Wilder staggered through Polaris, exhausted and breathing heavily from all the exertion of the past few days. Her legs hurt, her broken claw was throbbing, but she was still determined and feeling more hopeful - with a friend, with help, she'd get down in no time!

She wasn't really sure where Yoosung or Black lived, but they were around somewhere. She knew both of them hung around in Polaris quite often. "Hello?" she called into the cave, magic amplifying the sound so that it whispered around the rocks. "Friends? It's Wilder. Friends!"

@Yoosung

Yoosung had been dead to the world since re-emerging after the Trials. He had stayed awake long enough to stagger back to his den in Polaris, to eat and drink, before collapsing into a heap and falling into a deep sleep.

But he couldn't ignore little Wilder's voice, whispering in his ears. The dog jolted awake, quills bristling, and stumbled to his feet, swaying. He shook himself off, shedding several quills that, next time he entered his den, he would prick his paws on, before walking stiff legged out of the small cave, calling out "Wil-" before cutting himself off with a groggy yawn, "der?"

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

@Wilder

She heard shuffling and a familiar voice, sending her twisting around to follow it. She spotted Yoosung outside of a small cave, his jaws spread open in a long yawn. But something was really, really different about him - from his back sprung long, stiff quills that she had never seen before. She hopped over to him, purring happily. "Hi, Yoosung! Wow, what are those quills for?"

Curiously, she walked around the side of him, nose twitching, and she leaned forward to smell the quills. They smelled like Yoosung and faintly like heat. That was really the only way she knew how to describe it.

@Yoosung

And there was little Wilder, as energetic as usual. He had expected to find himself angry at her, seeing as he had nearly died when he was going to protect her, only for her to leave, but instead he was only happy. He wagged his tail at her, offering her another yawn and a doggy grin. "Hullo Wilder."

She moved around him to smell the quills, and he went still for fear of pricking her. "I'm not sure, I think for defending myself? We were all sent into our Chrysalises after Hydra and when we woke up some of us had these." he reached up with his paw to rub at his nose, wondering just how long he had been asleep. "They come out easily, so be careful."

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

@Wilder

She backed away a little bit at Yoosung's warning, not wanting to get her nose poked by one of the quills. They looked sharp! She remembered in her vision of her emerging from her chrysalis after Hydra, giant black wings stretching from her back. Perhaps they'd all received different mutations, not just wings. She was concerned about Hydra, and what had happened out there, but she was more concerned about something else right now. "That's pretty cool! I'm glad you came out okay!"

She hopped back around so that she was standing in front of him, whiskers twitching and the tip of her tail flicking. "Yoosung! Are you good at digging holes? I need help digging a hole!"

@Yoosung

Yoosung was relieved when Wilder stepped away, releasing his breath and not having to hold himself so stiff. That had been... uncomfortable. He had a feeling it would take him a long time to get used to these damned quills that he had never, ever wanted. His fits were bad enough, and he was more than happy being just an ordinary dog. But he couldn't just rip them all off, he was certain they'd grow back.

"Thank you, Wilder, I am too." he grinned. "I'm glad almost everyone came out alive--although I'm sorry for the ones we lost." he shook his head, a few quills clattering to the ground.

Her question startled him, and he paused. "I guess? I can dig alright, sure. What do you need?"

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

@Wilder

Wilder smiled wide, but in the back of her mind, she remembered Vincenzo. Aure had been really sad about his death and she, herself, missed him and his loud voice. She had not known him well, but she was sad to know he was gone and she would never know him more.

But it was easy enough to shake it off now, since she was so preoccupied with the lost kingdom in Pisces. "I'm trying to find something in Pisces, but its in the ground and I'm not very good at digging. I broke a claw," she raised a paw and showed Yoosung the claw that had snapped off. "There's something really important down there and I need help getting it out!"

@Yoosung

The dog listened as Wilder explained what she wanted help with, leaning forward to sniff at her paw. "Does it hurt?" he was pretty sure he had a pain-killing herb he had found, having stashed it back in his den, and he didn't mind giving it to Wilder instead of keeping it for himself.

"I'd love to help you, then." he agreed with a grin, "What are friends for, after all?"

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

@Wilder

Wilder flexed her claws, feeling a great about of soreness and the steady throbbing getting more intense for a moment, but she was still able to put her paw back on the ground. "It's not as bad now, but it hurt a lot when it happened! I'll be fine!"

She brightened when Yoosung returned her smile. "Yeah! We're friends! Come on, I'll show you where it is! This is gonna be fun!" Although it would most likely not be very fun - hours of digging were ahead of them now, but Wilder was too excited to care at all. She turned and bounded off, every few steps punctuated with a large hop of excitement as she led the way to Pisces.

*exit

@Yoosung

Yoosung was relieved to hear that Wilder's paw wasn't hurting as bad, but still offered "I have something that'll help, if you want." but she didn't seem too bothered, so he shrugged and reminded himself to look for more.

The dog grinned, "Lead the way, then!" and began to trot after the exciteable cat, unable to help but to grin. He couldn't say he'd ever seen such a cheerful Gembound before.

-exit Yoosung-

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow