Hushed Willows friends will be friends

Today, Lily sought out @Silas. She hadn't seen him since their discussion of his former life here, and the blackbird wondered how he was faring. Qilaq seemed to be doing well, from her brief encounters with the shy girl, and her place here seemed pretty much permanent. She could only hope that meant that Silas felt the same.

It was cool for springtime, and more cloudy than not. Somehow, it was as if winter still had its claws upon the wilds, unwilling (or unable?) to let go. It mirrored her own pensive mood as of late, a little more frosty than her normally warm mien. The minnow creek was a burst of cold as she splashed through it, the wind whistling past her ears doing nothing to dispel the chill.

But this was Hushed Willows; this was paradise. She soon entered a denser portion of the forest, and the sun burst through the clouds to filter, dappled, down to the earth. Lily allowed herself to loiter in one of the larger spots of light, her pelt warming, ankles drying. She sat back on her haunches with a sigh, closing her eyes, wondering—

When would this funk she was in go away?

It was a humble little life he had carved out for himself beneath the shelter of the willows, and thanks to routine, many of his days were fundamentally like the last. With Qilaq, and a pack's support around him (one done without choking him out, overwhelming), he could spend the hours busy, contented in the acts--either in the few companies he could keep, or as more frequent, on the trail. He had enough to do, enough to give, and enough to keep for himself. It reflected well upon him, physically finally, in the slow work towards repairing what he had lost over the moons alone.

Now, what else could he need?

He tried not to think steeply on Mariposa's visit, or how she had searched for him, of all wolves. In fact the more he thought about it at all, the more uneasy it made him--torn between confusion, old hurt, and a strange joy to top it off and make it all the more difficult to process--and make him wonder what was right, and what was wrong for the path he was meant to walk.

But, he was dealing with it and the trails underfoot were not being all too generous to him today so far. Thankfully he was a patient wolf, and even though he was starting to get a little peeved about the utter lack of payoff, he was not yet ready to give up when threaded through the trees towards Lily's route. Deciding she warranted at least half a pause to see how she was, he veered just enough to find her. He approached with his head low, and a curious whuff to say his gentle hello as he admired her sun-draped location now properly that he wasn't only honed in on the possibility of pursuit.

She opened her eyes and turned toward the slight male at his greeting, a smile gracing her muzzle. Silas, Lily murmured, voice undeniably tired but warm, regardless. How are you? It's been some time since we've spoken. Some time, and a lot in between these two occurrences.

Time seemed to move differently here in Elysium, usually. Slower, calmer. Lately, though, the blackbird had felt it rushing by, and she unable to grab it. Perhaps it was that her children were growing faster than she could keep track. Perhaps it was Khali, subtly fading into the background as he absorbed himself in fatherly duty.

Perhaps it was her, just getting older.

Seeing her smile take its shape, his tail wagged gently back too to relay his good-natured greeting, even as the tendrils of the hunt still thrummed in his blood. But, in winding down, he really hoped all was well with her; she probably shouldered a great deal here, he sensed, and now with puppies abounding, they all seemed busy in all of their own respective ways. Not one to overstep in those regards, he was always happiest to just help stock the caches and bring in the game.

Too close to puppies too young and he only could think about what he and Qilaq had missed out on last year before everything had gone wrong, left to scatter them both to the winds to their miseries. Despite their reunion and putting that all behind them, they never saw the opportunity to pursue this year--and he wondered what that meant, after it all but for this year, that was plenty fine. Now was not a good time for either of them, he knew that, but there had always been a long-ago what if in the back of his mind ever since his almost-cubs had died well before their time.

Point remained, he just didn't have a lot of positive face-to-face experience around very young pups, and wanted to give the mother's their rightful space more than he wanted to change that. He kept himself appropriately scarce, unless their food sources ran slim; then he only had more work to do.

It has, really.. but a lot has been happening, he said with a very obvious splay to his ears to match, almost apologetic, but it was him too. But my hunts have been good more often than not, so I have stayed busy, thankfully. They had a lot of mouths to feed, many of them growing. All is well for me, he returned with, despite the cloudy worries Mariposa had stirred or today's crummy luck, it didn't matter on the grand scheme--he would get through it. How about you?

Oh, very good, she remarked in regards to the hunting, her smile growing broader. Anyone who knew her knew that she was rubbish with game; the fact that they had wolves skilled in that field put her mind much more at ease. Her family and pack wouldn't go hungry, at least. And as for his own well-being— Wonderful. . .I'm glad to hear it.

She lifted her shoulders in a shrug, an uncharacteristically melancholic sigh escaping her lips. I am. . . Her voice trailed off, as if caught suddenly on the wind, stolen from her. I'm well enough, I suppose, Lily admitted finally, after falling silent a moment or two. She was bringing down the atmosphere between them and she hated it.

The children are growing, Khali has been scarce—but I have so much to be thankful for, anyway, she said, scoffing slightly. Perhaps I'm coming down with a cold. I don't know. I just feel. . .off. Her eyes flashed to Silas, warm but clearly apologetic. She didn't want to dump her negativity on him. Sorry. Don't mean to ramble.

As he listened, his expression readily gave into a soft furrow of concern. She revealed her aches and his ears tilted back earnestly then. Khali being scarce was worrying, and he would note to keep a better eye out for trails on the fellow to see if he may find out more about that. However, her mention next of a cold tilted his head. Sorry to hear. Off.. like how? If you do care to share, I can listen, he spoke quietly, but trying to be half sure of himself for her sake. She had helped him plenty, so it was well within what she deserved. Or if there is any other way I could help.. he offered.

But if she was coming down with something, how was he to know? He only knew what he had seen with himself, and a few others in all of their winding roads. More than once, a very young Silas had shadowed his mother and she had been a fine medic, well-regarded and trained, so she was sure to be his best inspiration. He didn't have all that much of her manner on the surface, but he tried to think maybe how she might handle it, no matter how distant the memory.

She shrugged again, struggling to find the right words. Tired. Morose. I dunno. A trace of the old good humor entered her eyes again as she tried to cast all this to the side. For all the darkness in the world, Lily would always be chasing the light. No matter what it took. No matter the circumstances.

Enough about me, she giggled, with another sigh—this one, however, full of levity. Tell me about Qilaq. Or any of the adventures you've had. Surely you must be full of stories? And it would do me good to get my mind off all the nonsense in my head.

At least for a little while.

fade this out? <3

Tired, morose.. all matters he was personally very well acquainted with, and carrying their weight was never easy--and he had never needed to do it with a pack and young litter depending on him. His ears hung tilted back for he was not well-versed on how to mend hurts such as those, not the kinds that went bone-deep that he sensed were bothering her--or at least, he wasn't going to be surprised if they were that sizable. Before he could properly muster his condolences, another question, or all else to follow in the footsteps of that much, she steered it back towards him to help take her mind off herself a bit.

Well.. Silas started, and gathered his composure then his thoughts to make for a palatable-enough telling. He did not often recount his tales, but Lily had asked, and he was perfectly comfortable sharing with her. The agouti Ostrega knew she had been a good friend to Qilaq too even before he had come, so he harbored no qualms, then cleared his throat awkwardly, and went on.

He started with where he had met Qilaq once, not all that far from here really--how they had both been so young and how it had stuck with him, until the next time, and then when it had all finally fallen apart for him, that she had provided a light he hadn't known to look for. But, it had only been the beginning of their story for indeed, the roads had their tales--some he preferred not to remember, but some were good, happy times that all rounded him right back to here, with them, together with Qilaq once again.