The evenings had been growing longer and darker this season, and it wasn't the first time he had noticed it. Not only that but his companions had been reporting back with strange findings, including animals that were glowing and odd blue lights flashing around here and there like fireflies. He didn't know what to make of them, and whether or not they were dangerous to try and hunt. A snowstorm had begun to start up, and luckily he was close enough to a cave where he could take shelter. When he entered the cave and shook the snow from his pelt, however, he noticed he wasn't quite alone. Dozens of glowing bugs were crawling around the cave, some flying moths glowing different shades of blue and purple, and what looked like fireflies to him. He had seen these fireflies before somewhere else, but that time, they weren't fireflies, but wisps...he stayed back near the entrance as he watched them, unsure if he should proceed or wait out the snow fall here and just leave. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Hazel was keenly aware of the strange grip some force had over the land this season. She could taste it in the air and feel it in her bones. Something was at work here; something beyond them all and capable of things they could only dream of. She appreciated the grand mystery of it and was dutifully investigating all that came her way. Presently, she was seated in the heart of a cave that thrummed with energy. Swirling around her were clouds of the stuff (fireflies). She could feel it brushing against her cheek, her back, her thighs. Hazel purred and rolled onto her side. She lifted a paw and felt something (a firefly) brush against her toes. Hazel could spend hours in this place simply existing in the swirl of energy. To Ignis, whose presence hadn't gone unnoticed, she said, "Come in, they don't bite, love."

"Speech"

He was surprised when he heard a voice from within the cave. He thought he was alone, asides from all the creepy crawlies that were all over the place. He remained in place for a few heartbeats before stepping forward to find the owner of the voice. It wasn't long until he did find her. The fireflies seemed to lead him via a guided trail through the cave until he came upon a peculiar sight. Through the cluster of fireflies, he spotted a woman lying down with her toes in the air, little blue lights brushing across her bodice, and Ig couldn't help but feel like he should know her. He tried to place her in memory, but it was hazy. Plus, he wasn't gonna lie...he was distracted by her and the glowing bugs that surrounded them. "Sorry, I didn't realize someone was in here," He stated, clearing his throat as he flicked fireflies off his ears.

Her bells tolled lightly as she rolled her paws in the air overhead. Though she couldn't see them Hazel could feel the fireflies buzzing around them. Were they drawn to the bells like clean spirits? Interesting. She wouldn't have guessed that; they certainly didn't feel like they had been brought forth by a righteous hand.

To Ignis who hovered just out of reach like a kicked puppy, she asked, "how's your tail, love?" She knew how the lower half was. It was one of her most prized possessions. Imbued with the energy of a fighter from a ferocious bloodline its uses were many, but its chief use was as a talisman of sorts. That kind of energy drew her favorite kind of spirits. And, perhaps, it now drew its original owner.

"Speech"

The tinkling of bells seemed to ease the uneasiness he felt with the strange phenomenon going on. The fireflies seemingly danced around her, and when she asked how his tail was, that vague memory he had came back to him. She was the one that tended to him when his tail had become useless. He remembered now. He had let her keep the remainder of his tail as payment, it's not like he was gonna need it anymore. Honestly, he sometimes forgot he didn't have a tail anymore, though he supposed it was often the ghost feeling that he heard about...sometimes he felt like it was still there. "Fine, thanks to you. I hope you managed to find some use from it," A weird thing to say, but he didn't miss it anyway. He had been managing just fine without it.

He approached her, and the closer he got, the more fireflies came out to dance around. "Do you know anything about this? About them?" He gestured to the glowing bugs, or at least, they seemed like bugs. But he'd never seen anything like them before in his life. He was curious if she had the power and ability to summon something like them. If he recalled right, she was someone who claimed could commune with otherworldly things or some such.

"...I hope you managed to find some use from it." At this Hazel chuckled lightly. So he had a sense of humor. Good for him. She liked that. "Rest assured, it is the best investment I've ever made." Her ears flicked as the swarm of fireflies grew. Interesting. They were really packing the cave now. Was that a sign? What was she missing? "I have half a mind to go in for another piece," she teased. Perhaps that was it. Not a piece per se, but perhaps Ignis had been brought to her for a reason.

She could feel he was close so Hazel reached out to snag one of Ignis' front legs at the ankle. Her goal was to bring him down gently; to coax him to the ground with her and the heavy crackling energy of the fireflies. This was the sort of thing that needed to be shared. "No, but I'm learning. I know they are chaos." She closed her eyes and savored the swirl of energy around her. "Pure energy of some kind. For good or ill, I don't know, but I do know they serve a purpose."

"Speech"

Hazelle

You find a flower that seems to reflect the glow̴̑͠ of the moon. You also find 1 mushroom. Maybe these are worth keeping…

Ignis

A firefly lazily buzzes past. You also find 3 mushrooms. Maybe these are worth keeping…