(For Kaeya or Zhongli! Or whomever you feel wants to interact with her!)

First Days of Winter / accepting / @nildov

"So it would seem," Kaeya says, looking out at the roaring blizzard from the abandoned campsite within the cave they took shelter in from the elements. Dragonspine is notorious for its unpredictable and treacherous environment, easily catching any unprepared traveler by surprise. Even the most seasoned adventurer has been known to fall victim to its nature. While his cryo vision would take the brunt of it off, he's still human and not impervious to ailments such as hypothermia. He also can't speak on his shelter mate's faculties either.

But that didn't make the fact she had gotten snowed in any better. Even more so with a stranger. Sure she was a nord, and she could use spells to keep the rest of the worst of the weather from harming her, or even her thu'um to clear it outright. But this stranger was at least someone she could talk to. Someone she could glean at least basic information about this place. And gods knows what kind of trouble she could accidentally start up by revealing the wrong card, let alone all of them.

"Very well," she kept her voice calm but soft, a stark difference to the howling winds outside the cave.

"In that case, you can call me Reina. As for why I'm here... ironically, this place was similar enough to my own home that; even with the storm; it brought a form of comfort."

He was close to Veilstone now, walking along a path he'd walked all his life what seemed like eons ago. Through Hearthome, through Mount Coronet (which caused hair on the back of his neck to raise), up to Solaceon Town.

Someone tended to the graves outside of Lost Tower and Cyrus couldn't help but stop and watch. Some feeling pulled at the hollowness in his chest, threatening to leak inside and force him to confront 'sentiment'.

He needed to move on before it could do just that, but his feet moved him before his mind recognised it.

He found himself in front of the attendant of the graves, staring down at them but not quite looking at them.

With her Yamask to guide her between the tombstones; she worked with practiced precision cleaning and tending to the graves. Her eyes were locked forward. But even she noticed the change in the air.

The residents seemed nervous. She watched the ghost flitter about just past her eye and couldn't help but feel concern. So many would come and go, and she'd rarely seen them like this. Then ... she heard the footsteps.

A person? Seemed so from the sound of their footsteps at least. And they were heading closer.

Keeping her head down, she continued her work. Perhaps it was another family member or loved one looking for a particular grave? She knew the placements nearly by heart. Or maybe it was a trainer looking for a battle? She'd hope not; the graves were narrow, most of her team were far to big for this place, and she'd rather not disturb someone's rest by the battle accidently destroying someone's remains.

And then, she heard his voice. More specifically, his words. Her mouth moved before her mind could process.

"Where ... where did you learn that language?"

Her voice was quiet and rather hoarse from lack of use. But shock was laced in every sound as she slowly stood.

Eventually, his question registered. And not one to try to miss an opportunity...

5. out

4. guilty

3. wanting

2. lacking

Hums of acknowledgment was the initial thing that left her; slowly climbing her way onto the ship. until she hoisted herself over the railing with her 'loot'.

"Plfft-!" Reina spat out the end of velvet bag, her nose scrunching at the peculiar texture and the remnants in her mouth. "Why do humans like that stuff so much?" A rhetorical question as she glared at the fabric. "So itchy and weird," but it held it's purpose she supposed, before looking between it and the bodies.

She couldn't eat many at once, maybe one or two a day if she really needed it. But she could at least preserve the rest to the best of her ability.

Crawling over to the corpses tied to her, mist rolled from her mouth as she began to sing. Ice formed and engulfed all but one of the bodies, planning to eat at least one throughout the day. And her gaze shifted over to the rest that remained, untying herself from the bodies.

"Do you not freeze them?" They would probably last longer, she thought, encased rather than just close to ice from the looks of it. Quickly, she shook her head, refocusing on the conversation and offering Jewel another smile.

Noted. "Makes sense," she crawled away from the human bodies; her tail moving side to side against the deck; and to the bag again to properly inspect it's contents.

As her claws traced over intricate metal and gems, Reina watched how they glimmered in the light and weighed their options. Currents she was familiar with, and it would take less energy to entrance a ship than it would that and anything else that thought them prey nearby. But her biggest concern was possible icebergs and the monsters that could lurk in far deeper waters, waiting for unsuspecting prey of all types. Still, they both could use the food and the supplies from human ships.

"Best we head West then. The quicker we get there, and with some luck, we could catch another ship on the way to safer shores." What she knew of the Land folk was that they often needed supplies from their homes, and Jewel had a bear; whatever that was the siren didn't want to meet it while hungry.

It was a small fascination, similar to what she had seen Sea Witches and more talented Hunters than she had done in the colony, shifting flesh to one thing and back again. And it was still fascinating to watch those from land and sky do the same.

"Jewel, a lovely name," like the gems she collected off the dead and wrecked, diamonds glimmering in the light. "I am Reina, Hunter of the Keizaal Colony. And I hope that we could work together."

Webbed and Clawed hands motions towards the bodies she tied. "Both our work would be eased if combined, less energy used that could be spent on other things that could benefit us both. Both of us need food, and it's easier if one keeps them docile while the other slaughters the prey who cant fight back." A grin crossed her features, Sharp teeth and fangs on full display to try and show friendliness. It was what she was told the people above did it to show each other they meant no harm. And though she wasn't sure how accurate it was, it didn't hurt to try.

Hums of acknowledgment was the initial thing that left her; slowly climbing her way onto the ship. until she hoisted herself over the railing with her 'loot'.

"Plfft-!" Reina spat out the end of velvet bag, her nose scrunching at the peculiar texture and the remnants in her mouth. "Why do humans like that stuff so much?" A rhetorical question as she glared at the fabric. "So itchy and weird," but it held it's purpose she supposed, before looking between it and the bodies.

She couldn't eat many at once, maybe one or two a day if she really needed it. But she could at least preserve the rest to the best of her ability.

Crawling over to the corpses tied to her, mist rolled from her mouth as she began to sing. Ice formed and engulfed all but one of the bodies, planning to eat at least one throughout the day. And her gaze shifted over to the rest that remained, untying herself from the bodies.

"Do you not freeze them?" They would probably last longer, she thought, encased rather than just close to ice from the looks of it. Quickly, she shook her head, refocusing on the conversation and offering Jewel another smile.

It was a small fascination, similar to what she had seen Sea Witches and more talented Hunters than she had done in the colony, shifting flesh to one thing and back again. And it was still fascinating to watch those from land and sky do the same.

"Jewel, a lovely name," like the gems she collected off the dead and wrecked, diamonds glimmering in the light. "I am Reina, Hunter of the Keizaal Colony. And I hope that we could work together."

Webbed and Clawed hands motions towards the bodies she tied. "Both our work would be eased if combined, less energy used that could be spent on other things that could benefit us both. Both of us need food, and it's easier if one keeps them docile while the other slaughters the prey who cant fight back." A grin crossed her features, Sharp teeth and fangs on full display to try and show friendliness. It was what she was told the people above did it to show each other they meant no harm. And though she wasn't sure how accurate it was, it didn't hurt to try.

"That could be arranged," she trilled, swimming closer to the side, as if ready to pounce and try to climb to the deck with the corpses still tied to her. But it did beg the question, "are the humans that much of a problem?"

Jewel seemed more than capable at killing them as far as Reina was aware. 'Though perhaps that wasn't what she was referring to?' The sight of the heavy bag grabbing her attention before moving, not wanting to be hit by it.

When she swam to it to see what it contained, pleased chirps and trills left the siren as she saw it's contents; a hand reaching out to inspect some of the jewelry and daggers. Her pupils dilating as she inspected each piece.

"Of course, it wouldn't be wise to betray an ally. Nut if I may, do you trade with the humans often? Or is this you preferred way of gaining food?" She could work with either method, the Pirates she studied often working with both. Perhaps that is how she can keep their natures hidden as they hunted? It would certainly give a decent enough cover.

Frustration was first to bloom in her chest when the slaughter started, Reina suppressed the urge to thrash her tail from where she swam, her smile instead showing more of her sharp teeth. 'I found the ship, sang the sailors to a standstill, they're my prey,' the first thought huffed. Less humans to feast meant less food and supplies for her colony; and admittedly less trinkets for her to nab and hide away for future study and use. 'But, they are saving me the time and energy it would have took to kill them all in the first place. And perhaps I can still negotiate with this one for whatever items and food they'd be willing to part with.' Her frustration started to ease at the second thought, but now came a new problem. What was she to bargain with? This person didn't seem to need help in terms of protection, if the sounds and towers of ice were anything to go by. She had little equipment or shiny things immediately on her to trade, that could be of use. But her thoughts came to an immediate halt as she heard her spoke, looking up have violet meet icy blue, and that gave her an idea. Quick to calm and even quicker to dodge the spears, she swam about to dislodge the corpses; tying them together with some lengths of rope before swimming back up to talk to the stranger. "Many thanks," her melodic voice rang out, hoping the one above could hear her clearly. "But I am curious; may I know your name, stranger?"

The demon woman draped her arms over the side of the ship and rested her chin on her blackened hands.

“Name…” her voice edged with a graveled growl.

Her mouth quietly vibrated between a snarled mess of needled ice and teeth and something resembling human lips. Her brows knitted in concentration.

“Ouu… lll…--” a curt gruff.

Pale flesh wove over her features in a crawl. Her lips were peeling, cracked, and bloodied but looked human.

Fog steamed from her nose as she flexed her jaws. “Ah… it’s Jewel.”

She brought the still spurting neck of her kill near her mouth. The dryness in her throat was persistent as it always was. Gotta hydrate.

“Don’ know why a siren wanna know it.” Who knows, maybe she had heard of her. Jewel had hunted the frozen waters for years (several months now in this form.) Humans, animals, merfolk, serpents, other demons; everything was wild game when she was hungry. The pangs gripped her in a blind fury at its worst, a far cry from her pitiful cravings as a human girl.

It was a small fascination, similar to what she had seen Sea Witches and more talented Hunters than she had done in the colony, shifting flesh to one thing and back again. And it was still fascinating to watch those from land and sky do the same.

"Jewel, a lovely name," like the gems she collected off the dead and wrecked, diamonds glimmering in the light. "I am Reina, Hunter of the Keizaal Colony. And I hope that we could work together."

Webbed and Clawed hands motions towards the bodies she tied. "Both our work would be eased if combined, less energy used that could be spent on other things that could benefit us both. Both of us need food, and it's easier if one keeps them docile while the other slaughters the prey who cant fight back." A grin crossed her features, Sharp teeth and fangs on full display to try and show friendliness. It was what she was told the people above did it to show each other they meant no harm. And though she wasn't sure how accurate it was, it didn't hurt to try.

|| Twilight Princess Starters || @nildov ||

A figure peered over the deck of the ship, her silhouette illuminated by a pale blue glow of needled ice behind her as well as from her own body.

Around her, the limp bodies of men hung, impaled on her ice like bait on a craggy pole. Blood dripped fresh but clung stiff and cold to the dead.

Pins of faintly lit violet settled on the creature in the dark water, a huff of chilly air flaring from her nose and mangled maw.

“You distracted them. S’pose I’ll share…”

She disappeared. The sound of shattered glass echoed across the frozen waters. Another, then another.

Over the edge came massive spears of ice with the skewered men, all chucked roughly around the area where the demon had seen the siren.

'I found the ship, sang the sailors to a standstill, they're my prey,' the first thought huffed. Less humans to feast meant less food and supplies for her colony; and admittedly less trinkets for her to nab and hide away for future study and use. 'But, they are saving me the time and energy it would have took to kill them all in the first place. And perhaps I can still negotiate with this one for whatever items and food they'd be willing to part with.'

Her frustration started to ease at the second thought, but now came a new problem. What was she to bargain with? This person didn't seem to need help in terms of protection, if the sounds and towers of ice were anything to go by. She had little equipment or shiny things immediately on her to trade, that could be of use. But her thoughts came to an immediate halt as she heard her spoke, looking up have violet meet icy blue, and that gave her an idea.

Quick to calm and even quicker to dodge the spears, she swam about to dislodge the corpses; tying them together with some lengths of rope before swimming back up to talk to the stranger.

So this one questioned and doubted them?

'Good,' Reina chimed. 'It means that; chances are, since they seem to have common sense; they can stay loyal for longer if we earn their trust. And that they might not be so easily swayed by the gods if they rear their heads here.'

'Then how do we do that?'

'Actions speak louder than words.'

"I understand," Reina said simply, shoulders relaxing slowly. Even she could make an excuse for the same back home; what with the bandits, dragons, and such. The scorching heat of the desert serving as a stark contrast to the icy mountains of Skyrim, and a cold she was quickly beginning to miss. "I would honestly be surprised-" and a little suspicious "-if you did trust me so quickly."

Though the Dragonborn had her doubts; not of Jewel holding true to her word, but of herself truly considering leaving the other for dead; and of her own inability to stay dead. It had been both a blessing and a curse that one, paired with being unable to truly forget anything; her own deaths included; to make her learn her enemies tactics and abilities and not make the same mistake twice.