SERAPHIM IMPERIALIS Seraphim was finding the summer glorious in it's intensity. I mean sure, it was miserable but also unique for that alone. His previous summers had been nothing like the arid, blistering season he now endured. Every day he would languish and think, think and languish. Hunting was an easy matter for a wolf of his size, but keeping cool was quite another matter. This forest was... unearthly. It seemed dark no matter the time of day, and it's mists would vanish only when facing the most ferocious of heat. It was a respite, yet still quite unpleasant... Well, that was summer for you. He felt odd, untied to any one part of the continent yet was compelled to stay in the south. His family was... hard to find these days, but he picked up a scent here and there from time to time. One day soon he would call for them but for some reason he couldn't bring himself too. It was the same sharp feeling of having missed so much, something he was too proud to call guilt, but he couldn't search them out all the same. It would come with apologies and things he was trying not to feel right now. He would keep himself distracted instead. He clung now to the edge of the wood, staring out at the brighter, hotter plain that lay beyond. He was loath to give his forest up but the sun would be setting soon and with heat like this he preferred to travel at night anyways. Perhaps it was time to move on. "Talk" "You" Think

Armai would have been content to laze about in her den and sulk save for the fact that she was running low on some herbs. If it hadn't been for Riv's most recent wounds she would have been content to let the rest sit there and rot. They could be covered with dust and wither away into nothing for all she cares. No herbs in the world could make her feel better about what had happened. She felt more for Riv than anything else and the rest of her old pack mates that had actually followed him faithfully. Not only had there been a disruption from within the pack, but the challenge had torn away at the outside and with nothing to support it it crumbled from both ways. It was a bitter thought. Alas Riv's wounds worried her. She feared they would grow infected if left untreated for too long and she was wary of letting her stores run low while he was in her care. She needed more lamb's ear or horsetail and poppy seeds would have done her well. She was silent in her journey and Nox trailed along behind her. She'd barely spoken to the cat lately and had shunned her help. Nox took it without complaint, but she knew the leopard wondered why she didn't want her help. It left the silver healer without a guide to help her walk around, but in truth she was tired of relying on everyone. She'd relied on Riv to help her find a purpose. She'd relied on Myriad for her basic needs. She relied on Nox to help her see and in the end not even Nox would remain around. One of them would die and either Nox would be left without her or she without Nox. She needed to remind herself that she could live on her own. So she'd insisted that Nox stay home, but in the end she trailed after her like a silent guardian. In the end, without Nox's help, she'd ended up going the completely wrong direction and ended up in a place she knew wouldn't have the herbs she'd desired. She knew the place by smell, but nothing more. She knew trillium and cannabis grew her and overall it wasn't a bad thing. Trillium had a few uses and with how depressed Riv seemed lately she knew she could suggest it to him. He probably wouldn't like the idea, but he certainly needed to eat and it would increase his appetite as well as help his mental state. With her nose to the ground she began slowly picking her way through the forest. Occasionally an ear would flick back at Nox. She'd hear her mouth open and the gasp in her breath as she would try to speak if it looked like Armai was going to run into something, but no words actually left her mouth. Even when she didn't want her help Nox still gave it readily and even if she didn't say it out loud she still appreciated the help. She'd managed to pick a few sprigs of trillium and a cannabis plant before she felt the warmth of the edge of the forest. She didn't know what time of day it was but she sensed that it was getting later judging by how the sun felt on her pelt. It was then that the scent of a rogue caught her attention. Her head would raise and sightless eyes would peer out at blackness as her nose twitched. She couldn't pinpoint his location but someone was there. "Hello?" She'd call out warily. She was tired of feeling helpless and not being able to see irked her once more. She certainly didn't want any surprises and without any pack to aid her anymore she certainly was more leery of strangers. She was at least thankful she'd attended Xeph's fight training. She certainly was not a warrior by any means, but she was sure she could fend off someone if she absolutely needed to. Walk, "Talk" Think "Nox"