Witch's Marsh haunt

he had not stayed long at the redtail land. a howl went out for @Swordfish and @Elodie, though lestan had little demand on either of them to come. 
not after who he had been. what he had been. 
so lost in his thoughts was lestan that he did not realize the terrain had become familiar. until his paw was unceremoniously sucked down into the morass, he had been drifting in his usual way.
head rose sharply, nostrils taking in the scent; yes. yes. "swiftcurrent creek isn't far," the mayfair muttered to no one in particular.

The sagging of her belly made traversing the swamp a miserable process for Suzu, who took only a little solace in eating the bakeapples she plucked from low-lying plants along the way. To her brother, she sighed. Dey be not bad, if dey be all orange. De ones wid red be a bit-

A summoning howl caused her to cut her phrase short, and she listened, stiffening as she heard mention of Swordfish’s name. 

She could not spot another wolf nearby- not for the long grasses and not over the smell of the marsh, but if Swordfish was within earshot…

@Etienne, She said, in a whisper, as she continued to gaze about, ‘oever dat be…Dey be lookin’ for Swordfish…

Etienne was fretting over his sister's sagging belly and the swamp. And he too heard the howl. His ears fell to his skull over it and he wondered what to do.

Do you want me to be gettin' closer?

Golden eyes all around. He was unsure what this wolf was like. What if he wasn't kind.

mud squelched underfoot once more as lestan pressed reluctantly onward with a heavy sigh. he didn't want to show up at the creek — golden wings! flashing! cutting through his mind! —
he flinched, and winced, and blinked rapidly as his eyes settled on two figures. one was solemn and the other quite round. lestan tentatively drew closer. "hello!" he called across the marsh, stopping in sodden tracks. "i-i'm l-looking for s-someone. an old w-woman."
lestan wet his lips. she certainly was round — no. pregnant.
her name filled his mind and the whirring of yellow wings sickened the mayfair.
"s-she steals c-children!" he called with more despairing desperation. "i h-have to f-find her!"

I don’t- wait, listen! She said in a hushed voice, as the squelchy sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention. She moved closer to her brother’s side as a precaution, noting that her sides were now less round; the weight of the children had fallen down, moved back and deeper into her gut. 

He called out, and Suzy listened- though she was perplexed that he admitted he was searching for an older woman. She could have sworn he’d called for Swordfish. She looked to her brother for his opinion. 

We are sorry, we t’ought you were looking for Swordfish- ‘ave you? But she didn’t finish. The man went on, urgency in his voice. Steals babies? Who steals babies? She asked. If there was a witch of the marsh who hung around, stealing children, then it was time for her to get out of there.

Etienne froze as the wolf drew closer. Suzu stepped closer and he pressed into her side and moved his own paws so that he was more in front of her. He felt a surge of protectiveness flare up. Made more intense by the man's next words.

A woman who stole children! A soft tut clicked in his throat at those words. And he looked to Suzu wordlessly. It was very much overdue time to leave, now.

He watched the man approach more wary now.

"s-swordfish followed m-me up f-from the c-coast," lestan said without thinking. but now his own suspicions overtook him as he stared at the young pair. how did she know that name?
fighting a powerful paranoia, lestan came no further. "i d-don't know w-who s-she is. she t-took something v-very i-important from me. we — i've b-been searching. a p-pack wolf t-told m-me she'd taken other pups. p-plural." 
he jerked his chin back toward the taiga. "t-that w-was the last time i f-found her t-trail."

Suzy blushed heavily; if Swordfish had followed him up the coast…Then there was a chance that she had been merely a layover (oh the pun) in his travels. He had mentioned having a task to complete- now, she wondered, if finding this child-stealer had been it.

She found the stammering man lightly unnerving but believable. Dis is ‘orrible, She muttered softly, before speaking up again. What pack told you dis? She asked softly, her breath stolen by the dreadful thought that this child thief might cross their path, as well.

Etienne felt his sisters pelt warm under his own and he knew something was bothering her. He tool a minute to press a mucky paw to her own. Were they not in the company of a man he didn't trust. He may have asked or preened at her ear, but this would need to suffice for now.

Etienne nodded his head. Do you know wut dis pup stealer look like? Sound like? W'ere 'er last was?

"a red w-wolf on t-that ridge b-back t-there told me a-about the p-pups." as lestan gave a description of qiao and stormchaser, neither of whom he knew by name, he wondered where these two had come from.
the way the young male stood forward kept lestan from approaching, despite the fact he would have liked to stop calling across the morass by now.
"i-i — you're — keep h-heading s-south out of th-this s-swamp, if you n-need a p-place to go. you'll f-find a p-pack called s-swiftcurrent creek. my c-cousin, akavir m-mayfair, he's the l-leader. s-say i sent you. lestan."

A red wolf on the ridge.

Suzu’s eyes widened. Redtail Rise? She asked, surprised. Their leader, Avicus, could potentially be the one he spoke of, and her sense of direction had begun to betray her the moment they had headed inland. She glanced to Etienne; Redtail Rise was too close to their former home for comfort. 

The man offered more information, and Suzu began to fear him a bit less, now that he offered hopeful news. Would ‘e welcome an expecting Mot’er? She asked, and opened her mouth, as if to say more- but held her tongue. She would wait with stalled breath until she could finally ask more.

Etienne blinked. Surely the man didn't mean the wolves their mother knew. Who had taken in their brother. They were not thieves? Or was he saying she had told him. Etienne was losing his grasp on the conversation fir the wolf made little sense. And he filled Eti with trepidation. He tried to remember if he jadmet a wolf of this swiftcurrent.

Dat be in de valley w'ere rivenwoo be along wit otter packs. I tink I smelled at least 3. But I not be knowin' any wolves dere

"yes," lestan murmured with a nod for the young woman. he wasn't so good a judge of ages, but her stature made her seem as youthful as blossom. whatever was left of the mayfair's paternal inclination was stirring now. "i d-don't know the n-name redtail. but it was on a r-rise!" a flattened joke.
"akavir w-will take you in." i think! lestan fretted; it had been a good long while since he'd been back, and a good lot of bad things had happened in between. he doubted his cousin would be very warm to him, but these two? lestan didn't picture them being turned away.
he hemmed and hawed; he lifted his paw and set it down. all of him wanted to keep pursuing the woman and her stupid thrall, but —
but.

She frowned as she learned that it was likely Avicus’ pack that had been victim. She couldn’t think of anyone she’d met in passing who might fit the description of the pupsnatchers, but she would keep Lestan’s words in mind. 

Something about the abrupt halt of the conversation made her wonder if Lestan was certain that she would be safe in Swiftcurrent Creek. Her fur prickled briefly at the name; she fled the ocean for fear her own children might one day struggle with its tides. If “Swiftcurrent” was as volatile as the ocean, would her children be safe there?

The mention of Swiftcurrent being near Rivenwood caused her to stiffen. She felt her brother’s paw remain clasped over hers, but she had to fight the urge to cringe at the thought of being anywhere near Anselm. 

The male’s paw lifted; she sensed a pressing urgency. Politely, though, he placed it back on the swampy ground. 

Swordfish, She said, then: speaking his name again made her throat feel slightly hoarse. ’E be still travellin’ wid you? Only moments had passed since the beginning of their conversation, but still her heart pounded as she anticipated his arrival any moment. In part, she dreaded seeing him, not knowing what he might think. I- 

She knew she now faced an option. See him in person, or hope that Lestan might pass on word, and leave the decision with her former beau. 

We will go to Swiftcurrent. She said. It was agonizing to think that it might bring them closer to Anselm, but at this point, they had no choice left. With puppysnatchers in the area, she and Etienne would be too vulnerable on their own. Lestan, if you could, please….When you see Swordfish next….Let ‘im know dat Suzu be dere. Her voice was nearly grave as she spoke, so Lestan might understand and make whatever assumptions he would about their relationship. T’ank you for givin’ us warning, an’ for directing us to your cousin. If dere be any words you want passed on to ‘im…? Playing a messenger in return would be the least that they could do, at this point.

Etienne mirrored his sister's expression without meaning too. But that a pack he knew suffered such a cruelty. It bother him greatly.

Etienne looked over his sister at her stiffening paw beneath his own. His mind whirring. Why did Suzu not want to go to Rivenwood so painfully obviously so. Glaukos was gone. She had seemed to get along with Heda and Anselm and Fiona? He searched her face for answers and found none. Perhaps it was in an effort to keep him away from Anselm. Bwcause he was so consumed by the man. Yea maybe that was it. He turned back towards the man Lestan


He waited to for any words the man would give. And Etienne dipped an ear forward. His body language easing only a fraction.

but how did they know swordfish?
this question would continue to befuddle lestan for some time thereafter, but in the present he bobbed his head. "i''l t-tell him. i haven't — haven't s-seen him s-since the r-rise. or b-before."
her voice carried a weight that spurred lestan into some semblance of — awareness? consequence? 
they would go to swiftcurrent. the young woman asked after his cousin, asked if there was a message that could be carried.
the man's dark ears splayed, and he started to shake his head but stopped. "t-tell him ... t-tell him i'm in t-the area. and t-that i'll be v-visiting as s-soon as i k-know what r-route to find h-her."
a thin, wavering smile of encouragement accompanied his words, the mayfair sensing that they were about to part ways.

She felt Lestan would keep his word, though it seemed some time had passed since Swordfish had last been seen. She wondered if she should call into question why they had split up- but she did not want to delay his mission any longer. 

Tank you, Lestan. I will tell ‘im dis. She said. She gave him a smile, though it fell short of reaching her eyes. To her brother she looked then, her expression drawn and wan; they would be on the move again, regardless of how weary they felt. The free lands were dangerous, and they would need shelter before long.

[
It was with weariness, Etienne shifted to get ready to walk again. His sister needed a place to rest without fear and soon. These babies wouldbe coming quicker than anything.

Thank you. He called out