Mist. He was mist. A howling, Vulpix-shaped mist, hovering freely by the sea.
Such quiet solitude, where he was just himself and his howls…
…or so he thought.
What the—?!
His eyes widened and his windpipe clogged, reducing his ongoing howl to raucous sputtering. What excellent timing, to be found howling at the sky like some primitive den dweller!
Goodness gracious! Who’s there? Argh! Why are folks up at this time?
He turned sharply to the voice, flustered and embarrassed, and his gaze landed on… some feline creature. The color of her pelt was most unusual: pale azure with shades of dark brown. However, his eyes were quick to spot the rings around her forepaws and the star-shaped tip of the tail. Also, those golden irises…
Ah. A Shinx? What peculiar pelt.
"I gather you're a fella by the name of Keo'Keo. I'm Brisa, pleasure to meet ya."
Icetales blinked. It was weird to hear someone calling him by his family name. Not that he minded too much, but it was most puzzling to hear that name from a stranger, considering that he always told everyone to call him ‘Icetales’.
But still, a new acquaintance! Oh, what must she be thinking after that unflattering first impression? He regained his composure as quickly as he could and beamed a small smile, pushing his despair to the antechamber of his brain.
“Um. This is indeed the name of yours truly, miss,” he said with a gentle tone, his tails swaying slowly. “The pleasure is mutual. Fancy meeting thee under such lovely sky.” He tilted his head as he assimilated her name. “Brisa… this name does not sound new.”
Memories of the Main Square rushed back to his mind. The lost comrades… the gathering for a search party… Starr… Brisa…
Everything clicked into place.
“…Oh. Indeed. Thou art a fellow comrade of our cortège.” Icetales looked curiously at her. He omitted mentioning her harrowing experience. The last thing he needed was to make someone else feel uncomfortable. “And what brings thee here, at the birth of a new day? Thou fancied seeing the rising sun?”