Fell for these ocean eyes,

King Elk Forest was most notably near a river, where it spread out through the lines, and likewise, into the forest. Though while not large like itself, a few streams branched into it, causing another paradise for the animals that lived within. The Elk would cater to the stream instead of diverging close to the river, she believed perhaps to avoid any predators in the open.. As most of the time, they preferred to stay close within. Though occasionally did she find them wandering outwards, beyond the forest on occasion.

There was always something new to discover, always something to find. With not too many wolves to rely on, Célnes was always on to be upon the borders marking, and then disappearing into the middle of so. The once forest bloomed in beauty with lush, but she wondered if Vengeance gave it a horror vibe, as he brought a prisoner, and troubles along. None that she couldn't handle, and unknowingly she also approved.. It gave the chance for some to stay away, making it easier to claim for herself.

Gently so did the Queen bend down, take the delight of a peaceful drink from a wandering stream.

+1 Formation Points

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What was this place?

Sunlight filtered through a mix of bared and needled branches, the morning fog lifted high into their boughs. The birds sang their melodies—blue jays in particular, had drawn her out of her haze. Styx squinted against the sunlight as it pierced her line of sight, her legs seemingly moving of their own accord through a forest she did not recognize.

Had this always been here? She could not say. She did not want to think that something had pieced it together and brought it into existence, but then again the ghostly wraith could not put it out of her mind either. Like any realm, or world, or whatever it was that it deigned to be, she knew that things oft simply came to be. It was just as likely that this place had always been here, and she had simply found somewhere else that she had not been in one life or another.

The sounds thereafter drew her further in as clarity came and went. She often dissociated with the world to commune with that she did not know nor remember, yet could recall in a moment’s notice. Her mind was the ultimate unreliable narrator, and she was author, storyteller, and character at the same time. And sometimes, those points changed.

Like in this instance, the appearance of another—a lovely creature as dark but rich in color as cedar or cherry wood. Tall, graceful; Styx may have ventured to say that she could have been doe-like. They were not too dissimilar in the latter regard, though Styx was hardly substantial in comparison to someone of apparent good lineage.

She made no move to announce herself as she approached the stream, only giving the Lady of the Wood (as she thought of her now) a wide berth. Like a specter who blinked in and out of existence, her presence would long proceed any sound she could make.
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"It seems I have a visitor." The forest was so heavily hung by the scent of elk and Elkshire wolves, and the smell of the boogeyman himself, any other scent was a more predictable find to Célnes. There was a dissatisfaction within her about how easily many seem to enter the forest, but at the moment she found herself forgiving, perhaps thinking that they have gone what she had gone; awakening in an unknown land, with none around. She felt patience at the moment, but would not know just how long that would last. Awaiting, for the numbers to grow.

"You are in Elkshire territory, my dear," he head crooked, a fire-lit gaze steadily watching the wisp in the distance. There was a thankfulness, that was whispered within her thoughts to the High Elk, for all she had seen was but the white-kin, such an unruly color, and so unforgiving, time and time she was getting sickened by how many kept coming forth. Gray was perhaps a soft spot for the Deorwine, a reminiscing of a 'nother who held the same colors.

+2 Formation Points

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Predictably, the Lady of the Wood took notice of her.

Styx’s lilac gaze caught her firewater eyes and at once was snared in their glow. She regarded the Lady curiously, head tilting as though to convey interest in her words. Which wasn’t to say that it wasn’t a genuine interest—it was quite the opposite.

“Elkshire,” she murmured to the wind, “what a lovely name.”

It suited the place, it was a beautiful name that went hand in hand with the figure before her and how she cut a much more powerful stance than her doe-like stature. It left her feeling wistful, though for just what she could no longer place a toe or finger to. A memory, perhaps.

“A lady of the wood must have a beautiful name to accompany it, yes?”

+1 Formation Points

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"It is manners, to introduce onself first as a visitor." Though words may be harsh, she was still smiling at the other, "I am Célnes Déorwine, Queen of the wolves of Elkshire." Though as graceful as she presents herself, the crown she so speaks of, even she knows there is very few that pledge royalty to it. Though one must act how they wish to be, and present themselves fully to others.

"Are you a being who also woke up in this unknown land?"

+2 Formation Points

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“Yes and no,” she rejoined, and did not elaborate. Yet.

“But ah, right you are—please forgive my lack of manners in lieu of this situation. You may call me Styx,” she went on to offer, “I am retainer to Hades, King of the Underworld and a part of the grand Pantheon.” Her head bowed gracefully, though if anything it was more or less out of place for the body that she present embodied. Social mores, animalistic or not, may as well have been lost on her.

And when her head lifted in the moments that followed, her gaze could not entirely avoid those of the Elkshire Queen. It was a lovely color, so full of life and a fire that Styx had seen a time or two before. But it was hard to say whether or not this was someone that Hades would take pleasure in meeting, yet she would tell him of her all the same.

“It is truly an honor to make the acquaintance of a Queen. Did you awaken recently?”
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"I know none of those name," she almost scoffed at 'King of the Underworld,' but managed to hold her polite smile. While their religion never had a particular hell, in a way there was thought of simply being ungraced by the High Elk, and not being able to join their herd in the after-life. Always protected and given blessed land, a reasons for their prayers was to live not only a live they current have, but to protected in the after. She of course, heard of other tales of religions where the damned get sent to an unspoken place, but someone saying they serve was simply foolish.

"Quite a while ago, but many still rise and wander to this forest.. It's quite an interesting phenomenon."

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“It is an interesting phenomena, I agree.”

Unable to be explained, disabling for those that could not come to terms or adapt. Even she knew that there would be those who would perish and pass onto the next, whatever it may be. For all she was capable of, Styx did not hold herself so high in regard that she believed she could reach all of them. Even she could not capture the points in time where the very seam of the world split in two and sent them all forth.

“There will be many more to come with time. I know this well—time is infinite and cyclical in nature. Today, we are here. Tomorrow, who knows? We are all but grains of sand in an hourglass tipped over, and over, and over,” she went on, full of mirth that even eked through her half-lidded, starry-seeming gaze. She didn’t expect to be known, nor her companions. The world was destroyed and rebuilt in a blink and their stories would eventually fade away with the passage of time, buried in sand.
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The other spun words that sounded poetic, but only reminded her of the Elders, who made their tales more complicated then it was once. Internally mocking the philosophical way they spoke, but Célnes remained with her pleasantful receptionist smile. A ploy that surely the other would relate, the fakeness that would be needed as retainer, and a speaker to others.

"What are your plans now, retainer of the Underworld?"

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Styx was no fool in spite of how she conducted herself; she knew that smile on the Elkshire Queen’s visage was nothing more than a nicety; she knew that she was being tolerated on a constantly balancing scale of forgiveness and patience where the weights were comprised of manners and graces.

“What will do I next,” she hummed. “Well, I suppose I will venture on to my next destination. It would be unwise for me to wear out my welcome in your court, you see.” She didn’t need to be pushed or reminded that she was not entirely welcome there, even if for the moment the Queen seemed rather kind to keep her company.

Unless…

“That is, of course, only by your dismissal. I would not want to keep you from your privacy or alone time, but I would not turn down keeping you company either,” she added on, almost as an afterthought. Prim and proper was rather dull, but even Styx knew the finest hands liked to have their palms greased. There was a reason the living put coins in the mouth of the dead, though the implication that it was her palms that needed the greasing lingered.

+1 Formation Points

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"I'm afraid I cannot hold you for long - there are some other duties I need to attend." Though while an excuse was to be heard it wasn't a particular lie, she did have matters to attend to. In particular lately due to the overwhelming numbers of plain walkers that keep occurring, Célnes has been on a constant roundabout patrol to spot for them. Easily so could a wolf be hidden between the many trees, and ducked away into the overgrowth of grass. Only rarely did the herd make noise, introducing to the Queen of an unknown element. Though usually it was but another native creature roaming the forest, just a bird that startled them.

"I hope we meet again, Styx of the Underworld."

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“Very well,” she rejoined, “I wish you good health.”

She didn’t linger from there, instead continuing about her way into the tranquil waters. A natural crossing was easily found to make progress—there was much of the world left to see and Styx, for all she was worth, intended to gather what she could of it. Perhaps only then would she linger closer to the evergreens where the members of their grand pantheon existed; perhaps the tethers of the world would bound her tightly to there as they had the many waterways of the underworld as she recalled it.

Only time would tell what would become of them all.
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