Ravensblood Forest I dare you to close your eyes

the scent of brine and sea had settled thinly in her ragged pelt, and she was at peace. long had she reached, and the slight limp she carried would remind her always of her journey from the sea, and serve to keep her anchored to its shores. the picked over carcass of a seal had revealed itself to the witch that morning, and sat heavy in her shrunken stomach, now. 

she had hoped fervently that the pack would stand still where it had stood; her murmured prayers had been answered with the border that she found herself at now. slowly did she ease onto her haunches, gladness spreading as here she caught a wisp of the male's scent. @Samothes was here, and with that she launched a thin and reedy cry for him, voice made small by her sorry state.

samaantine's health has been occupying his attention, damn the bitch. he is cruel at times but he is not an idiot (or at least that is what he tells himself to justify not leaving her to her fate on the beach like she deserved). this is an opportunity to curry some favor -- and gain something else to lord over her with.

his thoughts of sibling domination are quickly overturned with that fragile howl. it has been long enough that he can't be sure, but -- he quickens his pace, yes -- thelxiope! a bright smile turns his mouth, thinning only slightly as he takes in her sorry state. she'd vanished around the same time as the amnesiac -- the messeda boy had assumed they'd taken leave together and hoped she was doing well. absent evidence of that, he hesitates slightly, slowing his approach and speaking more gently than he might have otherwise. "it's good to see you, thelxiope," samothes says, tilting his head, "although not in this condition. what's happened?"

Constantine did not recognize the voice that called for Samothes, which was perhaps what drew the stocky beast toward the caller. They had resided in the forest for six months now, but it had been a more casual stay, given Constantine had not been willing to defend the land with strength given their low numbers. But now, with their claim official, the shadowrunner was quick to be more protective than he had with the shadowed trees before – no longer were wolves welcome to skirt past their borders.
 
Samothes had beat him to the caller, and he offered the pale man a nod. His eyes strayed to the she-wolf upon her haunches – thinned, ragged. He recognized her as the she-wolf who had promised to help @Aria and another with amnesia – the one who had disappeared, as well as any traces of the pale dove he still held so close to his heart, even if he would never voice it aloud.
 
A frown pulled on his features as he drew closer to the two, his stance lifting in dominance of new habit. “What brings you to our borders?” And what had driven her from them before? And more importantly.. where were the two she-wolves she was to look after?

 samothes is the first to arrive, and her muzzle mirrors his when a smile curves it brightly. "samothes -"  she greets him only by name, words faltering when constantine arrives beside the male. two questions they ask, and the witch begins first with samothes', though she too addresses the dark man. "I followed my ward, soon after she vanished."  she begins her tale smoothly, though her words are as tired as her howl.  "her trail led north, deep inland, before I lost it. I found naught of the other - of pale woman, aria."  she admits this freely, though the failure of losing both her wards to whichever fates befell them weighs heavy on her shoulders. 

  "seldom have I strayed from the coast, and my search was fraught with misfortune. I was waylaid, injured, before I found my way back into the Wilds." then came the whole business of the injured travelers, the dead girl, and yet she did not elaborate. dark gaze was shroud by sterling eyelids a moment as she glanced at the frigid earth, knowing that in her return, she too had failed. looking to, and addressing constantine now, she continued with her careful request.  "and so I have returned to you; to ask a place in your ranks once more." and here again she paused, next words careful and heavy.  "and yet I know that in my wards I have failed. if you are unable to extend the same kindness you did many moons ago, then I come only to offer my news of them and to leave your wood behind." she could not expect him to offer openly his home and a place in it, not after the many months that she had strayed so far from home.

constantine's arrival is quick to follow and he greets the shadow-furred man with a nod of his own. he wants an explanation, samothes thinks, and can't quite blame him despite his own biases towards the sea witch. her depature had been unexpected and without explanation and it is, unfortunately, a mark of distrust against her, although he is willing to listen to her side (and is more willing to cut slack to those he likes, being somewhat vain in his associations). 

he'd assumed thelxiope had left with the addled woman -- but no, she'd left to pursue her. hm. he would not have chosen such a path (of course he'd never wanted her to come to ravensblood in the first place -- she'd been deadweight from the start) but he can see her failure to locate either of the amnesiatic women bothers her. there is little he can do now -- the decision is ultimately constantine's -- but he hums contemplatively, wondering if there is a way she can re-prove herself to the shadowrunner, for he finds he does desperately want to see her amongst them once more, still captivated by her presence even after months parted.

A light frown pulled at his features, though it is not directed at the she-wolf’s actions – more so, the disappearance of both her wards. Aria’s disappearance was what remained important to him, though he need not voice this to either in his company – and should the words have ever been uttered to Durnehviir, he knew she would feel mistrusting of his intentions to her once more. Still, nothing of the situation settled well with him – but he also could not assume something terrible had happened to his snowy friend. He had given her a lot of information – he should have refrained. It was more likely that he had scared her off than anything else.
 
Samothes remained quiet, and Constantine offered a gentle rumble of consideration. His gaze was critical upon the she-wolf – but if her story remained true, then he was at least content to know she had tried to look for the woman she had tried to look after. “The invitation remains, but it will not be extended after this,” he offered, his tone soft, but clear with what he meant. She couldn’t simply leave and come back again – the Forest would not be a revolving door.
 
“Samothes, perhaps you can help her get settled down to rest somewhere?” His gaze drifted to the pale man, his muzzle canting at the request.

With the agreement from the pale man, Constantine gave a final nod, sweeping away from the pair and allowing Thelxiope to settle and rest herself.