Hanako wasn't well. The restless nights paired with the feeling of unease and churning in her stomach truly made her feel as though she'd been cursed. Stricken by evil magic. She tried to reassure herself that this wasn't nearly as bad as last year, that being pelted by dolls and vomiting on herself was the lowest of lows, considering how cruddy she felt it was hard to remain optimistic. To even force a smile. Leaving the safety of the Armada once more, Hanako headed out into the night, eying the blue sprites with curious hesitance. They didn't seem dangerous and simply faded away when she wandered too close, but she couldn't help but wonder what they were and where they had come from?

Approaching the Falls, the purple of the full moon danced on the water's reflection. Shimmering and waving as it flowed and rippled, cascading like a sheet of royal silk. It had always been pretty here and Hanako felt at home amongst the water but like all nights that had come before the peace was slit open by the prolonged sense of unease. Even the quiet felt too silent, sounds dulled and her senses fuzzy. Like all of this was a dream they were all forbidden to wake from.


"Speech"

The great tragedy that come to Duchess had left Indigo and the band in what may have seemed disarray, at least to her. But somehow this huge life changing event felt like there was now nothing in Duchess life. Losing the children had left her empty and without purpose now. There was nothing left to live for.

She still found herself wandering from the band, from Indigo. Her previous attempts to seclude herself she only stayed for the purpose of the life of the pups and her life with Indigo, but it was all for nothing. She had nothing tying her down now. And while in her wandering it brought her back to where it started. Not her and Indigo, not the babies, but what left Indigo in pieces because of her and what she took from him. She felt so misunderstood by everyone in the band, she felt like she couldn't connect with them anymore. Even while through their own attempts. The feeling of being a burden only heightened from before.

She wasn't paying attention the her own surroundings, not lately. Her eyes at her paws moved her forward through the glittering blue fireflies. She stopped just by the bank of the falls, not noticing the stranger just along the rim a short distance away. She didn't stop as only her front paws went into the waters, her eyes meeting her own reflection under the violet moon and blue fireflies, matching her own colors she could have just disappeared into the air it seemed. Her chest met the water on the edge of the bank as she closed her eyes, her somber emotions shining through everything else. But there weren't any more tears to give, at least not for now.

"Duchess"

Hanako flinched when the pale of her ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps. She wasn't expecting company but then again she hadn't anticipated any of this. Who could have? A wolf of deep purple lingered nearby, so lost in thought she seemed to have not even noticed Hanako's presence. Was she okay? It didn't really look like it, maybe the moon had gotten to her too. Glancing about it seemed as though the stranger had brought more of the sprites with her, like they floated along in her wake.

"I know it's hypocritical of me, but do you think it's safe to be out?" She frowned and peered down at her reflection, rippling at the edge of the stream.  "It just feels wrong tonight. Every night."

She didn't flinch as the stranger woman approached her, her gaze just slowly opening to move upwards to her. It was then that Duchess really looked around at the fireflies and the ominous glow around them. She was aware of the strange atmosphere that came through the winter, but she hadn't really stopped to look, admire, or worry about it. She had other things on her mind.

The girl had spoke about the odd air, she was wondering if it was safe out. Duchess took a look around again, "Yeah, it does feel... dark." She wasn't really talking about the changes of Boreas, but she couldn't disagree. The air, the blue fireflies, and the moon. Who knew what else was around the corner. It had her wondering if losing the children, if it wasn't so accidental or meant to be. Maybe it was whatever was coming to them. "Is it just a feeling you have?" She was wondering if there was something that happened to the woman like what happened to her, something physically, or life changing. But she wasn't willing to come right out with her own experience.

"Duchess"

She nodded. Technically speaking it was bright out, far more than it ought to be for this time of year, and yet it was just a feeling she had. Persistent and mounting with each passing day. Like sooner or later things were going to come to a head, whatever that may be. She sighed and idly dipped her paw in the water, hoping to take solace from it. Only the water was far colder than she'd expected, enough to make her snap away as her pain receptors kicked in. It was...so cold it ought to be frozen solid. Enough to make a shudder ripple down her spine long after she'd shook off her paw, in the hopes of chasing the bite away.

"Mmm. I just can't shake it. I wasn't sure if it was a me thing or...how do you feel?"

The cold of the water didn't bother her, even while the spotted woman seemed so reactive to it. She was numb in more than one way, it could have been obvious or maybe not. Her self dignity felt like it was under low.

Duchess stood as the fae asked how she felt about the strange changes, backing away from the freezing water but waited a few seconds before deciding she should leave. She didn't want company it seemed, "I feel like you should be careful from now on." She couldn't quite put a pointer on it herself but, whatever was happening around them made her feel like it could physically hurt them. It hurt her... she believed. Was it the moon?  Or was it some other sort of force just waiting to expose itself from the shadows. She felt like a victim. But that wasn't new.

-Exit Duchess-

"Duchess"

HANAKO

Out of the corner of your eye, you see a chipmunk scampering by. Wait - is it glowing? You also find 1 mushroom. Maybe these are worth keeping…

Duchess

You feel a strange chill in the air. You also find 3 mushrooms. Maybe these are worth keeping…