The sea was comforting, in a way. It drowned out her thoughts, allowed her to stare mindlessly out into the horizon; despite the overcast and the haze that had befallen to cliffside nestled all about her, the darkened sky could not compared to the depth of the sea. The bleakness of its ceaseless darkness frightened and awed Tinúviel. How easily she could be swallowed up by its waves, spirited away to some deep and dark place. Forgotten, as if she was never there. Had she been braver, she might have tried to swim against the current, to feel the pull out to sea and fight it back to the shore.

Instead, she is content to linger in place, sprawled against the cliffside, watching as the dark sea swallows the dark shore. The clouds overhead are pregnant with precipitation, threatening at any moment to swell and rain. The wind is bitter and cold, and along it the salty droplets of the sea that dampen in her fur. Her head lay nestled between her forelegs, gaze peering toward where the dark shore met the dark sea. And though she was overwhelmed by the scent of salt and wintry air, she was surprisingly content to linger a while longer, letting the roar of the waves drown out her encroaching thoughts.

She felt safe here. However safe Tinúviel could truly be.

@Linden

The scent of brine on the air would have been more than enough for Linden to deduce that he was close to the sea - the overhead caw of seabirds near the clifftops and the swell and crash of the waves on the shoreline completed the picture perfectly though. It had been only a few short days since he had emerged into the strip of land attaching this island to the mainland - a whimsical choice that had little to do with any evidence that his sister had found her way here. In the least, he could search this place before he moved on elsewhere - he would leave no stone unturned when it came to searching for Patchouli. He owed it to her - to their mother - to find her, to make sure she was safe, happy, free.

Wrapped in his own thoughts, in the sound of the waves as a lullaby in his ears, Linden ambled across the inky sands, the grains digging between his toes and dusting up his otherwise pristine coat. It was not vanity that fuelled such a desire - it lay far more in presenting himself well, in ensuring that his appearance did not portray him as anything other than a kind creature. Mismatched pastel eyes swept back and forth across the beach, focusing on the foaming crash before moving onwards - upwards to the heavy clouds overhead. He would need to look for shelter soon.

Perhaps he would have missed her - curled in the dark sand, her clay fur blending in with the dark surroundings. With her head down, it was not at first obvious that he had company - until the gentle scent of another feline interrupted the briny smell and he paused. With one paw lifted just slightly off the ground, he turned to seek the owner of the smell and finally spotted @Tinúviel upon the ground. Was there a melancholy air about her? Or did she appear content? Should he even disturb her, when she looked so contemplative? The darkening sky once again caught his attention and he glanced up ruefully before giving the woman his attention once more. "Good day, Miss -" He offered politely, remaining where he was and approaching no further. He knew perfectly well how some females felt about such behaviour. "The sky looks as though its ready to empty itself - have you seen any shelter nearby?" He enquired, at once hoping she might have and that she might be amenable to relocating before the rains hit.

art by mog, code by cloudy

She had seen kindness here and there. Thoughtful passersby shielded from the wrath of Viridian and his ambition, wives and soldiers before they were hardened by his ire. She knew it existed, knew that not all men were guided by their machinations and whims and not all women bowed to them in turn. Thus, when @Linden approached her in a polite, genuine manner, Tinúviel did not immediately think his demeanor was unkind or malicious. Those thoughts did not seep in until after, and even then did she doubt herself. Years spent by her former husband's side left her scarred, and scared, and weary of the unknown.

Deep hazel eyes fluttered under dark eyelashes, turning to face the pale and patched man. She'd not realized just how dark it had gotten since she'd first arrived, and the rumbling in the far-off distance indicated that this were far more than a snow-shower bound for the northern mountains. Her lips pressed into a firm, thin line, her gaze quickly falling to his pawpads, far more comfortable there than risking eye-contact with the stranger man. The heavy scent of salt must have disguised his approach, for he was far closer than she would have let him had she noticed him. And yet, even that distance seems eons away.

Suddenly, it didn't matter how close he was.

The rumbling of thunder in the far-off distance was deceiving. A sudden flash of lightning accompanied the swift cacophony of a thunderous roar. The earth shook with it, and sparks could be seen flying from a few hundred feet away. The gravity of it sent Tinúviel flying forward, almost colliding into the larger form of Linden, her heart pounding red-hot in her ears. But just as quickly as her shock subsided from the sudden lightning burst not too far from them, did it return with the realization that she had come closer to bowling the other brute over, and had he not moved back by her sudden lurch, would be nearly nose-to-chest with him.

“Eep!” she breathed and stumbled back, landing right on her rump, gasping for air as it swiftly escaped her. A heat sprawled across her face, frightened, embarrassed.

Conversely, Linden had considerable experience with females of this demeanour, of this cowed disposition and the distrust in males. The memories it invoked were not worth thinking about, but in the brief moments @Tinnúviel took him in, assessed his distance from her, remained exactly where she was without moving - he could only think of his mother, his sister, the countless others who had been forced into servitude. He swallowed hard and made to step back, to give the girl space and perhaps even leave her in peace. It wasn't fair of him to thrust his company upon her - she couldn't even look him in the face and instead aimed her gaze towards his paws, which shuffled slightly in movement.

The weather did not wish for them to part ways quite yet however. In the few moments his polite (genuine) greeting had floated in the air, the first spears of a mighty storm had gathered behind him. And then the crackle and crash of lightening - far too close for comfort and genuinely terrifying no matter ones constitution. He had twisted his head to look behind him and didn't see the clay feline shoot forward until she collided with him. Linden looked back around - up close he noticed the hazel mix of her eyes, the dark set of her muzzle and the brush of lighter cheeks. In seconds, he took it all in and caught his breath.

Her squeak of alarm sent them both back a step - Tinnúviel to fall on her rump and Linden to back up several paces. To give her space, to make her feel more comfortable - but of course he could not explain these motivations. "I'm sorry, Miss." He hastened to apologise, soft white ears falling slightly atop his head. "I mean you no harm - but the storm might." They were sitting ducks out here. "We need to find shelter out of it." Her embarrassment, whether at her own fear or coming so close to him, was not something he could comment on. It would only make it worse. Instead, the males pastel eyes began searching the cliff face for anything that might help them. "I think I see a cave - up there." He nodded his head in the direction he meant, but remained where he was - he couldn't in all good conscience leave her behind, but he also wouldn't force her to come with him either. It had to be her choice.

art by mog, code by cloudy

Despite the heat of embarrassment exuding from her in waves, and her inability to look at him from the shame of it, @Linden recoiled kindly, giving her the space she needed to breathe without being overwhelmed by the scent of him. Her eyes peered down at her paws, fighting the urge to slip away right then and there, the tranquility of her lounging shattered by the encroaching storm. And Linden's presence only furthered her fright, even though he remained gentle and forgiving. He did not lash out, did not tell her to watch herself, and it took Tinúviel a few long moments after he spoke to finally let her walls down a little bit. Just a little bit.

His suggestion for the cave might have been immediately denied by her had the weather not turned so dangerously so fast. A swell of rain could be seen descending down the beach, and if they did not act fast, they would certainly be caught within it. The idea of being soaking wet suddenly seemed more troublesome than trusting this man, who had not attacked her when she accidentally lurched into him, to continue to not attack her even in the potentially-close proximity and darkness of a cave. Reluctantly and silently she nodded her head, before getting back to her paws and ambling in the direction of the cave, making sure to keep a comfortable distance from him and allow him to take the lead once he caught up.

The cave was, thankfully, rather large and shallow. It seemed more like a glorified outcropping, though in its darkest corner there seemed to be a small, narrow opening, perhaps to a larger system of caves deeper in the cliffside. She lingered near the mouth of the cave at first, but as a steady downpour began to reach them, she was quickly compelled inside to avoid getting drenched. “Thank you,” she breathed, allowing her shoulder to brace against the cold stony wall of the far-side of the cave entrance, her gaze peering out as she watched the sea become consumed by the mist and the rain.

Linden could almost feel the discomfort rolling off the tiny woman in waves - he should have just let her be and left her well enough alone. But the weather was not to be so kind, it would not relent and Linden felt a true rush of guilt and sorrow for the woman. Perhaps they could find separate areas of the cave to occupy, so that they might both take shelter but not get in each others way. The sympathetic curve of his brows was likely missed by @Tinnúviel, who gazed down at her own paws and then up towards the darkening sky. The thunder had been a herald of worst to come, he now saw, as he followed her gaze towards the onslaught of rain coming their way. A nod of agreement and the white knight moved to follow her.

She kept her distance and he was respectful of that - he did not wish to be anything but a gentleman to her (or anyone else for that matter) as they both moved across the sand towards the cave in the near-distance. His mismatched gaze flickered briefly over her once, to make sure she was okay, before he concentrated on the darkness of the cave looming ahead. When Tinnúviel lingered near the door - peering into the darkness - Linden made sure not to crowd her and kept the distance between them. It was far enough that his rump was blasted with the cold wetness from outside, but he didn't mind.

When his newest acquaintance moved towards the back of the cave - to settle against the cold, hard rock - he wished perhaps that he had something to offer her to lie on. But he was out here empty pawed as she was. The least he could do was block as much of the entrance way as possible, so that she wouldn't get wet. Shuffling inside slightly more than he had been, Linden put his back to the weather as she whispered her gratitude. "You're welcome, Miss." He replied gently. "No-one wants to be caught out in that weather, its dreadful." Idle chit-chat really, talking about the weather. "Are you okay?" He asked, firstly meaning about the storm and secondly, in the grand scheme of things - was she alright?

art by mog, code by cloudy

Time eased things. Tinúviel was still young enough to relish in its impulsivity, to not grow so hardened that she couldn't feel the slightest slip of her nerves, of her carefully-constructed walls. @Linden's continued presence began to grow a surety that perhaps there were not something quite so dark and machinating behind his pleasantly pastel eyes. Thus, when he entered the cave in its entirety and escaped the downpour that now emptied from the skies, Tinúviel was content to begin grooming herself, licking away the bits of salty moisture, leaving her plush fur in a damp, half-curled state. His words were the only things that gave her pause, accompanied by the rumbling of passing thunder just outside, loud enough to rattle the cave and shake a few pebbles loose from the walls.

“It came so fast,” she observed, her hazel eyes peering out toward the haze just beyond the mouth of the cave. The swell was so dark now that it appeared as if it were night, and there was little else to light the cave, shrouding both lions in the shadows. Are you okay? he asks, but Tinúviel does not turn her head to face him. So often had she been asked that question, and so often had she always smiled and answered yes, I'm fine. It were in those moments she was always so desperate to not be fine, to allow herself to fall apart. She was not there yet. Even having escaped the clutches of Viridian as it seemed, Tinúviel was not ready to let that part of him go.

“Do you ever wish the rain won't stop?” she instead asks, staring bewilderedly out past the cliffsides and the beach, “There is something about it so peaceful yet so powerful. Don't you wish you could be the same?” From the nourishing droplets gifted to the dry soil and her hungry plants to the cacophonous rumble of thunder and fiery ferocity of lightning, there was something to behold about these midwinter swells.

It was second nature almost, to use his body to block the wind and the rain from entering the cave mouth. Of course, it was no perfect solution but it would stop the worst of the weather from coming in to the tiny slice of sanctuary they had managed to find. It was enough that @Tinnúviel began to groom away the worst of the damage, the fur along her legs curling slightly. Another rumble of thunder - loud enough that it rattled smaller rocks in the cave. His idle chit-chat prompted a contemplative response as the smaller feline glanced past him to observe the storm outside.

The real question - Are you okay? - seemed to be lost among the sounds of the storm outside, until she spoke again. It was a philosophical question and one that caused his brows to lift slightly. So peaceful yet so powerful. A concept that she had no idea how closely it hit home. What Linden would have given to be so powerful as to drive everyone away from his mother, so peaceful to just wipe it all clear. "I know exactly what you mean." He murmured in response, ears flattening against his head when he considered the meaning of her words. Had she been powerless? Her demeanour suggested that she had. "It's cathartic though - watching that power and peace from the inside." Linden observed, glancing back over his shoulder at the stormy sky.

art by mog, code by cloudy

Never had she known a man who had not some semblance of power. Sahir had his crown, Corinthian his brutal strength and cunning charm. Viridian had everything. Had everything. It had all come crumbling down, one way or another, and Tinúviel cared not to see the aftermath of that man, knowing she'd fall right within his cross-hairs, in a way she might not survive. But this man seemed just as she; an observer, wanting power if only it meant a sense of security, a prosperity just enough to protect their own and nothing more. Tinúviel had seen what the drive for more could do to a lion. She knew nothing was ever worth taking by force.

Just like the rain, she would slowly wash herself of him. Reclaim, retake what once may have belonged to her. What had now slipped through her fingers, and left her raw and wanting.

“I like to think it teaches me,” she continued, her tail coming to curl around her front legs, pausing from her grooming to return her gaze to @Linden. Suddenly, he seemed far less menacing than he had in the moments before. “But I don't think I'll ever be quite so bold as the rain who falls anywhere it pleases.” She had spent far too many years a caged bird to truly appreciate her freedom now. Her wings had been clipped, happy only to see that the door was open, too uncertain to ever step outside of it. “Do you live around here?” She asks suddenly, wondering if a change of topic might draw away from the far deeper conversation. Even she knew better than to spill all her secrets.

Linden had perhaps not expected the arrival of a thunderstorm and the company of a shy female to result in such philosophical delvings. It wasn't that he did not possess the ability to ponder the rain, how it made him feel, what it might mean - he was perfectly capable of giving all that thought. But he had developed his skills in a far more physical area and tended to think in a more practical mindset. Never the less, as her contemplative words washed over him, Linden once again glanced over his shoulder towards the onslaught of water. Her words dragged a small, sweet smile to the corners of his lips.

"I wonder if the rain falls where it pleases, or if it has no choice in where it lands." He offered, mismatched eyes now returning to the slightly more relaxed woman. As if realising the deep turn their conversation had taken, the next words out of her mouth were mundane - practical in fact. It drew a soft shake of his head. "I've only just found my way here - I don't call anywhere home." He responded, though there was enough of a wistful note to his voice that likely said he missed home (or his family rather). "I'm trying to find my sister, Patchouli -" He admitted, the gentle frown now becoming apparent. "And I hope she is in these lands." He had no evidence to prove that she was - but all the hope that she was somewhere nearby. "What about you? Where do you call home?" Polite, pleasant - returning the question to @Tinnúviel without truly prying.

art by mog, code by cloudy