amusement filtered through the dragon, eyes watching wuyi carefully, close enough to move quickly should the child move too deep into the waters, ready to take xyr from danger. it had been forever since they had been here, longer even since they had been attacked by a half-sibling removed from the family tree and recognition, forgotten afterwards. shaking their head, they freed their thoughts, scenting the air for a nearby patrol. they remembered rumors of aquatic predators, and like the hells were they risking their ward. "wuyi, you silly child", they chuckled, the dragon getting up to walk to xyr side and groom the mud from the tufts of fur and hair upon xyr head, purring as they groomed it out, making xyr presentable. warmth blooming in their chest, they nudged the youth softly, assuring xyr wordlessly.

they had come here with a reason, grateful for the child to be there with them, for whatever it meant to others, it eased their worry over leaving xyr at home. oh yes, the candies they had. perhaps, the child would be lucky, and they could trade for something similar here. they had been out of the loop since the raid, and knew very little of what had happened in each group. setting down the panier that they carried in their jaws, the dragon turned their head to itch at an old scale, plucking it away with a slight hiss at the sting, silver ichor beading around the young scale growing in. not much longer and they should be losing their antlers. tossing their head as they shook their mane into place, they relaxed, looking down into the panier, gazing over the honeycombs, herbs, meats and pieces of rare metals. not that they knew what to do with the metals, but perhaps, the other group could make use of them. rumbling softly, they were content to wait, curious to see who would arrive at the border. there was no reason to rush, wuyi was full of energy and should xe need to rest, there was space enough in their mane for the cub to nest between their shoulders while they wandered about.

Amusement lit up their eyes, seeing the savannah, reminded of their own son and former lover, Regina. Dipping their head in a show of returned respect, the Kingpin rumbled warmly, "Greetings, Vignere. I'm Bai Shi, the Kingpin of Alithís Evgenis. We are a rather small group, relatively new within the year or so, but I hail from The Rosebloods prior to their takeover. I apologize for the trouble and grief that they brought you in the past. I can't make up for what they did, but I hope that I can smooth any hiccups over now. I was a part of the group when it was under Sephiroth's rule.", they began, eyes kind. "I would like to extend an invite, and a suggestion, as well as a plan, if you would still listen to me. Ah. This here is Wuyi, my ward.", their mind must be slipping, too distracted to do introductions. Gods help them.