Summer arrives, the sun does not, and when Mazikeen leaves Hyaline she follows the River south and does not allow herself to so much as look to the west. She already knows she’s probably going to do something stupid in that direction eventually... but not yet. For now, she can pretend that she doesn’t care because she knows she shouldn’t.
She’s thankful for her quest in a way she had not been before - it’s the ideal distraction. A problem that she’s capable of solving. And, finally, it’s beginning to feel actually possible. She still misses her shifting, and she’s pretty sure that’s never going to go away as long as this continues, but the despair isn’t what it was. Determination has settled in, buoyed by the support of her friends, and a growing appreciation for this form.
She catches herself hoping that maybe once this particular pain is gone, another will leave too.
Better to hope for that than anything else, at least.
(Though sometimes those hopes catch up with her too, in defiance of all logic and sense.)
Mazikeen does not follow the river to the coast, and does not allow her mind to linger on why, and instead moves into the forest. This place still frightens her and though it is a reasonable (yet annoying) fear, she’s stubborn enough not to let it have any influence over her except for a heightened sense of caution and an elevated heart rate.
Every other trip she’s made here since she was attacked has involved either the shape or the features of a large predator.
It seems fitting and appropriate for the task she’s been given to face this place again with no traits whatsoever. No feline eyes to guide her, no sharp teeth or flexing claws to deter anyone from bothering her. Just the strength she’s always had and some new ideas on what to do with her hooves in a fight.
(No. Not going there.)
She doesn’t even use her fire aura to light her way and instead moves deep into the woods until she can no longer discern the shapes of the trees from the empty spaces between them and is forced to stop. There Mazikeen stands, eyes open but unseeing and ears flicking towards each sound that comes her way - though there’s not many. It’s almost entirely still in the forest around her and she tenses in anticipation of what the next noise might be.
open to any!