“Nonsense! I couldn’t have done this without you Del! We make a great team!” Cirice exclaims launching herself into Del’s open arms and letting the wall of light fall away as she hugs her tight. She giggles and snuggles into the older elf’s grasp. “They’re so cuuuute aren’t they? And so soft and fluffy! I always wanted a pet panda back home but my parents always said no… Now I don’t know if they’d enjoy traveling with me…”



She sighs and gives Del a big smile, “Let’s go find the rest and bring them home. We’ve gotten… Like half I think, the rest should be pretty easy. Maybe you could show me some of your cool moves again?”

Suddenly Del has to catch Cirice, jerked from her train of thought by the sudden launch of the young elf into her arms. Del swings her in a circle to disperse the momentum, a startled laugh bubbling up as she realizes what she's doing. Hugging the girl back, the level of affection and familiarity is startlingly new, but not unwelcome. More recently, she's gotten hugs and tackle-cuddles from the children of the orphanage, but otherwise, these past few months were the first time in decades where she'd had so much close, non-violet contact at one time. Cirice really is terribly sweet and sincere; is this how Cyran feels all the time, with the orphans, with the other younger folk he appeared to have adopted?

He was so well loved by others, it felt strange-- but good-- to be part of that, even in some small way.

Still laughing, Del sets Cirice down, and places a hand on top of her head; not ruffling hair, just a light touch of affection. "How could I not be convinced after that, dear Cirice? Alright." Del claps her hands together. "Let's go get those pandas. And use my... how did you call them? Cool moves? Those." Chuckling, Del offers her hand to Cirice so they can venture forth once again to collect the rest of the bears.

"They are very cute. They certainly would require a lot of bamboo, of course..." Del reasons as they walk, picking up a previous thread of conversation as they make their way through the forest. "Is there maybe a creature that would be smaller, more manageable for you to take with you on the road? Apart from your current companions that I've seen anyway," her head nods in the direction of the baby bone naga and the wolpertinger.

Cirice takes Del’s hand with a beaming smile and a cheer of joy. The familiarity feels really nice, comforting and warm. The head pat especially hits home. “Well… I mean I have a moth, and my spellbook, my snake, the konpeito-lings, Hitia, Arestar… I don’t know. I love having pets! I tried to convince this little guy to be my familiar but he refused… I get lonely on the road so I fill my wagon with friends that don’t leave.”

She looks ahead into the trees before them. "I love when I get to be with my friends and do fun things, it makes me less homesick."

Filling her wagon with friends that don't leave. Now that was a terribly sad and a little worrying statement. She squeezes Cirice's hand as they continue to venture forth. It sounded like this was at least enough of an occurence that Cirice had built a careful layer of comfort to cushion herself in case of a fall.

"Pets are wonderful. Cyran has his little shadowlings and Blackberry Cheesecake back at Shade's Valley, and I love to get little bits of affection from them. I don't have any of my own as yet, but maybe one day," if she decided to go forward with the shop, anyway, she certainly would.

"I can only imagine how much you must miss your family when you're travelling. What made you decide to travel?" Del enquires as they make their wa into the forest proper. "And what sorts of fun things do you like to do with family? I think what we're doing is pretty fun, of course, but could it be more fun? Oh," She drops to a crouch quickly, nodding in the direction of an ambling pair of pandas moving through the underbrush. Perfect. "Those two might lead us to where the others have been hiding, if we're lucky."

“Shade’s Valley… That’s the Orphanage, right? I haven’t been there yet… I want to go and bake for the kids there sometime.” Cirice muses aloud. Her expression becomes a little melancholy and she looks down, “I travel so I can become stronger and learn more so that I may spread Mother Moon’s name and influence with my deeds. I’m her cleric, I go where she sends me and help people as much as I can. Its lonely sometimes, but she’s always with me at least.”

“As far as fun things… Well my chichi and I play shamisen together and fish, and haha and I shop! She’s from a trading family so she taught me all about fashion and trends and how to tell if things are good quality and worth money!” She announces proudly. “They’re proud of me and always support my journey, even if I’m really young and still inexperienced. I am only twenty, if it wasn’t for my calling I’d still be at home.”

They find the pair of pandas and she stops and gets low like Del. The pandas are moving deeper into the forest towards more sounds, perhaps the rest are congregated together. The pair of elves creep after them quietly, watching them with interest as they enter a clearing full of four other bears. The rest all accounted for, now just to get them back.

"It would be lovely to see you there some time. I'd be happy to show you around, and I'm sure Cyran would be delighted." Del smiles, though it flickers as Cirice admits to how lonely the road has been for her. She does so much in the name of this Mother Moon she worshipped, and on her lonesome no less.

The fun things she tended to do seem to cheer her up quite thoroughly though. Del smiles at the revelation that Cirice played the Shamisen with her Chichi-- and is again reminded of just how young Cirice is. She knew Cirice and Gerhart were of the same age, and every time she thought about that, about how terribly young they both were, Del found herself worrying for them. Both of them.

"I'm glad they support you. You have my support too, you know," she adds with a slight smile over her shoulder, "I know first hand how lonely the road can get. That's been my life for years. If you are ever feeling the weight of your journey, the least I can do is offer to be someone you can go to, so you don't have to endure it alone."

With one last lift of the corners of her mouth, Del looks forward again at the pandas, thinking. The two did lead them to the rest of the bears... Now, how to get the rest of them back to the paddock... "Alright. I think I can give them a startle from behind there, in that grove." She tilts her neck from side to side, little cracks audible from the motion. "If you can keep them from veering off and keep them on course, I think we can get them in one shot. Sound good?"

If it was, Del would give Cirice an encouraging smile and... slip away. Melding effortlessly into shadow[1], Del slipped around and behind the group of pandas without making so much as a sound. It only takes a couple of minutes before, from Cirice's point of view, the woods behind the panda's start to darken[3,4] as if being consumed by darkness.

Things hiss and rattle, unseen from the dark. A large boar stands on his hind legs, looking big as the group of pandas looks towards the ever darkening forest. It sounds like trees are falling, and the sound of something big, heavy, rushing towards them. The shadow itself morphs into the shape of a giant of a predator, large teeth made of void-dark ink, as the shadow lunges.

The pandas bolt, uttering little cries of alarm as they start to barrell in the opposite direction of the forest, back toawrd the farm... though some try to split off to find safer harbour, as they start to near where Del had left Cirice.

---

[1] One with the Shadows
[2] Pass Without a Trace
[3] Mass Shadow Manipulation
[4] Overbearing Shadow

“Yeah I’ll see you there one day. Especially if you guys date….” Cirice teases her. “I know I have you, I’m glad to have you. I hope to have you in my life always. Thanks Del.”

“Got it!” She blinks in surprise as Del melds with the shadows, mentally noting the power and wondering if she can learn that too.

As the pandas start running her way pair of Cirices pop out of the bushes, each throwing up a wall of light to create a corridor to direct the fleeing bears^{1 &2}. Without any opportunity to flee elsewhere the bears are funneled back towards the farm. Cirice and her doppelganger stay on either side of the herd, making sure they can’t run anywhere but where they want them. Turning one of the walls into another ramp she directs the bears into the pen.

“Woo! We did it!” Cirice cheers, letting the magic fade away. “You were amazing Del! How'd you do the shadowy stuff? Teach me!”

---

1 Replicant
2 Wall of light

Del's deep brown skin darkens to a mahogany as blood rushes to her face. Date?? Cyran? That... what a thought, she hadn't dated anyone in... well, she couldn't bloody remember, so it was at least a while. Del hadn't considered that a... possibility. Cyran was a personable, charming, handsome Moon Elf, an accomplished hunter who cared deeply for those in his care. He was playful, thoughtful, passionate about things like birds and stars, a true gentleman, a very capable leader, a dutiful protector, and a gentle soul... Who wouldn't want to pursue someone like that?

Who indeed.

She can't quiet supress the wheeze as she takes to the foliage to circumvent the pandas to get into position-- "You'rewelcomethathadn'toccuredtome,seeyouinabit!"

Del wondered for a moment why she had never considered that before. Perhaps because Cyran was all these wonderful things, and she was... not. She was being pursued, still, as well. It would be irresonsible to risk his safety like that. But now that Cirice had put the thought in her head... she found that she wasn't terribly opposed to the idea. Not in the least. Very strange.

Ahem.

She refocuses as she chases the bears down Cirice's path of light, the shadowy predator snapping at their heels before dissipating once every last one was back over the fence.The caretaker of the pandas comes over to thank and pay them-- enduring another withering glare from Del-- and leaves the two women to make their way back to their next destination.

Del beams, coming over to Cirice with her arms open. "We sure did! Well done, Cirice, I couldn't have done this without you. Oh," she blinks at the request. "You wish to learn about...? If you're ah, sure, then I would be delighted to teach you," a thoughtful chuckle escapes her, suddenly sheepish as she rubs the back of her neck. "I am not sure how I use the shadows as I do, but I can do my best to try and give you a rundown of what it should feel like?"

Cirice falls into Del’s waiting arms happily. The elder elf’s muscles may be incredibly powerful, but her arms are still a gentle and comfortable place. She’s glad to have had this opportunity to spend more time with Del one on one and really see her for herself. She’s glad that Cyran has found someone so wonderful to love and who loves him. Though Del getting flustered about their relationship was super cute and Cirice sympathized heavily with it. If Del and Cyran marry that means Del will be her godmother… That would be nice. Really tie their family closer together.

She hops out of Del’s arms as they head back into the dark shadowy forest. Del had said she wasn’t sure how she controlled the shadows and yet under her tutelage Cirice starts to figure it out quickly. A little too quick for comfort. The shadows almost seem to cling to Cirice and accept her into their embrace as natural; as breathing. That’s… Concerning. But in this family its not too terribly surprising. Everyone has their secrets and with time they’ll surely come to light.