Blackwater Islands i'll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams

@Salish! I promised you a thread a week ago, sorry for taking forever!

A fierce wind was whipping up against the sheer cliffs of the Northern Shore—foam frothed and hissed angrily as the Sea lashed the waves into a frenzy, sending spray fifty feet into the air from the waves that crashed into the crags below. The sky was a sunless expanse of uninspired gray, typical of Spring, and brushed with the occasional band of darker rain clouds that were dumping on the smaller islands to the west.

Akantha traced the threadbare line of trees that managed to, somehow, make a footing here in the harshest enviorment of Soteria. They were horrible bedraggled and mishapen firs, but old as the islands themselves and just as steadfast. She found in them a kindred spirit, and was inspired to continue her investigation of the relatively unmapped northwestern reaches of the island. Her tail hung limp between her ankles and rag-dolled with each solid step the Matriarch took. The fierce swoop of her muzzle was downcast to the musky vulpine scent that clung heavily to the small grove of ferns that choked out all but the hardiest saplings. The perfect, tight curls of the new growth were just beginning to bud from the mother plant. 

Spring was well upon them now, and the sight of the verdant growth sprouting from every inch of the Thistlewood only served to remind her of the coming fertility rites, and how unprepared she was to deal with them.

I'm so sorry that this took forever.

Salish hummed a merry song, her voice mingling softly with the whispers of the sea. The air possessed the fresh aroma unique to this time of year, when Spring first arrived. It was her favorite of all seasons, a time without the harsh weather and famine which often accompanied the snows, a time to begin anew. 

The cool, clean ocean breeze brought a familiar scent to her damp nostrils. With the prick of her warm-tawny ears, Salish trotted swiftly in the direction from which the Matriarch's aroma emanated, her careless footsteps creating a gentle racket as she wove through the foliage of the diluted forest. Soon, the dark woman's form materialized and in the next moment, the girl found herself standing before the beloved Mother.

Her posture morphed into proper submission, though her tail lightly swayed. She dipped her head into a bow. "It's good to see  you, Akantha."

There wasn't much time to get lost in though as the sound of noisy footfall upon the loose terrain drew her attention to the approach of Salish, one of the newer arrivals and precisely just the woman who'd been on her mind as of late. Her conversation with Kalika quickly flashed through her mind, and she swallowed as Salish went through the motions to offer her respect. Akantha lent her a smile, and settled her alert ears back against her shaggy ruff once she relaxed. "Salish." she greeted with a wave of her slightly elevated tail. 

Now was as good a time as any to bring up the topic that was likely soon to be a hot topic amongst the Sisters. "Walk with me, I have something I want to discuss with you." She said as she turned towards a path that led further inland, away from the dangers of the unstable cliffs. Akantha wasn't certain what ws required of her as Matriarch when it came to the Breeding Rites, because she'd never been chosen—once upon a time it might have bothered her, but now that she found herself in charge of a greater whole, her desire to have children had dwindled to nothing.

Salish returned the smile and swished her tail a few times, delighted to see Akantha present herself to her with such warmth -- not to a large degree, but it meant something to the sunny girl, nevertheless. A walk was requested of her, to which she nodded. "Of course," she spoke brightly, falling into step beside the beautifully dark Matriarch. Salish felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest, wrought by a combination of excitement and anxiety. By her demeanor, it did not seem that Akantha was apt to bring a scolding down upon her, but Salish was still nervous.

She had also become aware of her own maturation, that her propensity for breeding had arrived at last. Could this be what Akantha wished to speak of with her? Her mind spun a silent prayer.

"What is on your mind, my lady?"

Though she hadn't doubted Salish would decline, Akantha was still gladdened when the younger Sister fell in step beside her. It lent a queer sort of thrill to her bones that she, above all, was the defacto leader of their band and, to her knowledge, there was no rivalries brewing to dethrone her either. As a she-wolf who was once obsessed with power and legacy, it was the best outcome she could hope for.

But back to the matter at hand. Akantha's gaze swept over the sunny girl again, and a smile touched her lips. "As you know, the Breeding Rites are a large part of our culture, and I was considering you as the mother of our first litter." The Matriarch revealed, wasting little time in arriving at the point. She wasn't one to play coy, or banter riddles. "I don't know exactly when they will happen, but if you are interested I will keep your name in mind when the time comes." 

Akantha lead with such grace and integrity that Salish could imagine no one better. She herself held no desire to take on the responsibility of leading a pack, let alone hosting a betrayal of her dark queen. Hopefully, all of her sisters agreed with her. She wished for Akantha to hold the throne for a very, very long time; she would protect the woman with her very life if there ever grew a need for such a blatant display of devotion.

Though Salish suspected their topic of conversation to center around the upcoming breeding rites, she was not prepared for the honor of mothering the very first litter. Her golden eyes widened noticeably, her jaw falling agape for just a moment before breaking into the sunniest of smiles. "Wow," she spoke softly. "I would be so honored." her mind spun. Which of her qualities had possessed Akantha with the idea of granting her such a priviledge? Able to see that asking this aloud would be seen as vain and unnecessary, she kept her mouth shut, awaiting details if there were any to be shared.