Sleep had been elusive.  Iona felt more on edge than ever, and she couldn’t point to just one stressor contributing to her anxiety.  Kaos. Thieves. Politics.  Mutiny. All of it was wearing on her, hollowing out her insides and dulling her senses.  All at the worst possible time. 

Still, she’d still managed to be productive regardless which did something to alleviate the overwhelming flood of emotions that plagued her like a disease. A small smirk of satisfaction flickered across the winged mare’s lips as she considered her prize, and who she’d managed to pry it off of.  That’d teach the golden stallion to be so smug if he ever came poking around her ranks again. Iona had no use for the item, seeing as it did exactly what her rank magic allowed her to do, so she decided it was best passed off to leadership to distribute as they saw fit.  Perhaps a warrior could benefit from such a thing, especially with the current circumstances that threatened the Edge. 

The idea of seeking out Aly and Tembovu was overdue anyway.  She had been putting off speaking with them about what it was that was troubling her.  Her own concerns seemed so very small compared to the much bigger picture and what concerned the Edge as a whole, but she knew that she was running out of excuses.  So she called out for the leads - again - hoping they weren’t sick of her (and pleased that one of them wasn’t allowed to get sick of her by virtue of blood) while slinging the cloak over her shoulder.  For the time being she was content to wait, staring out over the cliffs and listening to the distant sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. 

The pounding of the waves came at even intervals.  Even though it was a violent business, the sound was profoundly soothing.  Iona frowned, though, that her favorite place was now tainted with such unhappy memories.  Her emerald gaze swept over the uneven ridges that marked cliff’s edge, stopping only at the broken remains of the tree that had saved Raeden.  She shook her head, disappointed that things in this place that had been nothing but good to her had come to this. 

But before she was utterly lost in her thoughts, the sound of movement behind her cause her ears to flick backwards and the painted mare to turn. She was pleased when her gaze met her sister’s matching emerald eyes, and she allowed a little breath of contentment to escape her lips. “Aly,” the dark mare breathed at her twin’s familiar touch, pleased at the sight of seeing her sister not only here but looking as well as she did.  Iona had never once doubted Alysanne’s capacity to lead.  She had known far before she came to Helovia just how much that this place meant to her sister, it was about damn time she was allowed the opportunity to show everyone else.  Since she had assumed leadership alongside Tembovu, her twin had worn the crown with grace as Iona knew she would. However that’s not to say that the Specter did not worry for her sister’s safety with the rise of this new menace in the marshes.  However that was not what clawed at her insides this day. 

But before Iona’s thoughts drift too far, Aly has noticed the cloak slung across her shoulder - the prize she was here to offer her leads. “Ah, yes. I thought it would be useful to someone.  A warrior, perhaps?” she offered. “It’s...useful,” she offered, ambiguiously, retrieving the cloak from her shoulder and holding it out towards Alysanne, motioning for her sister to take the item - to try it if she was curious.  Mischief flickered in the darker sister’s gaze as she wondered if Alysanne would test the mystery cloak. 

After a moment, Iona’s tone turned serious again and the mischief in her eyes was replaced by something far more sober.   “Maybe we could talk too? Unfortunately, I feel it’s something Tembovu should be here for too.”