A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER // o, dual joiners

[tristitia]

[shadow=CD8C95,right]RIKU HIMURA BASKERVILLE[/shadow]

DARKNESS EXISTS TO MAKE LIGHT TRULY COUNT

How long had they been traveling? It felt like years to the young Himura. After... an incident happened, they... she and her father, felt like they were no longer safe in the old home. So they packed up, and left. And now, they’d be traveling for so, so long. She was ready to collapse, just making it to the border before allowing herself to sit.

The walk was either blood-boiling warm, or bone-chilling cold. When they first started their journey, they were in a huge desert. The air around them seemed to evaporate during the day, and in the night, the wildcat hybrid swore she could see frost. And now, they made it here.

They figured this place because it was peaceful— they should be safe here. At least, that’s what Riku hoped the reasoning behind it was. Yet, their territory was not the best fit for her. The snow against her paws made her feel as if she had frostbite, every breath— she could see the tiny water crystals condensating in front of her. It was bitterly, bitterly cold.

As such, she reacted adversely. The crimson kitten was shaking, and her teeth were quivering. Her fur stood up on end to insulate herself. She hunched down a bit, trying to calm her chattering teeth.

Riku looks out, towards where she assumed were people would come from to welcome them. They should be there soon. After all, Father did not like waiting. Where was he? Her ears perked, and her off magenta and golden eyes widened in fear. Oh, no! He couldn’t be lost, could he? The odd hybrid stands up and calls out, "Otousan? Father... Dad?" Her voice holds fear, and worry, and anxiety. She gently stamps her feet on the ground, her gaze dashing to try to find him.

[member=2495]AKUMA HIMURA B.[/member]

//you can post for his roleplayer does!!!

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[AKUMA HIMURA B.]

[shadow=CD8C95,right]AKUMA HIMURA BASKERVILLE[/shadow]

IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU, MY CRIME AND PUNISHMENT !

Losing Riku the first time had been a tragedy, and seeing her look upon him with puzzlement and confusion, not remember her own name or who she was had made his heart ache and twist in agony. A father should never have to watch as his child cower away from him, expression barren as he tries desperately in vain to entice the fond and loving memories of their time to return. Akuma could not - would not let that ever happen again. He would never let anyone take his daughter away from him again; not while he was living in this vessel of his. However, as much as he tried to keep a careful eye on his beautiful princess, he had failed. At the mere age of three months, her life had been ripped away from her unfairly by a lower-than-dirt murderer. A stake stabbed through his chest, the loss of Riku, however temporary it was ( they were Baskervilles after all, one does not simply stay dead in this family ), the agony that proceeded upon seeing her limp body, dashed in her lifeblood, was simply unbearable. No amount of physical pain he had endured in his entire lifetime could ever amount to the emotional pain he felt that day.

But, as he predicted, she had came back. It was all well-timed, it seemed. There had been a disturbance in the Way, a tear where the dwellers of the Abyss could slink through and transfer themselves across any dimension they saw fit - and Riku was brought back to him but not as a mortal, no, but as a Chain. Nevertheless, he was breathlessly relieved. The day she was brought back was the day tears pooled forth from golden eyes and that same day they departed. The place they had formerly lived in had been dubbed too dangerous to raise his daughter and he was going to make sure no one could ever take his child - his dear, dear, Riku - away from him again.

And yet, somehow he had managed to get lost in this new place.

Snow crunching loudly under ashen colored paws, his expression turned into one that reflected worry as he turned his head this way and that. Riku was gone from his side. I really am a horrible father aren't I? He thinks bitterly to himself, biting down upon velvety lips as he whips his head around at the sounds of which billowed around him. He had looked away for a moment - only for a moment - and the vermilion colored femme had disappeared again. His panic had set in immediately, his mind jumping to the worst possible conclusions. His heart thrummed wildly like a hummingbird in its cage until his chest hurt, breaths drawn in quickly as he shuffled through the snow, and eyes flitting across the surface to pick out her small form among the stark whiteness of the background. Where was she- where was she? There!

"Riku . . ." His voice, light and faintly raspy, was touched with relief as his eyes landed upon her. Even though he has her back in his vision, his heart would not slow down. Just the mere thought of losing Riku again made him want to scream and yell in anguish. He just . . . couldn't have that happen again. Ever. He loved his child too much. She meant so much to the servacal, it broke his heart thinking about how he's failed her twice already as her supposed "guardian." Akuma steps closer to the girl, a tentative frown pressing onto feminine features as he brushed against her, sharing his warmth with the chilled cub. A shaky sigh leaves him as he looks to her, eyes half-lidded in obvious tiredness but still loving all the more. "It's alright, I'm here." He cooed, pressing his nose into her side. "I'm . . .  sorry." He whispered under a broken voice. It was funny how he always found himself saying those two words. "I'm sorry." He always messed up, it seemed. He knew he wasn't cut out for this ( living or parenting? ) and yet he still tried even though the results were visible even from far off. He sits up now, brows creasing his forehead as he finally takes a look about this unfamiliar wintry land. Ah . . . they'd made it, it seemed. He notes this in the back of his mind, gold eyes fluttering about to take in the scene. "I . . . guess we're here. I'm sorry, watashi no ōjo, but it seems like we'll be waiting out here for a while." He turns his gaze down onto Riku, finally, smile apologetic. "Is that okay?"

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[ATBASH CIPHER.]

ATBASH CIPHER

is someone else in me,
waiting to break free?

At one point in time, Atbash had been traveling with a partner. Her brother, to be exact. But Vigenere had snapped one day and chased her off, growling about how he needed time to himself. Atbash was hurt by his actions but she has long sense forgiven him. After all, she now knew he was apart of Tanglewood and he came to apologize to her. It'd be wrong of her not to forgive him, in her opinion. In fact, him snapping at her was almost expected with the events that happened prior.

"Oh, I hope you didn't wait too long!" Atbash called out to the two strangers at the border, bounding about in the snow as she came to stand in front of them. It was getting colder, she noticed, and it would be hard for joiners to sit out here for very long. "My name's Atbash Cipher, the leader here. What brings you to Snowbound?" She asked next, tilting her head slightly.

bio | female | hailcaller [leader] of snowbound

© madi

[AKUMA HIMURA B.]

[shadow=CD8C95,right]AKUMA HIMURA BASKERVILLE[/shadow]

IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU, MY CRIME AND PUNISHMENT !

Akuma lifts his head as an feminine voice reaches his ears. They twist forward in response, golden rings pierced there clanking together pleasantly whilst he turns his attention warily onto Atbash. The Hailcaller seemed amiable at best, at least from what he was getting from his impression of her, but with Akuma as he was now - he could not allow himself to trust this person just because they seemed nice. Although already plenty close to his daughter, the servacal finds himself placing a paw over her as if protecting her from an potential threat. "Not at all." He replies, his smile tight as he fixes Atbash with his brilliant yellow eyes. The other goes on to introduce herself: Atbash, leader. Perfect. He thought sardonically to himself, subconsciously pressing his ears against his head as he contemplated his next move. So far, nothing screamed at him that this place wasn't like what it seemed. He supposed why not give this place a chance? If he didn't like it, he'd take Riku and they would be on their way.

Regaining his composure, he sits up straight and he forces himself to appear relaxed and easygoing. "I was hoping me and my daughter could, ah, stay here?" He inquires before going to introduce both himself and Riku, pressing a paw to his chest first. "I'm Akuma, and this is Riku." He looks down at the child, the softest smiles curling upon his lips. It was odd to Akuma, the way he was acting. He would usually be far more confident - far less anxious - but when a good reason presents itself, he would quickly find himself restless. Truthfully, he really just wanted to rest for a while, seeing as he and Riku had been on the move for quite a while now and he knows that her tiny paws must be aching something awful from traveling so much.

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[tristitia]

[shadow=CD8C95,right]RIKU HIMURA BASKERVILLE[/shadow]

DARKNESS EXISTS TO MAKE LIGHT TRULY COUNT

The child smiled when her father came into view, and the fact that it was very easy to pick him out. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his black fur! But, that fur was very warm, as shown by how she melted into her father’s embrace, since she wasn’t as cold anymore. The crimson cat was about to reply, about waiting. She was gonna give an answer that wasn’t rude but still showed she was tired from walking all the way here. Opening her maw to speak, the kitten quickly snaps it shut, when a voice reaches her ears. She flicks her ears, and turns to the odd Savannah cat.

That was... was she a Halloween cat? Orange and black, oh my! Plus those spots. She almost seemed like an odd hybrid between a cat and a hyena. Riku tries not to show her puzzlement, though a look of surprise does show when her much larger father puts a paw on her.

Then, after she is done asking the question, Akuma had already introduced them. Well. There went her speaking role. She appears more hunched down, more unsure now.  "Y-yeah. Riku... Himura Baskerville, and we would like to join. This is a peaceful place, right?" She asks, brows furrowing in case she was not safer here.

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[Dimitri]

[table][tr][td]

"S-Snowbound is peaceful." Dimitri stuttered, approaching lightly with fur grown out. It was getting colder again. He hated the snow.
Then why don't we move?
"I-I'm Dimitri. Articplayer. I live here, too."

[/td][td]

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© LEXASPERATED

[ATBASH CIPHER.]

ATBASH CIPHER

is someone else in me,
waiting to break free?

"Indeed we are." Atbash agreed with Dimitri's words, giving the male a short nod as he came over before returning her gaze to the two joiners. "You guys are absolutely welcome to stay." She went on quickly, turning around and flicking her short tail to signal for the two to follow her. "I'll lead you to camp. Could I interest you in some hot chocolate, perhaps?" After all, it was getting colder nowadays. Visitors definitely might be expecting something in return for traveling to such a chilly place.

bio | female | hailcaller [leader] of snowbound

© madi