sorry for probably shadow posting my way in LOL
In light of everything, Antares was adjusting best he could. He had balmed the first defeats with the unfamiliarity of Vanderfell's mountain, and now he found himself continually mapping the nearby roost they had taken to--which, at least he enjoyed the challenge of these new paths.
However as the dust was settling in the aftermath now, they felt like were in a strange sense of limbo. One he didn't know what to make of, and one he didn't know what Shiroshika would look like when they healed from it all. He knew what his purpose in it was, and it was to guard, to fight when it was time. He could serve that well enough, at least when the enemies were in front of him. They had failed once already, and more than just a losing battle, they were down another guardian.. and in his place spawned more strange unease. It was difficult enough to keep track of their everyone's safety already.
For today, he had widened his path from the tricky peaks, then ranged out but before he made it far, his nose alerted him. Suspicion swiftly escalated into a whole lot more. In the next beat, his ambling jog was rolling into a canter and he went streaking after the source.
He found Reiko easily enough, her scent noteworthy already for a discerning nose who knew half a thing about anything, and his hackles went stiff. With her was a feline, a borderline worst-case scenario, short of it being the exact one they battled mere weeks ago. This one was different. Dark.. striped, not one he had seen before, and before his head could spin -- how many types and colors did these beasts come in?! -- he pinned a severe look on the space between the empress and cat that he wanted to occupy, then noticed the younger wolf nearby too when he started to slow himself up. Just from a glance, Antares already had a feeling this was more escalated than he liked, but he focused on Reiko, and finding her an exit strategy or else a better way to involve himself--whether he wanted to or not.
The samurai came striding up on a long trot, his expression schooled into something careful as he aimed to approach. “Reiko,” he called out to try to get her attention above all, with a worried undertone he hoped relayed his familiarity. He only hoped she would be halfway relieved to see him, even if he identified her by name, not title out here given the... circumstances that he didn't know enough about. He wasn't sure if he wanted them to know he called her empress. “We should get back.” he offered, wary glance from tiger to young boy then before he settled back on the pale Izuka--him still very much trying to take stock of this even before his paws could stop completely.
the staff team luvs u