"I'm glad your spirits have picked up," a growl says in the dark, sarcastic and biting. From ten feet above the head of the stallion comes a delighted chuckle, odd and cooing.

Twirling about in the sky above, Comadre the black dragon is feeling more spritely these past couple of days. The abnormal descent of starless night across the land had severed ties with magic in equine and beast alike, leaving the soul of the little reptile wanting and empty. Now, however, the scaled creature was getting used to the space in his soul, deciding that the bond between he and Osiris was more valuable than that of his firebreathing. They had survived the shades and severing of their mental connection, so they would survive this. Side by side, stride by stride. Comadre and his overgrown dog.

Their trek to the north had proved useful, having run into a lady of the Basin. Now, they moved steadfast back toward their home. Osiris knew the paths well enough by the feeling in his feet, and he was little hindered by the dim lighting offered by the strange, glowing trees. Enhanced eye sight both for him and the small dragon sailing above kept him secure in his own movements. The trio of wolves which had come with them simply kept close, unnerved by the silence between Osiris and themselves. The hybrid had decided to keep his beloved family near as possible until the shadow lifted from the land. The darkness was eerie, but felt vastly different than the invasion of shaded creatures he had faced in Isilme. Instead of a malevolent force of anger and vengeance, he only felt absence, silence. The void in his chest which was only filled by those close to him.

Don't worry, Osiris, the little black says from above, a glimmer of violet eyes in the dark. I won't leave you. The wolf felt, more than saw, a toothy grin in the night. "I am so thrilled by that sentiment, Comadre, truly." More sarcasm, but was it really? We all know the wolf would rather appear detached and indifferent, but there is a connection and warm affection between the dragon and stallion that was undeniable; it was stronger than the connection between Osiris and the cousins of blood following close behind. Family came in many shapes and sizes, with or without announcement and approval, but even Osiris could not deny the strength to which he was tied to it.

The very same bond which kept him on this earth, likely.

[ @[Cirrus], for Whit.
This is occurring at the bottom of the mountain peak the Fields sit on, to avoid confusion. ]

Osiris thinks as he hears the breathless voice of a girl that he must be getting old. Maybe, instead, he should just strangle the noisy little skyrat floating above. He smirks. HEY! I am not a rat, Comadre says as he glares downward at his bonded, a quiet chuckle filling the air as his steps slow, allowing for whoever had been so quietly following them to catch up. A large, lupine ear flicks backward to listen to the sound of the approach. A set of hooves and a set of paws. Some fool and their companion.

Mukki practically jumps out of his skin into the leg of the great hybrid as the soft call of the dog rings out. Osiris comes to a graceful stop, barking sharply and quietly at the younger one who looks apologetically at the patriarch of their little clan. Upon his haunches, the great beast turns with fluid agility beyond his age. He should definitely not move as swiftly at any age past ten, but whatever grace his lineage grants him has kept his body more or less young. From a bearded, guarded face, golden eyes gleam out in the direction of the cloudy colored girl.

He did not know of the magic that normally painted her coat in the colors of the sky, but he could not help but think of a raincloud as he looked at her, as if the magic had left an invisible trace upon her body even in its absence.

Her voice comes out more than a soft breath this time, yet there is something uncertain about her tone that makes the wolf question the confidence in her voice. He was used to being judged by others, and often when accompanied by his family, many were nervous. Maybe, except, of course, Ricochet the Idiot, who seemed impervious to fear or rational thought. Osiris gives a nod, looking at her while standing still, Kaya coming to stand close by his side and looking out with calm, yet serious eyes. Mukki stares from behind Osiris's back legs, though he looks terribly thrilled to see another hound. The third wolf, Pahana, however, is nonchalant. After his company stopped, the larger of the wolves lays down and lets out a long, lazy sigh.

"Hello," the rich baritone reaches out toward her, crossing the space between them. "I am Osiris of the Grey. My companions are Comadre -," his head nudges up toward the sky, the dragon letting out a joyous little trill and he begins to sail closer toward the pegasus girl, a smile on his small, scaley lips, "- Kaya -," head moving down below toward the female, "- Pahana -," toward the lounging wolf, his head now upon rested paws, one eye opening lazily in recognition of his name, " - and the small one behind me is Mukki."

"A pleasure to meet you, Cirrus and Sitka."

A smile breaks the tension of fear on the face of their company. Osiris had been expecting more of a battle to adapt the girl to such an unusual creature; many had to spend more than a few trace moments around the larger beast to feel comfortable, yet since aquiring Comadre as a companion, many seemed less hesitant to come to know him. The cheerful dragon, after all, was usually more amusing than terrifying, though the wolf had seen the aggressive side of the small reptile a few times. Certainly, now, as he twirled through the air like an acrobat, dopey smile bedecking his scaled face, he was anything but scary.

Sitka did not make the wolf nervous, for he was kin to him as well. In his life, Osiris had encountered more ill-tempered, greedy, malicious equine than he had wolves. The mare... well, she made him no more nervous than any other he had met in his time here. There was always an anxiety shoved in the back of his throat about interacting with strangers, yet he had noticed this dwindling considerably over the years. Comadre had helped ease this, but it was more the wolf himself feeling a change in his heart. Friendship had granted him what nothing else had - confidence. Surely, the great beast had been able to place a confident mask, but actually feeling like soul rather than a thing changed everything.

As the hellhound moves forward, Osiris drops his head allowing for the noses to touch in greeting, soft muzzle against damp snout. Kaya's hackles raise slightly in excitement, though her face turns with a calm expression, golden eyes cool. Barking once, the female moves slowly toward Sitka, tail raised high, extending a muzzle toward him in greeting before shifting back, remaining ever watchful of the situation.

Unable to contain his excitement, Mukki rushes forward from behind Osiris, seeing that Sitka is more than willing to befriend the group, all bushy-tailed with dark eyes gleaming in delight. His wirey frame has an uneven, clumsy looking gait as he comes to a stop, taking up a playful stance in front of the hellhound, tail curved in easy submission. Face turns up to try and lick Sitka's face, an easy grin on his face as well.

Pahana simply opens an eye, letting out another sigh before closing it once more.

"They have lost many brothers and sisters," he says evenly, when Cirrus mentions that Sitka has yet to meet any of his own kind. Osiris's own family had lost many of their pack back in Isilme, many he had known as well. "So, I am sure they would not mind making a friend." A slight grin, just the fleshy corners of the hybrid's lips lifting. "Mukki obviously wants to."

The mention of the Throat brings forth no particular memory from the wolf, as he had never spent much time far south. He remembered seeing the crimson desert from a distance when he had fought the Boggart to defend Nadira, but never actually traveled to the sands. Now, however, the fading scent of arid dust which emanated from the cloudy girl made perfect sense. At her clarification, Osiris lets forth a chuckle, even as Comadre gives another delighted trill at hearing his name. He comes to land upon the ground close to the girl, waddling on hind legs awkwardly toward her. "Ssssirrrruss," he coos, a smile on his angular face.

"Impressive," the wolf says. "I am obviously more suited for the cold."

The wolf was passive, standing amidst the excitement of his family, but unable to hear the words in their mind. The silence had been shocking, lonely at first, and even Comadre had been affected heavily at first. With resilient souls, the clan plunged through the Endless Night easily, filling the gap of sunlight with close companionship. Osiris was reminded of the time he had been awoken by Kaya, just after the cataclysm of Isilme. Within the mountains, injured but more certainly alone, the great hybrid had been saved by the serious-faced lady and her welcoming family.
The same family they shared now, minus a few faces that Osiris recalled in quiet, stoic pain.

It was delightful to see Mukki taking so well to Sitka, for the poor boy could never play with Pahana and Kaya often grew tired of his antics. Immature, wirey, ecstatic. Mukki is full of life that they others do not always appreciate. The expression chiseled in the face of the hybrid softens slightly as he watches the pair of hounds meet, the small wolf rolling to his feet to chase after the hellhound. Strangely still but gentle, turning back into a face that was overcome by shadows hiding his secrets, emotions, and thoughts. It is the distraction of Mukki that allows for Osiris to miss the shifting of emotions on Cirrus's own countenance, seeing just the small widening of her eyes lessen as his focus returns to her stormy appearance once more.

Maybe she was surprised by the laugh, as it is more of a growling bark than anything equine, but that is unavoidable, given his makeup, is it not? Osiris could soften his words, his biting sarcasm, and even his skepticism of others, but he could never change what he truly was. This, my friends, is the cage that the wolf is born into. It is also the cage he will die in, if he does not learn how to look past what he is and learn who is inside. Comadre already knows.

The hybrid takes a nod to her first statement. The normally chilling breath of winter was made even more painful in the absence of light, and even he, the one born into the shadows of life, found himself seeking the warmth of light upon his fur once more. However, he counted himself lucky that he at least had family to keep him warm. This girl, Cirrus, what did she have, aside from Sitka? He wondered vaguely about what awaited her in the south, if familiar faces would greet her with warm smiles. Would adoring eyes feel like the sun upon you? He wondered, and then she laughed.

Delighted with the slender black dragon cooing like an idiot.
Ah, well, some things never change.

"It is easy to miss the importance of things thought permanent," he says in agreement, voice musing vaguely, as though he were remembering something once lost. In his mind, the face of a certain dapple grey appears, flickering behind his eyelids, which blink swiftly to turn her away. She was never coming back. "What is the expression? You never know what you have until it is gone." He smiles, nearly a melancholy sight despite the normal associations with such.

"To have learned such a lesson now, I sympathize with you."