-Adria-
“I would be the terror of the high seas.” She warned, slipping out from the edge of the jungle light as a feather. Her neck bent playfully, watching how Ruinam circled her like his agile fox companion. He could move well enough for his size, but he looked especially impressive when his long, pale legs flicked out at the trot. Adria’s eyes rose to the distant structures and she contemplated their lore, or what she knew of them from her mother.
The tall seagrass underneath her hooves muffled a hesitant stride; the Nereid followed Ruinam’s trail down the beach, gulls crying above the noise of the wind and her forelock whipping against vermilion, perfect cheekbones. “Going to Tephra first would be best, I agree.” The sound of Adria’s lonely voice echoed out to her mate as she passed the first structure - a high-arcing orca. Further on the effigies lost their shape, beaten by so many years of seawater and rain. A cautious shiver chilled the mare’s bones. “Even if Leliana disagrees with your idea of ‘independence’,”
She laughed, looking to see where the stallion had gotten off to, “she will most likely take our desires into account when you explain them to her… Ruinam?” Adria called, not seeing him anywhere.
Her legs twisted her first left, then backtracked and swung her around to the right.
Still no sight of him.
“Ruinam?!” Adria desperately asked. Silence answered back, carrying a wave of memories about the statues and their rumored abilities. Nighttime stories, just stories to keep me in bed, her frightened thoughts roared over the sound of a thudding heart.
Where was Ruinam? Now she was too frightened to call his name out loud again. She backpedaled, kept her head low and tried to twist around so that she could run away, run back to the jungle and find Sande, but when she did something stopped her instantly. Her nose was inches from the giant base of one pillar. The wooden effigy twisted in a wild, unnatural way and rose high above her with looming, dark spots like howling faces.
She gasped and looked up, causing a few gulls to take flight when she screamed.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
@[Ruinam]