Woken from a nightmare that left her drenched in sweat, Gossamer knew the only cure was the bite of a frozen winter night. She left her den and the borders of the Armada to wander beneath the full moonlight. Already now aspects of the dream were beginning to fade whilst others pulsed with life, standing out in her mind as if they had actually happened. Gossamer shook her head, willing the apparitions to leave her. She'd grown restless, an ache in her stomach had been plaguing her the past week and try as she might she just couldn't alleviate it.

The sound of the waterfall was a welcome lullaby and Gossamer descended down the rocky embankment to the pool below. She paused for a moment, thinking she'd heard something but when no further noise was made she bent her head at the pool to drink.

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

It took awhile for the memories to return in full. The nameless face floated in the back of her mind, the feeling of the teeth around her neck, sinking into her flesh spurred her on to find her killer. Gossamer Fatalis. Pyralis grinned. While she was not enthused at all to become a ghost when she was promised some sort of ascension she had to admit she was proud of the girl. Thirteen years of wrecking havoc and that girl was the one that had done her in. They had a connection now. She could feel it. That connection drew her northward to the falls and she felt the strange rush of movement now as a ghost. It felt like she was flying across the land, being pulled where her mind desired and soon she was there. Gossamer was drinking from the pool and Pyralis stepped from the shadows, golden eyes glowing. "Hello, my darling."

Gossamer focused on the feeling of the cool water in her mouth as she drank. She'd just licked the drips off her chin when she felt a sudden, eerie chill descend around her. Her eyes narrowed. Was a storm moving in? She looked about but the sky remained clear. It was full of stars and a brilliant full moon. Taking stock of her surroundings she froze as she saw two small, golden lights, floating not far away. They were too large to be fireflies and it was far to early for them.

Gossamer focused on the lights, gasping as pupils appeared, followed by a translucent shape belonging to a familiar form she'd never wanted to see again.

"Hello, my darling."

Gasping, Gossamer wiped a paw against her eyes and stared back at Pyralis. The old woman was a mere shadow of herself, faded, transparent and bleeding profusely from her neck. Drops of blood would hit the ground, sizzle, and vanish. Gossy closed her eyes shut. "You've got to be fucking kidding me, I can not be losing my mind like this." She shook her head, certain she was imagining this. Crap! Had she fallen asleep? That must be it, she was dreaming!

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis barked out a laugh as Gossamer spoke about losing her mind. Oh this was fun! Yes, let the girl thing she'd gone crazy, that made the haunting all the more enjoyable. Her fanged smile faded into a snarl, the blood dripping faster from the gash in her neck. "I came all this way… across realms you can only dream about. Just to get my revenge. Now, die!" Pyralis leapt at Gossamer, knowing full well she'd just pass through, but all the while enjoying the shriek and startled response of the girl.

Pyralis giggled as she flew through the Armada wolf for passing through the living tickled. She rotated swiftly around, head tilting to the side far more than it should have. "You better get used to it love. I'll be with you from now to the end of the eternity. Every step of the way. And the moment your soul leaves your body, I'll be there. Waiting."

Gossamer could hear her blood pounding in her ears as she struggled to work out what she was seeing. She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting the metallic saltiness of her own blood and realizing this wasn't a dream. That left only two terrifying options. She was losing her mind and hallucinating or she really was being haunted by the ghost of the woman she'd killed. Which was worse?

Pyralis attacked and Gossamer shrieked as her enemy passed right through her. A terrible, clammy coldness following her wake. Gossamer stumbled as she turned around to face the pirate. How did you fight a ghost? How did you fight a hallucination? Whatever this was she was realizing how ill equipped she was to deal with this. Even as a healer her specialty was in battle injuries not illnesses of the mind. As for the spirit realm, who the hell knew about that? "Go Away!" she screamed, "Just leave us alone!"

Pyralis spoke again and Gossamer shuddered at the idea of being haunted forever, whether by spirit or her own mind. She couldn't believe this was happening. What was she supposed to do?

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis danced back and forth on her paws with giddy excitement, like a demented child. "Neveerrr!" She sang. "Never, never. It's you and me my darling til the end of daaaaays." She bounded forward once more, aiming to pass through Gossamer again, knowing that it was far more unpleasant for the girl than it was for her. She slashed at the Armada woman with her teeth, struck at her with her forepaws. It was a small taste at revenge but one she savored none the less. She wanted to know what Gossamer would do. What could any mortal do against her now? There was a thrilling sense to the idea. True, many could see or even hear her but this was where it really counted. She could be content with this.

Gossamer tried to fight back, snapping her jaws at Pyralis, trying to bat the woman away but to no avail. Tears of frustration started to sting her eyes. It felt terrible when part of Pyralis would past through her but she had no way of stopping it. She could hear that wretched singing voice in her head and she longed to rip the woman's throat out once more, but how could she? How did you defeat an opponent you couldn't touch?

A loud snarl ripped through the air and Gossamer skidded to a stop. A large, angry, grizzly bear was walking toward her. Clearly he had had woken up from hibernation on the wrong side of the bed and when his furious gaze fell on her he charged. Gossamer barely had time to dodge. The bears teeth snapped across the top of her head, tearing the skin but failing to get a hold. Gossamer had drawn herself in and leapt up, teeth sinking into the bears neck but just missing vital veins and arteries. The bear roared and using a powerful paw shoved her off of him. She hit the ground hard and gasped.

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis paused at the roar, a moment of fear flashing across her face before she remembered she was already dead and the bear probably couldn't see her anyway. "Ohhhh… what're you going to do now. It's Gossamer verses the Angry Bear. Go Angry Bear! Rip her to ribbons!" Pyralis floated to the side, cheering as the bear tossed Gossamer to the ground.

"Ahahahaa… oh you are out-matched! Please tell me the Armada trains its warriors better then this? Starting to be embarassed I lost, then again I was ancient. Hope that's not too much of a feather in your cap." Pyr cleared her throat then spoke again in a high falsetto. "I'm Gossy the mighty warrior. I beat up old ladies! See how strong I am!"

The bear descended on Gossamer once more and as the fight continued Pyralis couldn't help but get involved, diving at Gossamer and serving to be as much of a distraction as possible. With any luck she'd have some company sooner than expected.

Gossamer did her best to ignore Pyralis' words but they cut her none the less. The bear charged once more and Gossamer bailed to the side, the creature's claws slashing into her left hip. Shit! As she dodged she fell right through Pyralis, her breath stopping short at the sudden rush of cold. As she turned to face the bear Pyralis was there, right in front of her. Though translucent the apparitions form was enough to distort her view of her opponent. "Get the fuck out of the way!"

Gossamer had seconds to dodge or find her head in the bear's jaws so she focused on the main threat, to her own detriment. Gossamer leapt and avoided the bear but found herself part way over a cliff near the falls. She screamed as her hind paws slipped on the wet stones and slipped down the side, only just managing to catch a large tree root with her jaws. Saber teeth sank in deep and she desperately wrapped her arms around it. Ok, ok, she hadn't gone far, just a few feet. If she stretched she could reach the ledge. Gossy focused on finding secure footing with her hind paws while reaching up with her forepaws onto the ledge. Alright, so far so-

Gossamer froze as she found herself almost nose to nose with the bear. It raised its paw and she shut her eyes.

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis was enjoying herself immensely, cheering for the bear as the battle raged on and her own efforts at distraction paid off. She watched with glee as Gossamer slipped off the edge of the cliff, just barely hanging on. "Uh oh… looks like this is where it ends. Gosh, I'm almost sad. I was expecting a bit more fun tormenting you but I suppose we do have all eternity." The bear approached, lumbering toward the struggling wolf. As it lifted its paw Pyralis' grin only grew wider. What would happen when the girl died? Would Pyralis be able to see her soul? Would she be able to keep it here with herself?

Disappointment settled heavy over Dagrún's shoulders. She'd heard from a traveling tradesman that her sister, Skadi had been sighted in the north. The description sounded so convincing that she had to go investigate only to find that it was a mistake. The wolf in question, a talented warrior and blacksmith, looked strikingly similar to her sister but was most definitely not Skadi. A trip from Auster all the way to northern Boreas, wasted. It put her in a sour mood. She could just hit something right now!

A roar caught her attention as she worked her way down the rocky ledges of Waterfall Peak. Ahh spring, the awakening of cranking bears. She would've given the beast some space had she not recognized a woman in danger. She knew she'd met this woman somewhere before but didn't dwell on it too long as she dove down the rest of the way, nearly head first down the rocky path and toward the bear. With several great bounds she crashed into the bear, fangs latching deep into the back of its left ankle, her head thrashing violently. Dagrún's elongated fangs tore deep into tendons and as the bear whipped around to bite her she unsheathed her claws and struck it across the face. The bear bellowed and immediately stood on its hind legs.

The strike never came and as the bear roared in pain she opened her eyes only to find the bear was gone. What? Gossamer's brow knit together as she focused on her footing and with a powerful kick with her hind legs while pulling with her front legs she managed to drag herself back onto stable ground. When she got up she saw a familiar form attacking the bear. She remembered stumbling across the girl in her childhood though the name escaped her.

The bear's focus was on her rescuer so Gossamer took the opportunity to strike. As the bear rose to its hind legs Gossamer charged. She couldn't release her fury on Pyralis but she would have some satisfaction taking that rage and unleashing it on a rival predator. Her fangs ripped into the grizzly's rear, slicing through its tail and severing it in one horrid bite. The bear turned with stunning speed, fangs slicing through her scruff before she could get all the way clear.

I'm Trying to Find A Signal Fire

Pyralis scowled as another wolf came flying out of nowhere and attacking the bear. The bear was having a time with two opponents and she could see it start to step back, retreating from the injuries sustained by the vicious, saber-fanged woman. Oh well, this just meant that she'd have more time to toy with her favorite Armada wolf. "You kids have fun with your little friend. I'll see you some time soon my dear. I promise." She shouted out above the din, noting that the other wolf didn't seem to see her. Perfect. Hopefully it would stay that way. Pyralis let herself relax, feeling herself fading and being pulled back toward the Plunder. Time to go see what the rest of her former pack was getting up to.

-exit-

Dagrún scrambled back as the bear reared up on its hind legs. Oh boy! Dag readied herself for the next attack when the bear roared in pain and turned around to attack the girl she'd just rescued. When the bear's backside was in view she saw that the other wolf had shredded its tail and blood was seeping down the inside of its legs. Seeing a vulnerable spot Dag took advantage and bit hard into the bear's rear, right where Gossamer had. It roared once more turning around faster than Dag had ever seen a bear move, its claws raked her shoulder as it knocked her aside. At that point Gunnar arrived and the mountain lion leapt onto the bear's back, climbing right up it and latching onto one of its ears. The bear roared, shaking its head and bolting for the forest. The mountain lion swiftly leapt off then raced back over to her. "Are you alright?"

Dag nodded and got to her feet. "Oof, yea, I'll live." She looked over to Gossamer. "Hey, you ok?" Her eyes glanced to the blood coating the back of the woman's neck.

Gossamer breathed a sigh of relief as the bear fled and Pyralis disappeared. The moon show brightly over the landscape and upon the fur of the other woman whose name had finally returned to her. Dagrún. She nodded at the woman's question. "Yea, I'm alright. I'm a healer and I can tend to this." Though as tired and sore as she was maybe she would see if Halo was awake or maybe Aris, though she hated to wake her sister when the new mother had been herding kids all day.

Gossamer hesitated for a moment then decided to just ask. "Hey, I know this is going to sound weird, but you didn't happen to see an old woman lingering around when you showed up?" If there was a chance, even a small chance that this wolf had seen something it was worth asking. She had to know she wasn't crazy.

Dagrún tilted her head to the side as Gossamer explained that she was alright, she was a healer. "Ok, if you're sure. If you like I can escort you back to your pack. It's really no trouble." Dag was already here so she might as well make the most of it and maybe she could convince the healer to mend her up a bit before her trek back.

Gossamer's next question threw her. An old woman? What the heck? Dagrún glanced about as if doing so might suddenly bring the old hag into view. She looked back to Gossamer then grinned mischeviously. "Nope, no I don't seen an old woman. Just a really pretty one." She winked at Gossy, tail wagging lightly. While she was here why not practice a little flirtation?

Gossamer's heart fell as Dag stated she hadn't seen the old woman. Great, just great, so that meant she was either losing her mind or she was indeed being haunted and more and more she was afraid it was the first option. What was she supposed to do? Gossamer was a healer, a good one. However, she'd trained to work on the body, not on the mind and she didn't have the first clue about how to diagnose herself, let alone treat the condition.

"Just a really pretty one."

Gossamer blinked for a moment then scowled. "Are you seriously flirting with me right now?" The nerve! She was dealing with a crisis, was wounded, had almost been killed and this punk of a wolf decided that now was a great time to flirt.

Dagrún chuckled as Gossamer asked if she was really flirting. "Well, I just rescued a damsel in distress. What better time?" Sure, she was probably going to get shot down but she went for it anyway. Needless to say the Armada girl wasn't impressed and simply scowled at her before getting up and heading toward what Dagrún assumed was the border. "Wait for me! What if there are more bears out there?" She got to her feet and bounded after the other woman, wincing as her injured shoulder moved. She didn't want to be left behind and there was a chance the smell of blood would attract other predators better they travel together until at least one of them was safe. Dag would have a much longer journey south but maybe Gossamer would help with her injuries.