Cora
"Will you-" *Ehakli cut herself off with an exasperation of thought. She only knew this land so much, but in her length, the idea seemed disastrous at best. Animals were often associated with an uncleanness in company, which to her memory and studies barred a number of silent doors. Still, these were unusual circumstances, the fragility of a macenlike mind at stake, and so at the very least, Ehakli played her centuries of practicing mundane deception into not appearing annoyed at such a prospect. The silver lost just to afford the creatures space on the ship in lieu of cargo alone was a task scolded through profit and consideration in the eyes of the one Lord Oilbreis alone; a thing that found a cutting of no small depth that she lost the advantage of age with as the old tholian himself was one of the few who indulged in life extension rituals, and knew a sloppy adjustment from a clerical error a mile away in the tedium of time's experience. Ehakli just smiled, and dipped her head.* "I'm certain we can make arrangements. Now, get you rest, girl. Even the prospect of relaxation requires a healthy rest beforehand." *The ancient of Aibaer then gave some commands to Qi in Runran, which was met with a nod and a polite momentary retreat.*

*By the time tea was finished, Qi returned with a short stand of paper and ink, which the tholian thanked for with a suggestive tapping of her own quill upon the side of the kettle, sending the servant away again.* "I shall be writing letters for some Lymian business before I retire, please do your best to acclimate to the floor comforts; these people do not believe in separating slumber from the realm of insects." *She said, gesturing to one of the luxuriously pillowed futon beddings in the room.*

*Ehakli then got to work, writing in crisp, precise Runran lettering a series of pleasantries across a number of sheets, of destination surmised from both memory and the kindly Qi in short questioning interactions over tea. The servant g

Ave simple, if meandering, guidance in the native tongue on the name of certain locations dotting around the volcanic slope by the capitol city, but would respond with a polite negative on the assumption of such special accommodations the tholian inquired upon. As candles snuffed into their own pools of melt, a final consideration was garnered, and Qi was dismissed with Ehakli's letters, and the elf finally crawled into her own futon to find rest.*

*The following morning, Juna found herself waking to the sounds of Ehakli in her sleeping gown addressing others at the sliding door to their room, passing paper and giving darling thanks in Silnarian to quell the bothered rebuffs given. In the fleeting moments of coming consciousness, Juna witnessed fleeting moments of these guests between the tholian getting ready for the day, eventually ending with the elf perched in a crouch beside the canifor's futon with a look of eagerness and a tiredness of eyes well hidden beneath the experience of ages.* "Juna, darling, shall we go?" *Whatever may be hidden, her own excitement of hitting the markets was impossible to subdue.*
Carrie
*Juna's ears would lower slightly at her tone, stopping part of the way as she would break out into silence and would correct herself. The Canifor could have made the guess that the Elf wasn't too fond of the idea, but in her stating that they'll find a way, Juna decided to take the answer without question lest she accidentally changed the woman's mind. In time, she would eventually finish her tea, placing the now empty cup on the floor. The Canifor would give a dip of her head at the Dismissal, whispering an:*"Okay..."*Before retreating for the night. Her Jackal and Airstrider would accompany her, never straying too far with the Canifor always calling them over for her own comfort in not wanting to be separated. She'd come to lay down in her new bedding, finding it comfortable enough in comparison to the forest floor. At least there was some cushion there. 

Her Jackal would lay down next to her, curled up at her side while her Airstrider would try to squeeze her way into the furry sleep pile, her long neck resting atop the Canifor. The group would gradually begin to doze off, taking comfort in each others' company with the strange new world they were now in. It was an odd group, but they felt close nonetheless.*

*Night would seem short for the sleeping Canifor, soon finding herself awakening to Ehakli crouching down near her. Her ears would lift atop her head, eyes squinting to peer at her in barely catching what she said. It was time to go, wasn't it? Stirring in her sleep, her animal companions would soon awaken, seeming much quicker in moving out and about from their slumber than Juna as she'd finally sit up and rub at her eyes tiredly. Shall we go, the woman had asked her. With a quick shake of her head, Juna would try to wake herself up. A small bit of anxiousness would surge through her, realization hitting her like a wall with the idea that it was actually time to go out and see the town. It was meant to be a day of relaxation, so the Canifor would simply have to take her word for it. With a dip of her head, Juna would give a quiet:*"Yes... Let's... Go..."*Her tone had a bit of shakiness in it, even now being hesitant to visiting a town full of people she didn't know, but at least with Ehakli around, there shouldn't be much to worry about. She hoped so anyways.*
Cora
*While the morning started with a bit of a slog, tea and a perking breakfast of pickled roots at least helped give a bit of spring to step, and with that elated eagerness, Ehakli lead she and her two animals past the market and up some stairs to a nearby district to reach a seedy looking sake house. It was here that one of her letters was sent, in hopes to send sight and hand out on the promise of silver to find a sharp warrior by the name of Ling* ( 

*Clothes, so many clothes. Ehakli tried on almost everything she could find, and pushed Juna to do the same. The patterns of these strange foreign outfits seemed so vibrant, the feel of silk so pleasant to the touch. Ehakli wondered how it felt upon Juna's fur.*

*As the day went on, Ehakli admitted there were not many places they could go to with the animals, but that she did find one place up in the nearby mountains. It was... Quite a hike, to say the least, but when they finally had arrived, it turned out to be quite a quite a peaceful place to rest. It apparently was a temple to some kemonomimi patron saint of sorts, and there were actually quite a few animals in the grounds within the walls just milling about the bamboo thickets scattered through the area. Before they would go to relax in the mountain hot springs, they were bathed, manicured, massaged, the works. Having mostly kemonomimi clients, they were quite specialized in taking care of a macenized canifor, and a team of monks took to Juna like she were a goddess. Even Jace and Juniper were groomed while they took in the hot, mineral-rich waters of the spa. Ehakli mockingly complained that they were simply too far from the city now to return before dark and would have to spend the night here. After the sun set, Ehakli beckoned Juna to a balcony that overlooked the city at the foot of the mountain, and they would watch the hanabi fireworks explode into colors in the night sky before them.*

*The next day, Ehakli made effort in getting the two dressed in the finest clothes they obtained from the market, getting some help on how to tie the sashes into those great bows she saw others had. The tholian helped paint Juna's eyes and lips to "Compliment her newly done hair" As she put it, and they would take a leisurely walk down the mountain to return to the city in time to catch the parade of the three saints through the city around great gardens of blue flowers in a seeming welcome ceremony to the coming of summer. When it came to the giant wicker ring, Ehakli gave Juna a tight hug, wishing her luck in what she hopes to find through the spiritual cleansing, and promised that even if nothing at all happens and if it is simply a performative tradition, that nothing could stop her from achieving what she wants, so long as she keeps moving forward.*

*The return voyage to Lymia seemed to have gone so much quicker than the trip to Runra, and spirits of the others were high with the profits made and profits ahead with the exchange of goods between the two distant nations. When they arrived, Ehakli thanked Juna for her friendship, and how her presence gave the tholian a refound perspective she had not expected. As for where to next, Ehakli granted that Juna may stay in the Aibaer manor for as long as she wishes, before parting with a kiss upon the cheek, and perpared to leave for Hombaxia.*
Carrie
*Those days were some Juna wouldn't soon forget, a time where she could finally be at peace even beyond the boundaries of her own forest. She could recall buying things to her heart's content, being scrubbed until all the mud and sweat that had built up on her over the years were nothing more than a faint memory. She could recall her animals being there, a comforting reminder that everything would be okay as long as she was with the Elf. She could recall feeling a sense of richness in her, one that didn't come with the simple life of a hunter, but instead a noble of sorts. She didn't understand the feeling of course, but yet she couldn't help but enjoy it nonetheless. She could recall watching over the city as the fireworks would light up the sky, the sounds of them at first drawing the Canifor into a sense of fear from from the unfamiliarity of it only to gradually grow used to it enough to notice its own beauty. Juna could recall the Tholian helping her get dressed up and ready for the celebration, one she hadn't ever heard of before until their trip. She could remember Ehakli's reassuring words reaching her ears before the cleansing would go forth and then, nothing.*

*She couldn't say that she remembered much that occurred from the cleansing outside of her past fears and frustrations being washed away from her like a cascade of water until nothing was left beyond the feeling of serenity. The Canifor had smiled for the first time that day, even in the presence of large crowds and unfamiliar faces. The ceremony must have worked. Or so she had thought. Of course the Canifor could have ignored the underlying feeling of being watching her as she'd watch the celebrations continue for the rest of the night, but the tug merely continued to pester her until her attention was given. She'd turn her head away for a moment, expecting another person trying to speak with her, but no one was there. No one. How strange. Juna thought to turn away, but not fast enough in time to miss the moving figure out of the corner of her eye. The figure of a wolf. A shadow against the cheerful crowd as it would slip through the mast, moving off and disappearing as quickly as it showed. For a moment the sounds of the other people seemed drowned out in her ears, almost mute as she caught herself staring. The moment wouldn't last, feeling herself being pulled back into reality as the festivities seemed to continue like normal. Nobody saw it. Nobody. Juna thought to ignore it for the sake of enjoying herself, but one thing was made clear that night, in all her efforts, they still haven't left her.

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*The days that followed were their impending return would come felt hardly more than a dream. She could remember things being packed away, ready to be sailed back out to the mainland of Ramul Ta. Even for a brief moment she could have recalled a point in time where she would have gone back with the Elf, her brief vacation surely being enough to keep her worries at bay now. Maybe it did and maybe it some far off memory she could have been sailing back off to her home in the forest, the bond created between her and Ehakli being strong enough to keep them in touch in the event that something did come up. But that didn't happen. No matter how much she thought and dreamt of it, it didn't happen.*

*She could remember watching the boat taking off from shore, a bittersweet parting in the knowledge that there was no telling when she'd see the Elf again and even less of a telling of if she'd ever be able to go back with her decision made. She could remember smiling and waving to the Elf, a mild feeling of sadness in the pit of her stomach as she was left back on the docks while those around her continued about their day as if she wasn't any more significant to any of them. She remembered it all. Juna remembered looking at her two animal companions, freshened and pampered to look beyond regal given their status. Her two companions. Bound to her no matter what. She supposed things were fixated into happening this way, seeing the events that have occurred to lead her this way. And as much as she tried to think otherwise, there was no denying the message. She had much more to do here. This time, however, she didn't see need to fear it. So far, her time here, she had found herself free from any hostility. A welcoming perhaps? Or maybe just getting her to let her guard down?

There was no understanding the will of the spirits that made themselves known, only following them as they guided her. Maybe the ceremony made her see that more clearly the day her guide had left her. The cunning wolf, now unbound from her duty, possibly forever. To think the Canifor didn't want to trust her until now, but in the end, had saw her to be one of her greatest allies.*

*That had all happened few days prior and now, Juna thought about it as she'd walk her way beyond the city lines to the outskirts, retracing her steps until she would come to find the forest Ehakli had once shown her.

Tall, spindly trees stood high up against the sky, stretching far above what Juna would have thought possible to reach even at a taller stature. Faint sunlight seemed to shine through the layers upon layers of bamboo, illuminating the morning fog that had settled itself along the forest floor of the area. What was once a nice visit, now say more ominously, forcing her ears to raise in alertness while her animal companions would keep to her side, sharing the same hesitation.*"I'm here..."*Juna would whisper out into the forest, half suspecting that someone must be listening. Anyone even.*"Now... Tell me what you want from me...*Please...*"*The first words would come out more confident, soon dialing down into a faint plea in not knowing what would happen in the event of angering them somehow. No response came back, but that much was expected to her. With a deep breath of air, Juna would take a few steps forward, her animals soon following her as their figures would vanish off beyond the misty forest.*