6/14/2026, 7:07 PM
❁
It had been quite a while, yes, because anything that Gekirin had informed her of was beyond her previous knowledge. Her stomach grew into a knot as she took in the information – A plague…an undying winter. The dynasty had truly been left to ruin in her absence. If Izumi would’ve never gone on that failed scouting mission, if she had healed to return sooner, then she’d probably be there to lead the dynasty to safety during that year of misfortune. Internally, the crane would curse herself as lilac eyes and furrowed brows lowered to her paws, lips pressed together tightly. She…was aware my home might’ve dispersed in her absence, but her people…she’d truly failed to protect them.
Her gaze then fell back to Gekirin, who she knew she owed an explanation to. Honestly, she owed an explanation to everyone who’d been left for dead during those days. “I scouted on my lonesome several seasons ago as I usually had, and was attacked by a mountain lion on my journey home.” She explained
”I couldn’t risk leading them towards the group, not while i’d been bleeding, so I ran the opposite direction to lose sight of the feline – but I was not careful, and ended up falling from the heights of a ledge…” The cranebird could still feel the sickening snap of her bones as they broke upon impact. The fact that she was still alive after that was either some miracle, or a mockery from the gods above. ”The next thing I knew, I’d woken up in a foreign pack being tended by a medic. They wouldn’t let me leave until I was fully healed, and I suppose you could say I am better now.” Which she would end in silence, supposing Gekirin knew what that meant.
Izumi stepped closer, looking up towards him now. There was a vulnerable desperation in her eyes. Wordlessly seeking an answer of any sort for what happened, no matter how vague it was. She must find them again.
She must-!
![[Image: 54890335_EWIrkUwAqghUjLP.png]](https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-se/images/54890335_EWIrkUwAqghUjLP.png)
