Dragoncrest Cliffs And maybe just a little bit colder

Etienne found himself circling one of Granme Riz's favorite place to nap. He could see her everywhere. In the shadowed eaves. If he looked fast enough he could swear he even saw her napping. He knew it was his imsginstion and his memory. But how he wished for her no nonsense approach to life right about now.

He could also imagine the possibly unkind things she could say about Anselm and Heda and it amused him for a second before he felt bad. And quietly berated himself for finding comic in the cruel.

He finally settled himself to his haunches curling his sandy tail around his gloved paws with quick precision. And he watched the ocean dance.

this was one of his favorite places, too. had he known the significance of it, he would have held it in even more esteem. 

as it were, lafayette was watching the waves as well when the cream-brown wolf caught his attention nearby.

with a gentle whuff, he worked his way into a lope, tongue lolling as he stayed to the wet sand and let his speed shine, rather than miring himself in the heavier, thicker sand closer inland.

bonjou, he called out, smiling. who you?

it was a face he did not recognize—but there was a familiarity in his form, all the same.

Etienne hadn't wanted to be seen. He had wanted to disappear into a place he loved and forget for a moment that anyone else existed. It was nice on his little island of one. Where no one couldhurt him.

But his reverie and illusion was shattered. A gentle wuff drawing him nearer. Ears turning towards the sound.

Bonjou.

A cant of his head. Golden eyes to rest on this one. He didn't think this was a sinling either, but truly how was he to know.

I be Etienne.

family, he thought with some relief, as the man responded in kind. i. . .be lafayette, he tried out the new syntax, and gave the other wolf a nervous grin.

he sidled along the sand, eventually coming to stand parallel with etienne—far enough to give them space, but close enough to hear the other's words above the murmur of the waves.

you my cousin? he asked, canting his head in query. or a brother or sister?

perhaps he had many of each. there was no way of knowing until he asked.

So many new faces and new children. Etienne almost couldnt believe it. And truth be told. He had no idea whatsoever about who they all were or belonged too. One of his siblings could waltz right up and he'd never know.

Well met, Lafayette.

The question was one Etienne was unsure how to answer. He hadnt met his mama's children yet this year. He barely new Chani and Chiro.

My mama be C'acal and my sister Suzu.

ah, auntie chacal's boy—so a cousin, then. lafayette nodded, taking in the information. as he did so, he caught the older wolf's scent, and his head tilted further.

you smell different, he declared, brow furrowing as he tried to work out how and why. no much like de sea.

maybe etienne kept to himself, and that's why they'd never met. but lafayette and lucette had run wild through this territory; he'd be shocked if there was someone he hadn't encountered yet.

Etienne was assuming since this one didn't immediately seem to be excited. That he was not one of his siblings. So one of Auntie's children then. How many did she have now. He didn't even know. Who was he kidding he didn't even know how many his mother had.

I know. Etienne shifted and moved closer so the boy could smell a little more if he so wanted. I left before I was a year old. I lived in de mountains and de valleys. Near swamps and meadows. No de sea. I just recently came 'ome.

Etienne had been gone for almost more than half his life. He couldn't quite believe it. And though he loved home. He didn't think he would stay. Even if he didn't go back to Rivenwood. He wasn't sure if he would stay in Sapphique, no matter how much he loved his family. He felt out of place.

this was all brand new information, and lafayette grew very intrigued as etienne spoke of landscapes beyond sapphique. forests he knew, thanks to the tall trees atop the cliffs—but mountains? valleys, swamps, meadows?

tell me more about dem, the boy said encouragingly. where all you been. what dey like?

he was already conjuring up fantastical images in his own mind, and his cousin's testimony would help fill in the gaps.

There was curiosity peeking out at Etienne and he was surprised. But perhaps it was surprise at himself. For he had never been one to go forth and explore. He had left and heeded the call of the wild, because of grief and he had returned. He was a homebody. But he obliged.

Well mountains dey be big and rocky. 'ard to climb. And dey 'ig'er you be going. Dey colder it be gettin.

He used a small claw to etch very poor lines in the dirt. Valleys are little dips way down in dey 'ills. you climb up dey 'ill and den down the otter side, sometimes you tumble. Dere be wildflowers an' little pests. Tiny little bugs and ants.

Swamps 'ave many 'erbs but dey be yucky and dark. Can suck you in if you not be careful. Dey ground sinks and sucks. And it be smellin' foul. Like dey dead done been left out to long.

Meadows be like dey valleys, but flat. FLowers as far as you can see.

he watched etienne, words and illustrations alike. they both painted a picture in his mind, something far different than sapphique—something he was keen to explore.

but then. . .sapphique had them, non? there was something in each description that he could find in his little home, here—at least somewhat. and it left him wondering if maybe, other places weren't so different after all.

are you come back to stay? lafayette queried, cocking his head. or will you go back to your mountains or your swamps?

Etienne was not an artist by any means. He lacked the proper components like thumbs to do a good job. But it was passable as something that wasn't just lines. He supposed. Maybe?

Sapphique had all of these things yes, but they were not the same. Non. They were so different. And each place even in it's own was uniquely different. That he would never be able to fully tell.

Etienne sighed softly. I 'ave promised to return. Even if it is just to say goodbye to dose that I told I'd be back for. I will 'ave to return for dat at de very least. But I don't imagine I will stay 'ere non. I love our family, but I don't feel like I much belong anymore.

a promise made sense, but the rest of it didn't. lafayette canted his head and asked, why? you are so much like us. he couldn't fathom the idea of anyone not being welcome in sapphique, especially someone like his older cousin.

why did you leave? he ventured further, though he somewhat knew that this question could make etienne uncomfortable. he didn't want to scare away a new friend so soon.

Etienne shook his head sadly. Non. I am not. I do not, cannot act as everyone does. I care too muc' for otters. For any wolves dat be needin' me.

Etienne smil3d sadly. A soft sound in his throat. I left because I was sad. We 'ad lost uncle solo, and otters, den bot' granmes and de grief de grief was too muc' at de time for me. And I 'urt our loves ones w'en dey be looking at me because I look like our granme Erzulie.

but others here care, too! he wanted to cry out in rebuttal. perhaps there was something he was not understanding—

ah. that was it.

oh, murmured lafayette, looking upon his cousin, studying his face. he hadn't heard much of granme erzulie, save that she was a good, strong woman; one everyone looked up to. if he looked like her, he would remember that.

but he would remember etienne in his own right, too.

i am sorry, etienne, he said. i hope you come back to de sea one day, an' tell me about your adventures. he had no desire to leave sapphique, but he'd soak up the tales from those who did.