Sericea prowled along the edge of the Marble Wash, her acidic green eyes scanning the otherworldly landscape intently. The cool autumn breeze ruffled her sleek red fur as she moved with a blend of graceful yet restless energy. The gleaming white, gray, and gold hues seemed to glow in the late afternoon light, casting an ethereal aura across the valley.

As Sericea ventured further into the riverbed, her thoughts drifted to the upcoming meeting with Setekh. A mix of anticipation and apprehension coursed through her veins, her tail flicking with uncertainty. She shook her head, as if to dislodge the conflicting thoughts, and pressed onward. The ancient riverbed stretched out before her, a labyrinth of polished stone and hidden secrets. Sericea's claws clicked against the marble as she walked, the sound echoing through the tranquil valley. Every so often, she would pause to examine a particularly intriguing formation, her curiosity momentarily overriding her preoccupation

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"

Wandering, exploring, learning the trails and pathways. The terrain best walked, the predators best avoided, Iskandor was alive and near buzzing with questions and hard won answers. With a couple bumps and bruises, he was doing a rather good job of keeping himself presentable enough to not worry his family about what he got up to outside of the border. Of course, with his companions under a sworn oath to only tell what he wanted them to tell.

It was on another expedition that Iskandor observed her from a distance, his eyes narrowing as they swept over her. She was striking—vivid red fur against the paleness of her surroundings. She seemed quite interested in the stone and formations of the marble; perhaps she would appreciate some company? It was an easy line of thought from the boy, hardly an ounce of ulterior motive to be found. Stepping forward, he drew closer while careful to appear non threatening. An easy gait, a calm expression–a slow wag in his tail. Polite.


"Speech"

Sericea stalked closer to one of the marble formations, leaning in with a curious head tilt to examine the intricate patterns etched into its surface. Lost in thought, she barely registered the soft crunch of approaching pawsteps until a calm, unfamiliar voice broke the silence.

Sericea whirled around, instantly on guard, her acidic green eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of the boy. He stood a respectful distance away, his posture relaxed and non-threatening, with a slight wag in his tail. Despite his polite demeanor, Sericea couldn't help but feel a prickle of unrest. But of course, the mask would come on, and she would flash him a friendly and receptive grin. "Well, hello there," she greeted, her voice smooth and confident.

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"

Iskandor halted his approach as the girl turned, her green eyes narrowing with an edge that didn’t escape him, but he chose not to dwell on it—at least not outwardly. He let the wag of his tail continue, reassurance that he meant no harm. That was important, his mother had made sure to instill that in him. But above all, his father taught pride and confidence. “I hope I’m not interrupting.” He gestured with a tilt of his head toward the marble formation she had been studying.

Though this place interested him, he was doing a bit of his own studying as well. A study on this girl. “I’m Iskandor,” he offered after a beat, a simple introduction as his lips curled into a small, friendly smile, the kind that invited conversation without demanding it. Or so he hoped that was how it came off as.

"Speech"

Sericea's tail flicked with interest as she regarded the boy. Her initial wariness melted away, replaced by a calculated curiosity. She took a few graceful steps closer, her movements fluid yet restless. "Interrupting? Not at all," she purred, her voice taking on a light and airy tone. "I'm Sericea. It's a pleasure to meet you, Iskandor." She tilted her head, studying him with piercing intensity. Her paw tapped impatiently against the marble as she spoke. "What brings you to this place? Are you as intrigued by these formations as I am?"

Sericea's gaze darted between Iskandor and the gleaming marble formations, her earlier unease now masked by an eager, almost overenthusiastic energy. She leaned in slightly- on the cusp of invading his personal space with a bold familiarity.

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"

Iskandor held his ground as the girl closed the space between them, his expression remaining calm, though he was instantly aware of how he had no idea what to expect here. Gods, what was it his mom had said is the perfect reply to that? Oh right! “Likewise, Sericea.” The boy replied, trying to maintain an even tone and a faint smile. But she was too bold. She drew quite close, and for a moment he debated backing up—but he had learned from his father that confidence wasn’t about taking up space—it was about owning the space you were given.

“Yes, they are so… strange.” he admitted, blinking towards the marble flooring and then back to her, wondering what was really the strangest thing here. Perhaps though, he should be more friendly, more forgiving of her odd sense of personal space. A subtle wag of his tail accompanied his words as he attempted to ease up, to be more comfortable in her presence.

He paused for a moment, tilting his head as he invited her to speak further with a quickly spoken prompt. “Do you collect things? I do, I have a few trinkets I couldn’t leave behind… I’m thinking of finding a nice chunk of the rock here to take back home.” Great, he rambled.



"Speech"

Sericea's eyes gleamed with an intrigued intensity at Iskandor's question. She paused dramatically before replying, running her claws lightly over the smooth marble surface beside her with deliberate fascination. "Collect things?" she echoed, her voice taking on a playful lilt. "I suppose you could say that. Though I prefer to collect... experiences. Knowledge. Secrets."

She leaned in even closer, her muzzle mere inches from Iskandor's as she fixed him with a penetrating stare, studying his reaction. "There's so much to be discovered, wouldn't you agree?" Sericea held the proximity for a long, charged moment before abruptly pulling back with a coy smile. "But trinkets can be fun too," she continued breezily, her demeanor shifting as quickly as a spring breeze. "I'm sure you could find a lovely marble specimen to take home. The patterns here are quite captivating." She began to pace around Iskandor with light, graceful steps, her bushy tail swaying with each movement.

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"