Ghost Lion Crag Misty mountains sing and beckon

There was no way that Maia was going anywhere far anytime soon now.  Their leader was dead and now Colt was in charge. She didn't know a lot about him or really any of them save Wraen.... maybe she'd been traveling a bit much lately.  

But she still itched to move.  The Firebird claim was a dampened place nowadays despite having so many new lives.  That was why she was here,, in the place she last met the blue eyed boy. 

She sat down in the canyon below the crag and heaved a heavy sigh.   She should go back.  In a while.

The sigh did steady her, and after a minute she looked up. She had only done this a couple times, and only ever completely in private. She needed to though.

Mom, dad... hey. Um. Wildfire's probably there already, and she seemed to know you, so I'm sure you're all happy. I'm actually a little jealous. She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. I miss you guys so much, and if Cori and Cass are there, them too. Her voice broke. I just... I know now I was lucky to get you as long as I did. A lot dont, y'know? I know I wasn't great at saying it but I love you and knowing you're gone sucks.

At this point she had to pause, because she didn't want to start crying but it was also kinda too late. Thanks for being there as long as you were. She ended finally, trailing off and lowering her head to hide the tears. Seeing Elfie and Weejay after had been a hard reality check for her, harder than she'd ever thought possible. How did you come back from that? They barely knew her, and now they never would,

Maia had never considered herself a lucky wolf before, but now she knew without a doubt she was. Not everyone got the childhood she had gotten.... and now her own younger siblings, if they were still alive, were somewhere out there without a mom or a dad too. The world could be kind of a terrible place sometimes.

Hope this is okay?

Death. She was alone. Mars was gone. He had returned to the stars. These thoughts haunted every step she took until she felt that she couldn't take another less the depressing thoughts consumed her. She had wandered for so long when she finally looked up she was somewhere she hadn't seen before. She blinked as the curiosity rose and then surged as she heard a voice. She crept closer, keeping to the shadows until she spotted a she wolf looking really sad and talking to the stars. Her heart squeezed for the woman, feeling the pain and wondering how similar hers was. "They hear" she said in a hushed tone as she crept forward, belly lowered closer to the ground to show she didn't mean any harm. "they're stars. Spirit rises, becomes eternal light" she said and then ducked her head. She had been warned that their religion would often be seen as ridiculous at times, theren would be wolves who didn't understand and would refuse to believe it. "they help us now. influence our paths" nonetheless she continued, hoping it would help. "my brother...he rose yesterday" she said and her voice cracked, eyes filling with tears that spilled onto the downy fur of her cheeks. Quickly she wiped them away. Her purpose was to help others not to spread her pain onto them. "Alula" she said motioning to herself with a tuck of her chin.

She was definitely not expecting anyone to actually be in this middle of nowhere spot, and even if they were, she did not expect them to hear what she was saying.  Which..... maybe she hadn't.  But she got the gist, and that was more than Maia wanted her to get.

At first she got a little moody.  Duh they heard, who did this lady think she was that Maia needed her to tell her that?  She didn't need comforting.

But her better nature won out.  Obviously she meant well, and her words echoed Maia's dad's when he used to say wolves who died were honored with a place among the stars.  That's why she spoke to the sky, even if they weren't out yet.

Yeah, she replied, composing herself with a couple sniffs.  Besides everything, if her brother died yesterday, maybe she was reassuring herself too.  It's cool to think they are up there watching.  Even if they can't talk back.  Her concept of the Star wolves didn't exactly fit with that, but it did too.  Maybe that's what you became when you died.  Maia.  I'm sorry about your brother.

Alula wasn't aware of annoying the woman and so she just wagged in a slow sympathetic side to side sweep as the woman talked. "They speak. We...unlisten. Only...sense. Read signs." she tested out the words slowly and decided it sounded right though her expression grew more torn. She didn't say it offensively, in fact so calmly and sadly that it was clear she believed it but couldn't do it. "I wish I...more knowledge on it. Sensing, reading. Mars was so secret I can't read him. Just love" she was babbling then all wobbly voiced and then she composed herself feeling bad that she'd lost focus on the woman who she was trying to teach. "maybe when i love ...then I'll hear him." she said. 

She blinked once and looked shocked, realising she had forgotten the most important part. The girl probably thought she was daft. She stuttered nervously and then clammed up, looking petrified before she realized she would no longer get a punishment for failing b... basically they...here...we no see....h..hear signs" she stammered hoping she would get the point "Did Starwolf have.... favorites? Prey,sound, friend,warm memory?" she asked giving examples, wondering if she would be able to continue this discussion with this nice lady. "Mars liked....Lappen...rabbit. Rushing water. Running with me in...flowers. Watching me do my work" she listed Mars's favorites and then blinked, realising the sign though she kept her expression the same. Inside she warmed, feeling happy that he was proud.

this turned into a mobile novel of innocence. I'm so sorry.

It took Maia a solid few moments to figure out what the heck the girl was saying, and even after, she wondered if maybe she'd hit her head at some point.  Unlistening, "just love"?

Uhh, yeah.  What?  She frowned.  She was too confused by the prior to even follow the part she should have, and the term 'Star wolf' threw her off even more because it was so close to what her own distracted mind had been following.  Who was she talking about?

Are you okay? Do you, like, need something? she edged sideways, now a little nervous.  She'd seen one other crazy wolf in her lifetime and she'd definitely gotten sick from him, so she wasn't about to take any chances with this one.

She blinked once and her tail immediately stilled. She'd been warned people may not believe but she hadn't thought anything she had was too hard to understand. Then the she wolf asked if she needed anything and she frowned, hurt by the question. She wasn't ill or crazy, she was just trying to help the she wolf the only way she knew how. With her beliefs. "Not crazy" she said softly and stood up, eyes watering "They hear you. You dont hear them" she said it as dumbed down as she could make it as the she wolf began to back away seeming afraid. She stood up, a bitter feeling beginning to make her feel sick. Why did the she wolf bother to speak to the Starwolves if she didn't even grasp the simple concept?
Why should she bother with sympathy when she was just going to be looked at funny? Poor Lula had no idea how common this reaction would be around here.

Maia hadn't said anything about crazy, but apparently her demeanor was easy enough to read.  She should probably feel badly for making the girl upset, but she wasn't really enjoying the upfront attempt at empathy.  Especially since she hadn't understood much of what she'd said.

Umm, no.  Her ears went flat back.  She'd done her talking as a way to make herself feel better, and she didn't like that it felt like she was being called out for it now. I don't need to.  It's just.... nevermind.  She looked away, then stood up.  Like I said, sorry.  But I gotta go.

Usually she'd have been friendlier, but between being caught vulnerable and nervous from the chat, she didn't want to stick around longer than she had to.

Maia got about halfway through speaking when Alula just flattened herself to her belly and slunk away. It was disheartening for her first attempt at religion preaching to go so terribly. Then she pictured someone doing the same thing with THEIR religion. It would have made her so uncomfortable and scared and done nothing to help soothe her pain at losing Mars. She was an idiot! She ran all the way back to the straith mortified and certain she wouldn't try that again anytime soon.

Doubtless in a while Maia would feel badly about how this had gone, but for now, she was just grateful when the girl left her to it.  She hadn't really been ready to go back yet, but she would have if need be.

She sighed softly, then sat back down as she watched the other woman run away.  If not crazy, definitely odd.  That was one of the weirder conversations she'd had since coming here.  She glanced back up, but didn't say anything.  Instead she closed her eyes and enjoyed the quiet, just for a little while, before turning to head home.