Hushed Willows till she said that she sounds just like sarah vaughan

@Qilaq

There were some unfamiliar scents in the territory; based on how long they had been there, Lily surmised that these weren't trespassers but wolves that Seabreeze had allowed to stay. Even before she was a leader, she felt it her responsibility to at least be acquainted with each and every one of them. Friendship was preferable, though not everyone would be amenable to that.

She wandered through the forest, sniffing like a bloodhound, trying to track one of these myriad smells. They zig-zagged all over, and some disappeared completely, only to surface elsewhere. Strange. It had already been long established that Lily was a slightly poor navigator; little wonder she was getting lost in her own forest.

Eventually, she settled close to the waterfall, near enough to have it a murmur in her ears but not so close that she was deafened by its crashing descent. Her ears swiveled as she listened for the sound small game, trying to occupy herself with something lest she come up empty in today's search for newcomers.

It is mostly @Seabreeze that visits her. She is likely the only one to really know where to find her and, for the most part, she likes it that way. Qilaq knows there are other wolves in the pack, that they’ve moved from another place and eventually they’ll figure out where she is, but her road to recovery may be a long one with winter on the cusp and days already cold. Her fur has only just begun to grow back, soft fuzz in some places and some places it will never grow. For a while, she keeps herself hidden when others manage to get close and the need this time is no different.
 
She spots the dark wolf as she’s moving away from the water, waterfall behind her. Silver eyes widen in surprise and she backs up, then freezes in place. The crashing sound and gusts of mist keep her sound and scent lost upon the air but no matter where or how she moves, she’ll be spotted. Ears twitch upon her head as she considers her next move. Maybe if she stays still enough she’ll be overlooked but her feet itch to run and hide. The stranger’s features are not defined at her distance, struggling to focus against the sun, but her dark pelt doesn’t help. She has enough trust invested in Seabreeze now that surely she wouldn’t have let one of those wolves near (not that Qilaq has spoken about them) and she’s simply a wolf of the pack. She inhales slowly, holding the breath, and slowly lowers her rump to the ground.

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The first movement didn't catch her attention, but the second did. Lily's eyes flashed that way, and her ears shot forward, brows raising as she saw the frightened woman with wide silver eyes. Concerned, the blackbird began to pad slowly toward her, head tilting in gentle query. Hey, she said softly, unsure whether the stranger could even hear her, at this distance. It's okay. I won't hurt you.

Still, she was wary. Was this a new member? With as many trips outside the territory as she had taken lately, she was a bit behind on meeting faces recently added to their ranks. The other smelled as if she had been here for some time. . .but had it been in a malicious manner? Hiding, waiting. . .

I'm not going to hurt you, Lily insisted, a little louder now. I'm Lily, one of the leaders here. What's your name?

She does not get out of the situation unseen and instead, she’s alarmed the other. Seabreeze promised to give her space when she needed but has she pushed it too far? She hadn’t considered how she’d introduce to the pack, but she expected the other woman to be there by her side and assure her that each wolf is okay. This one says she won’t hurt her but so had the other wolves, once upon a time.
 
Awkwardly, Qilaq shuffles a seat back when the other closes in, heart beating heavy in her chest. “Breeze,” she blurts, voice cracking, and then shakes her head. “Wh-where Breeze?”

Breeze. Seabreeze? Lily asked rhetorically, cocking her head further. She's around here, somewhere. I don't mean you any harm, darling. Every movement was slow, even her blinks. She felt that the slightest twitch could send this woman reeling. And the look in her eyes. . .god! What had she been through?

Seabreeze and I are very good friends, she continued. She won't let anything bad happen to you, and neither will I. You're safe with us. Whether the other believed her or not remained to be seen. Lily sat down gently, curling her tail around her paws, catlike. An uneasy silence fell between the two of them, with Lily waiting for the frightened girl to speak and the frightened girl, well. . .

Perhaps she wouldn't speak. That was okay, Lily supposed.

The woman says Seabreeze’s proper name and she flinches, looking at the ground. She’d forgotten (sorta). The other woman never corrected her if she used it and she struggles to keep the pieces together most days. Qilaq hardly notices the improvement other than physically feeling better, finding frustration when her mind can’t keep up with what she wants.
 
Lily (right?) goes on to say that she is safe and nothing bad will happen and Qilaq watches as the other keeps her distance, then, and slowly sits down. Qilaq is quiet for a few seconds following, slowly lowering down to the ground in a sphinx position, tail curling around her leg. She doesn’t really know what to do with the other but she feels like she can’t tell her to leave her alone and sooner or later, she has to meet them? Could she take Seabreeze’s care and help and then slip away without a second thought? Where would she go?
 
“Th-thank you,” she says, several moments later, pale eyes dropping to look at her feet.

She mirrored the girl's further relaxation, every movement still deliberate and at a glacial pace. Of course, she responded to her thanks, grinning. It's what we do, here. We're here to help. And always would be, she hoped. She would breathe her last in the willows, whether that be tomorrow or many seasons from now.

What's your name, love? Lily asked again, speaking softly. If she didn't supply the Satori with a name, soon, Lily would have to call her something else, at least in her head. She very much liked having wolves' given names to work with. Felt more personal, that way.

Lily says things Seabreeze has said to her before and she feels a little better. The other woman probably spoke of Lily before but she can’t remember right away. If he could remember more, everything would be better. Maybe she’d remember how long she’d been gone, or where she’d been before the evil wolves caught her. Maybe she’d remember the last thing she said to Silas.
 
Her jaws tighten and she looks up, slowly, when the other asks for her name. Again? Again.
 
“Qilaq,” she says, dropping her nose, unable to look at her for long.

That's a pretty name, Lily remarked gently, no flattery inherent in her tone. It's very nice to meet you, Qilaq.

The two dark-pelted girls sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts. She kept her eyes trained on Qilaq, though not in an intense way, more a casual manner that drifted as much over daydreams as it did the lines of her body. Where had she come from? What had happened to her?

Are you comfortable here? Can I do anything for you? Lily asked after a short time. She had the feeling that the girl wanted her to leave her alone.

Qilaq only smiles her thanks, staying quiet. Though they do not say it, they expect something from her. She doesn’t know exactly what because she expects something from herself, too, that she can’t quite figure out. They want answers or help or something and she can hardly form words to express her immediate need. Sometimes they are there and other times they disappear entirely.
 
Tears well up and she blinks the back, taking a deep breath. Slowly, she nods that she is fine but she struggles to find the words for the following question. Why did they have to talk so much? Why doesn’t she have the words they want, she wants?
 
“I-I don’ know,” she manages and glances up. Maybe Lily will have the answer to her own question, or she’ll simply know. “Sorry,” she mumbles low.

She felt suddenly like an intruder into this girl's grief, though she shouldn't. But there was nothing Lily could do except be a kind presence, and come if she were ever summoned. Words meant nothing, now; they might even be overwhelming to Qilaq. The blackbird blinked slowly, then rose to her feet, her face soft.

I'll let you rest, then, she whispered, barely audible over the rushing falls. I'm around if you need anything else, Qilaq. Take care.

With a gently swinging tail, she retreated into the willows, countenance troubled. For all she loved about being a sanctuary, there were times like these, when she felt utterly helpless. She supposed that, like Alarian, there were souls that couldn't be mended, at least not right now. Only time could heal.

But it didn't stop her from fretting that she could have been doing more.