Dragoncrest Cliffs slenge

while caracal went to visit his family, heda decided to take herself off sweetharbor for the first time in a long while. with her she carried dried lavender, a kelp-bladder of oysters, and chamomile, which grew beneath the shadow of the palms. it was only chamomile root, but she hoped that mireille would plant it in her home with hope for the peace the blessed plant bestowed.
at the borders, she called for her friend, though golden eyes waited for whoever came.
a friend, she had said into the cold air over the sea cliffs.

the roja's stayed busy.

jorunn picked up the tasks of seeing borders. she had come to learn that if she kept moving, the mourning could be softened some. leaving herself strewn across graves all day was no way to live.

erzulie would not want it.

but who was this woman? coming and calling, a friend. her eyes were softer upon the bloodstripe woman than they would have been against a male visitor.

i do not know you. and despite the exhaustion hinging on her words, she left room for the young woman to introduce herself.

Suzu hated patrolling the borders, but it had been politely (read: firmly) requested that she do what she could. For obvious reasons, she feared that another dangerous animal might show up, but she also did not like patrolling because it was exercise. She found herself easily winded and tired, and patrolling made her paws hurt. She much preferred to study the creatures in the tidepools, where she could simply lay on her belly for hours- and if she fell asleep, then napping was just a part of the job description as well. 

When she did go along the borders, it was often only moments behind someone else. Just far enough behind that she might not be noticed; out of earshot, and she tried to stay upwind so they might not scent her. She ghosted along a few moments behind Jorunn, making sure that she stayed out of sight as she moved, figuring this was the safest way for her to contribute to the border patrols. A cowardly way, but it was safe. 

She remained hidden for a few moments when Jorunn roved ahead, until she heard her speak. She shimmied forward, to peer through some brambles to spy Heda; easily recognizable from her dorsal stripe. Suzu's tail waved and she bounded forward to join the pair.

it was not long before a woman of the shores joined her, and spoke, brusquely as mireille would have. the other was lovely, as if salt and nutmeg had been sifted into the color of dunes over her body.
"i'm heda, of sweetharbor," she said softly, setting down her gifts and pushing them forward in offering. "mireille and the others came to me when the bear attacked."
a girl joined them; "suzu!" heda grinned, opening her arms for a hug. "mireille has been my good friend for a while. i wanted to come and see what i could do."
while caracal was away.
a pink light lit her cheeks at that.

ah.

it was all it took to soften her some more. even if she remained tired and defined by edges. you are a good woman, heda. her voice held her tiredness instead of her anger now.

she watched with protective warmth as suzu greeted the woman in a kindness.

mireille is often busy now. heda would understand, she thought. that the aftermath of a bear had lingered long upon sapphique. but tell me the things you do?

When Heda raised her forelegs to embrace a greeting, Suzu approached, low and wriggling, to bump her nose into Heda's breastbone. The energy which had existed between Mireille and Heda had been infectious; because her aunt cherished Heda, Suzu did as well, and came to see her almost instantaneously as one who was beloved by her kin. She had gracefully received the evacuated party in their time of need, without overstepping boundaries or being too smothering. Sweetharbour was the word Suzu heard, and she liked the sound of it. 

She moved back to Jorunn's side, tail still wagging as she sat down. Jorunn asked Mireille a question, but it was then that Suzu noticed the items the islander had brought with her. Her nostrils flared. She did well not to interrupt the conversation, but her sparkling eyes remained transfixed on what looked like a bundle of plants, a tangle of roots, and an odd cluster of seaweed that was bulging with oysters.

mireille would not join them, not now. that was all right. heda needed to see her before she left the shores, however.
for now she gathered the woman into her eyes. "i used to be part of a small collective who came to the island, led by god and taught by a man called bartholomew. over the months they came and went. now only two of us are still there, but now i'm the one teaching."
bittersweet smile.
"i've brought some things from sweetharbor. ah, sea lavender and also chamomile roots. the plant is good for relaxation and safe for all ages." and then to suzu heda grinned, "i've also got oysters here, and a kelp-bag." she handed these over to the girl and then looked toward the guardian. "i know she was worried about her relatives while she was there."

jorunn's mind drifted and weaved through this setting more than she cared to admit. each word a tendril to a place, a feeling. something new and something old.

her heart was immensely tired, she'd come to realize.

a woman led by a man speaking of religion. now the woman was the one who stood teaching.

a woman who came to them in their time of need and offered a bounty.

you are sweet, and she meant it in almost the way of a forlorn mother, watching a daughter whittle away. knowing that somehow, someday, light would be snuffed and a new flame would have to be found.

come, rest and let us show these things to mireille. she looked to suzu now, trusting the young bright girl to help carry some of these things. who is with you in sweetharbor?

The concept of “god” was somewhat foreign to Suzu, who had heard the word before but never fully understood or found reason to learn more. Still, it made her heart sad to know Heda only had one friend with her on the island. 

She wanted to ask Heda to come live with them- but she felt it might not be right to do so. Heda had a home- and so, instead, she could only hope Heda’s home grew. 

”Yes, will you stay wid us a bit? I can carry dese for you, Heda,” she volunteered, keen to help her aunt’s friend out.

"caracal redhawk." her cheeks flushed. "we are courting. he says — he says he has grandmothers here."
and she searched jorunn's face.
so maybe she would not always be absent a part of their family.
a smile to suzu. "of course i'll stay," she exclaimed. "i want to see everything there is to see."