Moonsong Glacier lamenting

living on a glacier.

There was nothing here except for him. He knew it now, having spent the past few days exploring. It was the perfect place to hide out. The perfect place to start over, where there was only emptiness and cold. Nobody to disappoint and nobody to be disappointed with. Revui was a solitary grey blemish on the pristine surface of the glacier. That was alright. It was what he deserved.

He indulges his sorrow for a few hours every day. In donning a stoic's mask he protects himself from thoughts of the mountain, his sister, or the red string that has anchored him until this point to his family; this bloodline, severed in the best way he can manage. Hydra will not look for him here—he doubts she will look at all, or ever think of him again.

It isn't all ice, here. There are sections of exposed slag that grow heartier each summer as the temperatures rise and the sheet melts. He doesn't know that part, but after finding a few obelisks scattered like golem bones among the snow, he is intrigued. It is a nice distraction from the thoughts he's trying to avoid.

There are descension points pock-marking the thinner areas of the glacier. These are full of meltwater. He names the largest one, Rikudou in his head, after his mother. It is odd, staring down at the surface—the water itself is the color of her eyes, from what he can remember of her face, and there are no trees to reflect back around the edge.

He strides along the fringe of the lake, seeking out one of the stones of the knobby piles of debris not crusted with ice, and tips it in. The ripples grow and spread, and then there is more stillness. He sighs, turns away, and continues his exploration.

Thankfully, Moonspear had kept Opalia busy when otherwise, she felt like drifting into herself again. It was the push of some duty that gave her cause to keep going, at least, so for that, the pale Drakru was infinitely thankful. She felt better than she had in months thanks to this routine, though. Physically.

But, even in the many hours of hiking the slopes or patrolling the forests, tendrils of unease had still come in when she was alone. She identified it first as a homesickness for the coast and a fresh wave of sorrow over everything she had lost since she had left the shores, an old foe, unfortunately, but a rising threat as the days got longer. Her heart just hurt and the nights were cold. She had all of Moonspear to turn to, and yet..

Then, the scent of fever had lurked near the mountain, tail-spinning her right into that new edge--the smell that killed Dacio in the end after that toxic wretch's teeth that set into him. She had that to be prickly about too... so once again, it was welcome that matters were usually bustling among the Moonspearian sorts with no shortage of something, somewhere to do, mundane or not, to keep her away from that until it faded--resolution or death. After a time, she did notice it was gone, but had no explanation. Did she even want to know?

The official claim in the Glen was drawing effort, the pups were covering more ground, lots of hunting for winter, and they had news about the enemies from beyond--all exciting, she knew, but it just didn't sing quite right in her soul most days. She felt like she should just feel more, but, she was tired. In the end, she reasoned, a little visit to beach was okay.. something just for her. But, she wanted to go north. Was it too overzealous to want to see Dragoncrest again, she wondered? It was awfully far. She had fought the urge off before thanks to that. Though, it could do more harm than good.

So she had ranged off to check things out with word that she would be back soon, and headed north. West sometimes, but mostly north. She would take the long way to the coast and see where that landed her. For some reason, she kept thinking of Ravensblood forest's vicinity, the beaches beyond there, the river that led the way. She knew that area from past travels, but calling it a destination was too much this soon.

Still, she covered her ground and eventually, looming ahead of her was a mountain where she got lucky and nabbed a small rabbit. There, picking at her kill, she admired her next move. The mountain she was almost certainly sheltering the forest from view, but an icy expanse came first, too. She finished up her kill then kept going until something vaguely familiar keyed her in along the way. Tracks, wolf ones, and.. one not so far removed from her memory skimming the borders of the claim. That was what made her linger.

Opalia hesitated on checking this out further given her personal distance to her pack's finer workings, or all of Hydra's dealings, the ruling family. It felt like a complicated situation, but she wasn't interested in that alone. Maybe also the distraction of something else to think about besides herself appealed too much. She went after the vaguest hint of scent after that long deliberation, shook off reluctance, and finally got going--nose low, and path set for a lake she had never visited before.

she hasn't had a new thread in a minute and has a lot of junk to sort ._. long....

The air here is not as thin as Moonspear despite having some altitude, which is a refreshing change to lungs so accustomed to sleeping upon the pine-heavy mountain. With every inhalation Revui feels a sense of peace descend upon him; it will not last for long, the breath expiring and pluming forth to join the clouds clotting overhead.

He is watching his steps and testing a few of the thin white patches of ice beginning to creep across the lake when something moves ahead of him. A flash of blonde reflected in the water's surface - so mirrorlike it was! - and he wonders if Kukutux has followed him here after all; but then Revui sees her, this interloper composed of flowing gold, and he is crestfallen.

On any other day Revui may have charged headlong at them to deny them passage, but in his current state he is lethargic, and merely watches as they meander alongside the newly christened lakeside; his lake, he tells himself.

He follows, sullenly.

Opalia hiked on her way undisturbed for a time, head low, and nostrils flaring over the strange surfaces as they passed beneath her. There was one scent fresher than most, reoccurring, and she noticed it more the closer she got to the body of water. When she found the lake, officially, she knew she was not alone any longer. It was the gray wolf, and the tracks matched him. He was still only one, at least, in her favor.

But still meandering along, she flashed him a narrowed glance over her shoulder. There was distance still and she knew he was following. In the relative open beside the shore, there was little else for her to do about it but keep it in mind. He didn't appear to be chasing her off like this was a claim, but.. it was not easy to pay the view much mind now.

The gona wanted to tell how long he would trail after her.. or how interested he was in warding her off. This at least ruled out major reactivity, but she couldn't help but feel wary about it still, because it could still turn. With an ear still turned his way, the Drakru moseyed on a while longer, gradually shortening her strides for a slow, eventual stop--would he overtake her? Come closer? Or keep the distance in tact? She finally dared to watch him from the corner of her eye, and let her nape prickle with her unease--though otherwise, she was a wary, deferential neutral. So you live here? she asked in a rough voice, almost adding now? for context of what she knew already. Moonspear had sheltered him, and she wondered why he got to survive the fever instead.

Thoroughly distracted by the election so this is probably worse than my last one, oopth.

Onward she went, and so would he. From time to time she glanced his way and he would pause, his expression likely too distant to make out but often trained upon her too; following her as if she were a guiding light. She was certainly the brightest thing out here compared to the sunwashed glacier.

As they came to the lake and rounded its embankment, the stranger turned to look at him and seemed to be waiting. He was slow, not caring about closing the distance too readily. For all he knew this woman was a spy; Revui was not ignorant to the mar of his sister hanging upon the air and found it appropriate - Hydra had to be on top, had to have a finger in every pie. So she had denounced his familial tie to Moonspear, yet still was watching him.

He would never be free of her influence.

So you live here? carried the stranger's voice; they were not hostile on his approach and Revui was confident that, should things turn violent, he could handle her.

He thought about sending her back with a message for her beloved queen and thought better of it. Any sign of his scent would be enough. A little bloodshed would be fun too, but Revui was above harming Hydra's playthings to prove a point; he would not hurt anyone of the mountain.

It is my land. He states, the chill of the enivornment having permeated his rough-hewn voice; once a rockslide now an icy avalanche. Are you here on the Queen's behalf? Revui went on to ask, finding the question pointless, and unwilling to speak the name of his once-sister, now that he had been suitably banished.

yeah i feel the election skress badly tonight. i hate it here lmao

She liked to think she could mask her tension in this moment, and at the least, keep it contained close to her heart. It was her best to not appear bothered, just watchful. An ear stayed in his direction, while the rest of her waited for any indication of worse. She didn't want to be a second too late if it was going to come to that. However, so far.. it did not, and he told her he claimed this place as his land; not entirely what she expected, but, perhaps it should justify her caution with him. Just you? she asked, doing her best to keep that judgement off her voice, and speak plainly to him. I remember you from Dragoncrest a long time ago. For Kiwi, she imparted, not fighting that narrow to her eyes when she spoke of Wildfire's daughter. But evidently, that had not worked out; she hadn't heard trace of the other once-Drakru in so long.

But no. I came here for me. Was heading towards the coast.. Opalia answered, but she had been distracted--lured to check this out. So far she couldn't tell if it was worth it or not. It was meant to be just a short stop with a closer look. Unless you want it to be for her? she replied, and returned the sentiment right away while she continued to hold her ground. Without knowing the nature of his leave, or even most of his ties to the Spear in any exact way, she didn't know if that was a good or bad offer.. yet.

Just you? she asks.
For now, he replies with a downward glance at the ice.

Her shared memory sparks in him thoughts of the red-furred girl and his sister Yama, which then spirals him back to Moonspear, as everything does. For someone who adamantly refutes Hydra's claim that the world revolves around that mountain, somehow the universe agrees.

It is not for her, he wants to snap—but it comes out as a tired drawl. Distracted by thoughts of his last run-in with the ice queen, his subsequent banishment. I would prefer if she... Wasn't made aware of me here. My sister and I did not part on good terms.

That would likely bring more questions; the first that popped in to mind was obvious to him, so he answered before it could be voiced: I am Revui, brother to many on the mountain. Maybe she did remember him from the northern peak but he could not recall her, and doubted they had exchanged names.

For now. It offered a thin string of hope for more, and it made her pivot a bit more towards him. She chanced a longer look, but largely, for the sake of her neutrality, she avoided some of his features. The time at the cliffs felt like so painfully long ago and thankfully, she did not seem to barb anything sensitive with mentioning Kiwi. She knew she had been a different beast then, and as presumptuous as it felt to think, the same might've went for him too. He was not as hale as he had been--unless memory was playing its tricks.

Then, Opalia nodded. He didn't want the Moonspearian queen to know. His vagueness was difficult to sort, but it was something. Naturally, she wondered what the terms of his departure were; he was not aggressive to her, scented of the mountain, but neither did she wave their banner loudly unprompted. Alright, she answered finally, her tongue wanting to twist into the comfort of their trigedasleng--testament to the nerves she was keeping tied very carefully. It may be only a matter of time before she finds you, though. If you intend to stay here, she offered quietly, toying with how unwelcome she felt in what could be a fledgling claim. Do you call it anything yet? she asked, glancing at the lakeside first then the lands reaching out from here. A strange place, odd company, but not without its chilly lure the longer she looked. But Moonspear loomed. She knew that Hydra's reach was vast and that this was relatively near, and in the open, no less. So how bad was their blood?

Nevertheless, he answered her before she would need to ask and revealed that he was brother to the mountain family. It explained some matters, like why they had sheltered him, but made others just as perplexing. I'm Opalia, she returned, almost sighing it. It shouldn't mean much to him. From Drageda, originally, but it is no more. My brother died on the mountain--fever, in the end, after a dark enemy's teeth. For the queen's son, she said with a hollowed look on. It is why.. Why she was willing to fight for them, round their borderlands, and why she stayed when nothing else was there some nights besides just her. The cliffs were a distant memory, her family dead or gone from her side, and hidden in the folds of their security, she could almost pretend it was something that felt right. ..I am theirs. For that temptation of revenge that was closest when she was with Hydra and her family, and that was what she lived for.

Turns out, like last time, their meeting was destined to be brief. Opalia carried on eventually, staying long enough to hear what he'd give..