Estrelle trudged through the snow ridden forest, her head facing fully into the snow, her body wrapped in the fur cloak she had made when she was last here. She walked alone, asking for help to hike up the mountain was weak and beneath her. If she was going to return to that place she would do so how she left it, with the power and grace of the only person who could ever be known as 'Pride'. It wasn't easy, it never was, especially in conditions like this where it was more natural to show weakness, but that only made the stakes higher. As everybody knows, the higher the stakes the greater the outcome for the winner.
The woman saw footsteps all leading up to the cave, there weren't a ton of footprints so she knew she wasn't the last like she had hoped. However, it was too late to turn back now or to wait. Part of being who she was, was to hold her head high no matter what happened, no matter what the circumstances. If she made a mistake or miscalculated a circumstance she would move forward from it. If she didn't like the outcome of something, she would never complain.
It was a long hike to the cave from where she began, she was starting to sweat and that sweat was starting to freeze. Estrelle gritted her teeth, refusing her body to shiver, but she did pull her cloak tighter around her.
She slowed her pace as she saw the faint glow of their energy peek through the falling snow and fog. She could see all the different colors, but her own, at least to her, was the brightest and floated out like fabric being blown by wind. She paused, gritted her teeth one last time and raised her head. This was going to be painful, but even though everyone understood she was in pain she would not allow them to see it written on her face.
With her decision made, she un-clutched her cloak and as she stepped through without hesitation, as if she had done so in stride. Her cloak flew out behind her as the depraved pink of her energy layered over the her fur cloak. She took a breath and her eyes closed, though they weren't squeezed shut, as the burst of energy ripped through her body. It happened quickly, all the natural light on her seemed to disappear until she was nothing but a shadow and great antlers grew out of the top of her head crowning her silhouette.
She opened her hidden eyes and walked forward, not even a twitch had shivered her shadow. She sauntered forward towards the others.
"If we are so inclined to come back then there's no reason to put off going further in," Estrelle said, "And you really should be commended Quincy on advancing your gluttonous plague so well. And Vanessa, your own empire seems to be rather brilliantly large I hear as well. I'm guessing they didn't have much for evidence if you're here so quickly?" She said all this as she traversed passed the group, heading further down into the cave.