Hushed Willows And we would both lose our jobs

Looking specifically for one of Courtfall's members since it sounds like they're moving here? Forward dated to January 31st!

Nieve followed the foothills, keeping the mountains to her left shoulder as she went. It was time to go home, and she was pleased to do so with information to share. She'd found two packs in the taiga, which was more than she'd known about before, and she hoped it was more than Rusalka as a whole had known about so she would have something useful to contribute.

She spotted the willows up ahead and hastened her step, but as she delved into them, she was struck by the number of scents that hadn't been there before. There were no concrete borders in place, so the young Epsilon didn't hesitate to enter the glade, but she couldn't help slowing her tread and sniffing curiously. Had someone moved in that quickly?

It beggared belief, but that's what it smelled like.

leading the group here had not been half as bad as he'd imagined; though in the wake of grief melkor feels like he is moving on autopilot; numbed to other stressors. though he and lave first began to map out borders there is still a lot of claiming to be done and this does not fall out of melkor's attention. he could find a place to bed during the nights after borders are established, after bellies are full and his followers are settled in. thru the grief, however; he's grateful for them.

together, they would make a home here.

a fresh start for them in the wake of death. just as he's done too many times before. in this, melkor is no stranger despite that the lash of pain feels as fresh as it did the first time. glacial gaze surveys his chosen path as he gives pause, pushing thru a particularly deep pile of snow; falling upon a girl. young, he thinks. a yearling or very close to it, with a pelage of sand, cream and butterscotch.

she is within the tentative borders but he doesn't fault for it. they are not yet established and their appearance in these willows is new. instead, the tundrian lets out a low chuff to announce his presence.

The further Nieve went, the more obvious it became that there were many wolves in the area. She wondered if they were just passing through. That would explain the suddenness of their arrival and concurrent lack of strongly marked borders. With a lowered nose, Nieve began to wind along a trail, only to be spooked by Melkor's chuff sounding off to her right.

Like a bolt of electricity, a thrill zinged through Nieve, lifting her guard hairs neatly as it worked down her back. By the time she turned to look at the large wolf, she looked a little like a startled cat. A humble flick of her tail and embarrassed, shy smile later and she was back to her usual sleek self. Minus the guilt that found its way into her expression.

Hi, she said, a little put out that she'd been caught so unawares. I'm sorry, is this your home? I came through here liiiike... a week ago and it was empty, so I didn't know. Is it okay if I pass through? It's the easiest way home, she explained, sheepish all the way through. He was huge, possibly even bigger than Aningan. Nieve thought that Aningan was probably a bit taller than Melkor, but he didn't have so much broad muscle to him. She found herself wondering—fantasizing, almost—about who would win in a fight.

he startles her, evident in the way she bristles as he watches her turn to face him. would melkor not have felt incredibly guilty about it later and if he'd have known her better ( or at all, rather ) he might've laughed. there was something almost comical in the way she puffs up but he doesn't; keeping an impassive look on his face as she greets him. ❝hello,❞ the tundrian warlord rumbles in return. ❝it may be our home,❞ melkor replies sincerely as response to her question of the willows being his ( their ) home. in truth, andraste's death has left him unsettled and second guessing this place and the idea of the remnants of courtfall's attempt to rebuild on their own. this time as he deals with his grief, he must also think of the numerous others that look to him for guidance and it is not as easy. his grief clouds his decisions, his judgement far too fresh as it is. he only knows he and courtfall cannot hope to survive in the vale where they laid their fey queen to rest.

❝you may pass thru,❞ the tundrian decides with a firm nod of his head. ❝i will escort you.❞ he tells in the next breath. while he doesn't think that any of the courtfall members that follow him are violate by nature he cannot say for sure that they would take kindly to her seeing herself through their maybe-home all the same. ❝i am ...melkor.❞ he introduces, surprised that he even remembered to offer his name ( given his habit to entirely omit it most days ). even now, days past, it doesn't sound like his anymore. the name, given to him by andraste, has far too much of her in it. perhaps, he considers, he will go back to 'wintersbane' to help keep the wound from festering; he suspects that his late wife might despise him for it but just like making something new from what remains of courtfall he feels like 'melkor' no longer belongs to him and should be laid to rest with her, too.

May be? Nieve asked, arching a brow. Her curiosity was genuine and lacked any form of judgment or sarcasm. There were more wolves here than just Melkor, a fact he confirmed by referring to them as a collective, but he didn't know yet if they lived here or not. They must've been in the process of moving, she realized, recalling how Rusalka had once made a pilgrimage from their damaged sound up to the plateau. It made Nieve wonder what had driven them from wherever they'd come before.

Thank you very much, she replied, beaming. You're really gracious to do so. Nieve wouldn't have thought twice about passing through the woods once Melkor gave his blessing, but she was glad for an escort all the same. Not because she feared she would come to harm, but it felt more proper to be accompanied, if this was a possible home for him and his wolves. My name's Nieve. Nice to meetcha, she said, waving her tail low at her hocks.

I'm on a scouting trip, she explained. I live with my moms and my sister on the other side of the mountain. I came down through here. That's why I wanted to come back this way. I don't really know another route. Certainly she could've found one, but this was just easier, and luckily, Melkor was kind enough to allow it. Do you mind if I ask where you came from?

❝yeah, maybe. i haven't made up my mind yet,❞ but in truth he doesn't like how exposed he feels and acknowledges that it is likely because andraste's untimely death has left him feeling vulnerable. ❝for now at least, we rest here.❞ he offers with a small shrug of his shoulders.

to melkor's relief, the girl doesn't take offense to his offer, instead thanks him with a beaming smile. ❝we've been through a lot lately. the last thing i would want is any of my wolves to mistake you for an intruder.❞ his presence at her side, whether they came across any of the fallen court's other wolves or not, would ensure her safe passage all the same. ❝nice to meet you, nieve.❞ he returns with a soft smile and a dip of his head.

he gestures for her to follow along at his side as he begins to move; ears alert as she informs him that she's on a scouting trip. ❝i see,❞ melkor rumbles in thought. ❝i hope you've found something worthwhile on your trip.❞ once upon a time, when he was her age even, he'd been all across the wilds. but being on blackfeather's kill-list at the time had made him unwilling to stay in one territory for too long.

❝my wolves and i came from northstar vale.❞ he gestures over his shoulder in it's general direction. and then asks, because he assumes she has an interest in ranger since she's on a scouting trip: ❝do you know it?❞

There was a part of Nieve that felt sure she could handle any unruly wolves mistaking her for a trespasser, but she was glad for Melkor's company and protection in lieu of that. Just because she thought she could handle them didn't mean she could for sure, and she wasn't raring to find out the value of her confidence. He was a worthy sentinel: his presence put her instantly at ease, as any good guardian's should, and the narrow spaces between the willows seemed less daunting now.

Just a few packs I didn't know about before, she shared, padding swiftly to keep up with Melkor's sweeping strides. I learned about someone's crazy mate. It was... kind of weird, actually. Thankfully she hadn't met Bhediya's crazy mate face-to-face, but she was still a little wigged out by how easily and quickly Awol volunteered that information. It didn't seem like something a pack would openly admit to a stranger, no matter how unassuming and disarming Nieve could be.

Melkor motioned to the mountains. Nieve brought her head up to peer at the monoliths looming over the willows. No, I don't, she said when Northstar Vale failed to ring any bells. Why'd you leave? It sounds nice. From the name, at least.

from his point of view, learning about packs that also share the wilds isn't bad information in the least — but maybe that was his father speaking. control and manipulation had been arturo's favored gamble, whereas wintersbane was ...well, content to focus on home and hearth. someone's crazy mate. ❝crazy mate, huh?❞ wintersbane draws with a soft furrow to his brow, wondering if this 'crazy mate' was going to be an issue. ❝does it sound like someone i need to watch out for?❞ the sentinel in the tundrian does not like the idea of someone 'crazy' roaming 'round these parts.

it makes him wish that he knew the wolves of the fallen court better than he did; though he does not regret spending time with andraste, in hindsight ...knowing now that they were her last days but now he faces a pack of faces he barely recognizes. did any of them have crazy mates they had sought courtfall to take refuge from?

❝it was nice ...and from a tactful standpoint, easy to defend as it was nestled in the womb of the sunspire but ...❞ but. ❝my mate died there and i can not stay there.❞ i ran away like i always do, except this time i took everyone with me. ❝we laid courtfall to rest with her and we are seeking a new place to reforge ourselves.❞ somethings, wintersbane had come to find, were better left in the grave with the dead.

I'm not sure, Nieve admitted. The guy who told me acted like it was her fault her mate was crazy. The whole exchange had really changed her opinion of Uaine Gorsedd, which up to that point, had been pretty positive. If there was nothing else she shared with her family and pack from this scouting trip, it would be to keep their distance from that pack. He didn't tell me anything about the mate, though.

Hearing the centre of the mountains referred to as a womb was strange to Nieve, but she'd keep the description in mind for future consideration. It brought a particular image to mind of what the valley looked like that might make it easy to locate. She had no reason to do so at present, but it was something worth thinking about if she went on another scouting trip. Speaking of scouting, she noticed the trees were starting to thin and they were nearing the edge of the territory.

I'm really sorry about your mate, Nieve consoled. She couldn't imagine losing someone so permanently. It was bad enough for her whenever her siblings wandered without a word, let alone someone she romantically loved. She couldn't blame Melkor for wanting to get away from any reminder of her. I hope this place works out for you. It's really lovely here. Anyone with eyeballs could see that the willows were secluded, peaceful, and easily defensible.

Thank you for escorting me, Nieve said as they arrived at the dried up creek she'd used as a path down to the willows a week ago. I'll let my pack know you're thinking about settling here so they know to keep away from this place in the future. With a few final parting words, Nieve headed back up the mountain toward home.