The Sunspire i'm just looking for something to soften the blow, a second inside of the truth

one post from everyone and ill archive!

He leads the group into the shortcut he'd discovered — actually, he can't quite remember when he discovered it. It's rather claustrophobic for his tastes, a winding path through the mountains that seems part gorge and part tunnel. There are dips in the sides here and there, carved out areas with steep ledges overhanging that almost make them feel like caves. Almost. Nothing about the path feels secure to Zephyr. He makes sure @Takiyok and @Taktuq are in the middle, even if it means taking the rear himself. But hopefully @Taikon is up to the task, I dunno, we'll have to see.

Takiyok had agreed to let Zephyr come with them on the condition that she he knew a shortcut over the sunspires, or rather, through them. With the newest addition of the girl, they really were a strange band of the lost and the lonely. All of them had experienced some kind of upset. All of them were tired. Taikon worried most about the little one, and so she and the freshly injured Takiyok went into the middle of their odd caravan. He wanted Zephyr to lead, for he knew the way. This was entirely new terrain for Taikon, and though it was a welcome reprieve from being right in the middle of lion territory, he worried about someone or something sneaking up behind them.
There were places in the path where he could barely turn his head, nevermind turning around to face such a danger. For the most path, the shortcut was dark, creepy, but sheltered enough that he strongly hoped they would not have to fight something off yet again. Slowly, he followed them into the depths.

Taktuq had never traveled so far in her life. Her nose was cold, her tail was cold, her feet were cold—everything was cold. Despite it all, she did not complain. Managing to keep the pace the group had set, Taktuq followed alongside Takiyok, navigating the winding path. Every so often, as they traveled further and further from the Emberwood, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure that the Ursus wolves were not following.

She was reluctantly trusting that Zephyr would lead them safely through the mountains. She had saved her life before, and so there was provisional trust there now, but it would take time to form something more lasting. Of course, it they made it to the other side safely, it would definitely help. 

She stayed close to Taktuq, worried about how this journey would be for her. Traveling was not something she was used to, and the mountains were very cold. But she could see the Ateneq in her niece as she silently pushed through what was certainly a hardship she had never suffered before. Any time they stopped to rest, though, Taki would curl around her protectively to offer the safety and warmth she knew she needed despite her silent perseverance. 

Her head injury made her own travel quite difficult too, although like Taktuq, she was silent about it. She had an almost a constant headache, made worse by the frigid air, and she found it difficult to eat much at a time without it coming back up. So more weight dropped from her frame and would continue to drop until they were somewhere stable. She was built to withstand difficulty, though, and she easily compartmentalized things for the sake of survival. She trusted Taikon and Zephyr to keep watch over the front and back of the group, and she was thankful to have that security of Taktuq.

Soon they would be able to rest, and she could figure out what exactly to do with Sia's wayward daughter. If she planned to stay with Taki long term, then she would need to make a trip to Easthollow and inform her brother. She couldn't bear the thought of him worried and searching for her like she had done for her own children.