by receiving the wind

Antares felt it wise to channel his restlessness into either scouting for future opportunity for Shiroshika or hunting to feed their coming mouths, and today, this pressed him out into the openness of the plains. Summer had turned hot and balmy in recent weeks, so for the time being, the dark-coated samurai was only scoping out the area for interests--namely food and shade. He could dial up the activity come later hours, so long as he could still bring something useful back home with him.

After criss-crossing his way along undisturbed, following his nose and the wind both, eventually he saw the sun just starting to dip low on the horizon. It was not long after this realization set in that he could smell the large lake ahead. Seeing it followed, and then on a smooth trot, the shadow gave into its pull. He didn't notice anything to be concerned about so far, but the place did have many markers of other traffic: predator and prey alike, but it wouldn't hinder him now.

Once at the shore he didn't stop until he was ankle deep and after a few cursory sniffs, he got his drink. When he lifted his head again, he scanned the opposite shoreline properly with the distinct feeling that he was not alone any longer.

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Gerra I literally could not help myself because I hadn't had an Antares thread in centuries LOL

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  The warm air of the plains was a welcome feeling, and so was the scent of dried feilds and sycamore's leaves. Within every expansion of her chest she exhaled -- breathed in -- the golden lands of the east; which is what Izu liked to call it with passion. Sounds more "regal" in her head, honestly.

  She had arrived to the plains and away from the temprate. All with the expectation of something new to possibly keep her mind and feet busy with the promise of exploration; yet besides looking upon treeless ground and finding new prey items, the cranebird was clearly at a loss of how she should spend her first couple of days here.

  She supposed it be best to let time figure that out, then -- meanwhile the crane could busy herself with hunting and finding areas to camp during the night. Speak of the devil -- the sun was beggining to retreat.

  A pink tounge lulled out of her black maw in pants, and her head hung low against the brush-tips of shoulder high wheats. If Izumi were to go any further in search of some shelter for tonight, then her safest bet was to find some water if she didn't wish to pass out soon. Luckily the she-wolf's muscle memory had yet to fail her -- the same lake which sat between hills and distant mountains was still here, and the tantalizing sounds of rippling water made her swallow thick saliva.

  Running a tounge over her chops, the crane waltzed over to the lake's shores to lower her parched lips to the surface. Her tounge sent small ripples against the lake.

  The wolf's from the other side was indeed noticed....but not noticed. It would've been easy to simply lift her head to see that this stranger was nothing close to one, but in her wishes to drink and leave without disturbances -- it was better to mind her business...

  There was something strangely farmiliar within the shade of dark that got caught in the corner of her eye, though.....

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>:D i am very okay with thisssss

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Water droplets from his chin slowed, and though he came here without a lot of detailed familiarity in the place, he tried to make note; settle in, somehow and create that better understanding for later. He didn't feel like he had traveled all that far from Shiroshika's claim, ultimately--he was still re-orienting himself with Skelmir's Pass as the return point fully, so trips out and around like these were bound to do him good. Already considering the prey traffic he had crossed over to get here, he could fully understand the place's worth, especially if it was relatively nearby.

But he also had the sense that there was more to see--even as he skimmed the horizon back down to the waters, and stalled out there in a moment of pensive consideration on where to go from here. Though he supposed he should keep moving on and decide that on his feet, he didn't quite act on it yet, loitering instead and enjoying the cool on his legs. Maybe the waters were a more necessary reprieve than he had first considered. Slowly, he blinked down in realizing that his ripples on the surface were not fully alone. This gave him something, and with a small jerk of his muzzle, he followed them to his surprise. Another wolf, light and dark and... Izumi?.

Blinking off his surprise, he didn't doubt who he saw for very long, she was marked too unmistakably for that even at a decent distance away. Maybe, for half a heartbeat, he did doubt that she was here, too. The samurai had not seen her since they had rallied against the tiger, and where he had refused to compartmentalize the fact in the aftermath of it all, now distance was so small. So suddenly. He wouldn't think about it from there, and without leaving the waters or thinking about what he wanted from the motion, he waded over towards her piece of shore on that very note.

Between relief, disbelief, and not knowing where to even begin had his footing slippery, but he wouldn't let the opportunity pass. He knew he was easily seen by then, and hoped she wouldn't disappear. His tail swayed slowly, tentatively about it--still looking to be absolutely sure it was her... “Hey,” he chuffed. “I didn't expect you to be around here too,” he sounded relieved about it though, because not far had been a prior assessment, and well, he had to wonder a whole lot less now.

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  Her eyes, which were closed whilst enjoying the cooling feeling of water moistening her parched lips, were forced open in shock at the sound of loud splashing into the lake's once still surface. Izumi's rounded eyes had swapped up to the piece of land the other wolf was on -- only to find that their shadowy hide was no longer there -- they were in the water, swimming towards her. Her hackles pricked like a defensive hedgehog in surprise and natural bewilderment of the situation. Even her muzzle wrinkled slightly by instinct....until smoothing over when their eyes finally met. Recognition; a better word for it --

  "Antares-???" she spewed within half-a-gasp, still attempting to blink away the surprise. Considering her proximity from the mountains right now, it was not really the sight of him that set off her bewilderment -- it was the grand entrance. Now within the knowledge that the wolf was someone she knew well, Izumi could not stiffle the snicker that bubbled within her chest and out of it came tear-inducing laughter. Which was not helped by how casually she'd been greeted, either -- with the dark-cloaked samurai now dripping in water.

  -- and all the while, her silky tassel cut through the air in a rhythmic motion. Her dear freind, someone she had not seen since the battle that tore them all apart....the crane was happy to see him.

  When her laughter would subside into silence, her expression would slowly shift into that of uncertanty and sadness -- similarly, her movements towards Antares were hesitant, at first. The crane was still convinced she'd be seen as a traitor to those who were once her own people after leaving and believed it would've even made the samurai wary of her presence. Yet it was he who approached....that may have been a good sign, wasn't it?

  Slowly but surely, the crane licked her nose a few times and would attempt to rest her chin upon the lupine's shoulder in a sort of "wolven hug", letting her brow press into the side of his neck. There was fear that her suspicions were correct, and that he did distrust her after her departure from Shiroshika. Yet the cranebird couldn't help but try anyway -- they were not strangers.

  "元気ですか?" — How are you?

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Antares didn't intend to come as a shock himself, he was too caught up in ensuring that first of all--he wasn't dreaming and that he seized the opportunity to see her here and now before it all dissolved before his eyes. It did dawn on him somewhere along the way that she might not want anything to do with anyone of Shiroshika anymore given the nature of her separation from them and the time that had spanned since. So intrinsically tied to guarding some semblance of peace for the pack, he had never truly addressed the matter of Izumi's absence, or what it meant to him.

He just wouldn't be able to fault her for it if she truly wanted nothing to do with their lot, and ultimately he did answer to the empress... but that wasn't enough to make him hesitate; he hoped not. Not for him somehow, who though hazily, could predate all the misfortune they had come to know in the tundra--if nothing else.

Expectations utterly open thanks to such a span of time, he appeared dripping wet and probably a bit wide-eyed as she took in realization of him and laughed. He felt worry begin to dissolve suddenly, it falling from his shoulders. Now he could appreciate this more for what it was. “Sorry,” he chuffed his own softer laugh, referencing his appearance--sudden, sodden, and otherwise all while resisting the urge to shake his dripping furs out. “水がいい,” — water's nice he offered as explanation, the best he was going to muster, and half a smirk. The weight of relief to see her alive, hale, surprised him now.

And he wasn't going anywhere, even as she pressed into him--further signal to him that it was okay, and him willing to say the exact same back by arcing into it, threading his muzzle through her fine furs while they were close. But how was he? “大丈夫,” — alright. he breathed, obviously trying to summarize. Trying to find the right words for it all, or even where to start. “お忙しいところ…でも、またお会いできて光栄です...” — busy... but, it's good to see you again... he blinked slow, sighing with relief to just say so.

Izumi wore a myriad of scents, however none explicitly rang as familiar to him so he wanted to know how she was more than he wanted to detail his own--and how time, and distance, had treated her. “旅行?” — traveling? the samurai tilted his head at her, hopeful she might share.

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  The returned affection was comforting. It confirmed to Izumi that Antares did not grudge her for disappearing without as much as a word, despite the fact that she wouldn't blame him if he did. Because what kind of friend was she? To bring him to a place where he could call home, only to leave when things became too hard for her to process....Antares was more understanding than the crane believed she deserved, and for that she was forever grateful.

  There was the slightest of urges to groom away the clumps of wet fur along his neck with her teeth while they were close, though Izumi figured the ostrega could do that much himself. She pulled away to look at him again while seating herself, her expression suprisingly normal despite holding back the urge to burst out laughing again with the way he looked right now. Though suprisingly, she hadn't. Kerping calm while chanting quietly within her head -- 'I am a mature adult. I am a mature adult...'

  “私は嬉しいです-” — I am glad-- Her head tilted, her expression held soft “--and your Japanese has gotten better, I see.” the girl voiced with a gentle, encouraging tap of his shoulder with he paw. She was glad to see he was doing well, but a part of her still couldn't help but worry for the current state of her departed home. How they must've still been in hiding, how patrolling must've gotten tighter and done more feverishly than usual. How they'd still been holding up with the loss of those who'd fallen, and the now abandoned mountains of Tsukiishi.

  The tale weaver wondered -- will ever there come the day where Shiroshika would return to their true hearthside?

  He'd then ask a question for himself; with her now being the target. Izumi blinked thoughtfully about it at first, as there was no straight answer in her mind to explain what in the world she'd been doing other than just traveling. So the crane would answer in the best way she could; “Thinking...” She corrected, looking to her dark paws with a sort of saddened smile “I don't know what I'm doing, really. Nor where im going. Though I won't be returning....I am a rouge for as long as my journey leaves me alive...”

  and though the thought of apologizing to Antares for it hit her just then, she stopped herself and decided on not saying anything further...Izumi was always apologizing for making life choices that made her the happiest -- she would not do that anymore.....

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Too struck by the good fortune of his finding, he glanced away only briefly. “Thanks,” he breathed, sheepish about his grasp of the languages suddenly. It didn't come as quickly to him as it did her tongue, or Reiko's, but it still felt right enough to wrap his head around. He had come here with his foundations from long before, and well, circumstance had really helped him foster it--and him able to bridge his ancestors to his present. “遅いです、たまに..” — It is slow, sometimes... he added, rolling his shoulders, far more keen to hear more about what she had been doing now that he had waded into her way today.

Quiet then, he sat where he was to listen, which proved to be the smart move. Distance had been left up to her and it suited him, though her forlorn look spiked concern at first, narrowing his eyes just enough. Details were to come and he nodded slow, mentally chewing on this tough piece to swallow. It wasn't his place to fault her, especially for not returning to Shiroshika when it all no longer aligned for her. She was looking out for her best interests above all, right?

Izumi did what she had to do, he believed. He didn't need to understand all of it. He didn't know what he was doing sometimes either. Deep breath, and he tried to piece something together: “It's.. I get it, I think. I hope.” He already needed to regroup, but wanted to give her that much peace of mind. If it was for her best interest, then so be it. He could question it all day long but it would likely never change the facts. Maybe a part of him had already understood this in the time since her leave. He knew he was caught in the crossfires of bigger things.

Still processing that grand scheme, Antares circled back to an unavoidable fact, though. “I will miss you there. Have, already, of course.” He felt it had been different there, but also recognized it was a selfish thought and not all because she took her leave from them. There was a lot else to worry about already. “But I understand things have to be done sometimes, and... I just also hope the journey continues to leave you alive,” he pressed a bit, side-eyed serious on that note. “Wherever it has to go.” That it was worth it for her, and maybe that she would find what she sought--be it answers, solace, or.. whatever else was out here for her to find.

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Izumi expected something else...maybe even dissapointment disguised in indifference. Izumi always held an air of regal authority to her wherever she went, it was how she'd been raised -- yet at the end of the day she was still an insecure girl who feared the rejection of those she sought compassion from the most. So the cranebird braced herself for it; the pain of seeing him walk away, knowing that he doesn't have to have anything to do with her anymore now that she'd confirm she wasn't coming back...

--but yet again, Antares would suprise the cranebird, her splayed ears slowly lifting in tune with her gaze to hear him speak in response. Not brushing away her emotions or even her desire to venture and find a purpose she did not know of; no judgment....no questioning. He wasn't upset with her, then? On top of that -- “You'll.....miss me?” In the grand scheme of things it was obvious that they would miss each other, as they were close freinds...yet hearing it from his mouth instead of simply assuming it was different. It felt warm. It felt comforting -- and Izumi couldn’t help but look down with pressed ears against her skull again. Except this time, with a bashful, genuine smile. She even felt as if she was going to tear up in relief, but she didn't...

“I will miss you too” the woman would say after a moment of silence “Shiroshika is a stong pack, I have always believed such. You will all prosper despite these current hardships. Especially with Reiko as their leader, and you, as their Samurai.” words of farwell, even if she did try to make it sound positive in a way, there was a bittersweet softness in her voice. Yet if there was something she would never abandon -- more specifically -- something she'd been far too stubborn to abandon. “--but just because we no longer share a home, doesn't mean we have to stop seeing each other...don't you agree?” it was their bond. They'd come a long way, even before she had died, and to cut their ties off over this was something Izumi simply wouldn't do.

While she'd say this....her paw would reach into the waters they stood beside, and would swipe upwards to splash on Antares. Before she knew it Izu was already hopping a few steps back, parting space between the two of them simply to stand and stare at the raven with a blank expression -- feigning knowledge on what she had just done with a simple look. Though her tail swayed over her hocks like a feathery flag in tune with her now playful behavior.

“I may not know how my journey treats me. Perhaps you can grant me luck if you stay a while longer.”

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Since he had turn-tailed from the fate awaiting him at the mountain's rubble, or even at his aunt's fledgling village just beyond it, he had grown into a new perspective that came with a new understanding. Sometimes, a little self-preservation was necessary. It might not be ideal for everyone, but it was probably a bigger one of life's inevitabilities than he truthfully wanted to admit. He could see that although it might leave him to miss her around the claim, it might be better for greater things. “Well yeah--” he started to justify when she questioned, and clipped his jaws shut to listen on after, pensive.

Though she returned it onto him with more, and spoke to raise him and his loyalties up, he did not miss the bittersweet aftertaste. But it was swift to pass, thankfully even if he stayed speechless a beat. He did believe in Shiroshika, and wanted to help usher them back to proper peace and true growth somehow. It was not something that could happen immediately, and though he took natural pride in his role as their samurai, it was a weighty title that sometimes did worry even him--remembering his failures last time responsibility had weighed down onto him. Still, he was quick into the nod, wanting past the visceral reaction he felt about it all. They didn't need to share a home to still be friends.

Too caught up in the subject matter, all he could do was just watch as she dunked her paw and flung it his way, ultimately arcing a splash across his face. He shrunk back too late for any significant dodge, so damp in his fate, he finally shook out his wet fur unapologetically then watched her for a new retaliation, mischief slipping into his expression. Slowly, surely, he would relax into his own play--he hoped. “I do agree,” he emphasized easily because somehow it just was easy and flowed right, despite everything else in this strange world. Antares didn't want to lose that just because of distance; not while he still had paws to travel on, not if he could still help it. “I'm not going anywhere,” he answered before he took the time to think about its implications. Not right now. He would have duty at home after, though he couldn't say for sure if it would grant her any luck in the long run. If there was any worth in it, then he would.. “I want to hear about what you've seen,” he stepped towards her slowly.

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It looked as though she was far too late to try stepping out of the way before she'd gotten wet in the onslaught of Antares' attack, in which her eyes squeeze shut in a wince while now being covered in lake water. Air snorted from her nostrils in a sort of sneeze that signified play, and Izumi would then slink her way over towards Antares like a prowling cat, in the same time he approached her, before reaching to nip at his shoulder and bound off once again. Such a burst of energy was rare for the crane -- and she almost didn't know how to contain it except to let canine instinct take over.

“I've seen many things, and many different people, might I add.” She watched the boy like a hawk as she spoke -- taking careful, circular steps around him as if she was hunting. “A man raising a coyote pup, a seaside pack led by a seaside maiden,” -- to quote a few. Perhaps she would run into those wolves again someday, even to meet Vendrussel again, yet for now Izumi strayed far and wide in search of many more interesting encounters.

Sticking her head between her paws and a back end into the air, Izumi stopped her prowling in place for the infamous "playbow", encouraging Antares to make a move of his own. “Did you know that there's a pack within the woods that worship deer?”

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Alight with sensation, he could willingly follow her lead. Far away from most of what mattered and the weights he carried accordingly, setting everything else aside seemed to come easily.

He visually tracked her, and even let himself be victim to her nip. After, he swung his head back her way to prepare his retort, and in that same instant, it was like she was already gone out of reach. The gravity she took with her tugged at his paws and though it had been quite some time since he had unwound properly enough to feel it, that instinct to play-chase burned brightly in him.

It was listening to her, all while watching her watch him that kept him relatively stilled. After all, he did want to know what she had seen and even from this small glimpse, he nodded. “Sounds like interesting sorts..” he trailed. “Did you see to the ocean?” he then asked suddenly, more charmed by the idea than he came prepared for, but there was something nostalgic about remembering the horizons there--like once with Vallkyrie, in Stavanger Bay, an entire life ago after he had lost the Fireflies. Antares had not visited the sea in this new land. Not properly, and he knew that was due to change one day.

Incited fully by her play bow, he flagged his tail and ruffled his furs, rising up out of his typical slinking, ranger's stance. Playfully emboldened and making it all into a prance arcing around Izumi. Deer worship was new to him; he might know the forest queen so vaguely, but not well enough to draw the connection to her religion. “I didn't. I wonder how that came about, then... Must be a lot of other things to hunt there,” he guessed, conversational on his feet until he suddenly cut his own circle and silently sprang in after her, aiming his own nip back for her flank.

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