"You might try transforming into a tundra like us. It's worth a shot once we get back. At least there we won't have far to move should it not give you a higher retention of heat," Ahnah said, giving a nod to Goldenscale's comment. "She's right, you're more needed here than with us. Father will likely need your help the most. He might not show it, but I can sense that he's still torn inside."

"So, you've sensed that too. It's strange sensing that from him since he's normally completely confident in himself and his choices. It's just odd feeling such weakness in him," Corazon said, giving anod as well, " Maybe when your jouney is over, I can make a quick visit. That'll have to wait till then though."

Goldenscale gave a nod to Ahnah's statement, then looked to Corazon as Ahnah spoke to her.  "Losing someone dear to you is rough, and I know that even Alignak will know that pain.  It's best for family to stick with each other during mourning.  It's bad enough Ahnah's coming with me and she can't mourn with you both, so you should stay with him.  And weakness is in everyone, even if you can't see it." she said.    She then shivered, shaking her head, then her body in turn until she reached her tail to puff up her fur.

"That is true. We all have something that we would be considered weak for or with. No one is perfect, regardless what some beings seem to think. As for me being able to morne, I will be fine. This day or rememberance and celebration will give me more than enough time to morne," Ahnah said, smilling as Goldenscale puffed her fur out, "Well, I think we should have enough herbs to make the incense we need. Unless either of you want to stay out here a little longer, I say we should start heading back."

Pulling up a small cluster of roots, Corazon gave a nod. "Yes, this should be enough. I see no reason we should stay out here any longer," she said, tucking the roots away, "You're right though, no one can be perfect."

(How have you been, zezmeril?)

Goldenscale listened to them and gave a soft smile, knowing the truth in her words.  She then gave Ahnah a worried look.  "Are you sure?  I'm sure we could stay another couple of days for you if you want." she said.  She then gave a chirp and chuckled.  "Well, I would rather not stay outside longer than needed to in Winter, so I'm down with that." she said.  Hearing Corazon speak, the golden-scaled dragoness looked at the Shaman and nodded.  "I guess that's our verdict."

((I've been well all things considered. Aside form a few things concerning family, everything has been the same.))

"I'l be fine dear, there are more important things that we need to do than stay here and morne. If I have to, I will fall back on my training as an enforcer to suppress my emotions until time will allow for them," Ahnah said, giving Goldenscale a smile, "Besides after we're done with the incense, I will know mother will have safe passage into the next life. She had a long life, and she got to die happy."

Giving a nod, Corazon took lead as she led the way back, filling in the holes they had left behind from digging up roots. "I'm sure mother would understand if you had to set your fealings aside for a spell. Your mission carries great importance, and she of all people would understand," she said, shaking the dirt form her fur once the last hole was filled in, "Like you said though, we will know she made it safely after today."

"I'm well aware of the dangers of holding one's emotions for too long. I was saying that I would only hold them till a more apropriate time allowed. It would do none of any good if I were to fall weak in the middle of a confrontation," Ahnah said, helping fill in the holes as well, planting seeds to replace what was taken, "Who knows, maybe once we have more of the champions gathered up, I could afford such moments of weakness without worry."

"I'm sure motehr would be proud of us as well. We've both come so far. You have even gone so far as to disprove everything fathered originally believed of you. She would be proud of us regardless of  what we do so long as we don't forget who we are," Corazon said, giving a nod to Goldenscale, "Even still, we have so much to look forward to. You two have your adventure that will take you around the world, and I have the changes that will come to the village. The elders will most likely turn to me to help guide them through these changes."

Goldenscale looked down, her ears back slightly at the realization of Ahnah's words.  "Oh.  That is true I suppose..." she answered softly before continuing to pack the soil softly into the ground.  "I would hope that we all will have time to unwind at the end, or at least in between." she added before looking to Corazon.  With a smile.  "Help is something that I believe is needed.  Seeing as you are already changing after everything you've been through, I think it would benefit your community more."

"That is true.It's so odd to suddenly be able to feel emotion. For the longest time, I felt nothing outside of pain. Even then, pain was only a response, not consstant. Now that I can feel emotion, it's like the whole world has opened up.It fills the void I had always felt up until now," Corazon said, joyfully skipping to each hole to fill them in, "It has been a little overwhelming. When father released the seal, I freaked out, but thankfully he was there to comfort me. He explained what each emotion was, and how they felt as best he could."

"I'm sure we will find time to unwind sometime along the way. We may have a time limit, but even the most stubborn of people need to take breaks every so often, just to maintain their health. At the pace we're going, we could gather all teh runes and champions before we hit half a year, but we would definitly be worse for wear from exhaustion," Ahnah said, chuckling as she watch Corazon, "Before we go, I will want to make something for you Corazon. Seeing that you just regained your emotions, you'll no doubt want to talk things out at one point or another. If there's anythingI learned that the council didn't want me learning, it was how to make the crystals they use to communicate with their enforcers."

Goldenscale gave a soft chuckle, going doft into a soft sigh after listening to Corazon.  She knew that feeling of nothingness very personally, but even though she knew she had felt emotion in those times, she didn't remember them.  "I know how that feels, to feel detached from the world like that.  But emotion makes everything feel so much more memorable though.  I'm glad he took that seal off." she said with a smile.  She then turned to Ahnah and gave a shrug, thinking thoughtfully about the subject as she spoke.  "That is very true, and besides we have a year to get everything done." she said.  Goldenscale then gave a hum on confusion when Ahnah said that the communication crystals needed to be made to be used.  That was something she didn't know, but then again there was a lot she didn't know yet.

"Well, one thing at a time. For now, let's just focus on getting back and getting everything set up. It shouldn't take us more than a few minutes once we get back to get everything ready," Ahnah said, nodding to the path ahead, "We will have time later to discuss this. For now, there's more present matters to attend to."

"That emptyness is not something I want to experience again now that I've felt this. It was like being part of something, but having an ever present feeling of something is missing," Corazon said, giving a nod to Ahnah before continuing down the path, "You're right though, it's better that we focus on the traditions at hand."

Goldenscale gave a nod in agreement and watched the two for a moment before following them down the path.  While she had her own traditions of sorts, she was still almost new to traditions, having experienced that when she was with Frost and Mayumi.  She faltered in her steps for a moment, beginning to worry.  Ahnah and Corazon had said she could join them, but what if she did something wrong?  What if sh did something to anger the people there.  She didn't want to make Ahnah look bad.  She could just be overworrying though, so she bounded after Ahnah and Corazon a nervous hum eminating from her chest.

"There's no need to be nervous dear. So long as you don't go chearing when we start burning for the dead, you should be fine. Knowing you, that wont be an issue," Ahnah said as they arrived back at the hut, "You're more than welcome to help bundle up the roots and leaves. Beyond how they're burnt, there's nothing that specifies how they're bound and prepared."

Goldenscale looked up at Ahnah as she spoke, then frowned and looked down with a sigh.  "I wouldn't do that.  I'm just worried that I'll do something wrong..." she said softly.  She then gave a low hum of distress.  "But isn't there a certain size theheheey have to be?  Or a specific order?" she began to worry.

"Don't worry about it, we've got that covered. All you need to worry about it paying your respects when we burn for the dead, and giving thanks for when we burn for the new life. Corazon and I can handle getting the incense read," Ahnah said, brushing a wing over Goldenscale, "For now, you just need to focus on warming up some. No need it freezing out here."