Loss

Following information gathered while working her various odd jobs, Ruby made her way across most of Eorzea, finally making her way to the Dravanian Hinterlands and Idyllshire. Here as well, there was no sign of her tribemates, but unlike other places she received curious, pitying looks from the locals. She asked everyone she came across, even the strange gobbies, and from this she pieced together a disjointed tale of some kind of disaster involving the huge metal structure in the lake in the valley below - a disaster which claimed the lives of a group of blue-haired Xaela who had arrived some years before. No one seemed able to tell her the whole story, but she came to realise this was the final resting place of her idolised cousins.

Her search complete, Ruby returned to Limsa Lominsa and made preparations to sail home. Shortly before her planned departure, she met a pair of Xaela fresh off the boat and asked for news from the Steppe, specifically about the Hotgo. The pair shared a momentary look and then explained to her that the tribe's last encampment had been found destroyed, no living souls left. The Hotgo had been massacred. The pair spoke of a tribal war, but if they mentioned the name of the opposing tribe, Ruby didn't hear it as she collapsed, vomiting into the waters of the dock.

Found by the Yellowjackets and presumed to be a drunk, she spent a few nights in a cell. When she was released, she considered returning home in the hopes of finding survivors, maybe even her bonded-to-be - but she couldn't bear the idea of making another journey in search of her tribemates that would likely only end in failure. 

Returning to her odd-job work, she was one day asked to make a delivery to a certain establishment in the Goblet. Carrying her axe as always, the bosses there asked for a demonstration of her martial skill, and offered her a job working security.