[ti]location[/ti] NOONLIGHT SHRINE

Sarah and Focus approached the shrine. The newly evolved Braixen looked around with wide, Summer eyes. "I can feel it!" she exclaimed.

"Shh!" Sarah nodded up at the massive form of Ascended Moltres that rested in the branches of the Shrine. It was asleep, or at least resting, with its resplendent head tucked under one wing. The pair approached the base of the shrine.

Sarah had decided to wear the feather cloak. Some may consider it gauche to wear an extravagant coat made from the feathers of one you seek favor from, but Sarah thought of it as a show of respect. Respect for the awesome power that Moltres had shown during the raid. This bird was the spirit of war on UNOVR, and she was here seeking power in her next battle. The next important battle.

"Moltres. Spirit of War. I come offering a prayer for strength in the battle to come. The battle for the Precipice Crown. I don't know what form the battle will take, but I would be honored by your assistance."

She unclipped her cloak and laid it out on the dry foliage. Then the retrieved the Moltres Egg from her inventory and wrapped it in the black feathers. She laid the bundle
at the foot of the shrine, and wished for an answer.

Moltres shifted in the branches above. Leaves and feathers floated down, and Sarah let one of the gleaming, sizzling feathers land in her hands. "Thank you Moltres. I will not forget this."

"Psst!" Focus said, trying to get Sarah's attention as she pointed to a fallen stick. "Do you think that Moltres would mind if I took this stick?"

Sarah glared at her, and Focus snatched up the twig and took a few measured steps backwards.

"Again, thank you Moltres. Your favor will be remembered, and returned a hundred fold."

Sarah picked up the egg and carried it away from the shrine. "And you will grow as mighty as your Mother," she whispered to the egg. It felt warmer already, sizzling and steaming with the promise of future conflict.

Praying by a tree feels right with a name like Muin. Sticking to aesthetics, staying on theme, etc. All that much is indeed true, but what is also true is that the Noonlight Shrine with its sprouting new life will never cease to be impressive.

Especially the Moltres that sleeps on the tree's canopy, her flaming feathers shining in a million colours with iridescence.

A hand gently touches the bark of the tree.

"Moltres, I request of you to please grant this Rowlet that is your kin the wisdom not to keep fainting in battle. Thank you."

<'Hey!'> The Rowlet in his arms exclaims, woken by the shrine's healing just in time to hear the prayer.

For better or for worse, Jinx was starting to take the majestic beauty of the shrines for granted. They had awed her at first, but after a few visits, they were just a particularly useful bit of scenery to her. Only Cleo's reaction reminded her of how awesome, in the original meaning of the word, this place really was.

It was pretty awesome in the more common modern use of the word, too. Who couldn't use free healing?

Cleo's words, though, reminded Jinx that she had more to do than just stand around gawking at the shrine in front of her. They had bears to hunt! And Cleo was right, the Moltres in front of them definitely wasn't what they were after here... so after a brief, silent word of thanks to the shrine, Jinx nodded and went along her merry way.

Verai had heard of a shrine, nestled deep in the woods. He wasn't told what to expect. Was it a building carved of stone, a rock older than the land around it? A place where an honored creature had been born, or the quiet spot where it laid in rest? Regardless, before they had set out proper, Kitten and Kitty- and the cotton, by extension- that they needed to be quiet, and respectful.

He could have expected a tree, especially one as ancient and everlasting as this one. Verai stood back to look at it, quiet and reverent, and slowly moved to approach the thick, worn trunk. He reached out, resting a hand on the trunk, and offered a silent thank you to the tree's guardian. Litten, not wanting to be left out, pressed as close as she could and pressed a paw to one of the roots, mimicking the action.

<'We could just ask one of your friends to help us search, you know?'> Ever as prone towards socializing as all of Muin's Pokémon seem to be, when they find themselves stopping by the Noonlight Shrine yet again, the Rowlet continues her apparently ceaseless attempts to make him interact more with others. The complete opposite of what Muin wishes.

"What friends?"

<'Uhmm... I don't know. ibis?'>

"No." The response comes much quicker and much sharper than what he had intended, which will doubtlessly cause Nin to raise some questions. More than that, Muin is also overly aware of the presence of the slumbering Moltres on the tree, who is probably having a field day with this ridiculously conversation.

Soft pink hues colour his cheeks. He's aware of it, but he tries to ignore it when touching the trunk of the tree, inhaling deeply.

"Listen, Nin... Say I'm a lone wolf or whatever else, but I'd rather do all this alone. I enjoy things more that way."

<'Alone alone?'>

Eyes roll.

"No, obviously alone with my Pokémon. Come on, we have more searching to do."

Verai could have gone to a different shrine, but he knew of this one- It felt appropriate, in a way, to take Kitten back here, especially given the new friend she'd made. "Come on- I'll show you have to pray here, too." Kitten remembered, not having to be shown, eagerly pressing a paw to the trunk again. The torchic was... a little more difficult, not having proper hands, but... Verai picked him up and let him press a taloned foot to the tree, which would have to do just fine.

Verai pressed his hand, finally, to the tree, and offered thanks. Not for protecting his pokemon, this time, but... maybe for protecting him.