gone unnoticed. Ibis too was fatigued with thought, more so than the wandering they had all endured. She could feel it, that same stone pressing against Ibis as it did with the to-be-empress. 

Yearning for companionship, one that didn't her romantically confused and frustrated, saddened and all the rest, she strode up to the young lady happily, wanting to press her head against Ibis's forehead. Are you? Keeping with hushed tones, she continued on her path to wander away from the group and into a more private section of the hold they held as a resting place so the two of them can speak without any prying ears listening in.

She accepted the physicality silently, feeling her cheeks grow warm. Oddly, a part of her wanted to reach out and graze Reiko's pale fur with her teeth. The urge was brief, and when the other woman pulled away Ibis contained it. She followed as she was herded away from the group in pursuit of something she could not put a name to. The loss of the Emberwood, Sarah, and the resulting travel had changed her on a fundamental level.

At first Ibis did not know what to say. There was a weight on her shoulders that had accumulated since the disbanding; it had been there when she had acted as the Archdruid too, but now it was different. A lasting doubt, a maturity she did not want to accept.

She sighs deeply, which expresses more than any words could, and softly states, I will be. I think we will all settle in to new lives and things will be better. A hopeful sentiment - but deep down she did not feel it. A moment later Ibis brings the obvious to light: Sarah is still missing. It hurt to say it, but the innocent little Ibis was well versed in loss and grief now; she was handling it.

Once she felt comfortable that their conversation would not be intruded upon, Reiko sat onto her haunches and turned to give Ibis her full attention. She reminded Reiko of herself so much, bright eyed, playful and full of youth - but even more so now, that sorrow that stained their minds like poison. Life was tough for those who were empathetic, where closeness was important. 

With a light sigh, would-be-empress offered as good of a light-hearted as she could despite her own sadness weighing her down. As she spoke, her lips curved less and more into an empathetic expression. I know... Oh how she wished she could do more than just talk to Ibis about her aunt. She worried for the worse, but certain that Ibis felt the same. There was no need to remind the poor girl of the worst possible outcome. 

I will keep out eyes and ears open for her. We will also be back in the Vale sooner than later, we won't be far from Emberwood where she was last seen. She could only hope that that would be enough to ease Ibis. First her brother, and now her aunt. One after another there were more missing. When we find her, she will be welcomed with open arms. The smile found its way back to her lips as she continued to watch Ibis with hope in her eyes, hoping it would be contagious. And Okeanos.

As hopeful as she wished to be, as eager as Ibis could become at the potential reunion of her scattered family, this time things were different. Maybe it was her maturity in the face of yet another loss—maybe she had walled off too many pieces of her heart by this point, but whatever the reason, she did not have the same outlook as Reiko. Still, having someone try to lift her spirits was a blessing and Ibis was thankful for that.

Sarah. Olive. Seabreeze — and Okeanos, Reiko adds, unaware of the girl's internalized recitation. Ibis nods, but cannot summon a smile or even a glimmer of hope for her lost brother. They had survived the winter without him and now they would survive the spring, too.

Are you going to stay here, with Ira? Ibis asks next, drifting the topic away from loss and closer to something more immediate. By the lackluster tone of her voice and subtle glance to the endlessness of the prairie around them, she looked like a lost lamb. I... I don't want to lose anyone else, Reiko. So if you stay, I'll stay with you. If you go, I want to go.

She felt a warmth in her breast, a fluttering that melted in to her belly and twisted the already nervous, knotted thing in to a fresh bundle of chaos. It wasn't a proclaimation of love or anything, but Ibis felt exposed after blurting it out.

The lack of hope filling Ibis' eyes was concerning enough to force a head tilt of the pale woman. Things must have really hit the usually bubbly Ibis pretty hard for her to be this glum that even the slimmest sliver of home would pass right by her without a glance. 

Then there was a question she was not prepared for. Will she stay here with Ira and regain her position among the packmates she had lost a while ago, to wiggle her way back into the place she had felt like home in for the first time in a long time. With a soft sigh she padded her way to sit next to Ibis, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, invading her space with a friendly little bump. 

Looking over to her, Reiko smiled. They can't take us all. She started, picking her words and thinking through the ideas that clouded her thoughts for days, ever since she had met Vespera along the water's edge. It would be unfair for us to pick and chose who will stay and who will go. In fact, she didn't even want to think about such an option. 

I already spoke to Vespera about the idea, but I was hoping to create a sister pack for Kaistleoki. If that interests you. This way we can all stay together, and still, be close to Ira and the others. One big family.

When she moved to sit beside Ibis, the girl felt those butterflies whip in to a frenzy in her belly. She relished the warmth of the other body, though, and the contact. Ibis had grown to be so touch-starved during their travel, likely a byproduct of being asleep for such a long time and so weak thereafter. All she wanted was family, because family was strength.

And that is what Reiko now proposed. The idea of being so near to Ira and their friends was surprisingly uplifting. Nobody would be left behind if they stayed near. Some could live with the Kaistleoki wolves if they chose to - or stay with Reiko, and with Ibis. A deep breath filled Ibis' lungs and as she sighed an exhalation she felt some of the weight dissipate from her shoulders.

Yes. One big family. That is -- that is all I've ever wanted.

There it was, the uplifting she was looking for from the extremely small woman. It seemed that finally, Reiko had strung together the sentence necessary to bring Ibis' mood up and out of the dark and give her something to look forward to. 

Me too. She sighed happily, just thinking of how many of them could all live in harmony among both packs - all she had to do was propose the idea to Ira before they leave and claim land for their own nearby. To stay as near to Kaistleoki as possible. I was thinking for it to be a place where everyone is welcome, new beginnings for anyone looking to forget their past.

With open borders and no one feeling obliged to stay if they had that traveling bug. Maybe sooner rather than later, they could make this dream come true. Did you see the vale we passed? What do you think of that place?

She smiled, and while it wasn't the warm or inviting smile she often used to sport, there was a tremulous hope there; a glimmer of something once lost, trying to emerge again - or at least take root. It was heartwarming to have a plan. Better that they be so close to allies in case things went wrong (as Ibis now realized, happened more often than not).

She nods as Reiko proposes the vale as their sanctuary. Ibis doesn't truly care where they go, as long as it is together and as long as they are safe. It was beautiful there. I think it could be a good home - and safe, protected on all sides. Should I talk to the others? Kukulkan, Wren... Vespera? She couldn't recall everyones names at once, but that didn't matter. They had a plan now. All it took was a few simple conversations - and they'd have a home again.

Slight power play to finish the thread allowed by JB!

The hope continued to grow in little Ibis' eyes, it was warm and inviting, infectious even as she could feel the energy radiating off her small body. It made her tail thump in response, to think she was able to lift anyone's mood even just a little was such a minute victory, but it meant the world to her. Even if it was just the four of them remaining from the Uaine wolves, it was a small victory as well above all the other tragedies that had hit - keeping four together was better than none.

If you could, I would greatly appreciate it. In the meantime, she could possibly talk to Ira as they both had agreed upon during their last little chat. 

With one final press of her shoulder against Ibis, the two were on their way on separate missions in order to spread the news on the possible new pack they were plotting. An extension of Kaistleoki, to expand and become one big united family. All they needed was Ira's blessings.