from the edge of the world to the highest heights

Watching the mountain, from this peak, gives Björn a sense of scale he's not sure he likes. Had it always seemed so small? They hadn't necessarily been sequestered, but they'd certainly been removed. Removed from the goings on of the world. There's a whole world out here. There's a world beneath his feet, buried beneath the pumice. It grips his paws in a way he doesn't necessarily like, though it would likely wear down the ragged edges of his nails... for the best, actually.

"All things beneath are precious, that's why they're buried." Björn's words are cryptic, though he doesn't necessarily know what they mean himself. Not entirely. There was a whole world that the volcano had taken away, the shadows of it clear on the surface. His gaze sweeps the land, as he leads the way further up. Trying to get a better vantage point, a slow and grim exploration. "There's some glimmering a bit further up, maybe your precious stone." Canting his antlered head toward his sister, her companionship enough to bring him back down to earth, at least for a time.

"You don't have to go back home, you know." Björn makes the comment offhandedly, not wanting to make direct eye contact with the Maw. It's an olive branch extended, though the boy doesn't like admitting that he misses his sister when she's not here. They strike a delicate balance, storm in a bottle. He's better with his sister by his side, and Björn would need all the help he could get.

"speech"