Shadowwyn Moor Dad's new girlfriend

Intended for @Morwenna

Not often was Kekoa surrounded by other Saatsine wolves. He kept distance, staring into the nearest water source with wide, bright young eyes.

He knew Sun Eater had brought home a new wife, just as he said he would, but not yet had Kekoa approached her. He would not. Sun Eater's ghost talker and Saatsine's healer, he came only when the man called these days. The boy was far too stuck in his own mind to socialize the way he once had.

As of late, he did not feel his mind had been right however. His mood was sour, his mind blank. That too had contributed to his distance.

the snow crunched lightly beneath morwenna's paws as she moved along the tree line, her silver eyes scanning the ground for the herbs she had been gathering. the crisp scent of pine mingled with the earthy smell of moss, and the chill of the air was softened by the steady rhythm of her breath. in her jaws, a small bundle of dried stems hung loosely, evidence of her morning’s labor.

she did not expect company, yet the sight of the young male caught her attention. perched near the water's edge, his form was stooped, his gaze distant as it fixed upon the rippling surface. the sharp, clean lines of his youth were unmistakable—he was saatsine. morwenna paused, her tail swaying slowly as she studied him.

taking a step forward, she placed the herbs gently upon the snow before raising her head. her voice was soft but carried strength as she spoke. i am morwenna, she began, her tone measured, inviting, as though coaxing him from the haze that surrounded him. sun eater's wife. and you?

she did not approach too closely, sensing the heaviness in the boy’s posture, the silence that spoke louder than words. instead, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady but kind.

Just as she crossed his mind, the unfamiliar figure approached. His head turned at her words, and he found himself almost offended. He had been there when she was brought to Saatsine, and surely Sun Eater had spoken of him.

River Walker. His face scrunched into a sort of glare. I know who you are. I'm the only reason you're here. It was the truth, no matter how rude he may sound. He was the one who gave Sun Eater permission to find a wife at all.

Snappy and confrontational, it was who his shell had made him to be. A stranger was yet to earn the privilege of seeing his softer underside.

then i owe you my gratitude, morwenna said softly, inclining her head in deference to the river walker. her silver eyes held no malice, only a warm sincerity that sought to bridge the tension in his glare. she stepped closer, slow and deliberate, her posture open and inviting.

you must have had faith in him—to give your blessing, to trust he would return with something worthy. her voice carried a gentle lilt, steady as the current of the river she imagined he knew so well. and here i am, standing before you, proof of his journey.

she sat down carefully, folding her legs beneath her, allowing herself to become smaller, less imposing. her silver eyes watched him with a quiet kindness, her expression calm. i am not here to challenge or disrupt what you have built. only to join it, to grow with it, as the waters of a stream join the river and carry forward together.

morwenna's gaze lingered on him, searching for a crack in the armor of his shell. she offered a small smile, her tail curling gently around her paws. i would like to know more about the river walker, if you will allow it. who you are, what you guard so fiercely. there is much to learn, and i am eager to listen.

Her tone was kind, but that alone would not pierce the shield he had so lovingly crafted. Sun Eater is like a father to me. How could I not? He trusted the judgement of his chieftain; he had to, otherwise why would he admire him the way he did? If he has taken you as a wife, then I will trust that you are worthy.

Kekoa could see her intention; it was that of someone who wanted to be liked, someone who wanted to break through to his core. He was unsure how he felt. It's a simple life. Do the part demanded of you, and nobody complains. It had worked for him, so why not for someone else? You didn't need to be good at what you did, so long as you could learn.

Of me, there is nothing to know. I come when Sun Eater calls, and I deliver visions from the spirits that chase me. He responded with what he thought to be an obvious answer. I don't hunt, so I stay behind. The truth of course was that he had never been properly taught. He left home too soon, not of his own accord. The caribou were far too risky for him to practice on.

morwenna’s silver gaze softened as she took in the younger wolf’s words, the weight of his life and his beliefs sinking into her chest like stones. she knew enough to tread carefully, but not so much as to shy away from the challenge of understanding him.

i think we are all learning, she offered gently, her voice low, inviting. she stepped closer but remained at a respectful distance, her tail swaying lightly at her hocks. you say the spirits chase you? perhaps that means they want to be known, to be heard. there was no mockery in her tone, only genuine curiosity, an eagerness to connect.

she tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. i’ve never spoken to spirits, not like you, she admitted, her voice quiet but steady. but i’d like to. if they chase you, maybe they’ll follow you to me. a faint, almost playful smile curved her lips, though it carried an undercurrent of sincerity.

perhaps you could teach me, she added, her tone turning earnest. i am eager to learn more of the saatsine, to be more than just... sun eater’s wife. i want to be of use, to be part of something greater. her silver eyes searched his, seeking even the faintest flicker of connection.

He eyed her as she spoke, his expression unreadable. You don't want spirits. His words were intended as advice, and came out as a promise. It's more than just the sweet ghosts of loved one's. I don't see living wolves the same either. His mind drifted to the first instance since his mind had changed, the woman who changed from a wolf, to a bear, then a deer all whilst dancing circles around him. He soon shook the hazy memory from his head.

She spoke of purpose, of her purpose, and Kekoa frowned. If you wished to be more than a wife, then it isn't Sun Eater that you should have married. He would teach her what her place was in due time, he was sure. Leave, find another man is what you want. This time his words with a hint of mockery; the young man appearing rather amused.

But either way, there was nothing to learn from him. He was Saatsine's ghost talker; a skillset that he alone possessed. That was the way it was meant to be. He wouldn't subject anyone else to this fate.

His eyes shifted to the space next to himself now, where in his mind Kaisaan stood. Silently, he offered him his apologies for his ungrateful nature.

the words sank into her ears like thorns, sharp and biting. for so long, she had curbed the fire within herself, walking softly among the saatsine and their traditions. she had been measured, composed, willing to learn their ways without complaint. but river walker's mockery, his disdain—it pierced through her patience like a blade.

she took a step closer, silver eyes flashing with something fierce and untamed. her voice, steady but laced with anger, rose with a sharp edge.

you would find it wise to not underestimate me. the words cut through the cold air, sharp and deliberate. you think your burden is yours alone? that no one else could bear the weight of what you carry? your arrogance blinds you.

she held his gaze, unyielding, her frame trembling slightly—not with fear, but with the force of her restrained emotion. i did not marry sun eater to sit idle, she spat, her voice a low growl now. i am not a woman who accepts chains, river walker. i seek to learn, to become more than what i was. you think that makes me weak?

she exhaled sharply, shaking her head. your spirits are your own. keep them, if you must. but i will carve my path in this world, with or without your approval.

with that, she stepped back, her chest heaving slightly as she fought to calm the storm within her. she had shown him a glimpse of the fire she carried, and she would not apologize for it.

His expression shifted into that of a child who had been scolded by it's mother. A harsh frown settled onto his face. You're putting words in my mouth. Eyes drifted to the ground as he spoke, his tone shaky. He had not called her weak, nor claimed that he alone was the only one able to carry his burden. I say only what I know to be the truth.

After releasing a sharp breath, he looked back to her. I want to get along with you. Sun Eater is someone I care for - a lot. His words lacked some formality, showing his youth. Morwenna was doing herself no favours by trying to intimidate him. I'm not all too good with my words, though. That much should be obvious.

He hadn't meant to offend her, really. He shifted his paws, somewhat uncomfortable now. Maybe he just wasn't all too good with women.

k'edghildza's sharpness melted away like the last snow of spring, her anger retreating into the soft curve of her shoulders and the graceful tilt of her head. her silver eyes, once blazing with intensity, now shimmered with something softer, quieter—a divine patience, as if the storm had never touched her.

through our love then, we will show him, she said, her voice like the gentle rustle of leaves on a still evening. her tail flicked lightly behind her as she stepped closer to river walker, her presence no longer pressing but inviting.

come with me, she continued, a faint smile curling her lips. we will collect herbs. the caribou might wait, but the needs of the body do not.

her gaze searched his, no longer commanding but gently urging, seeking some common ground in their shared role as saatsine. the tension of moments before dissolved into the promise of purpose, of tending to the land and the lives they shared.

Avoiding her gaze now, he nodded to signal his agreement. It had been some time since he had collected herbs - it would be wise to see what the winter had left behind. He prepared to follow.

Sun Eater says that you are teaching the woman who is to be my wife. His voice was quieter now, nervous as he looked to make conversation. He was curious of the girl, worried for their eventual union. I know she is being taught to be a wife, but what am I to do?

His mind had shifted now, a common occurrence. It was rarely one-track, switching courses rather quickly. You're not a husband, but you have one. What do you expect of him? He was wary as he looked to her now. He had thought to ask Sun Eater, but such a thought was humiliating. But, Morwenna seemed to know what her expectations were.

k’edghildza paused, her silver eyes softening as she caught the flicker of vulnerability in river walker’s voice. she didn’t smile, but her gaze held a quiet warmth, an unspoken acknowledgment of the trust he was placing in her. it was rare for men to admit their uncertainty, their fears, and she found a quiet admiration in his candor.

vulnerability suits you, she murmured, kneeling beside a frost-dappled sprig of pine nettle—a hardy herb that weathered even the harshest winters. her paw brushed against it gently before plucking a few needles. their sharp tang would do well to clear the lungs and soothe the mind.

a husband must provide shelter, food, water. these are not luxuries—they are necessities, she continued, her voice even but firm. but he must do so regardless of season, of hardship. a wife is no less bound by expectation. she must bring something of herself to the union. strength, wisdom, children. perhaps all of these things.

her gaze lifted to his then, steady and intent. but what a husband cannot do alone, a wife must be able to mend. this is why we learn, river walker. why we seek herbs even in snow. to heal what cannot be avoided. to soften what cannot be undone.

rising with the needles tucked carefully into a fold of her fur, k’edghildza tilted her head toward him. if you wonder what to do, perhaps start there. ensure you are capable of these things. a man who cannot provide, even in winter, has no right to call himself a husband.

she gestured toward the forest edge, where the faint green of a winterberry shrub clung stubbornly to life. but a husband must also understand his wife’s worth. you ask of me what i expect of sun eater. i expect him to see that i am not simply a woman but a partner. an equal force. the same will be true of your wife.

He listened with eyes fixed to the ground. I can manage all that just fine. He decided, the tip of his tail flicking upwards.

Still he was unsure of Morwenna's expectations of Sun Eater; but this time he would not speak on it. If he was correct and she was unwilling to listen, what could he do? She would have to learn the hard way.

Without putting much more thought into things, he rushed off back towards where the Saatsine hunted; seemingly forgetting the task of herb collection all together. He had far more urgent things to attend to in his mind.

k'edghildza watched him, her eyes soft but discerning, as he spoke his conviction. his words held the weight of determination, a quality she valued deeply.

you will be a good husband, then, she murmured, her voice warm with quiet approval.

her gaze shifted to the frost-laden ground, scanning the sparse snow for the rare herbs she knew to grow here even in the harsh season. it took patience and a keen eye, but soon enough, she unearthed a small cluster of green, delicate yet resilient against the cold.

carefully, she plucked the herbs, shaking free the clinging snow. stepping toward him, she extended them, a gesture both simple and meaningful.

take these. they are for strength, she said softly, a faint smile touching her lips.