Mithras and Caia were gone, her best friends in the entire world and they were to be killed. She didn't realize they were gone until after their family.. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to be there, the most horrendous moments of her life, and she had run from it. Eventually she'd caught their scent, and she'd followed it to the ocean. Not knowing what else to do the small girl had swam. She'd chosen the worst of times too, by the time she had gotten tired a rough storm had blown up and Faria was sure she'd be drowned. With all the effort she had she'd just try to keep her head above the water. She wasn't sure how long she was treading or even if she was still alive when she caught a glimpse of land. The girl was exhausted, but with one last burst of energy she'd call out towards the shore, her desperation evident in her voice, if no one was there she would be swallowed by the ocean, and no one would ever realize what had happened to her. She felt an acute fear rise within her, and even through in the warm water her tired limbs felt cold a numb as she fought for her life with every once of strength she had left she'd get dragged to the shore. ""

Mithras could not believe his ears. The voice that echoed out across the shoreline was one he had known all his life only... She was supposed to be a world away. "Caia, did you hear that?" he asked in their native tongue. Perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him, like he'd first assumed when Caia had found him earlier in that same week."It... it sounded like Faria!" The gargantuan man jumped to his feet and set a course for the shoreline, long legs carrying him there with all the nimble agility one might expect from a brute of his stature. Sure enough, he burst through the line of brush and thicket to see that familiar blue pelt standoing out in stark relief against the sand. "Faria!" he crowed. She looked weak and bedraggled but she was alive. "What in the name of the gods are you doing here?" he pressed, dashing forwards to sniff her from head to toe. Was she injured, was she being pursued. Despite his worried, his maw would not be spared the grin that threatened to take his whole body by storm. She was just as pretty, and just as dinky, as he remembered! The girl barely came up to the middle of his chest, and he ducked down to bat his forehead against her cheek. "What... I can't... Hello!" he laughed out at last, his wonderment displayed in the breathlessness of his voice. (Hover over speech text for translation) "Talk" "You" Think

Her brother looked to her with wide eyes when a faint, trembling call rang out around them. Why they were still in these blazing hot lands was a mystery to her, but she wouldn't complain. At least her brother was here now, and all was well. Singular brow would quirk curiously, as she cosmic dame turned to look in the direction of the call. The delta. A name accompanied them as the two set off toward the sea. Faria. Ah yes, the sweet little hobbit who'd been with them since birth. Maybe she'd hit a growth spurt since last they'd seen her. Probably not, but if she was here it meant the other girl was alive and, hopefully, doing well. She trailed after her brother, who was galloping across the terrain like an angry walrus. Her own strides were far more graceful, if still a little clumsy at this point. Mithras had the biggest crush on the faerie, if he wouldn't admit such a thing. The way he looked at her, it was absolutely disgusting sometimes. Would that factor remain now, or were such fantasies forgotten by her baby brother? On the shore, a tiny body had been rejected by the ocean. She looked like she'd been chewed thoroughly before being spit out, that was for sure. Her brother snuffled like a hog all over the girl's much smaller frame, earning a small roll of amethyst eyes. "Mith, možete gigantski celer stap, ti si ḱe Ja mačkam ako prodolžuvaš da gi zarie so vašiot masti nosot kako toa." She drawled with a smirk, padding up to the pitiful looking scrap of cobalt fur. Lowering herself onto the sand, one audit was tilted toward the other girl's snout to see if she was actually breathing properly. Sure enough, ragged breaths stirred the down within her tall ears, and the celestial goliath was satisfied her brother could continue harassing Ria without room for accidentally killing her. Sitting back on her rump, she waited for their friend to catch her breath. Swimming that far, especially with those tiny legs of hers, must have been a million times the struggle it had been for the dark femme. Brows would knit together with mild worry, watching the smaller female sprawled out on the beach like that. No doubt her brother's ministrations were not much help. "Kako beše na patuvanje, Hobitot?" She snorted, never one to show too much care, even with such a close friend. She called her hobbit lovingly, though the title couldn't be helped much. Faria was just so tiny. "Speech" Sessy as hell manip courtesy of the lovely Fox!

The cobalt girl was practically a drowned rat as she flopped onto the sand, mercifully she was deposited on the dry land before the oceans took her life. Feeling much like she'd been run over by a stampeding elephant she almost missed the call of her name on Mithras' lips. Though she thought herself completely unfortunate and as good as dead it seemed that the gods had more tricks up their sleeve than she expected, and even though she still felt no love for them a silent thanks would be given as her vision was filled with the sight of her childhood friend. He checked her all over as she attempted to catch her lost breath, completely worn out from the impossibly long swim. Still amazed that she'd escaped with her life. She'd heave a sigh of relief as he offered gentle affections and stuttered his disbelief of her appearance, her features had already brightened as she managed a weak smile, still laying sprawled on the beach where the ocean had dumped her. For a long moment she hadn't noticed the form of his sister near by, but as her eyes were uncovered she'd take in the equally impressive frame of Caia. Smiling eagerly now the girl would attempt at lifting her head and getting her paws underneath her, though with legs feeling a lot like jell-o she was unsure of her ability to raise from the ground. As she heard the familiar nickname she'd finally lift her features fully. Even that had been a struggle. "Gods, I thought I was dead." She'd answer, her voice hoarse and harsh from the salty water she'd swallowed. Reeling in alarm at her voice she'd whine. "You two didn't think you were going to get away from my that easily?" She'd flash her sharp daggers in an amused smile as her celestial tail beat against the sand. "I"m so glad I've found you." She'd end as her voice became more weary. She was obviously completely exhausted still as her breath was still labored. ""

Mithras flopped gracelessly onto the sand. Sure, Faria was exhausted, but his joy wouldn't be so easily contained. Finding Caia had been the best thing that had ever happened to him, but now the pixie was here too and... He let out a happy smile and began to wriggle, a stupid smile plastered on his face. She seemed okay enough, nothing she wouldn't recover from. He knew for a fact that Faria was just as tough as he and his sister, despite her size. A million thoughts raced around inside his skull, all the hopes and dreams and possibilities. Had Faria really left her family for them? For his entire life her family had only reluctantly let Ria play with them, seeing as they were, well... A bit unorthodox. But here she was, an ocean away from home. "This is going to be great!" Mithras crowed. "Soon as you're feeling better, we should... we should... uh..." He looked to Caia, eyes bright. He wanted to do something with them, but that was as far as he could get. Mithras didn't mind if they were hunting boar or cleaning out dens, it was always more fun with the girls there. He remembered giving Faria monkey rides because she was so much smaller than they were, learning how to fish with them, how to dig a den. Maybe they could tunnel under a mountain and dig for treasure! Or find some of the locals to pester, there were just so many opportunities! He began to wiggle again, at a loss for words. Life had never been better in his eyes. No more shamans or rituals, no more... Well, any of that bullshit. They were free! (Hover over speech text for translation) "Talk" "You" Think

"Speech" thoughts actions Faria was always a free spirited little thing, cheerful and kind. Sometimes it was appalling. However, it was refreshing to see her, to not be the only one trying to keep Mithras from killing himself with his latest idiotic stunt. The cobalt darling tried to get her feet beneath her already, attempting to get up and moving. The celestial behemoth snorted, placing one paw onto the other girl's tiny shoulders and attempting to push her back down onto the ground. Now was not the time to test her strength and find out if exhaustion would crumble her like a badly crafted bridge. Ria expressed her delight in finding them, offering a tiny grin. "You're harder to get rid of than the fleas on Mith's ass." She replied with a smirk, shooting her brother a look. It was endlessly entertaining to tease them, it was second nature to her. The soft sound of the petite cosmic girl's breaths whooshing heavily from her lungs was a clear sign they needed to tend to her, and Caia tried not to frown. Seriously, would she have to take care of everyone around here? Her brother was so excited he was wiggling on the sand like a snake on crack. If he kept it up he'd burrow right into the underworld, and there was no way she'd go and save him then. (Lies, of course, she absolutely would.) He started rambling on and on about the urge to do something, before trailing off and returning to his spastic wriggling. Amethyst eyes would roll heavenward, and a soft sigh would escape inky lips. "We should be getting little miss hobbit somewhere warm, and get something to eat before it gets too dark out here. Poor little thing's frickin' exhausted, and I'm thinking we should hunker down for a while." She paused, eyeing the horizon. "I don't like the look of those clouds." She murmured warily, optics narrowing. There was a good chance of a storm tonight, and she didn't want to be caught out in the open when it hit. Even if it caught up with them the next morning, they needed a sure place to shelter until it passed. A cave, probably. Maybe those ones full of songs, that she'd met the ebony child in a little while back. "I'll carry you, Ria. That way my brother can recount the tales of our little adventure here." Husky melodies would murmur with a soft smile. Gaze would drift to her brother, watching him for a moment. Yep, the mooshy feelings were still there, strong as ever. Heaving to her feet, the galactic titan would aim to delicately lock her jaws around the scruff of their much tinier companions scruff and lift her from the ground. Should the girl resist, it wouldn't be too much harder to shift her onto her back to be carried. With that, she would lead the way in the direction of the singing caverns. They should be safe there, regardless of how powerful the storm became when it made landfall.

Mithras seemed every bit as happy to see her as she had been to see him, and he hadn't just about lost his life. She wanted to get up and snuggle both of them but even as she tried Caia was there to stop her. Of course any other time Faria would have been completely opposed to being told what to do. Especially with physical force, but she would submit to her touch and lay in the sand a bit longer. The words given would make her giggle, even an ocean wasn't going to keep her from them. As their brother made mention of the need to do.. something Caia was quick to give him an answer. Care for herself and find some shelter for the storm. Faria couldn't have agreed more with her, she hated storms. The more cover she was under the better. She'd feel the anxiety try to build as Caia went on, she wasn't going to be walking anywhere. She'd giggle at Caia giving Mithras the lead to tell her about their journey thus far, with practiced ease the tall woman would grab hold of the tiny cobalt girl. The little hobbit felt her limbs tuck instinctively as she was hoisted from the ground like nothing. Her bright eyes would remain on Mith, ready for all the tales he had for her. ""

Okay, so maybe Caia had a good point. Once she'd picked up their friend, it really hit the titan how sorry she looked. All soggy and weak, it made his gut turn. He frowned and tried to hold back a shudder, unless he start thinking about the very real danger of Ria having drowned. He would have never known... And leaving her in the first place was probably the hardest thing he and Caia had ever done, second maybe to watching their family be... well. He drew in a deep breath, hoping it might flush out the memories. "If you insist!" he sighed out, trying to make a joke of it despite the fact that his voice was weaker than he expected. He paced a length ahead of Caia, trying to push his way through the easiest path once they left the beach's soft sand. Any branches which blocked their way would be snapped or tucked somewhere out of the way. Between this task, he rambled on and on about how they'd been separated and the storm that had nearly killed him. He told her all about the weird, boring wolves that roamed the lands and the few bright exceptions to that rule. He told her about the different regions and climates and all manner of strangeness he could recall. Of course, with the way his attention suffered in the face of excitement, he wasn't sure if he was saying anything worth listening to. Honestly, he was just happy that they were together again. Like, a beyond words kind of euphoria that wouldn't be able to express itself on this mortal plane. The first thing he was going to do tomorrow morning was offer something to the elder sycamore he'd found the day he and Caia had found each other, the one they'd both felt a connection to. He had half a mind to proclaim it his guardian in this land if he wasn't a little doubtful that they would settle here permanently. Finally, they crested a low rise which overlooked a rocky outcropping, mostly limestone and blanketed in plush moss and leaf litter. Small trees existed on top of the ledge, those which could eek out a living in the poor soil there. Below of course was an overhang which made for nice cover. Better yet was the well hidden split in the stone which would lead them to a cave large enough for them and even a few others if the need arose. "Caia found this place they day after we found each other, and we've been staying here since. It's nice and dry, so you should be able to rest here comfortably." He squeezed through the crack in the stone, just large enough for his girth with a big of wiggling, and padded over to the far wall. The den floor was sandy, product of an old river bed. He wasn't stupid though, he'd made sure to trace the flood way back up. For the most part, the watershed here was dammed up and re-routed, so as long as the coming storm wasn't torrential they would probably be fine. Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance. (Hover over speech text for translation) "Talk" "You" Think

ooc. worried Caia is my favourite Caia As she walked behind her brother, she was only half listening to what he was saying. It was kind of him to clear their path, since it would only make it worse for their poor, waterlogged friend if she was beaten by branches and swathed in the occasional spiderweb. The journey was pleasant, which she enjoyed for the most part. It wasn't raining, and the sky was still mostly clear, save for the few clouds that scuttled slowly across the sky. What really concerned her was how little Ria weighed in her jaws. She couldn't recall if that was her normal weight, though with her celestial coat bogged down by seawater, that should add a few pounds at least. Sure, her teeth were beginning to ache, since she was trying to be as gentle as possible and at the same time not drop the poor girl. Gentle was not her strong suit, neither was kind. Amethyst gaze would drop on occasion to the petite form swaying to and fro, brushing across her magenta chest every few moments. She rather liked listening to her brothers monologue, his tales of woe that had led him to her. She still had yet to get the full story, they were usually too busy walking around and getting side tracked by interesting things that fell across their path. So far they'd remained in the east, but it wouldn't be long before Caia tired in truth of this relentless, muggy heat. She wanted to get somewhere cooler, where she wouldn't have to worry about being cooked from the inside out or drowning in the moisture within the air here. However, for now what mattered was sticking by her loved ones, the only family she had left. As they came over a small hill, her brother made an offhanded comment about her finding this place. It was nothing special, and she would have preferred the singing caverns, but maybe this place was better after all. Hidden away and hardly used, based on the scents within the cave, it might be better to help Ria recover here. That was there would be no risk of attack. Still the cosmic dame didn't know how the wolves around here would react to them, though most had treated them with reverence. There might be a few who would rather skin them, keep their starry pelts for themselves. It was always a possibility, and with Ria being so small and trusting, the colossal female didn't want to risk it. Carefully as she could, the galactic femme slipped through the crack after her brother, conscious of the smaller form she held so delicately. Though her shoulders were not quite so wide as her brothers, she could feel the walls on either side of her. Having the cobalt wolfess in her grasp colliding with a rocky outcrop would be a disaster, and she didn't want that happening. The cool sand was welcome, her toes relishing in the soothing temperature beneath them. Gingerly would she lower her crown, placing their friend oh so carefully upon the dirt floor. She loved how soft the sand was in this place, and the risk of drowning, albeit the small one, was actually worth it. With a loud, shuddering sigh, she collapsed upon the sandy floor of their most recent den site and let herself relax. Tension in her shoulders melted away, coiled muscles losing all their strength. With that disaster averted, she could take a moment to relax. Rosy optics would regard their friend with scrutiny, taking in her condition. It might be best to see if they would maybe get her some medicinal aid as well, rather than just relying on food to strengthen her. Such a trip must have been excruciating on her smaller body. "Alright Mith, I'll run out and grab us something to eat in a second. I think we should get some herbs for Ria, just to be on the safe side. I'm thinking.." She hesitated, her knowledge of herbs nothing to be revered, but it was the best they had. She wished she'd paid more attention to the healer, despite her disdain in apprenticing. Damn it all. "Ginseng root, maybe. No, that'll take too long to find. Uh.." She wracked her brain for something else, frowning as she eyed the other girl. "Fuck, maybe Valerian root, if just to keep her from going into shock." She muttered, rising into a sitting position to stare down at the smaller girl. What if this place didn't even have any of these herbs? Heartbeat fluttered, starry plume thumping a few times against the ground. Gaze would fall upon her brother, only now showing any form of worry. She'd gone from zero to sixty in about four seconds, jittery with nerves. Ria could start being ill at any time, from swallowing too much salt water. It would be hell on her digestive system if she did start vomiting, and it would prompt a whole new round of worrying about finding herbs if she did. "How are you feeling, hobbit?" She murmured softly, audits shoved forward intently. She may not be the best medic out there, but she'd be damned if she didn't do her best to help Faria recover. Immense paws would stretch forward so she could lay in a sphinx-like pose to hear what the other female had to say. "Talk" "You" Think

Mithras would listen to his sister, even if it didn't sound like he was so enthusiastic. She'd flash him an amused grin as he surged on ahead of herself and Caia. The rhythmic pace of her carrier lulled her into a stupor, most of Mith's words were lost on her as she drifted to and from consciousness. She wouldn't care about how tightly the woman held her, really she was so exhausted that she didn't care about much but sleep. She felt relaxed and at peace for the first time since they'd fled, her own memories of that day were awful. As the crested the rise her awareness would mostly return, eyes blinking open as the story of how they found such a place was offered to her. As they slipped through the entrance she would pull her limbs in tight so she didn't hit the sides as Caia pushed herself through. Faria felt herself shivering slightly, her sea water logged coat making her cold. She was placed carefully on the soft sand, her slight weight would be welcomed by the gentle particles. She would sigh and as Caia flopped down the small she wolf would lean into the larger fea's side unaware of the eyes that were looking her over once more. The distant sound of thunder would make her jump, a yelp leaving her as she pushed herself closer to Caia's side as she went on about medicine. If she could just get warm and maybe get a good nights rest she knew she would look and feel so much better. As she whimpered slightly her stomach would grumble for food greedily. Caia had said something about getting food. The ethereal beast would stand then, causing Faria to curl into herself pitifully, her gaze finding Mithras as she looked at him longingly. Maybe she could curl up and sleep on him. Though Caia reclined back onto the earth, Faria would gain a bit of courage as the sounds of the storm quieted for a moment. "I'm sleepy, and scared, and cold." She'd tell her through her hoarse voice. Fresh water would have done the babe good too. "Talk" "You" Think