Noctisardor Bypass in the trees, is a ghostly breeze

Druid hadn’t visited @Laurel’s den since her chance encounter with @Abel Redleaf and @Indra III some time ago. The two pups had captured her wonder at first, out of sheer novelty. But that had worn off quite quickly, particularly when the little girl had begun screeching.

Despite herself, she wondered what they looked like now and decided to go see for herself. Druid brought with her a hearty trout caught in the Mudminnow, its cold body clutched firmly in her teeth. She slowed her step when she approached the area near the den, sniffing the chilly air without releasing her hold on her prey.

Laurel was just outside her den watching the children play. She was policing them a little — telling Abel no to play too rough with Indra — when she first smelled, then heard the approach of another. Ears perked towards the approach attentively, but when she realised that it was Druid, she relaxed again. Hey Druid, she greeted. She didn't know the child very well, but she knew that she'd been here before to play with Abel and Indra. They were a little older now; perhaps it would be good for them to get to meet one of the older pups.

Soon, mother and children came into view. Druid stopped to assess the situation, moving forward only when Laurel acknowledged and beckoned to her. Lowering her head, the young she-wolf closed the distance, giving the playing pups a wide berth and stopping beside the Zuerste.

Gently, she deposited the fish on the ground by Laurel’s feet. This is for you and your children, Druid said, perhaps unnecessarily, eyes flicking to them. They looked quite different now, much more wolfish if still small in stature. She wondered if they could speak actual words yet.

Drawing in a breath, she turned her two-toned eyes upon her elder again. How are you? she asked, which was perhaps the most generic question she could’ve asked. But the guileless look on her face showed her genuine interest in Laurel’s answer.

Thank you, Laurel said with a nod as Druid offered a fish. I appreciate it. Laurel was all alone, after all, so she was reliant on her pack mates to look out for her. To know that they did was warmly appreciated, and made her feel a little better about her predicament and the lukewarmth of her feelings towards Rivenwood ever since the conception of her children.

Laurel was used to lying, so when she was asked how she was, she put a fake smile on her face and said, We're doing good, thank you. How are things in your neck of the woods? Sequoia was possibly Laurel's only friend in the pack, so she appreciated her children dropping by for a visit. Maybe she could hear how Sequoia was doing, too (and her children, of course).

When asked about the goings-on on in her own life, Druid paused a moment to ponder the question. She then answered, They’re good. I’ve actually been leaving Rivenwood a bit more recently to do some exploring. I even made a new friend from Sapphique. Have you ever been there?

Her mismatched gaze rested expectantly on Laurel’s face even as she gestured toward the fish in an unspoken invitation to partake. She didn’t mind if the mother wanted to nourish herself in the course of their conversation.

Laurel listened as Druid told about her own life. She supposed that her life must be a bit more detached from her mother's, now, since she didn't mention how Sequoia was doing. At the mention of Sapphique, Laurel looked thoughtful. She didn't remember visiting a place with that name. I don't think I have. Where's it at? Perhaps the location would ring a bell; Laurel had visited many places when she was younger, but lately she had been sticking closer to home. Ever since... Me. Disaster seemed to have a way of finding her, and honestly, without Indra by her side Laurel didn't feel as safe travelling anymore. It was simply riskier alone.

It’s by the sea, Druid replied, eyes glimmering as she shared, Mireille is going to take me there soon. Witch and Heda will be coming with me. Her tail stirred with subdued excitement at their upcoming voyage.

Glancing at the pups in the background, the young she-wolf wondered, Maybe I could bring them something as a… Druid raised a paw in the air and swirled it, searching for a word. Souvenir.

She didn’t have the first clue what she might bring back from the seashore. Perhaps she could ask Laurel what might make a suitable gift. That thought reminded her of her earlier curiosities. Can they talk yet?

As Druid mentioned it was by the sea, Laurel shared, Hmm, I might've seen it once. She thought back idly to her last meeting with the son who looked most like her father. He'd run away from home, and then she had seen him at the coastal pack. That was what she remembered most about it. Do you like the sea? It seemed to excite Druid, but perhaps it was just because she got to travel, not necessarily because of the sea.

Druid glanced past Laurel towards the pups and suggested bringing a souvenir. Laurel smiled appreciatively and said, I'm sure they'd love that. A sea shell, perhaps, or something else to play with.

At Druid's question, Laurel nodded. Yes, they're developing quite well. Indra a little better than Abel, in Laurel's opinion. Considering the youth's interest in the children, Laurel asked, Do you think you would like to teach them something, sometime? I'm sure they would like to hang out with some of the pack's younger members. They were growing up rapidly, and had been born quite a bit earlier than Indra and Abel, but it was the closest they had to age-mates.

I’ve only seen it from a distance, Druid replied, but I definitely can’t wait to get closer. It’s so… She made a gesture, trying to encompass the absolute vastness of it all. She hoped Laurel understood.

Before Druid could ask what gifts the children might enjoy in particular, Laurel’s next question caught her off guard. Her lips formed a moue, pulling a little at the corners. She glanced past their mother to eye them again, a little dubiously.

Focusing back on Laurel, she hesitated. I’m not sure. I mean, what could I teach them? Furthermore, did she want to commit to something like that? Druid felt ill-equipped to handle what was being asked of her, though she didn’t want to disappoint her pack mate.

Yeah, I get what you mean, Laurel said with a nod when Druid mentioned why the ocean was appealing. It wasn't necessarily very appealing to Laurel herself, but she understood the feeling of grandness when you stood in front of it.

Druid seemed startled by the request to teach the children something. Laurel chuckled at Druid's somewhat-bewildered question and said, The whole pack helps to raise children. Though she had not been overly involved with Druid and her siblings' raising, Laurel had brought food for Sequoia and kept her company often when the pups were young. Even watched the pups sometimes — though Laurel guessed that Druid was too young to remember that, really. Even the youngest members of the pack have things to teach. Even just socialising or practising hunting and playing helps them grow stronger. Laurel smiled pleasantly at Druid, in a patient mood today.

This was the first time Druid had heard of this responsibility. She felt the weight of it settle on her shoulders and she shifted uncomfortably. She remained quiet as Laurel explained some of what she might be able to offer the younger pups. It relieved some of the sudden tension she felt, though Druid still felt unsure.

Maybe I could teach them how to fish, she said, attention drifting to the trout. Would they have the attention span for such a task? I’ll do my best, Druid added after a thoughtful pause. If not for the children themselves, she did want to support Laurel.

What about you? the youth questioned, genuinely more curious about the Zuerste than her children. Is there anything else I could bring you? Or… Druid’s voice trailed off uncertainly. What might a nursing mother need from her pack mates, besides food?

That sounds like a great idea, Laurel said with a smile in Druid's direction. A very useful skill to have. It would be nice if Druid could help teach the children such a valuable life skill.

When Druid asked if there was anything else she could do for Laurel — bless her helpful little heart — Laurel smiled appreciatively. If you wanted, you could maybe watch the pups sometimes for a little bit when I have to do other things. Hunting or the likes, but also sometimes it was nice to just get some time to yourself when you were a single mother; pack mates were great for helping watch the kids.

She should’ve seen it coming, yet she hadn’t. Druid could think of nothing she wanted to do less, and it quite likely showed on her face. But then she thought, What if I bring Witch or Heda with me? and the thought alone dispelled quite a lot of the dread gathering in her chest.

Druid pondered it a moment longer, then said to Laurel, Could I bring one of my sisters with me? I don’t think I w—should watch them all by myself. And maybe only when they can talk fully? I want to make sure we understand one another. She only hoped these were fair conditions and she wasn’t disappointing the mother with her candid reply.

Laurel thought it was a little annoying that Druid seemed to try and back out of her initial offer. What was her deal? What did she want? Laurel hid most of her annoyance, but she still sounded a little snippy when she said, with a pleasant smile on her face, Yes, of course. Thank you for helping out. Any help was better than none, she supposed. And Druid was young, so she supposed she should not expect too much of her. Not everyone was a wonderchild like Indra, of course.

Although Laurel’s smile remained, there was something clipped in her tone and her words were dismissive. Druid swallowed, her skin prickling as she realized she had disappointed the woman with her candidness. Her lips parted, as if prepared to apologize, but then she realized she didn’t know what she would say. She was only being honest.

Of course, she replied a little awkwardly, glancing at the fish, then to the pups, before her gaze drifted back to Laurel. I’ll see you all later, Druid offered politely, retreating.

Druid looked like she might say something, but in the end conceded. Laurel nodded at her as she said her good-byes and well-wishes. Thank you so much for the fish, Laurel repeated with a smile, her tone now friendlier again. See you later, Druid. Say hi to your mother from us. She smiled politely and then leaned down to take the fish. Suddenly Laurel realised just how hungry she was as she bit into the fish, and she started to eat it, happy with the food her young pack mate offered her.