Emberflame Ridge before i pine away

this is set in hushed willows, which is listed in sunspire territories but not in the prefix selection? let me know if this is not ok! :)

her travels eventually brought the gaunt she-wolf into a forest of willows. the clouded early morning was eerily quiet, save for the gentle, yet ghostly whispers of the swaying willow branches. even the morning birds were quiet, and Lace found this to be slightly disturbing. she padded beneath the long, slender branches, pausing beside one of the large willow trunks as a brisk wind picked up. crimson eyes watched as the feathery leaves swayed more severely than before, the whispers gathering up into a dull roar.

she had been traveling the mountainsides all night, and as the wind grew stronger so did her exhaustion. Lace fell to her belly, front limbs outstretched, and rested her nose beside her left leg. but her red eyes remained open, and her ears perked, listening almost desperately for the songs of the birds to chase away this frightful half-silence.

sorry i missed this! it was missing from the prefixes because Hushed Willows is in the Elysium pack forum. :)

Another day, another weary traveler at their doorstep. Lily came upon the young woman with some concern, sniffing at the various aromas on her pelt and checking for any injury. Finding nothing (for now), her ears canted forward in gentle query as the blackbird settled back on her haunches, lowering herself slightly so as not to come off too intimidating to a potential seeker of sanctuary.

Do you need somewhere to rest? she asked, her voice quiet as the morning. She had roused earlier than usual, lucky for this girl—and for Lily, too, to be the first to make her acquaintance. Come, follow me if you can; I'll lead you to the dens.

She rose to her paws, slowly, and waited for the other to rise as well, orange gaze tinged with kindness and concern in equal measure. The poor thing looked exhausted.

her mind wandered into the place occupied by the strange thoughts that often come before sleep. something pulled her back to reality, a soft rustle of moment, and her bloody eyes burst open to be met with the sight of a dark-furred woman. a startle reaction rattled lace initially, but the stranger's calm demeanor loosed her tense muscles as she lifted her nose and thumped her tail softly.

lace was torn momentarily by the offer posed to her. she recalled the last time someone had tried to give her respite, the pale and speckled woman who had disappeared as quickly as she had come, leaving lace on her own once more.

but it mattered not how wary she was of this happening again. she was on no position to turn down an offer of help, and much like liri, this woman held an air of concern and kindess. unless she was planning to kill her once they reached their destination, a possibility but one the that lace doubted, there was little to lose iin accepting the proposition,

yes... thank you, the brunette spoke softly, getting to her feet and following. my name is Lace.

Lace, Lily murmured in response. Pleasure to meet you. She took off at a gentle, ambling pace, letting the other walk beside her if she chose, though behind was fine, too. The blackbird was never one for overt signs of dominance or control, especially with a wolf as vulnerable as this. Care was what she needed.

She glanced over at her new companion. Where are you from, darling? she asked. Do you live nearby or are you a traveler? Nothing about the woman seemed familiar, but they were questions worth asking, if only to keep Lace alert on the journey through the willows. Wouldn't do anyone good for the girl to pass out on her paws, now, would it?