"Tha mi sgith.
(I am tired.)"
--Gaelic phrase
---------------
The overwhelming size and population of the city didn't disturb Erin at all. Nothing could disturb her her now, she was numb to it.
The vixen didn't know why she why here, or how she had gotten here, but something deep within, something nearly forgotten, was driving her on.
It was certainly no strength of her own, she had given up hope long ago, back in a cold, miserable ditch on the grasslands, with a head wound and a heart full of sorrow and confusion, she'd flung herself to the winds and given in to the mad dance of insanity.
Now, bedraggled beyond all belief and recognition, she was staggering through the gutters, oblivious to everything except a tingle within her soul that said go this way.
Her fur was mangy and matted with more mud and burrs than was imaginable. Her pads were cut and oozing blood. Her eyes and nose runny, her spirit broken.
She had no idea how long or how far she'd wandered, how many times she'd gone in circles, how straight or crooked of a path she'd taken, or where she was now.
No, this was no Erin Ruadh, that was for sure. To tell the truth she wasn't sure who she was now.
But something in the back of her mind was contesting this notion, remember who you are! it said.
Who am I? Part of her wished fervently that she could remember. The other part didn't care.
Thus, it was in this state that Erin Ruadh arrived at the gates of the castle, exhaused both physically and emotionally, hungry, wounded, and half-insane, wearing a stained black cloak with a knight's sword strapped across her back.
A leopard guard with a scarred face looked down from his post on a small, bedraggled creature with some surprise. "May I help you?" He called to her.
Slowly, two watery, but still shockingly blue eyes turned up to meet those of the cat. The voice that spoke was of a young creature, but had a sound like that of one that was unused to speech. "I-I'm looking for..." The vixen paused. What was she looking for? No amount of thought could bring it to mind. She felt herself begin to panic, but still felt strangely detatched from her body and mind.
"I-need-to-find..." Her legs wobbled. So close, she could feel that she was close. But now her weariness overtook her. She could run no longer. So close... She collapsed outside the gates and fell into dreams.