Mochi prowled along the black sand beach, the unnatural red light overhead, even at her best approximation of what should have been sunset, set the stones to glittering like rubies. Like they were drenched in freshly spilled blood.

She kept to the water's edge, the waves occasionally creeping up to swirl around her toes, the undertow eroding the sand from beneath her paws. It felt like she was barely clinging to the surface of the world. It seemed fitting somehow, at the seeming end of days. She paused for a moment and looked out over the ocean, her fox calling an alert somewhere in the distant dunes. Mochi only deigned to flick an ear. If the world was ending anyway, why bother being on guard?

"speech"

Reveling in the light and the blood and the bizarre turn of events that Ragnarök presented him with, the rot prince moves south. Covering the land with intent, and drinking it in. The black sands harboring the fading heat of the red sun, licking at his paws as Björn⁢ moves across them. A narrow strip of beach, but it did the job. Something about it is striking, would be breathtaking, under a different sun. Under a different moon. Focus, focus-- he's exploring. He's learning the land, forcing it to divulge its secrets.

Being this close to the water... it feels dangerous. Björn⁢ leans into it. Crosses the dunes, watches the black sand devour all life around it. Standing atop them for a moment. A breath. A heartbeat. The rise in the ground beneath his feet lifting him up, allowing the rot price the best view he'd get today. Gaze darting down the coastline, taking in every shape, every curve. Learning them, or at least, taking them in.

But there's more than that, to take in. A fox's chirp, swallowed somewhat by the sounds of the sea. Beyond that... a girl. Björn⁢ doesn't stop himself, doesn't pause, as he approaches. Light on his feet, despite the sand that grabs at his paws. As he draws near, he speaks. "The stories say the sea will eat the land, during Ragnarök. This place, it feels like front row seats." Steadily, the boy watches for a reaction. Tone macabre, but inviting all along. Gaze careful on her face, though he takes on the tone of the storyteller.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

The stranger approached unbidden and Mochi's shoulders stiffened, her tail held out straight behind her, level with her spine. Her ears folded against her skull and lips pulled taught across her teeth. Not a snarl, not yet, but the warning was there as she looked at the man sidelong, or as best she could with her feet in the water and he somewhere off just behind her.

When he spoke, she exhaled and shook her fur, chasing some of the tension from her bones. You didn't talk to people you intended to attack without warning, or at least she thought you didn't. She wouldn't.

Turning her head to look over him properly, she kept her mouth closed and let the silence drag out just a little longer, a slow blink as she considered. He looked about her age, she'd never met anyone about her age outside her siblings. What did one talk to strangers about? The world being swallowed by the sea apparently.

"Is that supposed to be unsettling? Should I cower and beg to be saved?" She tipped her head considering, before looking back out over the cresting waves. "I think I would welcome it."

"speech"

Moving forward until the sea laps at his ankles, Björn takes it in. This is coastline, prime real estate. Gorgeous, with a fine view of dove island archipelago as he scans the horizon. They are islands he'll explore some day soon, but fuck. Take it one day at a time. Take it one place at a time-- there's no telling just how many days they have left. Still, the rot prince fixates on the islands in the distance. Putting the puzzle pieces in his head together, and discerning a relative location with something resembling ease. An accurate enough bearing, for his tastes.

Speaking of his tastes. Gaze sweeping over his companion, taking her in for a long moment. Drinking in every bit of her-- a study. A snap judgement, though Björn's judgements are rarely deeper than pretty girl. That's all he needs, right? "There's no saving anyone, that's how this works." A darkness playing within his words, though the boy doesn't mean much by it. Still watching her, still curious. "How shit do things need to be, to welcome the end days?" Curious, though Björn knows all too well.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

He stepped forward and she allowed herself to ease into the moment, taking in the distant islands, strange grey birds flying home to nest for what she supposed would pass for night under the current conditions and allowed her ear to turn towards her new companion. She snickered at his question and allowed herself to smirk and sigh. "No salvation? Guess I'll never have my first kiss..." There was a glint in her eye, a hint of a challenge, but she would brush it off as if it were nothing, bowing down in the sand, cold waves kissing her pale chest as she stretched and stepped further into the water.

"If the end is coming, we'll get a better view over there." She tipped her head towards the islands, an invitation if he chose to take it. But she wouldn't wait for a response before forging into deeper water, towards the distant islands.

"speech"

The rot prince is rakish, standing and drinking in the chaos of it all. It bolsters him, courses through him in the worst way. Everything about Björn is in the worst way, like it or not. Chin tilting skyward as he feels the red sunlight wash over his face, ruddy shadows casting, equal parts gorgeous and terrible. Just like everything else. Sharp gaze traveling the sea, mapping just how far it is to the archipelago before them. It wouldn't be a bad swim, especially with the waters as quiet as they were now. Though it's cold, there's nothing to stop him. He hoped, nothing to stop her either.

"Race you there. Winner gets that kiss." Smirking wildly, the boy throws himself to the water. Not brushing off her comment about that first kiss... what kind of sheltered ass kid was she? Björn tries to focus on the swim, not the girl. Stepping off a sandbar, making note of just how far from the shore it happened to be. Exploring, and tracing the distance between sea and shore. How long would the swim take? Not as long as usual, given the way he's pushing himself. Boys will be boys.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma