break through the night

Trailing off a day well-spent, Antares had only just turned from caching his last small kill near the empress' cave. A careless rabbit had crossed his path and not that he had been in any particular need, opportunity obviously called. He was sure that she would not mind any extra catches with fast-growing whelps at her side, anyway.

It was an extra, easy satisfaction to glean on an already peaceful day, so now the samurai weighed his next move as his watch carried on to elsewhere. The skies were streaking in sunset already, he realized, with dark coming quick. More so lately, especially as the evenings bit with that distinct autumnal chill. He was feeling particularly keen about the shift. But, no stranger by now and sure there was no reason to grieve the finished summertime, the mountains had him prepared; his furs were dense, and he was poised for winter's upcoming hunts.

Thinking that it was not too late yet, while his pathways meandered closer to the heart of the territory still, he wondered idly enough if he might find @Sachiko nearby--or if she roamed further away tonight. If not her, then who else might he cross at this hour, too? He knew he would eventually move back towards the outskirts before dawn rose again, but along the way, he might not have to be his only company. Nose down, he slowly meandered to a path he knew he preferred, scoping along.

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no obligation at all of course, but i thought i owe her something not 493534 years old tbh

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You know it's my pleasure to hop in <3

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Every once in a while she would wander away from Tsukiishi and earlier last night was no different. She roamed the neutral lands not too far from their peaks, only enough to see what was beyond their borders and who.

On her way back through the borders she rolled in some snow and evergreen needles, following by cleaning herself off from needles stuck in her fur or dirt - trying to mask at least a little of her companion's scent she had spent the night with. It would do little, but enough to not be too obvious. Sachiko wasn't embarrassed about it anyway, but didn't want to draw too much attention to herself right now either.

She had been home for a while now. The sun had risen and was once again on its fall. The day had gone on without anything of interest - Haruki was occupied as always, @Hotaru seemed more preoccupied with bonding with her younger siblings; which Sachiko had no problems with of course. The princess needed some good in her life finally, and who was Sachiko to be anything but supportive?

So she set her eyes upon someone else. It had been a while since they had spent any time together, and there he was. Tall, dark and handsome himself, Antares. “Always the busy one, aren't you?” She'd slide up next to him, almost shoulder to shoulder but not touching. From the looks of it he was... hunting perhaps? She didn't smell any trespassers that might have caught his attention, not on this trail at least.

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Antares kept to his route, but made no haste yet, for nothing really sparked the right type of interest when his day had already been fulfilling.

But in what did not seem like too long, he blinked and felt realization follow on the next breath. He quelled concern immediately and instead turned it right back towards the satisfaction of relief as he looked over his shoulder and saw Sachiko. The dark samurai adjusted step and let his tail sway, his greeting a low, pleased chuff first before he bumped his shoulder against hers. “So you are around tonight,” he said lightly, alluding only slightly to the fact that maybe she had crossed his mind.

Comfortable, and maybe a lighter step about him now with her company, he was busy, true.. but not strained by this. Once he recovered from the strange shift of earlier in the year, the summer had seen to it that the pack did well. With Reiko's pups still awfully young and the lands otherwise peaceful, he just gladly hunted more and kept to more particular vantages of guard with the new lives in mind--he felt busy because of it, sometimes--but he liked that kind of duty, obviously. He wanted to make what he could simpler for them all. But, that didn't consume his every waking moment. “Yeah. But less so right now. My hunts were lucky earlier..” so he roamed a bit, still in-between intentions on what he was wanting to do, or where he should be next before an inevitable return to watch.

“Otherwise it's quiet.” And getting darker, colder. Autumn giving way to wintertime fast over the rare peace that had settled. “What have you seen lately? Anything good?” he asked, curious and arcing towards her enough to try to gauge her expression. She smelled of unfamiliar places, so it felt a good guess.

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The warmth of his shoulder against hers lit a spark between them that electrified the rest of her body. A pulsating sensation that spread from her core to the tips of her hairs. His words didn't help either. Curious ears twisted to catch them in his unique tune. Smouldering, it made her her feel weak - but wouldn't dare to show just how weak he could make her so suddenly with just five simple words.

She was a woman now. Not a girl. To give in to such simple tactics were beyond her. It was time to act more like a woman and less like a girl chasing attention - even if that was still what she desired most of all. “Oh? Were you searching for me?” She said with a teasing tune, almost, but not quite surprised with it. She wouldn't step away from his touch, instead focussing on matching his stride so she could continue to feel his warmth against her. For anyone else it could easily be seen as just two comrades talking, getting a little familiar with one another but not quite crossing a line just yet.

Sach liked to be friendly with everyone after all. Some just made her feel different than others. “Yeah?” She proded a little to his "not quite busy right now" quip. “Does that mean you're free at the moment?”

“Me?” Only now did she move away from him, wandering in a different direction to see if he'd follow her path next. Testing the waters. “Nothing interesting. Just occupying my time. The peace is nice but it's also a little boring, don't you think?” Not that she would ever want Kuhn and his goons to come back, but something would be nice.

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He clicked his teeth shut, and playfully eyed her sideways with an affirmation rumbled from low in his throat. Antares thought of her when he sought companionship, her past works on him not unnoticed and his holds easier to get by each time--now, to where he could even start to look for it, and trust that she might agree when he did. He was already rewarded by her warmth returned. “I am,” he answered, earnest, as his feet were already easily following her.

Intent, and listening, he supposed a part of him could agree. He could usually keep himself occupied somehow, though, so maybe it took longer to bore him outright. “It can be uneventful,” he nodded slow, still letting her lead as he set out to trail Sachiko close. “But I can't complain, it makes my job a little easier..” Good timing, good healing, he thought. Very much needed after everything, and now with what they had again, it felt like home. With no lurking exiles or wildcats, he could think about other things, and whether or not that meant for good things, he was not so sure. “Back.. before, in my parents' pack, I just scouted around more when it was too mundane on the mountain. Here, since spring--” Whatever that was that had happened, changing the earth itself, somehow. “--I just haven't been out very far, yet,” he remarked, supposing that a part of him did miss that inclination to wander and roam around with far fewer cares. But he valued security, and knowing where his home was, much more lately when he couldn't always trust things to stay where they were.

But even despite his mention, he didn't particularly want to dwell on it much. Not in a comfortable present when he couldn't quite predict her next move.

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“Any particular reason?” She would be lying if Sachiko said she wasn't surprised or pleased that Antares was looking for her this time and not the other way around. The way he followed immediately lifted her spirits in ways that very few could. Sex was one thing, but this, felt something she had desired the most. Something more than just brief attention and moving on to their separate packs after.

It was also a little frightening. Was she growing too fond of the guardian, or perhaps the other way around?

“Ah, a wanderer too then?” Seems they had that in common. She'd speak while they walked, knowing very well he could easily catch up if he wanted to and didn't need the swan to slow down for him to match her pace. “I'm certain the Emperor and Empress would be happy to let you roam now that there is peace.” For how long was anyone's guess - but with a lifetime being with the Empress and her children, Sachiko was confident that the leaders didn't want to make anyone feel bound to their borders when it wasn't completely necessary.

“The youth are getting older, we have more than only you now to watch the borders.” She hummed. “Perhaps you can join me on my next expedition if you wish?” An open invite, one she wouldn't be insulted if he took or no.

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Any particular reason? He didn't have the best answer ready, not expecting to explain, but could be honest. Because he wanted to see her? Trusted he could relax a little and enjoy someone else being around? Solitude was a certain type of comfort, true, but it didn't always need to be all. “Some company didn't seem too terrible,” he answered simply, vague enough. She was one he did know how to find, most days--which went further than all else he had misplaced over the years, or paths back he couldn't make, no matter how much he wanted to try. Loss on top of loss, and yet he had grown fond here.

Thinking back, he tried not to lean into nostalgia too badly. “Once, yeah.” he agreed. Though he was not so sure he could wear the title of a wanderer as well anymore, even if it may be etched into his blood as Ostrega. He harbored ancient guilt still, even if it might be why he survived to today at all. If he could've returned only a day sooner, maybe Osiris and the others would have outgunned the bear. Maybe he could have helped in the charge, or seen it coming before it all got so bad. And, deeply down, he also feared the shifts of this world. He had known this mountain for a long time now, and didn't want to see it gone. It couldn't burn, or crumble, or disappear entirely into the mists--not without him. He hadn't lost it, and wanted to keep it that way.

But time had passed, all had been well since. Peace reigned, and security deepened. Antares knew this. He didn't need to worry about it, not that it did any good, anyway.

So effortlessly enough, Sachiko was right. His ears fanned outward pensively, and the nod was slow. “I know they wouldn't have any issue,” he had never felt caged by what there was to do here, and instead liked that. Others had come up and able, and their pack well-established now though. But she laid it out so simply, and offered more. Antares sensed he should build on her confidence in him, and besides, she had surely seen more than him already. “You are right. And, I could go,” he replied, hopefully not too readily, but he had no qualms and winter gave him more cause. He ought to see more of these mysterious wilds, and extend that knowledge past the immediate horizon of theirs. Doing so with her granted even more opportunity, and he was not going to turn a blind eye to the chance. “Where do you think you'll go?” he had to ask, lured by calling it an expedition, even. What did the countess seek out there?

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