Ronan just felt heavy, a sense of tiredness had settled into his bones that no amount of sleep could shake. Physically he was in peak condition, a little older than he cared to think about but so far he'd managed to remain unscathed, uninfected. Just barely by the skin of his teeth, since some calls were far too close for comfort. He came to a standstill beside the rapids and eyed the water levels, for Autumn it seemed lower than what he'd come to expect. There hadn't been much rainfall in the past few days, and what little there was amounted to little more than a drizzle. Bending down he started to lap at the water; he still couldn't quite get used to the taste, how refreshing it felt when it touched his tongue. A nice enough change from the shallow puddles polluted with fuck knows what back where he came from.

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Inferna had followed the rushing sound of water, her oversized floppy puppy ears twitching with curiosity. She was getting older now, allowed to venture further and further (not that anyone seemed to really pay attention to her), so drawn by the promise of adventure her legs kept carrying her south. She spotted the stranger by the rapids - a wolf, much older, much bigger than herself. His coat shimmered like water under the sunlight, and his tired demeanor sparked something unfamiliar in her chest.

She stayed hidden for a moment, crouched in the reeds, watching him drink with wide pink eyes. Finally, she stood up and stepped closer, her pale form nearly blending into the foggy mist rising from the rapids in autumn.

"Hello, haven't seen you before," she said, her voice a mix of suspicion and youthful boldness. Inferna had yet to fear anything in her life, her pink eyes gleaming only with curiosity. "Whatcha doin here?"

"Speech" - Thoughts

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He'd caught glances of his children but hadn't really gotten to know them on a one to one basis. Ronan found himself unsure what to do, his brows furrowing as he regarded the girl, his tongue strangely heavy in his mouth. If he was a better man his daughter would know him by now, she'd feel safe enough to be quite so wary. But as things stood she had every right to take that approach, he would have been more bothered if she hadn't.

"Well met then."Because he was being nice, or trying to be.

But her coat did throw him a little, least it did till he realised his linage was as muddled and mutty as could be, with all sorts of flavours thrown into the mix. Even without his neon colours she had enough other in her to make it obvious enough.

"I'm Ronan your- hm."He didn't think just blurting it out like that was the best approach, so he spoke differently. "Drinking. Does your Mother know you're out here?"

The babe blinked, her pink eyes narrowing as the older wolf's words began to sink in. Something about him unsettled her, but it wasn't fear; it was the strange familiarity in his scent, something faint yet tugging at the edge of her mind. She dismissed it quickly. Just a coincidence. Nothing more.

When he asked about her mother, though, her expression hardened. A flicker of something raw crossed her face, gone as quickly as it came. She puffed herself up, chin lifting in confidence and perhaps a bit of defiance.

"I don't think she would care where I am-" she said bluntly, her tone sharper than she intended. Her curled tail lashed behind her, betraying her unease. "I take care of myself, don't need anyone worrying about me." Ever since Deimos had taught her how to hunt prey bigger than rabbits, Inferna had been surviving relatively alright on her own, occasionally picking off meals brought by the pack.. but now she knew in Elysium's fall that she would be completely self-reliant. She didn't want to think about her mom, nor wonder if her mom ever thought about her. Her eyes grew a bit reflective.

She paused, glancing at him warily. "Why do you ask, mister Ronan? Not like you know her."

"Speech" - Thoughts

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