the blustering kiss of the wind was more than enough to drive the most sane back indoors, but sanity is not what kept the shapeshifter outside in the wind. patrols had been lacking, prey was flowing strong and there had been no sign of bandits since the partial collapse of the cliffside buildings. reasons that belonged to the shifter alone brought them out along the territory's perimeter, their daughter's twisted body laying at the forefront of their mind.

taking the crest of the hill before them, a scent they wished that they never would have smelt again reached their nose, faint but ever so real. they recalled the memories of their days spent in the pitt, when stryker had been the ardent, and when ninazu herself had tortured them for some time. taking a deeper breath, they rumbled, some amount of their distracted mind put to rest at the lack of the lioness' scent. striding down the lip of the hill, the melanistic jaguar bodied kingpin approached the albino lion kingpin, "they're here.", they announced as they came towards him, "hello stryker, it's been well over a year now. no hard feelings, hey?"

oh, they remembered jervis and his claiming of having captured the lions who had held the group in their paws. little were they to know that the fallen ardent now had his own group once again. "been a long fuckin' time. where's the missy? back home?", they wouldn't let their mind wander back to that time when she had them captive, before sephiroth came to rescue them. how foolish they had been then, fooled by silken words by the ones they thought friends - not that any of the pittians would have befriended them.

they were oblivious to the chill of the air, pondering on if they should extend a wall of shelter to him - he looked rather miserable and already quite chilled here in the autumn. how hilarious it would be to see him in the winter, floundering through snow. putting aside their internal amusement, they cleared their throat, "what brings you to my home, stryker? i'm not entirely sure if i should say that i'm glad to see you for it's been so long. but it is good to know that another survives this long despite the vines of fate and karma.", were they pleased by his appearance? not completely but he seemed rather healthy - they did not wish to engage in a fight that would deplete their energy when it may be needed at any time.

gaze taking in the lion before them, they held themself back from returning the same nod, their fur stiff around their neck, bushed against the cold. his voice was something that they could remember some of, hearing his voice while ninazu did her work. closing their eyes against a blustery gale, they rumbled softly in thought, pondering things. grudges were for children, yes, but perhaps ... they could come to forget things with time. they could agree with that, they didn't have any hard feelings towards him but towards ninazu ... that would come. they weren't the ones who had taken their family and loved ones from them. locking eyes with stryker, they gave a grin in answer to his, "spawning carnivorous creatures hmn? sounds like an interesting hobby. me? i'm doing as well as one could when faced with misfortunate happenings.", they murmured, pushing back memories of their children.

it had been so long since they had make contact with one another, but they knew even the hardest of beings changed in some way or form. they wondered quietly what all would have changed with him, perhaps he had mellowed out? "before that, stryker, what do you think of the typhoon and the pitt?", they asked, eyes half narrowed. debating on his answer .. perhaps they could find some other things that had changed. they didn't know what had happened since they'd left behind those groups, especially goldenluxury ... they didn't care to remember that time, not when they lost the rest of their eyesight and kydobi. giving a heavy exhale, they flicked their ear, hearing playerone come up beside them, as well as asteri. greeting the two with a dip of their head, "yes, i know him. he's stryker, formerly of the pitt. i'm entertaining the idea of forming an alliance.", they murmured in soft explanation to their groupmates before turning their gaze back to stryker with a grin, "nothing bad about considering it.", they grinned, eyes glinting. his answer ... would be where their own answer came from. they had no love for the typhoon ... not for any of those other groups. they had stayed in the pitt for one being alone and he was gone, gone like the rest of their family and friends.