Moonspear summer sunday nights

Njord, @Meerkat, and their girls returned from their daytrip at Two-Eyed Cenote. It had been a fun adventure, especially for their two growing lassies. Seal and @Orca II were now nearly five months old. Juveniles! It made the man think of Mercy. Was she safe out there? Happy?

Soon, the pitter-patter of paws would bless Moonspear once again. Both Sialuk and Elentari were with child. Argent, Chakliux, Whip, and Glaukos all seemed to orbit nearby.

Conflicted by this, Njord kept his distance.

On this evening Njord patrolled their Eastern border. Overhead, stormclouds parted. A peaceful omen.

It wasn’t often that Meerkat made kills and when she did, she always brought them to her growing daughters. When she managed to snare a rabbit today, she made an exception and dropped it off at @Sialuk’s ulaq, knowing the heavily pregnant head needed the nourishment more than anyone.

The midsummer heat pressed on her as she wandered around the mountain after that, with no particular destination in mind. When she saw her mate patrolling the border down below, Meerkat smiled to herself and paused to watch him. Since she wasn’t doing anything of import herself, she decided to climb down and join him.

Well! Fancy meeting you here! she quipped in greeting as she sidled up alongside him, matching his pace so as not to disrupt his duty even as she planted a kiss at the corner of his eye.

*GLOMPS*

And then he wasn’t alone!

His wife's voice was like a lark to his ears – a bright song among the quiet woods. Njord smiled warmly and slowed the cadence of his footfalls to let Meerkat catch up into place. The man cherished her kiss and pecked his own upon the blunt end of her snout.

“If it isn’t m’lady, Missus Sveijarn-Corten,” he crooned. If he had hands, Njord would have clasped hers and intertwined their fingers together as they strolled. “Why has my bonnie lass traveled so near the borders? Tis dangerous for a lady, ye ken?” The jest of Njord’s mock chauvinism was evident by the flirtatious way he whispered the words.

She smiled at his cheeky remarks, then caught his eye and deadpanned, Utter boredom.

She was only joking, though there was a kernel of truth in the comment. The girls grew more independent by day; Towhee was gone; and everyone else seemed to stay pretty busy. Meerkat found herself with so much free time, she didn’t quite know what to do with it all sometimes.

I know I should be glad things are so quiet, Meerkat murmured as they strolled along, but I feel a bit like I’m languishing lately. I can’t help but wonder if I made a mistake, stepping down from leadership when I did, she admitted in the next breath, glancing at Njord, the tooth in her lip broadcasting her regret.

A hearty laugh bellowed from Njord’s chest at Meerkat’s admission. Then, it became a dreamy sigh as if to say, what are we going to do? It was true - so much of their life had been filled with activity that a season of peace felt novel and, by comparison, boring.

“Ye sound like me, dreamin’ of life in tha Copse,” he reflected with a chuckle. “Ah ken we’re cut from tha same cloth, in this way,” Njord mused. It was a trait the seafarer admired in his wife: a passion for growth.

“Tae be frank, Ah was surprised ye stepped down,” he admitted. “Ye ‘av a knack for leadership and councilin’. You quickly found a solution for Moontide and others were happy tae help when ye asked.” Njord felt like a fish out of water in the role while Meerkat acted like a native.

“Sialuk an’ Elentari’s children will be due soon,” Njord pointed out. “Moonspear could use ye at tha helm… an’ Ah ken Sialuk would welcome ye back into leadership without a second thought,” he assured Meerkat.

“Alaric told me he was feelin’ a similar way,” Njord confided. “Seems like none of us are used tae such a quiet chapter of life.”

They hadn’t spoken of the copse in a while, the mention of it now causing her to start as if a light bulb had flashed on over her head. But she did not interrupt her mate, who mused about his surprise at her initial decision, then the current goings-on in their village. Njord also hinted that Alaric might be interested in leadership; at least, that’s how Meerkat took his closing remark.

It just felt like a bit too much at the time, which seems silly in hindsight, Meerkat said in a sheepish tone. I did think about talking to Sialuk about it, given that she could probably use an extra hand right now, but…

Well, she was suddenly glad she’d brought this up with her husband first and that he’d said what he said. Meerkat’s tail snapped to and fro for a moment as she contemplated, sorting her words in her mind before catching his eye again and voicing them aloud.

I think Alaric would be a better candidate if you and I still intend to move to the copse eventually. Do we? she queried, face open.

That would certainly give her something to do!

Do we?

She posed the question like they shared the same mind and heart. Njord could not hide a warm smile of appreciation.

“Aye, Ah still think of tha Copse often,” Njord responded with a whimsical tone. “At least, what somewhere like tha Copse would mean tae our family. Clan. A legacy… Maybe Ah’ve been inspired by Moonglow an’ its daughters. But… Ah’ve been reflectin’ on it tha past month. What I said when we were last there.” The knit in her husband’s brows telegraphed his sincerity.

Njord’s gait slowed to a stop. “Our daughters are safe an’ happy. We ‘av a good life here. Boring,” he laughed, “but good. Let us nae leave just because I dinnae feel as attached as one would hope… t’would be selfish of me, ya ken? An’ cowardly. Runnin’ away instead of settlin’ my heart.” And he could not live with any more guilt! “Let us only set out because it’s tha right way tae grow.”

His gaze studied Meerkat’s expressions – all of which he had already committed to memory like the pages of a well-loved book. Njord had more thoughts on the topic, but he opened the floor for his wife to say her part.

Njord admitted the copse often crossed his mind. When he slowed to a stop, Meerkat halted too, still offering her undivided attention as she sensed he had more to say on the matter. She pressed her lips together as her mate seemed to downplay the validity of his own hopes and dreams.

You know, she said thoughtfully after a few beats of contemplative silence, I’ve always said you and I are one, inseparable. And though the girls might one day leave us to make their own ways in the world, they’re part of us too, for now. Maybe we should talk to them, see what they would like to do. Since it would affect them, they should be involved and get a say too, don’t you think?

She continued holding his gaze as Meerkat closed the small distance between them, sliding her muzzle against his in a nuzzle. Her lips curved into a smile as she found his eyes again from much closer, a teasing light dancing in them.

Especially seeing as you and I seem incapable of doing anything but dancing around the decision, she observed with a good-natured laugh.

A contended sound strummed from Njord’s throat. Then, a hearty laugh. “Och!” he exclaimed. “’Tis a good thing Ah fancy dancin’!” he jeered. Then, when the waves of chuckles subsided, Njord became introspective once more.

“Seein’ what we’ve been through… tis no wonder we cannae help but do-si-do ‘round it, eh? We’ve seen loss. Pain… an’ me, wheel… Ah’m scairt tae repeat past mistakes… especially when it comes tae Orca an’ Seal,” Njord admitted. Their last litter had a turbulent upbringing, punctuated by the bear and the disappearance of Swordfish. Njord was not sure he could forgive himself if harm came upon his daughters as a result of this choice.

“But… change isnae easy. Sometimes its worth tha risk. And Ah’m sure not gettin’ any younger,” he jested – but a touch of morbid urgency there. Then, a supportive paw on Meerkat’s shoulder. “Aye, let us ask our lassies an’ see what they say,” he agreed.

It’s not a bad thing, she reassured, rubbing her nose against his cheek, it means we’re thinking it through and not making any hasty decisions. And I think it will mean a lot to the girls, to be involved.

In other words, Meerkat felt it was a good parenting decision, just one of the many they’d made with Orca and Seal. She pressed her lips to the corner of her husband’s eye, a silent token of acknowledgement and understanding of the weight in his words.

There’s no time like the present, right? Let’s walk up the mountain and call for them to meet us at the rendezvous site, she suggested, sidling into position at Njord’s flank.

Meerkat worked her magic to steady Njord’s waters.

A nod signed his letter of agreement.

Then, with a wag of his red tail, Njord turned in the direction that would take them higher and walked side by side with his wife. A nip of excitement made his heart thrum a little faster, though he readied himself to receive what their daughters would say about the idea – good or bad. Moonspear was the only life they had ever known and that could be a difficult thing to leave.

Start a new thread? Or continue in this one?

They strode up one of the many footpaths winding along the mountainside. En route, Meerkat paused to raise her head, close her eyes and call for @Orca II and Seal to meet them at their destination. She then lowered her head, opened her eyes, and butted her head against Njord’s shoulder as they finished making their way to the rendezvous site.

I think continuing this one makes sense. :)

Seal had been busy practicing her tracking skills by following @Argent’s pawprints in the mud when she heard her mother’s call. Work was an easy thing to abandon when family rang! With the enthusiasm of a girl who was still a puppy, Seal hustled as fast as she could to the rendezvous site.

Not only was Mam there - but Da too! “Hi Mami! Hi Da!” Seal greeted with an excited wags. At five months old, different parts of her body grew at different rates. Long legs framed a short torso and her face hadn’t yet lost its puppy chubbiness.

She rubbed against her parents like a cat and wondered what adventure they would go on today.

Going to do some light PP of @Orca II so please let me know if that's okay!

Their lassies gathered with bright faces and full hearts. Already, they looked like miniature adults! Njord admired the glimpse of the women they would become.

He exchanged a glance with his wife and took a breath.

“Girls,” the word rolled off his tongue. “Yer Ma’m and Ah ‘av been thinkin’ of claimin’ a land South of here named Sun Mote Copse. ‘Tis a gran an’ bonnie place… t’would be our new home.”

He paused for a moment to measure their reactions. Then, he continued and reassured them. “We wouldnae be far from Moonspear or Moonglow, an’ we’re nae in any hurry tae leave. T’would be our next adventure, when we’re all ready. What do ye say?”

When the four of them had gathered, it made Meerkat think of how they’d spoken to their older sons about having more children: the very children in front of them today. Just like then, the decision ultimately belonged to Njord and Meerkat. But she always liked including her children in anything that could greatly impact their lives and she was glad history showed that.

She leaned into Njord, a silent pillar of support as he broached the subject with Orca and Seal. Meerkat’s ears twitched with every word, her eyes riveted to the girls’ faces to drink in their initial reactions. She knew this would only be the first of likely several discussions. Although the subject excited her inner scout, it was her counselor’s roots she would tap into today. She would do her best to listen and field any concerns or questions the girls might express.

Seal’s brown eyes grew twice their size when her Da explained their proposal. 

At first, her small body buzzed with enthusiastic excitement! She looked her sister in the face, mouth agape as she gasped. Adventure! Discovery! Thrill!

But then, it began to dawn upon her that everyone they knew and loved wouldn’t go with them… Sialuk, Alaric, Elentari, Argent, Towhee Jr, Sable… And what of the puppies yet to be born?

Seal began to deflate a little, worried that she would never see them again despite her father’s reassurance. Raiyuk and Ray had both been gone a long, long time…

But, ever plucky, Seal gave her parents a tentative yes. Maybe she would even get the opportunity to be an ambassador like her mom, who she idolized.

The young girl appreciated that she had some time to digest this new proposal… though Seal would find that her dreams began to imagine the fabled land of Sun Mote Copse and all the new beauty yet to be seen.