The fae had not forsaken her friends from the emberflame ridge; the ones she was supposed to summon upon her return to get them to the safety of her realm. Though she'd been distracted, the task at hand was clear as crystal and she hoped they hadn't left the area yet. Her howl rang out for the one named Iolana and her bird, Lale. Though she was sure the howl might alarm the rest of her pledging faeries, she cared little for she was running out of time.

Though Loinnir had kept from actively acting up about their separation, he was deemed slightly more hazardous and vocal about his annoyances in life by the little fae. Sure, the bird had never been a sweet soul, but n'er had she experienced such anger coming from such a small creature. Her attempts to calm him down using soft lullabies and frequent snacks had proven fruitful, but she was afraid that if she kept these feeding habits up, the poor thing would grow too heavy to fly.

Luckily, as soon as Lale's song rang through the air, Loinnir took off (clumsily, mind you) to greet his friend. He fluttered about for a moment and landed soon after she did, twitching his head all kinds of ways and making a purr-like sound in interest. Thank goodness, you haven't left. Lumi sighed in relief upon spotting the painted lady of the ridge, curtsying in greeting. She chuckled softly, deeming their reunion a worthwhile one. Thank you — I hope this territory suits your fancy, for I have decided to settle here, among the willows.

I'm sorry if it seemed I doubted you. She responded with a shy smile and an embarrassed posture. It was hard to believe others were following her advice and orders - it was so new. In her past, it had been her who was ordered around, tasked to do the dirty work of their family's clan. She hoped her subjects would not hate her the same way she had her parents, the heads of their family. She wanted to be a kind leader, one liked by most.

I've lost count, and I won't be sure of our exact numbers 'till our claiming howl and gatherings. She informed with a thoughtful look. I believe we are over a dozen, but it depends on who has decided to stick around.

Perhaps Iolana was sure of the little fae's skills, and though she'd grown more confident, Lumi hadn't expected her dreams to materialize so easily - so perfectly. Surely fate would throw more obstacles her way, like it had always done; but for now, the skies seemed clear and her heart was a-flutter and she was the happiest soul 'neath the spires that touched the sky and near the unwavering pulls of the ocean. The willows whispered songs that sparked feelings of belonging, and she was sure she wasn't the only one who heard them.

Lumiya smiled at her friends, then turned to lead the way to their borders; they were faint still, but strengthening with each day that passed. She would make sure their presence was known, and that she'd be established and running a real court before the coming of summer - before the middle of spring, even, if she was lucky. I'm certain you'll enjoy yourselves here, and hope you'll meet your fellow faerie folk betimes. She mused on their way there.

They arrived shortly, the court shielded by willow branches that at some points touched the ground. They were frosted over, like crystals strung on a string, almost making music as the wind pushed them against each other. Only the winter allowed for such frozen delights, but the forest would be no less beautiful in the coming seasons; the fae was sure of it. The caves, structures, streams, pools and open spaces allowed much variety in scenery and Lumi couldn't wait to see everything blooming. One sparkle faerie was perhaps even more excited about this; little Deidra, their medic.

Here we are. The girl chirped. If you so desire, you can plant your scent among ours. The border patrols were for more than getting the court's scent as strong as possible on the outer reaches of their territory - it was also to make sure there were no breaches. Though their territory remained neutral until their claiming howl, she wished for strangers to be met at the borders and not in the middle of their sanctuary.

One would think the fae was used to compliments by now, but every one of them caused a slight blush to settle on her frost-touched cheeks. She wished she was as careful with her words, as humble as the painted lady, to cause such reactions; it was true she n'er not spoke the truth, but sometimes she'd forget to compliment even the tiniest of things. She smiled warmly at the added "ours" for, indeed, it wasn't her court. The queendom belonged to all those who settled there, and she was simply the one that kept things running smoothly and made the tough decisions.

Unfortunately accurate — but I give it not even a moon before it is as strong as other's. She'd seen the Taiga and scented its scents - she'd already established an alliance with two that had settled near. Artyom was the soon-to-be father of Whitebark Stream's new generation, mothered by his mate Dawn — and Uriel was the sunkissed leader of a pack settling in The Bracken Woods. There were more, but their proximity to the court caused Lumi not to think of them as often. We shall be named the Seelie Court, where everyone has a place.

Iolana was right of course - it would not take their band long to fill the forest with their scent. Even if some had left, their numbers were quite high for a forming group and she didn't doubt they'd be mistaken for official down the line.

Mhm. She hummed in agreement, sometimes forgetting Iolana was nearly deaf. Seelie means 'lucky' or 'blessed' - a common way to refer to good faeries. She informed. She would update Iolana on all the specifics later, thinking it was best to keep things simple for now. Their traditions and festivities would eventually come naturally to any of them.

The fae smiled then, beginning to trail her way 'ver the borders but making sure Iolana could see her lips at all times. And thank you — for wanting to stay with us. She didn't think of it as an honor to welcome others into their court, but she did think of them actually wanting to be welcomed as an honor. The title of queen had yet to fit her properly, but she'd grow into it in no time.

A high-pitched chuckle spilled from her throat at the question, knowing at least two that were not keen on staying in the forest and dance their problems away - her brothers. Some could find it restricting — but that goes for any court or pack. Some were just not meant for a fate of peace and community, and the fae found that quite alright. Though the Wilderness would be a safer, gentler place if everyone converted to their lifestyle - if everyone was a faerie, no one would be. For all the good they did in the forest, there had to be bad somewhere else, otherwise the world would be out of balance.

They remained in the embrace of silence then, humbly doing their duties as queen and faerie. Loinnir hooted once the job was done, knowing it was time for a meal instead of trailing the same path they'd done for so many times now. The fae knew how to satisfy him, at least, and keep him somewhat tied down so he wouldn't cause trouble.

I believe it's time for us to part ways now — feel free to make yourselves at home. She informed with a smile. If nothing else was said or acted upon, Lumi would take her leave with a polite curtsy, intending to be back before nightfall.