So meeting Reyes' sister had been...infuriating mostly, but also pretty weird. It left an odd taste in his mouth, a strange twinge in his back he couldn't shake loose. Marking the borders hadn't helped and even if he wanted to there wasn't really anyone he could talk to about it. Well, that was a lie. There was someone, but as luck-or misfortune- would have it, he didn't seem to be about. Not in the immediate vicinity anyway. For a while Askan thought about shoving it out of mind for now, so that he could continue going about his daily routine. But like a wriggly worm, it wouldn't keep still, wouldn't stop burrowing to the forefront of his mind, till it was all he could think about.
Askan caved soon after. He wasn't being needy, or anything equally as shameful, he just- he'd been through a very weird encounter and he craved the familiar. Yeah, that was it. Finding his mate's scent trail was easy enough, he'd recognise it anywhere. Could follow his scent to the ends of the earth if it meant seeing his mate's handsome face once more. God, he was one sappy bastard these days wasn't he? Sheesh.
Slowing to a trot, Askan came upon an opening in the forest, bright and spacious, a strange contrast to the dense, almost labyrinthine nature of the Falls. Sure enough, there he was. All broad and tall and- oh Hawthorne was there as well. So this is where she'd wandered off to, without Sachiel to boot. Times were changing indeed. Not only that but from the state of them and the disturbed flowers it seemed safe to assume that they'd been tussling, training perhaps? His lips ticked up into a small, if not pleased smile. Good, aside from himself Hawthorne couldn't find a better sparring partner.
He took a heavy step forward, tail waving behind him as he opened his mouth to say some greeting or another- only for his attention to snap to his left. They weren't alone, this really was getting out of fucking hand.
"Let's not howl at them this time, huh?" Askan couldn't help but smirk a little as he so just so happened to brush his shoulder with Reyes'. For Hawth, he gently whacked her with a swing of his tail. With them at his side he felt alive, Mari temporarily forgotten.
"Think we need to be a little more direct, they don't speak our language, clearly."