Blackfeather Woods down in the river to pray

going out of town so just tossing this up to get it in the threadlog. Dated early morning of September 10 vaguey vague is vague

What they'd found in the tarns had shaken her. In a good way, she supposed. But she was mentally cursing herself with each double-time step toward home, @Anansi and @Sakhmet in tow. If only she'd known he hadn't wandered far. . .

@Sobek!! Maegi cried out, entering the forest to a croaking flutter of ravens. Blue, somewhere, began to make his way to his wolf. And if she knew that @Reed had come here as well, her joy would be twicefold.

She continued to call for her son, racing through the trees at a fervent, clumsy limp. He'd find her first, at this rate — but that was okay. As long as they found each other, eventually.

He had lost patience with the other kids; no reason, save for the fickle nature of a child's mind. Rather than mope impatiently or harass the visitor (Reed), he had taken up the impossible task of hunting for Blue. The bird had come to the forest near the turn of the season and while he didn't know the relevance, Sobek was intrigued. He tried to follow its quick little body through the forest on various occasions but there was no way to align himself for a good pounce. The shining blue-black of the bird's feathers felt like a taunt every time Sobek caught a glimmer.

So when a voice rose among the trees and the tiny bird whipped in pursuit, Sobek was quick to give chase. He knew the paths better now; having spent a few more hours above ground since the quaking. Still, Blue was faster and winged from corridor to corridor between the trees - likely arriving before him. When he did erupt from the path that bisected Maegi's route he saw her and as he launched in to a full on run, shouted, ENA!

The trip home was twice as fast as the pace they'd set when they left, draining Anansi's stamina at record speed and making his legs feel like rubber by the time they reached the woods. Unbeknownst to him, the time away from home and the arduous trek up and down the mountains had made him stronger; he was able to go much farther before losing his breath now, and thin muscle was beginning to pad his stringy little figure. To him, however, it all felt just like the first day.

His paws hurt. His legs hurt. His lungs hurt. He didn't want to run anymore, and didn't understand why Maegi wasn't slowing down. As they dipped into the shadows, the boy could almost swear that even his whiskers were sore. If there hadn't been a reason to continue following in the form of Sobek's scent, he might have retreated to Wolfskull to sleep for a week, but the other boy's call of ENA drew Anansi's attention. When he caught sight of Sobek, his exhaustion and his sore muscles faded into irrelevance.

Anansi's figure was cast low but wriggling with excitement as he went for his brother, rapidly waving his tail and ducking his head low while fanning the air with his tongue and soft whines.

Maegi breaths burst into sobs upon seeing her son, her unsteady gait carrying her to him as quickly as possible. Like stars they might collide, although she made sure not to bowl him over too fiercely. She covered Sobek in kisses and tears, pulling him close, her composure shattering with each lick.

He's here. He's alive. He's well.

My baby, she whimpered, beckoning her other two children close with a flick of her tail. Oh, my sweet boy. I was so worried about you, Maegi rasped, pulling back to look him in the eyes. Those eyes. . .bone white, like her uncle's. The twin of Sakhmet's—and Anansi too! Whomever had injected the color (or lack thereof) into the Melonii bloodline would be very proud that they lived on.

She wouldn't scold him for leaving, at least for now. In this moment, she was content to hold the trio close and all together, with Blue fluttering down to land on her shoulder.

All was well. All was whole.

When his body collided against her's, the red of his pelt gave the impression that someone had ripped Maegi's throat clean through; he was the blood spilling down her front, for a moment. A frenzy of tongue-lashes and tears, then all was well again. Sobek burrowed against his mother's chest and nosed eagerly at her scruff, netting some of her pale coat in his teeth, but it didn't matter. She was here, he was home—and then he saw Anansi, and threw himself from one point of contact to another, a stampede of flailing limbs the only warning that he was about to pile atop his sibling for some cuddles.

When all the excitement died down Sobek was left panting heavily while squished up against his brother. He looked from Anansi back to Maegi a few times, and when he finally had his breathing under control he said, I'm sorry I got lost. I didn't mean to scare you. He felt so, so terrible about it—and besides the elation on his face, there was a weariness to his body, a slackening of his posture as he went from pleased to contrite. 

He would never, ever be strong enough to grapple with Sobek and win, but he accepted his brother's collision with as much strength as he could muster. He was quickly bowled over and became somewhat more of a doormat than a young wolf, but that was all right. He crooned low in his throat and whapped his brother with his tail, rubbing the crown of his head against Sobek's jaw and chin in elated greeting.

You missed a big adventure, Anansi told him, but his voice was cut off as suddenly, a quiet rumbling began beneath the earth. The leaves shook overhead as their roots trembled. It was short-lived, but even when the sound faded, Anansi's heart beat hard with trepidation. What was that?

It's okay, tresy, she murmured in response, enjoying far more the sight of Anansi and Sobek playing together than the latter's contrition. He had nothing to be sorry for if he had indeed only gotten lost, and hadn't meant to wander very far. Kids got into things, after all. That was just the way of the world.

She nodded along with Anansi, saying, It was quite— before being cut off by something stirring beneath her paws. Something she'd not felt the likes of before. A couple of crows roosted above them, disturbed, flew off with caws, and Maegi looked around, as if she could find the source of the disturbance above ground.

No. . .this was subterranean, sinister. Peryite, my lord, my god, what is this?! Beneath the earth was Peryite's domain after all; Peryite ought to know, if no one else did.

That was strange, she muttered, downplaying the trembling as it began to subside. Still, she was quite uneasy, and the joy of Sobek's homecoming was now tainted slightly by trepidation. She drew in a breath, shrugging, and huddled close to her sons again, letting out that same inhale in a contented, ragged sigh.

An adventure? Peeped the child with surprise and curiosity lacing his voice, but before he could say anything else the ground shifted and wiggled like the forest was alive, and it too was happy for the dark princeling's return. He was not frightened; but when Anansi asked the question his pale gaze flicked to spy Maegi's face, his ears turning to attentively gather her explanation. She did not offer much. But, she did not seem to be afraid of whatever it was, so Sobek chose to ignore the feeling and looked to his brother for continued play.

He dove snout-first against Anansi and began to climb on him, mouth wide so all his lovely snaggled dentistry could be seen, and lightly mimed grabbing at his pale neck, face, shoulder — typical silly, danger-free puppy play. The sound of his jaws occasionally clicking (or his grunts and piggish snorts) were all the sounds he made.

This'll be my last post here, wrapping up his part in threads since he's gone. :( Please feel free to PP Anansi as needed!

Anything he wanted to tell Sobek about the adventure was forgotten as the earthquake faded away. The tha-thump of his heart was soothed a little when the trembling stopped, but ena's uncertainty kept him worried. Neither she or Sobek seemed too concerned about it once it passed. He relaxed a little at that.

Besides, he didn't have much time to think on it before Sobek dove at him and began to mouth at his face and neck. Giggling boyishly, Anansi tried to throw his brother off with a reptilian roll, snapping his jaws playfully at Sobek's feet whenever they came in range. Ultimately, Sobek would win this game, but the pale Melonii put up the best fight he could with his lacking strength, knocking knobby legs against ena multiple times as he tried to get the upper hand.

For now, things were good. Things were right. If Maegi knew of the world of pain headed her way, she might have absorbed this moment even more fervently, burning it into her mind. Maybe she would have treated the trembling of the earth as the harbinger of doom it was, rather than a mild curiosity. 

But she was no clairvoyant, so the Melonii merely reclined and watched her sons play, her mind drifting, her soul at idle peace. 

fade here?