it had been far over a month since they'd settled at the springs. briggs was ready to move on. three of the gang with him too; they had a better chance of finding red and gun if they moved back.
something was off with
@Lonesome Dove. colt ignored it for the most part, though he wondered if
@Sadey noticed too. he hunted often with
@Dagur, instructing marston here and there. the little camp grew worn and obvious. colt's restlessness expanded.
She moved in ever expanding circles around the camp.
Slithering like a rattlesnake, from here to there, shadowed and yet somehow ever present. The girl from a mere two months ago wouldn’t recognize the woman, the thing that came striding along in the shadow of Briggs. The tip of her tail shook like a rattlesnake’s rattle, her eyes intent, tongue only flicking out to rasp along a fang.
Colt.
Unnervingly, she didn’t seem to blink as she stared at the man.
Sadey arrived teh scent of her heat long since gone. She studied the she wolf LD and wondered at her, but she had no words for the ailment that plagued her, but it wasn't right. She felt partly responsible, but she didn't know why. The storm had been no one's fault a freak of nature thing.
Colt. Lonesome.
She drawled as she arrived. Looked around for Marston.
"lonesome. sadey." the rogue licked his lips. "i think we should head on. when the spring is good'n here, let's head back the mountain way. but i expect we'll need to choose a homestead before long."
he hated to say it, and now stood waiting for their agreement or their scorn.
Her first answer was an eerie, chameleon esque blink.
Then, a low chuff of laughter, barely allowed to escape.
That’s what I was going to ask about.
She commented a second later, rolling her head to the side to pop a few vertebrae.
If we homestead, I will follow until we settle. After that, I should recreate my stores.
She’d lost that mink skin full of herbs in the mountains, and her face soured to think of it. But it was a sacrifice worth making. The small gods in their small spaces had deemed her small life worthy.
The mink was a welcome loss in the face of that.
Sadey nodded. We should yes. What are yew thinkin'? What type of place should we be scoutin' fer?
Sadey eyed lonesome and briefly wondered at the girl. I may not know it all in spades but i'll help you find what I can.
She had learned of plants from Jaxon and she longed to have that small connection back to him. She had no children from him, and she had no children this year. She was truly alone. Those she cared for were moving on without her or going plum crazy and she was left alone to continue to pick up the shattered pieces of her life and heart.
wasn't naren't a lick of opposition among them. colt's sexism reared itself powerfully; hard and crazed as they were, these two were still wimminfolk and therefore perhaps touched until the season had ended.
course they wanted to settle. he hadn't guarded sadey like a husband, and lonesome had plumb disappeared.
colt snorted and rolled his steelbone shoulders. "awright. where we goin' then? yew know i ain't no good at choosin' homesteads, sadey."
The curl of her shoulders relaxed at Sadey’s offer for help, and she offered her a genuine grin, one that crinkled the corners of her eyes and made her look her youth.
Thank you, Sadey.
She murmured, before she focused on Colt again. She licked her own nose.
I..don’t think I want to go back to where I was.
The small gods did not want the cave back, the cave where the dark sat and the blood dripped like water and the water seeped like blood and-.
She closed her eyes against the shiver that rocked her entire body, shaking out her fur.
No caves.
On this, she would be firm.
Sadey studied the younger wolf and wondered at it. There was something not right with her since they had came down from the mountain, but it didn't seem to be an issue. Not really. She just wasn't sure what was going on with her. She hoped she could get it figured out soon enough.
Grey Eyes went back to Colt and she waited quietly unsure what was going on and what may happen. But she'd follow along for now. No reason to start a fight, not really.
"all right then," colt agreed, eyes narrowed thoughtfully toward lonesome but said nothing. "no caves."
briggs gestured with his cut-up muzzle. "reckon we'll head west. seems t'be the safest direction fer now."
he glanced at them for confirmation, again lingering softly on lonesome. what the hell was going on?
Sadey got to her feet and started westward's a small hike in her step. Her body still a little rough and tumble. But she could breathe again. It wasn't so painful. She could hunt now. Perhaps even eventually fight. But she would continue to take it slow. SHe didn't look back to see if they were following, just started meandering away.