Mountain at My Gates

With the coming of the winds, she had lost a packmate. One who had originally called with the promise of return, but how long had it been now? Moons had passed with not even a whisper to quell her questions...so now she must find the answers she sought. Ira had already informed @Orlaith of her departure and in her place, she and Hieronymous would watch over the pack. They had been the two besides Quicksilver to see this pack bloom into something, it was only fitting that they watch in her place.

The roan queen traveled north, skirting the mountains that bordered down towards Elysium and past the snow-laden forest she had ventured through times before. Within a few days time she would come across another range, though the mountains here felt dense compared to her own. Instead of a long-standing range, they were clustered, though their height was close to rivaling Vanderfell's.

The tips of the mountain disappeared into the thick clouds and the trees that dug at the base were by far more sparse and spread out than the woods further south. While Ira had yet to catch the scent of Quicksilver, there did seem to be others nearby or some who had passed by recently. It was one scent in particular that caught her attention. She knew it briefly, but it was familiar all the same, so from the base, she would call out for the woman who once scrounged for her children.

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Thread is set before Rainier's!

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A call rang out in the mountains for her. The first call to summon the would-be Empress even though she lacked a crown and a throne that had only just begun to rise from the snow. Even if she was a little confused as to why she of all people were being summoned, Reiko wasted no time to follow where the call had originated from.

It didn't sound like her son, and yet, she still held onto hope that with age his voice had simply changed from what she could remember. Perhaps this was becoming more of an obsession now that she was away from one of her children for too long - always believing he was just around the corner. 

And so when she saw the roan Queen from Vanderfell, she had a hard time to hide her mild disappointment that it was indeed not Haruki yet again. Feeling her heart sink deep into her chest, she was quick to swallow the sour taste in her throat and muster up a smile as she approached the still lovely Ira. The woman she had met only once before during her journey before finding Hotaru.
 
“High Queen Ira! Greetings and welcome to Tsukiishi.”

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The roan queen would wait patiently, her rear lowering to sit in the snow. By the time the small empress had made her way down Ira's tail had carved a small path in the snow from idle flicking, not that she particularly minded the wait. When you travel from dawn to dusk over the course of a few days it was nice to rest your feet and where better than in fresh snow?

As the pale empress caught sight of her Ira couldn't help but notice the sour expression twist on her face, even when she attempted to cloak it. She wouldn't comment directly at first, instead simply raising a brow to question her response.

“Greetings to you as well. You have named these mountains?” Last she heard the mother was in search of her children. If she had made her way back north and settled then had she found her kids? “I was not aware there were wolves settling in this direction. What brings you to the tundra? I assume you have found your children?” Well...she was an arctic wolf.

It would be silly for her to not settle here. While Ira found comfort in her neck of the woods, there was a certain beauty even in a half-baren land. The air was cold even in summer. She could only imagine the frigid temperature at the top of the peaks, but it would certainly be enough to keep most from settling nearby.

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It was hard to hide her mild disappointment, the heartache that came with being separated from her son for this long. She couldn't even imagine how hard it must be on Hotaru, to be away from her sibling in a new land right from the start... or Haruki who was still on his own somewhere out in this big, new, world of theirs. The only thing keeping her sane was the hope that he was doing well, healthy, happy, sheltered and fed.
 
“I have!” Desperate to try and brush away those dark clouds that kept hovering over her, she smiled with a gleeful flick of her tail. “We named this place Tsukiishi, it has plenty of meanings to it... Full moon in mid-autumn as well as Moon Rock.” Coming from the strange formations of the mountains and stone, as well as the cold-white appearance reminding her of the full moon. 

“In common tongue I call it Crossroad Rock.” Here she was rambling.

“I have found my daughter... My son is still missing. We are trying to settle here so she may have a safe place to stay with others who have the same dreams as we do. Once we are settled, I hope to travel back out and find Haruki. I.. had hoped it was him calling for me.” Hoping to clarify if Ira had picked up on the disappointment earlier. Truly it was a pleasure to see the High Queen again. “May I ask what brings you here, Ira?”

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Ah. So it was not her that brought such forlorn but the absence of her son. It was unfortunate to hear, but at the very least she had found her daughter. There was always the potential that something had happened to her other child as well after so much time away, but she dared not raise those concerns to a worried mother. 

“Tsukeeshe...”She tested the foreign language for herself as she glanced back to the clouded peaks, “To have so many meanings for one name...how interesting. I understand the moon names, but why crossroads?” The mountains did not appear to be the center of anything aside from itself. Though looks could be deceiving and who was to say there wasn't more beyond it. Maybe more packs laid further in the tundra as well.

Ah, well those were questions to ask later. She had come here for a reason after all, and it was better if she did not waste her time away when her pack was few and leaderless. “I came searching for a packmate. He has been missing for some time now, a man of silver and white. Tall, but thin. He left with little word for what I am not sure, but long enough has passed that it is time he come home.”

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In comparison to most of the lands they crossed, this one seemed the strangest as far as she was concerned. Like another world with the strange stones and their formations - like they weren't truly traditional mountains. Another world... like the moon above.

Smiling as Ira tried to practice the word on her tongue, just as Reiko had done a few times here with the other new natives and their names from their homes. “Crossroad Rock is more of a personal name - as we settle here, I hope to create a home. Either temporary for weary travellers seeking their perfect new home pack, or permanent for those who wish to build with us. And so, this will be their crossroad.” Hopefully that made any sense. “And it is easier to pronounce for some.” She smiled a little wider, almost teasing Ira with her attempt to pronounce their land's name just moments ago. 

The conversation took a little turn near the end, what she thought was possibly just a little visit to see who was settling here and how they were doing - Ira had something concerning. A man tall and thin, silver and white... she could only think of one man fitting that description. “Is the man's name Quicksilver? He had come by weeks ago and I showed him around, but he had long gone I am afraid. I had hoped he was returning home to you.”

Wherever Quicksilver had gone to... she hoped he was well. Concern for his safety began to bubble up within her this very moment for the handsome young man.

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Ah, so not a crossroads in a literal sense, but for their pack. It was a nice sentiment, but the roan woman couldn't help but feel Reiko's generosity might lead to her being trampled. “A pretty reason, but lest not be naive.” There were lazy wolves who would take more than their fill and those who would abuse her freedom for personal gain no matter what effect their actions had to the rest.

“If it is your land, take pride in the name. See to it that others learn instead of lowering yourself for weak minds.” She would have it no other way. The same went for Vanderfell, though that name seemed easier on foreign tongues. Ullarcraig Run perhaps would suffer the same, but she would ensure that the woods in particular were learned and spoken properly to honor the god she named it after. 

An ear twitched, perking with interest as Reiko spoke his name. She knew of him then, no, she had met with him weeks before. Had that been the reason for his departure? If so why hadn't he come back? “Yes that is him. He came here then? What did he ask of you?” There must have been some reason he sought out the empress, perhaps he had shared more with her than he had with herself.

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Tilting her head down as she looked up to Ira from beneath pale brows, she felt shy, shrunken even though Ira's intentions were nothing but good. Uplifting instead of punitive. Still, she was young at heart with a lot to learn even if both women were of similar ages. “Ah - yes.” it seemed she still had much to learn, and already she was looking up the roan woman - though she wasn't certain if things would be as Ira would anticipate. 

At least not for a while. 

She was after all a kind soul. Perhaps too much so with more to give than she could possibly have to offer. 
 
“Hmmmm —” Thinking back to the day, letting pale eyes wander the snow as if recalling the events. “There is not much to recall. He came to greet us as we settled and I showed him the mountains, after that, he departed.” Pausing, Reiko's eyes guided themselves back to Ira. Concern welling up in the bright hues. “Did he not come home?”

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So even with she he did not share much. What in the world had spurred him to take off with no word? Ira sighed unsure where to even begin searching for the man. Perhaps he was not coming back after all. Disappointing, but not everyone would stay. Maybe his past had come to haunt him and in a search for answers, he departed. Nevertheless, if he did not share with Reiko then he likely would tell no one what his plans were.

She was wasting her time.

“If he had come back I would not be here before you.” She meant no ill tidings or shame for her question, but it was fact all the same. “Thank you for the information. I don't suppose you know which direction he went?” A last-ditch effort to track the man who ghosted the world. If she had no clue then there was truly no option but to go home, but even with the search so quickly ended at least she had not spent moons of her own wasted wandering.

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“My apologies...” She said softly again - not wanting to interrupt with her expression of regret and so she spoke no louder than a hush. Her question was rhetorical, an expression of concern but it didn't seem to come off as such.
 
“Unfortunately I do not have anything else. He left toward the mountains and that is all.” A pause as she pondered it. Where could he have gone? Quicksilver hadn't mentioned anything of leaving Vanderfell Woods, that he was unhappy there. On the contrary she could have sworn he was doing just fine with the mountain wolves. 
 
“As we search for my son I can always search Quicksilver out as well?” And Aerasha. So many were already going missing and she began to worry, and wonder, if there would be more? Should she be concerned for Hotaru and the others within Tsukiishi's shadow?

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If Quicksilver had moved for the mountains then why wouldn't he have returned? After all, the summit was not that far from here and there was no sign of him or a struggle on her way down...unless Elysium had caught wind of him? Perhaps she would stop along her way back.

“I appreciate the concern and eyes, I will continue to keep my own open for your son as well. May the gods bless your search and mine. Until then, I will take my leave.” With a dip of her crown Ira would turn to leave. There was little else to share now and what little trail she had left was turning to ice with the winds.

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Unfortunately there wasn't anything of use she had for Ira. Hopefully someday they would find him safe and sound, along with he others who had just vanished like smoke in the wind. Gently she smiled still, a solemn curve of her lips as she kept on hope that Quicksilver would return to them safe and sound. She would not mourn the man yet, not until a body would be found.
 
“May they smile upon you as well Ira. Safe travels.” Even now she thought back to her conversation with Quicksilver about the white stag that guided him to safety upon his arrival. Hopefully the same would occur. May luck be on their side and fate smile upon Quicksilver and his reappearance. 

There she stood watching the High Queen of the mountain return in the direction of which she came, and until she was gone out of sight, only then would the Empress return to her own abode and check on her kin.

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exit!

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