let go of that trembling heartbeat

He dreamed, long and deep.

He dreamed of snow-covered peaks, so many spiring so high that he couldn't count them from here. Of the endless white tundra spanning all the way to the seaside. Of a varied old forest, dense and thickening as he went further into its heart. There, he caught a fleeting glimpse of an elk moving between the trees, gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

This offered a particular focus, and he grabbed on fast. He sensed there were others coming to join him, but could not name their faces--not in the cover of the trees, and the darkening night. They moved as one formation. They were all of the same ilk, pointed towards the same goal, and he was inspired, wanting the same.

He could smell looming rainclouds, he thought, despite his determination to focus on this new peculiar hunt. Later, this would prove true when a small sprinkle turned to a shower, and rumbling cracks of thunder drove home the point. Springtime heralded in full, driving forward on a purpose, and he was invigorated despite the lack of immediate quarry trail. The company of hunters sped up with hopes to remedy this, fanning out as miles went by.

A shadow swept by him too close for comfort, and he did not balk like before. He chased after this lead, intent to join in because he understood better now. He could almost keep pace, and lightning splintered across the night.

But before he could hear the answering thunder, he blinked and it all only felt like open air. With nothing beneath his paws, he was soon falling back, helplessly watching the stars glimmer far overhead as wind whipped his furs.

Someone was calling to him, but he could not make out their voice. Neither could he answer.

Then, he awoke... cold, and alone. Disoriented, and dreadfully hungry. He was tucked away in a groove high in the elevation of Tsukiishi, probably too generous call it a cave but a shelter from the elements all the same. He frowned, then grimaced outright. With some effort, he got himself up and out to further realize his eerily familiar circumstances.

Thankfully the samurai still recognized the places around him as he stretched out and readjusted. The cold mountain air, distinct hints of pine, and the fresh cherry blossom blooms especially -- it had to be Tsukiishi, at least. It looked and smelled like the place. So that was a start. A very welcome one, but the questions would not end there.

This world did not have his trust yet. Like he might still be sleepwalking, he proceeded slowly down the mountain and carefully drank in what he hoped was a quiet morning. He needed to regroup, starting with himself. Antares trusted he would find others, and a meal, soon.

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The pregnant woman moved through the lands slowly, bringing in her latest kill from the surrounding territory. The deer was a bit awkward in her grip, dragging it behind her slowly in a way that her swelling belly wouldn't get in the way. But, she didn't seem to mind it really, she just wanted to help provide for the pack, hopefully able to help out while they recovered from whatever just happened. 

As she was dragging the meal to the cache though, she caught sight of another. Dropping the kill for a moment, she spoke out, her voice light and soft. "Antares? Are you alright?" She asked softly. Though she didn't know the man personally, she had heard a bit about him before, but was certainly glad to see that he was still around.

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Distracted from delicate his route, he noticed someone approaching. Delgata, carrying a dead deer. His ears perked up, and paws slowed, watching her see him--he was far too relieved to see someone, anyone else, seemingly going about normal business. Since he had yet to fall through the earth somehow, he was feeling a touch more grounded, too.

Not knowing what he looked like, he would just have to assume it was about how he felt and it was not pretty. He was still fighting with the feeling of having woken up half hungover from a night he didn't entirely remember. Ears splayed out again then, he nodded slowly, eventually. “I think,” he answered because ultimately, he was, even if he might not sound entirely convinced. He seemed to be alright--apparently enough. He hadn't found anything else wrong besides this strange feeling. “I just woke up and it's..” eyes narrowed, he searched for the word worth settling with. “Different.” Perhaps an understatement, but he didn't really want to worry her if this was an incident isolated to him. She had other concerns and at least it was not as big of an upheaval as the first time.

“Can I help with that?” Antares gestured at her catch, too eager to steer focus away from his own direction.

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She fell silent as she listened to him, flicking her ears slightly when he searched for the right word. Different. That was about as on the nose as he could get. Everything was different and she didn't really know what to do about it, and so she chose to do nothing. She chose to continue on with life like everything was okay.

She nodded slightly with a sigh, moving to sit down and wrap her tail around herself, her voice soft and comforting, much like a mother speaking to a frightened child. "Yes, you're right. Everything is very different now. I'm not sure what happened, but things have changed." She glanced around, her nose to the sky as she continued. "The lands seemed to have shifted, there's new landmarks, and there scents of several others have vanished." There was a hint of sadness in her tone as she said that last part, thinking of her previous mate who just seemed to fall off the face of the earth. 

But, his offer to help her pulled her back to the present and she turned her gaze towards him, offering a warm smile as she nodded her head in thanks. "If you wouldn't mind, thank you." She was just as grateful for the help as she was for the change in topic.

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Since she didn't look at him like he had grown another head, the cogs were turning--what had happened?.

Silent as he concentrated on listening, Delgata confirmed changes to the very lands, and more. She seemed to understand quite well without him even managing to say much, which worked fine for him. While relieved to know he was not alone in this confusion, it simply begged too many bigger questions. Though he nodded slow, he felt his ears splaying again. Strange, and different, only began to scratch the surface it seemed and this felt like a lot to take in.

Concern started to take true root when she mentioned others had vanished. Not good was a grim next thought. “Who else have you seen for sure..?” he asked slowly because deep down, a part of him worried of the answer. Who didn't he have to worry about, at least not immediately. He would have to find Hotaru, and Haruki.. and the rest of the royal family soon, too.

But, the dead deer, a far easier subject that she accepted his offer about. He was happy to help and breathed a sigh of relief on his answering nod. “Did you have a spot in mind already?” he asked, still sure to get his grip on this world and this life of his upon it.

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She sighed slightly and shook her head softly at the man's question, hating how she couldn't give him any good news. "Honestly, other than you, it's been a ghost town. I was hoping to go out soon and investigate more but I.." She sighed slightly, glancing down at her swelling belly again. She knew she was already pushing it by going out of the borders and hunting, even with @Apsephion's help. "I haven't really been able to do much myself." She would aim a gentle but firm nose against his shoulder, trying to help comfort the man. "We'll find the others." She said hopefully, though her smile didn't entirely reach her eyes. She was terrified that everyone was gone, but she wasn't going to voice her concern. 

Her attention turned to the food and she gestured to the cache. "You can go ahead and put it in the cache, anyone can take it. I'll grab something small for myself." She had no reason to take a whole deer for herself and figured that the pack, or what was left of it, could use it more than her.

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Ghost town, she said, and Antares felt his frown harden swiftly. That didn't bode well at all for the present, and frankly he had lost everyone too many times before--he wasn't ready to do it again, and he didn't even want the familiar feeling of dread around the possibility.

Delgata was still holding onto hope and since he had just got here, it was the least he could do; there had to be others around. Hopefully they all just needed to regroup. Nervously guarded about it anyway, his tail twitched. “I'll look,” he assured her quietly because he did have to agree, she probably didn't need to be wandering far as she was. His sense of time was so skewed, he had no idea exactly how soon her whelping would even be. He would much rather her be cautious, anyway.

As soon as he got his own shit together, he would range over the mountain and beyond and see what he could turn up. “They're around,” he agreed slowly--nodding after she said they would find them, but he did have the impression they both needed convinced of this. Hopefully he could make that happen. They just had to start somewhere, but he didn't like the inkling of suspicion he had. This couldn't get worse..

He then nodded, keen enough to agree to such a fate. It was her deer, in his opinion, so he would just muscle the last of the task. “Alright. I'll cache it near,” he said, figuring they could all benefit, though she needed it most right now. It wasn't going anywhere except to store though, if she hungered herself later. “Hope you can rest well..” he nodded. After bringing the carcass down already, it felt warranted that he let her take it easy from here. “And it's good to see someone after.. that,” Whatever it had been, exactly, then the samurai shook and stretched before making his way closer to the deer, ready to haul it off.. and decide where to go from there.

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She let out a soft sigh of relief as he said he would look, nodding her head slightly in thank you. Of course, that wouldn't stop her from searching as well, but at least it meant someone capable could explore further than she could. 

She looked up at him, watching him closely. He was just like her, unsure of what the future would hold. But, she had to keep holding onto hope, or she might just break. But, she kept the smile on her face, hiding her fear, concern and anxiety. She didn't want to worry anyone else by voicing her fears. At least not yet. 

As he moved to take the kill back to the cache, she lifted herself into a more standing position and aimed a soft headbutt to his shoulder, a brief but friendly thank you. "Thank you Antares, you're very kind." She would pull away and bow her head slightly, unable to do much of a full bow at the moment. "I will see you around, if you need anything, please let me know." She spoke as if she was speaking to a close friend that she had known all her life, though in reality they were barely more than simple coworkers. Not that she minded, everyone in the pack was her family.

With that, she would turn to leave, waddling back to her den for the night.

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Marginally, it was something to feel better with--this knowing that he was not absolutely alone here in this experience today. Antares was still struggling to swallow it, but he hoped some more motion underfoot would only help him get past it all. With any luck, he would find others and they could all rest a little easier and move on. If not, well, he could at least find a purpose in making sure Delgata was well-hunted for as her puppies got closer. Spring should make the fields fruitful, after all, but he wouldn't know for sure until he got out there to see for himself--which would surely be one of his next stops after this.

Not the most graceful at accepting her words of gesture, he dipped his head then tried to reach a muzzle-touch towards her shoulder before she withdrew from his proximity entirely. “You're welcome,” he answered quietly. “I will,” he tacked on after a hesitating pause. There was much he surely could say, but he couldn't formulate the thought right at the moment. He felt like he was still processing the whole change of season, so it was best not to overdo it. His intent to look out for her was not necessary to overstate, and for the shadowed Ostrega, that felt fine.

He watched her go with a soft chuff of farewell, then turned his focus fully to the fallen deer now. It seemed wise to cache it near, so he got to work hauling it to his destination--happy to think about something constructive.

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