For now, Celeste was keeping to the closer confines of the pack lands. Somewhat for her safety and more so to learn about her new home. Not that she was terribly worried. Her fur was beginning to grow back, prickly all over, but she did notice a new sort of look about her tail. Longer in length and fur, the hair seemed to be growing back softer there too. She kind of liked this and hoped it looked nice once it was fully back. Worried about her appearance in general, the petite girl wandered through the stark white forest toward a purplish glow.

Curiosity seemed to get the best of her at times, but what she found amazed her. Stopping at the edge of the circular pool, she made sure not to step on the craved rocks surrounding it. Peering over the edge, her aquamarine eyes stared at the bioluminescent waters. Surely there was an explanation for why this was happening here. The air felt stiff and had an eerie feel about it that she couldn't explain. Entranced by the shrine, Celeste took a seat with her skinny tail wrapped around her haunches. Today was a day that she thought she'd be alone so there had been no need for the pelted cloak Kuroki had provided her.

Celeste Akizora

Ikigai had been spending a great deal of time around the shrine lately simply because that's where Pontifex normally was. She'd grown exceptionally close to her cousin. Closer than all of her siblings, save Ike. It had become a place of comfort to the young fae, so even when her cousin wasn't with her, she felt comfortable there. The pale princess was nestled in a bed of sweet grass and flowers on the opposite side of the glowing pool when one of her brother's new friends showed up and looked into the luminescent waters. Iki noted the strange, rather naked appearance of the fae. Part of her wanted to just ignore the wolf and go back to sleep, but she was a princess of Ashen and seeing to the well being of the wolves beneath her was her duty. Placing lithe paws beneath her, the slender fae pushed herself up to a seated position. A length of her exceptionally long inkbrush of a tail had slid into the waters while she was asleep and the little, glowing fish were inspecting it with interest. Orbs of marbled mercury looked across the waters towards the horned fae. The girl's tones were soft yet firm. Practiced. ”Celeste, is it?” She tried to learn the names of all the new wolves, committing them to memory. However, her brother's friends hadn't exactly introduced themselves yet. The young royal expected those of the pack to know who she and her siblings were. ”How are you faring in Ashen so far?” ”Speech” ’Thought’

While Celeste had been staying in, Cyanide had been venturing out. She wanted to know not just Ashen's packlands, but everything around them too. There were so many things to see, so many things to do. Hell, Oki had been the first soul that had acknowledged her within Boreas. He'd "kidnapped" (jokes, jokes, she swears) her shortly after. Now with the safety that having an actual home provided, Cyanide was relatively free to explore. She had somewhere to retreat if necessary, if she crossed too many lines or managed to stick her foot in her mouth at any point. Equally as important as knowing the lands around Ashen, though, was learning what exactly was within the packlands as well. Cyanide had taken some time to familiarize herself with the islands that made up the archipelago, but the shrine? Well, today was the first. Today was the first day she'd really take to look at it, to venture well within the heart of the place. There was something eerie about it, something that left Cy grateful that she was exploring in the daytime. Around her shoulders, the air here seemed strange. Awfully, terribly still. It made her pulse climb uncomfortably. There was also the question of the light that seemed to glow from the heart of this place, throwing a purple cast on just about everything it touched. From the treeline, Cyanide approached. Ah there was... there was company already beside the pool. Fuck. Celeste and... shit, which one of Oki's sisters was that? It couldn't be Takeshi, seeing as he was... well, a boy. Kitsune was red, so it wasn't her either. It was Shuriken or Ikigai, according to process of elimination, and the wraith wasn't about to stick her paw in her mouth and guess wrong. Nah, not a coin she was willing to flip. Instead, Cy would simply straighten her posture and walk to the side of the pool, feigning confidence as well as she could muster. Was this walking into the hornet's nest? Maybe. She'd probably be fine though. "So uh, is this safe to drink?" The wraith tapped at the surface of the water, poised on the edge across from the princess. She offered a smile to Celeste and the royal, trying to appear as relaxed as possible. Right. The whole being social thing. Shit, how hard could it be? Relax, Cy, you're fine. Yeah. She was fine.

The approach of a rather regal female caused Celeste to glance up. Surprised that she wasn't alone at the pool, her face shifted from blinking curiosity to placid calm. Keeping her place seated by the side, she suddenly felt vulnerable to the elements. Without her coat to keep her confidence at a high, she wondered if the princess would scrutinize her. Silence stretched between them as the princess took a seat across from her with her inkbrush tail dipping into the water. Maybe her own tail with its new growth could do the same one day.

Tilting her head gently to the side, she offered a kind smile. "Yes, Celeste. You must be Ikigai," her tone is casual as she let her aquamarine gaze drift back toward the pool. "Ashen has been nothing but welcoming and I appreciate that," she responds, her voice soft as she touches the surface of the glistening water with a single toe. The ever-present aura of what magic was instilled in the pool shifted around her. There had to be something in these woods that was being kept a secret. Before she could say another word, or even ask her undying questions, the familiar scent of Cyanide filtered in. When she looked up to the midnight girl, she smiled in return before noticing the awkwardness surrounding the girl's question. Without knowing the answer herself, she looked to Ikigai for a response.

Celeste Akizora