Shadows in the rearview mirror

Empousa, still slightly dazed from the rush of her brutal fight with Enyo, wandered with no clear direction, her mind a tangled and unreadable mess of thoughts and emotions. The bite of defeat clung to her, sharp and relentless in its pursuit, and the usual fire in her was almost burnt out. She didn't know why she had come this far, or what she was looking for. But she just could not shake the need to keep moving, to put as much distance as she could between her and the battlefield. Even if it meant reopening the wounds that just would not stay closed. Her legs were still burning, and she knew they had to be bleeding.

As the sky darkened and she approached the Fjord, she spotted another wolf setting up camp. Her paws slowed, instincts still on overdrive, she was still on edge, but something about this wolf caught her attention.

Empousa hesitated for a moment, taking in the sight of the scene playing out ahead of her. It was an extreme contrast to the whirlwind she had just escaped from. She felt a pull towards the stillness of it all, the calmness, it was something she hadn't realized she needed.

She padded forward slowly, making her presence known without the usual rush and excitement that flowed through her usually. "Looks like I'm not the only one looking for a quiet spot tonight, huh?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper, almost as though she was speaking to herself and not the stranger standing near her.

Her gaze flicked to the other wolf, her eyes lingering for a few beats longer than usual, trying to gauge the situation and the individual ahead of her. "I am sorry for intruding." She added softly, her voice laced with an exhaustion that softened it. "I just needed to clear my head, and well, I've seemed to find myself here."

Empousa stood there for a moment, unsure of what else to say, she felt oddly out of place for once. Unsure of herself. "Do you mind if I settle here with you for a bit? I won't be any trouble I promise, I will stay out of your hair if you'd like me to." The words came out quietly, but her expression changed almost like the question surprised even her. Normally, she would never ask she would just take up the space and let the others deal with it. But with everything that was going on and that had happened, she just felt different. Insecure.

"Speach"