Well, they'd finally made it! Rœkia limped lightly as she worked her way along the ocean. Her little cousin was somewhere behind her but she didn't really know how to feel about the situation. Her bosom burned with betrayal, both her own and that of her lovers. The coup hadn't gone at all as planned and as tempted as she was to break the oath she swore to her foolish uncle she couldn't bring herself to actually do it. She continued on until they came to something of a cross roads. To the north was an unusual ice bridge and to the south well… more snow but hopefully warmer weather. She turned to her cousin with a wicked grin. "What do you think? Vast unknown or icy bridge of doom?"

Lukina trotted quietly and sullenly after her older cousin. They had escaped the coup but it had cost her her father and possibly her mother. She could barely process what had happened and could only focus on following after her cousin and wherever that would lead. She followed closely, seeking to walk on the south side of her cousin so the larger woman's frame would help shield her against the wind. The paused in their journey as they came across an ice bridge. She peeked under Rœkia's stomach and wrinkled her nose. "Bridge of doom I think. I bet if you tried walking across it would crack under you and you'd fall in."

Rœkia chuckled at her cousin's answer and padded over toward the edge of the ice bridge. "Such a bore for a kid. C'mon, let's just take a quick look." She didn't really have any interest in walking across the bridge but she could tell it annoyed her cousin and she couldn't help herself. Her little cousin was so innocent and naive. The girl clearly had no idea that Rœkia was part of the cause of the coup. Her teeth ground together as she walked out onto the bridge, not so much from the ice as from the memory of her former lover and the realization the woman had just been using her. Now she had nothing to show for her efforts, just exile and a promise she wish she had the cruelty to break.

Lukina stared after her cousin for a moment before scrambling out after the older woman. "Hey, wait! I don't think that's safe." In her mind walking over a strange chunk of ice that was probably slick and really strange sounded like a bad idea. Ok, so she wasn't a grown up and Rœkia probably knew better but she still felt nervous about going on the ice. Rœkia walked right out onto it but Lukina moved much more carefully, taking first one step and then another. She moved very slowly, making sure her footing was solid before she dared to take another step. Lukina's cat claws remained sheathed but as such she didn't have as much grip as her cousin.

Rœkia's pace slowed the farther she went. The journey got colder and windier with every step to the point that her little jest was no longer amusing. She could see a shadowed shape far in the distance but as brutal as the cold and wind were in the short way she'd gone she knew she'd never make it. "Beh, cold and ice. Not much here." She turned on her heels and headed back toward the shore, trying not to show how eager she was to get back on track and start heading farther south. With a little luck they'd be able to find some warmer weather and a good place to thaw, but it would likely be awhile. This cold seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see in any direction.

Lukina let her mind go blank as she trudged along the ice bridge, letting her cousin get much farther ahead. Eventually she stopped and crouched down over her paws, trying to brace herself against the cold and the wind until finally Rœkia stated that she was ready to turn back. Lukina popped up and scrambled back to the shore as quickly as she could. Eager to get out of the wind she tucked herself on the south side of the nearest pine tree as she waited for Rœkia to get back to the shore and head back down south. She gazed at the ocean once more. Perhaps it was a good thing that it was only a small portion that had frozen and not the whole ocean.