Verdigris Ravine Free

For any & all! Dropping some few references if all is okay!

@Candle had been attacked. @Sari had fallen in a summer's end illness. Candle had taken to guide those who needed it in S'ari's wake. Rizura had been distant, perhaps off on trade routes. The beautiful little @Meridian leaving a rosy quartz in the sand as remembrance of her as her path took her elsewhere. Many things had recently occurred. Many which were hard to bare. 

K'oa, meanwhile, worked diligently for her people. The family would work together as a unit, as had they always. She would hunt with @Kusuma often. She would forage for healing herbs to deliver to Candle to use on her cousin. She would ward off those that did not share their coyote blood along side @Zoug. She was a busy woman. A tired woman, but there was pride and gratification in her work. 

There would be no changes in the eyes of K'oa. Candle was not leader here. There were no leaders in Tribe. They were all equal. Yet, it is known there is a bond which has formed deep between Candle and S'ari and for this, K'oa finds comfort in the thought that Candle would do well for them. She smiles with a hopefulness as she takes a sparing moment to lay. Her belly to the warm sand. Her pale eyes fixed on the setting sun. 

Candle was no leader, it was true; she was only their Mediator, and even then, only a stand-in for the one who had brought them all together. Yet she took her role seriously, temporary as it was, and began to seek each member of their dwindling Tribe.

Meridian's departure had not escaped her notice. The priestess was disheartened by it, but would not let it show as she yipped a cheerful greeting to Ko'a. She settled beside her, tail brushing back and forth across the ground. For the moment she made no attempt to speak, but turned bright eyes toward the woman, waiting for her to say whatever might be on her mind. The Tribe was a collective, after all; if Candle was to be their Mediator, she would need to hear every thought.

Candle came near, her coat a deep ruddy color. Red like the sands around them but not the same shade. She was darker, like deep rich earth mingled with clay. Unique for a coyote, like black and white coyote were. Though Ko'a herself was half wolf, she shared much of her cousins same colors and patterns. 

Candle came to sit near, happy and smiling and Ko'a too was content to simply relax a moment under the rays of the summer sun. 

Then, after a time, she spoke. It is like this at times, even in Home Tribe. And it had been far larger then those which had gathered here even at their largest number. Warm weather brings visitors and also takes away its Tribe people. Some may return to us with new gifts come winter. She pondered the idea of those returning. They may bring unique foods from other lands. Pelts or shells from the sea and maybe even new Tribe people nestled within their bellies. Ko'a smiles with hopeful thoughts. But, Yet some may not return at all. Sad, but true. Ko'a wonders if she would be throught the same in Home Tribe. Gone- not to return.

A brief silence stretched between them, but soon Ko'a started to speak. Candle listened, silver-green eyes drifting between Ko'a and the desert beyond. In the woman's words she found comfort, hope. The Tribe might thrive again one day.

It would, she corrected herself, thinking now of the children to come. A future they could be certain of. Though Candle could not help but think, a little wistfully, that it would be nice to see the return of some familiar faces. Even better if they came bearing gifts, as Ko'a had said! She nodded as the woman went on, turning somber at those last words.

You - stay? Candle asked haltingly after a moment, struggling to make her words smooth. She wanted to be able to speak as the others did, not just to Zoug. But it was difficult.

The half-breed smiles, lifting a paw to set it onto the smaller, dark colored paw of Candle. She nods. 

Ko'a stay.

Candle flushed when Ko'a touched her, flustered and then deeply pleased when the woman confirmed that she would stay. G-good, She murmured, glancing down at where their paws met and then back to Ko'a's eyes. T-tri - ibe... fa - mily. Ko'a was family, and Candle would not let her down.

Can close here?

Ko'a would not move her paw. Not unless asked. Not now. Ko'a would smile, nodding. Yes. It was how it always was and how it always should be. They were all equal. All family.