(backdated about a week)

The amethyst statue stood as it had for many and many cycles. It was better here, in Orion. Where the crystals glittered on the ceiling above, where many passed from cave to cave. She'd picked up words and stories, seen faces and saw magic far and wide, and all from her eternal place upon the stone. She was not out in the open but rather just beneath a small overhang. Not quite a cave, out of sight, but at least protected from the little elements the caves provided. She was easy to see, all purple and gold, but not easy to sneak up on. She could see all in front of her and it was, after all, all she did - watch.

She watched as times changed, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into cycles. She hibernated, maybe once or twice, short periods of rest between the tedium of life, but it always came back to this. Sitting on the rock. Peaceful. Watching. Waiting.

Amazing that she hadn't yet gone insane.

But, no, she was merely a hermit. And magic and travelers kept her entertained. It was enough, reading the stories of others, listening to their thoughts, and then mulling over them when they had gone. Taking time to remember everything, relive it all. It was her greatest gratitude that her memory was so perfect. A hindrance, perhaps, for an active one, who did not need to remember each hunt, each drink of water, but such a gift to someone who had nothing else but memories.

It had been a while, now, since someone had passed by, or since Pride had visited to talk to her. She quite missed him, but she understood he was busy. A kingdom to look after, the caves to protect. She was merely a watcher on the sidelines and she did not blame him if he forgot about her now and again. Still, she was ready for some more stimulation.

A common trick of hers, focusing on a small object - a pebble, usually, near some kind of edge - and just push it forward a bit so it fell, clattering. The sound echoed in the silence of Orion, announcing to all those nearby - somebody was here.

Wilder and Vaati were travelling, making their way between the currently Order-infested Canis to the heart of the caves. Orion was a common place to pass through, though she usually did it quickly, bad memories too often inclined to nip at her heels. But the clattering rock made her perk her ear. She turned in the direction it had come from, narrowing her eyes and quickly sending out a probing sense. Magic, of course, and the normal kind - the Spire kind. So, relatively safe. Probably.

Curious, she started forward, Vaati following close behind, her own nervousness reflected in him, but when she turned the corner around the edge of the wall she'd been following, she stopped moving, eyes widening in shock.

A statue. A beautifully carved purple statue. But - no, that was a gembound! Stuck in a crystal!

"Oh my goodness," she breathed, suddenly on alert and in "Wilder help mode", bounding forward towards the cat. She stopped in front of her, looking the creature up and down with shock and pity, wondering how on Let this had happened and what she could do to help.

"You're...stuck," she pointed out, in way of a greeting. "How did that happen? Do you need help?"

Seshat watched carefully to see if anyone would be arriving. It only took a few moments for a little black figure to come bounding forward out of the blue, at first blending in with the rocks around her, but the stark pink of her eyes and cheek making it obvious it was more then the stones. Seshat watched her with curiosity as she stopped in front of her, doing her best to look down over her nose. She was rather small, wasn't she.

"Hello," she greeted, softly. She laughed, lightly, quite used to the comments about her, uh, status. "Yes, I am. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done. I hatched with my gemstone around my skin. If we are separated, I shall die." Her eyes flicked to the heart on the kitten's cheek. "Just as you will die if that heart is taken from you."

She let out a low rumbling purr and blinked softly. "But thank you for coming to me. I wish only for company once in a while. What is your name?"

Wilder was struck with awe at the leopard's calm and patience, her slow speaking and how she seemed so...okay with her situation. Although if she had been here for a while, she assumed that she would become accustomed to the life she was given. Wilder wasn't sure how okay she would be with it - she was too impatient to be stuck like that forever.

Her eyes widened. "I'm...sorry. That's unfortunate. I can't imagine...um. H-how...how do you eat? Drink? How do you do...anything, if you can't move?" Did she do anything but stand there? Wilder couldn't imagine her being able to hunt or find fresh water, but perhaps there were spells that allowed such things to happen without moving.

Her whiskers twitched. "Oh, right. I'm Wilder. I can keep you company for a while, if you like. What do you do? With company, I mean." She noticed that the leopard was having a bit of trouble looking at her so she backed up, so that it was easier for her to look down at her small figure. Vaati crouched next to her, wanting desperately to walk up and sniff at the cat, but a thought from Wilder kept him back - it would be rude to go where she couldn't see without permission.

That reminded Wilder that she hadn't introduced him yet. "Oh! Right, this is my familiar, Vaati. I know he looks a little scary but he's nice."