Spirit had a feeling his mother hadn't come this way, but he wanted to be certain before he and his siblings moved on to their next territory. As far as he remembered she'd never been a huge fan of water, and he thought she might try to avoid a land like this, a place where the ground was mingled with water. Every step he took and turn he made seemed unpredictable, solid ground giving way to stretches of water. He wondered how the trees managed to grow here but figured he couldn't begin to understand such things just by observation. Finding his way to a patch of solid ground, Spirit shook excess water from his paws, lifting his head higher and trying to get a good grasp on his surroundings.

He'd grown considerably since his return to Abaven, eventually filling in his form though it remained such as lanky and leggy as it had always been. His figure was proving useful, his long limbs aiding in this seemingly endless journey that he and his siblings had embarked upon. At least he was able to travel longer distances without tiring too quickly. Casting a glance toward the sky, he noted that the sun was nearly at its peak. Mentally he calculated how much time he had left before returning to the spot Void had designated as the meeting spot tonight. For now he'd explore this strange forest and see if it held anything promising, though he wasn't feeling all that hopeful.

They'd had such big plans, such...ambition...when they'd turned their backs on home that day. Yet here she was, alone, with no accomplishments under her paw, no plans, not even a glimmer of an idea of what she should do or where she should go. At least in a pack, Praxis had had an identity to aspire to, but out here, on her own, she hardly knew what to do with herself. In fact, for the most part, she didn't. But that place...that place hadn't been home for a very long time, and if she'd gained nothing else from her vow of independence, it was the relief that came with not having to worry about what chaos would greet her whenever she woke in the morning.

So much so that she hardly even blinked at the sight of a stranger anymore. (Surely none could be as unpredictable as the Ashen King?) First she'd heard a disturbance in the water, a ripple and a rustling of the willows' strange branches; then, upon closer inspection, the pale woman spotted a figure gliding through the murky shallows. He wasn't too far off, close enough of course for her to hear him wading through the grove, but not nearly close enough for her to feel any sense of alarm. She slowed to a pause, allowing her limbs a moment to soak as she observed him with dual-toned eyes. Praxis waited patiently for him to settle upon his dry patch of ground before calling out to him.

"Lost?" Sultry was her voice as it carried over the water, but her gaze shone with merely a mild curiosity. Such was the tone of a woman with few reasons to speak of late.

"

table by Lowin art by Resin

Spirit had little in the way of ambition, at least not in the traditional sense. All he wanted was to be a productive member of Abaven. To find his mother and bring her home and rebuild his family once again, and hopefully for the last time. Beyond that his hopes and dreams were simple ones; he wanted to continue to learn more about the art of healing so that he could keep his loved ones safe and healthy, for as long as he could. The volcano's eruption in his youth had shaped him significantly, and he wanted to be sure that no matter what happened to Abaven that they could always be taken care of, even if he had just a tiny part in that.

He'd been distracted, swimming deep in his thoughts, when a stranger drew closer. Spirit was skittish but not always as observant as he ought to be; her voice alarmed him initially and he flinched, spinning around suddenly to find the source of the voice. "L-lost?" He repeated, as if trying to wrap his mind around what she was asking him. He froze for a moment, eyes wide. He'd been alone with his siblings for days and he'd settled into a false sense of security; it'd been a long while since he'd encountered a stranger and he found himself momentarily stunned. "N-no, I'm not lost. J-just... looking for someone," he explained, trying to find some strength in his voice so that he didn't look like a skittish fool.