Raven's Watch marshveldt

for @Bridget & @Bronte; pping @Ponyboy along vaguely! <3

"look! look!" teya exulted.
it had been a week's journey from brecheliant to reach the sunspire with her children and bridget. she had expected the mountains to feel unfamiliar, and initially they were.
but silver paws found tiny trails, and when the ravens wheeled above them, she shouted out for the others to see the dozens of dancing, diving darkfeathered birds in the evening sky.
"beautiful, like before."

Bridget was determined to take this trip wholly present, bringing up nothing but the joy of being in the company of Teya and the kids.  She was pleasantly surprised to find that the mountains barely slowed her down now; she’d grown stronger since her trip back from the shore.

It wasn’t hard to give in to the joy of travel.  Teya’s enthusiasm was contagious, and Bridget rushed to see what she pointed out.  Beautiful! she agreed, laughing as she watched the birds gather, wheeling and turning. Never understood how they don’t run into each other, flying like that.

The place was unclaimed, no sign of the wolves who had been here before.  A part of Bridget was disappointed, though it could have made travel harder if they hadn’t been welcome.  Would have been nice to see old friends.  We’ll have to try not to offend them, since it’s clearly their place now.  She added, with humor.  Maybe it was for the best.

With her back now turned towards the caldera, Bronte made her way with Teya, Ponyboy and Bridget. As they walked, she imagined themselves walking to the future. Towards the unknown. Her stomach rolled with a slight anxiety. It was natural. She was leaving the only home she had ever known. But if Ponyboy, Bridget and Teya were to be by her side, the change felt a little easier.

The mountainous terrain felt different for her legs. She kept pace, pressing on with a slight, unfamiliar burn. Teya exclaimed, then Bridget. Above them, ebony ravens danced, circling. She trailed their motions with her eyes, looking up. "Maybe they won't mind if we spend the night?" They could use the rest, watched over by these black feathered guardians.

"bridget right. we travel light," teya grinned, bumping bronte with her shoulder as they traveled higher.
she paused to exhale. "not used to climbing any longer!" the raven exulted, glancing up at the watching eyes of her title's namesake.
"we go slow. offer them berries or something. they let us stay."
she found a crag and a path beyond, beckoning them onward. her joy grew with each passing moment; her shame; her elation; her relief.
the raven's eyes danced.

It was nice, on this trip, to get the chance to know Brontë and Ponyboy a bit more too.  Bridget had given the family as much space as she could while still supporting Teya, and this meant she didn’t have the same ease around either of them that she’d felt around Sorana.  It was a quiet difference that only she knew the comparison in, but she was careful to respect it.  They were older, old enough that she might not be Aunt Bridget, but a friend of their mom’s instead.

A part of her regretted letting that space happen.  But Bronco had deserved better than her jealousy and she was glad she’d at least done what she needed to come to terms with that.

That should buy us the night, at least. She replied, agreeing to Bronte’s and Teya’s statements with a cheerful glance up.  We just might want to offer it a ways off from where we plan to settle in.  Unless we want to deal with an entirely different kind of offering.  She chuckled at her own joke, entirely unbothered if she was the only one.

Something about this touched a deeper level in her, though.  Ravens, and the like, were somewhat sacred back home.  They were creatures of war, servants of the deities that ruled that realm, and maybe even the gods themselves in disguise.  It was probably nonsense, but Bridget had never killed one on the slight chance that it was bad luck to do so, and offering a tithe reminded her of home in a way she didn’t expect.  It was too bad she wasn’t the storyteller that Maia and Eljay were.  This was the perfect setting for a myth.

Bronte wore a thoughtful look as her eyes followed the ravens. Winged silhouettes dancing in the sky. Observing them from above. They were free. Not grounded like the wolves. Briefly, she wondered what it would be like, to soar across the world as they could.

An offering! "Yes! I know they are fond of berries. Also small tidbits of meat. Moss, small twigs and leaves they use for their nests. They would appreciate those, I think." She chimed in. Bronte was already set to run off and gather a small collection of those items, but she waited to see what Teya, Bridget and Ponyboy thought first.

it was good to hear bronte so lighthearted, so filled with joy.
somehow, almost — if they stayed here, could they be happy?
it held history and a loveliness, and now the laughter of bronte.
maybe she and ponyboy could be happy here. whole.
but teya — ah.
the fjord's isolation called to her spirit.
"let's get those things," she said to them both, grinning in genuine anticipation of the search. "then we offer, then we go on."

Then we go on. Bridget nodded, but her smile didn’t falter. Seems like you are the expert! She replied to Brontë, genuinely thrilled by all of the suggestions. I saw berries not far back. I’ll bring as many as I can carry. She looked at the swirling clouds of birds again and amended her statement with a laugh. Maybe a few trips! Something tells me the more we leave happy the better.

Brontë seemed keen to go and Teya would no doubt manage her own task. She lingered just in case before setting off to gather as much as she could bring back. When the birds were satisfied perhaps they could share what was leftover.

It was going to be a beautiful night.
The air felt clearer up here, and something about the mountain felt older than other places. It was hard for Bridget to describe, but even without the birds overhead, it felt like being watched by something curious. She let out a breath of amusement as she reached the bushes; superstitious nonsense. Still, she’d forgotten how nice it was to be reminded of home. For the first time in a long time she missed her parents and wondered how they were.

fine to fade this if you like! <3