Wheeling Gull Isle i.v : who was told what to do by the man

{dogs}{part one, episode five}

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For a long time, walking across the land bridge, it felt as though she were drifting through a dream. It didn't seem real. The island came to life most nights in her slumber back in the Woods, and sometimes, she could feel everything. Hear everything. But it hadn't been this vivid, right? She must be awake, truly. Truly.

The wraith came to a stop at the edge of the beach, despite her yearning to waltz right in. She was a Blackfeather wolf, now. . .no longer a Daggertooth. This was not her home anymore. And as much as she thought Coelacanth would be fine with her entering without word, she knew it would be disrespectful. Besides, she didn't want to anger any guardians of the island, especially should they not know her.

Maegi brought her scarred muzzle up to the moon and howled, the sound of it filled with joy, reverberating off even the heights of the Skybowl. She was smiling without her volition, excitement overcoming her. She stifled the urge to play in the surf and laugh, like how she had with Droman. Droman, and. . .Reed! Oh, Reed was here. Venninne, too, and Moorhen, and Driftwood and Stockholm and Komodo and all the babes. . .

She positively vibrated in the starlight, waiting to be received. The time away would do her good.

Dated back to the evening of the 18th

things have been tense -- tense enough to drive her briefly inland though she does not dare stay from the island too long. reed has largely withdrawn into her mother's company, finding herself suddenly afflicted with a desire for solitude, a wish to avoid even her beloved aralez in the wake of the strange attack she did not witness. it is not the attack that bothers her so, but truthfully, maegi and mou's departure, though she would not admit so aloud. 

turns out being ditched by your dad as a newborn does give you some issues vis-a-vis abandonment. but no matter. mou ... was an odd boy, and she can only hope he has not managed to get himself into deeper trouble without her pratical and stern presence to guide him. maegi has surely moved on to brighter, bolder futures for herself. briefly she wonders if her friend had ever tracked down her wayward patient, but dismisses it. whether she did or not, reed can't know, and it is useless to dwell on such unhappy thoughts.

and yet, as if summoned by her own thoughts, there is a howl that disturbs her from her fitful slumber, summoning her from her sandy den toward the landbridge. grogginess sharpens her voice (perhaps unintentionally) as she drawls, "i must be dreaming." a smile cracks her mouth, but she does not rush to embrace maegi, her stance guarded in spite of herself. reed's never known how to show her feelings correctly, after all.

She didn't know who would be first to greet her. Not knowing of the troubles that had befallen the island, Maegi, naturally, expected Coelacanth or Venninne to come first. Perhaps Moorhen, the steady guardian. But it was her red-pelted friend that responded to her call, a smile over her face. Maegi grinned back in return, laughing at the sentiment.

I thought I was, the Melonii remarked, wagging her tail. She stepped forward and butted her nose gently against the ruddy lean shoulder, ecstatic to find it solid. Turns out, we're both wrong. She pulled away, her eyes sparkling. Reed, she said fervently. It's so good to see you.

Neither of them were the most emotional wolves around, so she was fine with the small, nearly imperceptible wall between them. It had been a while, after all.

"maegi," she returns evenly, allowing the touch (leaning into it if you blink). seeing maegi so suddenly has brought a flood of feelings she isn't quite prepared to deal with, and so she sidesteps them neatly, fixing her friend with a look that's more crisp than she means it to be. "it's good to see you too -- i wasn't expecting it." she hums, her tail slowly wagging against the sand. 

"so," she drawls, "catch me up -- where have you been, what are you doing these days? everything's the same as it ever was here, oh, except for poor coelacanth being attacked by some brute -- didn't see it myself, so can't share much detail i'm afraid, only that he showed up and went after stockholm and seelie, the nerve. did you ever find mou?"

I kind of came on a whim, Maegi admitted, smiling widely, her scar making her mouth look twice its size, at least on one side. She listened quietly to Reed's stories, looking shocked at the mention of Coelacanth's attacker. What awful monster would attack such a sweet soul?

And then Reed let Mou's name slip, and she didn't think it possible, but her grin grew even larger.

You'll never believe it, the Melonii whispered, as if imparting a great secret. She jerked her chin toward the Skybowl, gaze glowing, feverish with excitement. Come on, walk with me. It's a long story.

One that she expected Reed would be happy--at least in part--to hear. Or maybe it was only that they were finally together again that made her so confident.