MASKTOURN

12:45 PM

The leaves on the path were ruffled and twigs and branches had been snapped around the area freshly; bushes had shed some leaves and moss patches had paw marks and bits missing. Black fur with a bluish sheen was stuck on branches here and there where the marks were. It was like this creature had been running around the area a bunch very recently. @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi soon caught a scent on the wind, head moving every direction until her eyes fixed on a piece of bluish black fur. She sucked in a breath as her eyes finally opened to little markings and bits of disturbed undergrowth and she gave chase almost before her mind caught up to the discovery. "Yuga?" Isi called as loud as she dared. She had no idea if she was simply not sensing right or if the trail really was this haphazard, either way she wasn't certain of where she was going. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Soon there was rustling and snapping of branches further away, and it approached quickly. Something was bounding across the forest floor on all fours, over rocks and fallen trees. As they ran into each other, the creature leapt at Isi and grabbed her into a tight hold, causing them both to fall onto the mossy ground. "Isi!!" @sketti | Isi 🦌

"Yuga!!" Isi fell happily, holding as tightly to Yuga as he was to her. If there had been any instinctual fear at his fast approach and tackle, it was gone in an instant. Even though she'd cried far too much for her liking over these past days she instantly felt near to doing so again, and so could not speak. she resisted the urge to bury her head in Yuga's fur for fear of hitting him with her antlers. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Yuga nuzzled into Isi and his tail, though pressed low, was wagging. "I was looking for you, your scent trail just disappeared, I... I got scared you, just left me..." Yuga mumbled. "It sounds stupid, now that I say it.." @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi tensed, eyes fixed on some indeterminable point behind Yuga's back, like she was having a difficult time processing that all-together understandable statement. A few moments more and her shoulders were shaking, breath going fast and ragged like she might break down completely. She curled in more and one hand rose to clumsily thread into the fur by Yuga's ears. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Yuga noticed how tense Isi was, how erratic her breathing was, and his ears lowered. Something had clearly happened during the time they had not seen each other. "I-isi? Are you alright? What happened?" Yuga's hug became gentler, and he pulled his head back to look the faun in the eyes. @sketti | Isi 🦌 (edited)

Isi stared back at Yuga, eyes shiny and face strained. She shook her head a little. "So much. so much happened. It- I don't know where to start" She tried to force her breathing back to a natural place, like she wanted to explain but couldn't do so steadily quite yet. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Yuga's ears flattened against his head, and he shuddered. "Are you being chased? Should we run?" @sketti | Isi 🦌

"No- no I'm not" Isi shook her head more firmly, and did her best to look at Yuga. "My scent trail- you said it disappeared right? That's because I disappeared, something took me and- how long have I been gone? For you, I mean" Isi was talking fast in an attempt to feign steadiness, like a bird on the shore trying to outrun crashing waves. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Yuga frowned, and tilted his head a bit, watching Isi's face closely. "Um.. For some time, I'm not sure exactly, but maybe a couple of hours? I've been looking for you about that long, I think. Who took you? I couldn't smell anyone else." @sketti | Isi 🦌

"thats because they weren't- they teleported us. They just- took me. It was another tournament and it was awful. For me it doesn't feel like its been hours it feels like its been a week since I saw you" Isi's voice broke a little near the end. "I thought I'd come back here and you'd be gone" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Yuga's eyes grew even more worried. What Isi described sounded horrifying. He didn't know what to say, but fear and compassion clawed his stomach. He whined, and hugged the girl tighter again. He shook his head. "I... I'd still be looking for you, even after a week. I'm sure. You're all I have," he whispered, although he didn't know if he'd have the courage to hold on to hope for as long as a week, @sketti | Isi 🦌

Isi wasn't sure she could hug any tighter than she already was, but her shoulders dropped with relief as Yuga spoke. She didn't know how to talk about the worst parts, about fire and dying and promises she didn't want to keep. not now. but maybe that was okay. Isi's voice was thick and mumbly, as if each word was trying to carry the weight of all she wasn't ready to say. "I'm glad you didn't have to. I missed you. I never wanted you to- think I'd just leave you. I was so worried about it" @Twig | Seki / Aarni