The river was her favorite route to the mainland. It brought her to the heart of things, and the pearl nereid felt that opportunity was endless, just depended on when she chose to leave the arterial vein.
As graceful as a silver fish, the seamare cut her way through the chill waters, bemused at finding herself drawn inland in the midst of winter once again. Taiga called her, briefly, but she decided against it. There was unfinished business among the towering redwoods for the nereid, business she felt unprepared to handle as yet. Instead she pushed against the current, further North.
The landscape grew rocky and rugged, scrubby plant life reaching for the ice-rimmed water. Frost glittered from every surface. Aquaria herself looked frost-tinged when the pale sunlight glinted off her exposed scaly back. The beauty of winter was not lost on her this time around, now that she knew what to expect from the frigid land this time of year. It was even possible to admire the way her breath curled from her lips and nose with every exhalation.
That she made the water she swam in considerably warmer helped brighten her perspective.
It wasn't clear when she left that morning what she waa looking for, only that she felt the need to stretch out beyond the reef she had kept to the last several moons. Halcyon had kept her beyond busy, and raising the tiger cub had so far been a life changing experience. He was big enough to be looking for a measure of independence now, though, and goodness knew she'd been thinking wistfully of having a day to herself.
Today had been as good a day for it as any. Leaving the young cat to his own devices for the day brought her no small amount of anxiety. But the island was safer than many places, and she knew they both would benefit from the break of each other's constant company. She tried not to think with too much worry as she trod water, eyes open for the sight of anything intriguing to explore along the river bank.
The gleam of iridescent feathers and hair caught her attention some way up the stony bank. Brilliant blues and violets made even more vivid by the flat grey and brown of the landscape. Aquaria let herself drift a little ways past before paddling closer to the bank. The bite of cold air grasped at her the moment she left the water, making her shake a moment as she forced the cold to the back of her mind. Winter was a ridiculous season, when it really came down to it.
Trying not to shiver too obviously, the seamare climbed the bank. Stomping her hooves cracked a thin layer of ice when she reached level ground, but it helped the blood flow as it should. Smiling with as little panic as she could, the violet-eyed mare looked to the woman she had come across. "Hello there. I'm Aquaria. Mind if I join you?" She asked, despite not knowing exactly what she was asking to join.
The mare was even more exceptional from up close, with large multicolored wings clasped by her sides. Wishfully, Aquaria thought back to last winter, and the warmth and contentment of being surrounded by the warm embrace of Pteron's wings. Useful appendages, those wings.
@[Oceane]