hands around my throat

A soft gasp of surprise pulled from the young fae as she turned to see a giant man standing nearby. She'd been so caught up in the moment and her joy at having the world to herself that she hadn't even realized that it hadn't been hers alone. The black and red man made an observation and the pale lady wasted no time in confirming his suspicions. "Yes," she spoke in clear, but somewhat soft tones. When he asked her name, she gave it easily. "Ikigai or Ashen. And you?" Tall, obsidian ears flicked forward to catch the mans gruff lyrics as he gave his name in kind.

"I didn't expect anyone else to be out this early," the girl admitted, turning her face back towards the warmth of the sun for a moment. She then fixed her marbled gaze upon the man again, noting his own odd pupils. "At home, I'm usually the only one awake at this hour." A fair few of the Ashen wolves were almost nocturnal with their living schedules. Ikigai liked to wake and sleep with the sun, though she wasn't adverse to spending some time with the moon as well.

They'd made their greetings but Ikigai wasn't quite ready to end this encounter just yet. There was something about the brutes brusque nature that piqued her curiosity. "My mother, the Empress of Ashen, and I are here to forge an alliance with Elysium." There was no reason to hide their purpose. "Are you happy here? Is there anything that you believe Elysium is lacking?" Perhaps it was wrong of her to ask such things, but if you wanted to truly learn about an organization, you asked the people, not the leaders.

"Ikigai"