Dancing With The Devil in The Pale Moon Light

With winter beginning to settle over the lands, the weather was becoming more tolerable. The summer heat was long gone, and now they were on to the colder weather of winter. Soon the frost would sparkle off the dead leaves, and snow would blanket the browning ground in a beautiful veil of white. The girl even found that her coat looked better in the colder seasons, fluffier, denser, she liked the overall look and feel of herself in the reflections off of still water.

She wondered who she could meet today, wandering over one of the many hills that rolled over into the next seamlessly. She followed the sound of a waterfall, mindlessly traversing the territory in search of just someone, anyone or anything that could occupy her time these days. Hotaru and Haruki were occupied with their King and Queenly duties, meanwhile @Antares must be busy with something else too, and plus, she couldn't keep pestering the Samurai when she was bored just because she hadn't many friends right now.

At the foot of a small waterfall she stared up at the cascading liquid. It shimmered as it fell off the rocks above with the early fading light. Night was sooner this time of the year, and already Sachiko could see her breath along with the twinkling specks of water that froze once far enough away from the falls.

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Peace prevailing at home, and daylight well spent, he had already come from prowling near the lake. Since Sachiko didn't always have to roam alone, he decided to pick up her trail instead of heading back towards their realm himself--the opportunity to stretch his legs welcome, and enough of an interest in what she was up to, while he could. So, Antares would follow.

Fresh freezes and the shifting of the herds had started to remind his blood that winter was coming quick. He didn't think that it was that unusual to feel a little.. itchy in the feet lately, given the anticipation towards deep darkness and leaner times. All necessary before spring could circle back to their lands, though, and there were moons yet to go.

He didn't rush, but kept on a steady pace--only occasionally checking distance back to Tsukiishi's peaks, just to be sure. Since he did not often travel this far north of the lake, he was easily engrossed in the newness as he went over these rolling vistas, otherwise. The waterways guided the route that worked well for his heading on the countess and certainly not unnoticed by him, another mountain loomed larger, easing him into its gravity. Antares had only seen its silhouette from a distance, so naturally, the mountaineer wondered what those heights held now that he was stepping into its foothills.

It would be getting dark soon, fast, so he was pleased to find Sachiko near a waterfall. Sparing it a beat's pause to catch his breath as he slowed down, he drank in the view before ghosting quietly up towards her side--a playful little nip towards her hip first, if he might introduce on that. The scene could cover his steps more than normal, so it was a good opportunity to build on. He felt at ease enough to aim to close all of that distance, wanting to shoulder his against hers if nothing else. “Have you been here before?” he asked, flicking his stare up from her towards the glimmering waters.

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From the falls her eyes wandered up toward the peaks of the looming mountain in the distance. Wondering for a moment if thats where the waterfall hails from and what kind of beasts could call such a daunting place home? It brought a chill to her spine, but not one of fear - no not quite - but instead that of thrill.

They had faced monsters before after all, real ones, and perhaps these ones were more like the spooky fun kinds as opposed to the murderous beasts that once plagued Shiroshika and its inhabitants.

A nip at her side caught the young woman off-guard. Spinning around to meet the dark blue gaze of their samurai, of all individuals she didn't expect to see him here! From shock to a playful grin, she greeted him with her own little nip at the air between them. Ivories clicking at nothing. “No, have you?” As Antares came in close, she took the liberty to initiate their shoulders to touch and lean on the man while they both took the time to look up at the mountain staring back down at them. “I'd ask you the same but you seem to be the shut in until today.” Lightly she teased, honestly happy that he felt comfortable enough to take a break from his duties to do as he pleased.

“Did you leave your precious borders to track little 'ol me?” The smile tickling her lips spoke levels that she wasn't upset, if anything perhaps pleased at his boldness.
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For a heartbeat, he was ready to be reeled on for his sudden appearance. Probably rightfully enough, and perhaps that was some of the appeal in it. Sachiko clicked her teeth at him and he was rather satisfied with that, smirking toothily back as his tail waved, encouraging. “No, I haven't,” he was distracted from the looming views for a second, steadying his weight against her in return--warm.

Antares chuffed a short laugh, her jab was not at all unwarranted. He was well aware, but he was working on it. She gave him further motivation to follow through. “Well, I was already at the lake,” he justified, jutting up his nose playfully, like it was some stretch away from those borders he haunted in the first place. There was usually some type of wolf-traffic there on the frozen water's shorelines, so he was building a habit of keeping at least a bit of presence there for the sake of Shiroshika's peace. Although, now, that was a bit beside the point; he had felt it worthwhile to trail after her, anyway. “And I thought you didn't have to range alone,” he added, though he could probably claim other motivation, too.

The Ostrega was awfully aware of the mountain towering near. He had never been close enough to investigate it properly. Honestly, he didn't think it had always been there this close to Tsukiishi. Or if it had been there, it had not revealed itself somehow--or something else entirely beyond his scope, who knew, in this shifting reality. But now with this great waterfall right at their disposal and much more tangible than any such mystery, he had better things to do. The samurai found himself eager to lean into the distraction. “Wonder what's beyond it,” he supposed vaguely, though only left Sachiko's side with lagging hesitation to investigate further, on towards what hid behind the falls.

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