Emberwood never coming down

it's time, then, to call for her sisters - @Lavender and @Easy, her voice ringing out over the emberwood even as a smile curls her muzzle. her sister's scents are faint around the border, she notes, but still present. she can only hope they are still here. she ought to have brought @Sunny; but she'd left him and the kid(s) on what she thought might be a hunt. it was good for them, to spend time together, they essentially all had to get to know each other all over again.

@Lavender

if there's a Lave reading this sorry for tagging you!

Most days, Lavender had felt overwhelmed at best. A handful of critical events had transpired since she had joined Uaine Gorsedd's ranks, and she was unsure what to make of it all. Bhediya was gone, Ibis was in a coma—a maniac was about, wanting to kill her mother. On top of these more recent events, Lavender was still working through the grief of losing her soul mate, Huskarl, and the life she had once loved.  Everything weighed Lavender down, confining her to her den; it was as though she had never left Round Valley. 

At the sound of Dawn's summoning, Lavender moved at a turtle-like speed. Though she was excited to hear her sister's voice, the weight of her depression slowing her considerably as she grabbed her coat and exited the den. 

Moving as fast as she could, Lavender navigated through the Emberwood towards the location where Dawn's voice had arisen. "Dawn!" she called once she spotted her sister's figure in the distance, and she pushed herself to move quicker. "I'll be right there!" 

When they were finally reunited, Lavender thrust her head under Dawn's muzzle and embraced her older sibling. She lingered there for some time, relishing the rare moment of solace; for now, in Dawn's presence, her grief felt a little lighter.

is it lavender's silhouette that comes over the horizon; her heart fills with gladness as she nears. she is unchanged, and yet utterly different, all at once. regardless of anything, though, she is still her sister, and the huntress steps forward with a wagging tail and joy-lit features to embrace her sister, drawing her into her chest and sighing a content wound of relief. 

"lavender," she greets finally when their embrace comes to an end. she takes a step back as to better observe her younger sibling, smile still etched on her face. "I've missed you. easy said you had kids! how are you?" she plants a kiss on the girl's cheek, then, far too overcome with gladness simply to stand there and stare for long.

Lavender relished in Dawn's nearness, not wanting to let go. When their embrace did end, she felt the winter's chill. Shivering, Lavender crossed the hanging tendrils of her coat across her chest in an attempt to shield herself from the cold. The adjustment of the cape was enough to comfort herself temporarily, but soon she'd need to seek warmth elsewhere. 

As Lavender's undivided attention fell upon Dawn, a myriad of questions were asked: "I've missed you. easy said you had kids! how are you?" She stiffened immediately, an expression of trepidation settling upon her features.

"I, uh," Lavender managed unsteadily, her voice cracking as she looked up at Dawn with large, doe-like eyes. Anxiety overwhelmed her in an instant, and her mind began to reel; all that she had attempted to suppress returned—the longing, the grief, the heartache. Lavender felt it all as fiercely as she had the day it had all happened. She couldn't escape it, she knew, as she had come to understand that this was her new reality. Always on the verge of a breakdown, always reminded of the life she had lost—she couldn't escape it. 

Drawing in a sharp breath, Lavender attempted to collect herself.  "Yeah, kids—two of them—Brave and Journey." Lavender swallowed hard, feeling her anxiety rise. "I'm, g-good, I promise," she lied, attempting to deflect. 

"T-Tell me about you," Lavender managed, seeking refuge from her thoughts.

lavender is anything but good. a younger dawn might have probed, said this bluntly, but now she only meets her younger sister's gaze evenly, quiet as she explains. she only nods when lav claims she's good; she knows enough to know she's not. she considers revealing the events of last spring, but decides against it; not now when she doesn't know whether it will help or hurt.

"I'm good," she answers, meaning what she says for the first time in months. "I'm starting a pack, to the north — whitebark stream." pause, and then, "sunny's there, with two of his kids. they've had a rough time of it, recently; we've all had, so I wanted to give us a fresh start." she waits to hear how lav will receive this before making her offer, half-wanting to pull the younger girl into an embrace once more.

Easy arrived a bit late, because mixedhearts has been suffering from the flu and other maladies lately. She had no idea this was happening, of course, so she must have been across the territory when she heard the call.

"Dawn!" Easy cried, happy to see her sister alive and well once more. It was wonderful to be reunited with her, and she threw herself wholeheartedly into the melee to get her share of nuzzles and kisses. If only they had @Kasatka with them, the girls would be all together!

Easy bumped Lavender's cheek and then settled at the smaller woman's side to offer some of her warmth. "What brings you this way?" she asked the other woman. "How're Sunny and the kids?"

she moves to greet easy with a grin and a lashing of her tail, quickly reiterating what she'd told lavender. for a while, they trade stories and bask in the warmth of knowing that, at least in this moment, they're almost all together. eventually, their conversation slows, and the eldest sister makes her goodbyes, affectionately planting a few goodbye kisses before taking her leave.