Blackfeather Woods the prodigal son

backdated to July 25

@Aries was back. It was strange to grapple with this fact, given that after what Tundra had told her, she had given up on the young man pretty much for good. He had chosen his place, and she hers. Whoever sided with her uncle would be opposed to her; that wouldn't change. Except. . .perhaps it did.

Maegi slipped through the narrow, winding paths of Blackfeather Woods, looking for the Svartell. She wanted to know more. What exactly had gone down? Why had Aries' loyalty in the Melonii (Nyx, especially) been shaken so? If that pack was truly crumbling, that explained the waywardness of the child she'd met in the open field. But they had seemed so strong, so fervent—she was at a loss, without understanding.

She sighed, a long, wispy stream of air through flared nostrils. One ear swiveled to pick up the sound of wings in flight, and she tensed only slightly as Blue landed between her shoulders, gentle with his talons. The girl and the grackle hobbled on, as they had for so long, watching over the forest they loved. That Aries (ostensibly) loved, too.