Northstar Vale Every skyline was like a kiss upon the lips

Referencing this.

When she returned to the plains held by Kaistleoki, she found that the pack had moved on. It struck her as sudden, and for an hour or so Ibis wasted time scouring the grassland for their scents; but she could see some dark shapes diminishing on the horizon which could have been them (or a herd of something edible). Feeling a chill overtake her where before there had been the humming heat of desire, the girl felt a piece of her heart wall off yet again — and she turned to the mountains, knowing that Reiko would have led the survivors of the gorsedd in to the vale.

Thus she dedicated the remainder of the day to tracking them instead. It was difficult work for the spry girl; she reached a few bends in the trail that gave her pause, a few forks in the road that made her uncertain, but eventually made her way. The most tangible of scents hit her in a wave as twilight settled; it was intriguing, familiar, and yet frustrating all at once, drawing a confused scowl across Ibis' face as she trailed after it.

The most obvious indicator that she had reached her destination was Yuudai emerging in the path before her. The man rarely drifted far from the Empress or Hiromi. The appeared like a wraith, seeping from the surrounding forest. His alabaster pelt was in stark contrast to the surrounding wood, but he didn’t let the stop him as he had stealthily wandered around the trees.

“Evening.” He called in a soft tone, his lavender gaze settling on the petit woman. Yuudai threw a brief glance at the sky, checking that his greeting had been chronologically correct. Satisfied that he was close enough, he stood to the side. Allowing her to pace if she wished.

As the man stepped in to her path her pace slackened, but did not stop. She drifted closer to him - bold, as she had been with Mal - and despite being thin as a rake and worn out from her hiking, Ibis was intrigued by the presence of the man. He was formidable in her eyes; an iceberg who, upon subtle inspection, appeared to be some kind of warrior. Ibis recalled that Reiko had some guardians (her brain shot out an alternative: suitors which made her blush); although she had not met them yet. As she swept close to him she occasionally drifted too close, but never lingered long, flickering around him during a brief inspection. His pelt was layered with many scents but prominent above all others was Reiko - as suspected.

You're one of Reiko's men, Ibis drawls, still hormone-drunk and more than a little out of her element.

Yuudai eyes the girl as she skipped around him, her eyes casting long shadows. Lashes batting. He offered a slightly knowing smile. Twitterpated.

His amusement helped to assuage any bristling that accompanied her observation. Contrary to popular belief he didn’t belong to Reiko. Not that it mattered with Takeshi wandering around. Instead, Yuudai offered the woman an acknowledging smile, “One of her guards, yes.” Seeing as he was one of her Men-at-arms.

Given her state of mind, Yuudai thought it best to escort her back into the territory. Lest any wandering males get any ideas. So he followed her, matching her pace, and offering some form of company.

Something about the way he spoke irritated Ibis. It wasn't anything to do with the man though, not really. It was the idea that Reiko had multiple men guarding her - for some reason the imagery that popped in to Ibis' brain served to sour her mood a little bit. She felt a strong sense of jealousy rise up like bile at the back of her throat, burning in her chest. A small laugh - more like a chuff - followed.

Really. She needs multiple? A bemused expression flit across Ibis' face then, her brows lifting. She's still walking at a pace that forces her too-close to the guardsman. And what about me? I suppose I have you.. For now. The corners of her mouth twitch as she smirks, finding the prospect entertaining. Reiko could do without one of her menfolk for a few hours, certainly.

How far is it to the rendezvous? She quips next, a bit too eagerly. I'm sure there are short cuts we could take, too. As she offers this she imagines how easily they could be lost together in the vale; the terrain is so new to her, and she is so sleepy from her earlier hiking, that it would be easy to become lost with this man. How scandalous it would seem if Ibis were to wake up in his arms, come morning.