She saw less and less of Valkyrie and Zana as the days passed. The two girls were getting older now, and almost all restrictions limiting their exploration had been lifted. Ryan had let her mind drift into the clouds for so long now, that she wasn’t even sure what was happening in the young girls’ lives. Hell, maybe they didn’t even play with each other any longer.
She crept out of the cave, having slept there instead of the den that was situated just beside it. Ryan had made up a bed some time ago, comprised of fabrics she had and some things she had found in the city. It wasn’t anything grand, but it kept the moisture out of her fur. It was still early, and she was surprised to find the grasses still dotted with dew. It brushed against the hem of her dress, dampening it, but she didn’t seem to notice. She made her way to one of her favorites spots – the shore – and hummed quietly to herself. She wasn’t quite sure what the tune was, but only that it somehow seemed to be connected to her memories.
"Who are you?" Her voice seemed to come harsher than she meant it to be. But after she had traveled alone all this way, she was surprised to find a face she did not recognize. She could smell Gabriel on her – recent – and knew she must be a new member. Either that or the Aquila had given her special permission to trespass. Either way, as Gabriel’s subleader, she felt as if she needed to keep better tabs on the souls in the clan. She wasn’t doing such a hot job with encountering and getting to know all of the faces.
Ryan trudged down the small embankment, trailing by the stranger’s left side so that her paws hit the sand. She had missed the sunrise, but the water was as beautiful as always. She turned her crimson gaze back onto the stranger then, offering, "I’m Ryan de le Poer."