Hushed Willows she thought she was done

Euphemia traveled and walked and limped until she could no longer. Her pad paws bled and ached, buckling under her as she more or less stumbled forward. The Willows seemed safe and she was content to rest for a bit. It wouldn't do her any good to jump at all the sounds this strange place brought, but she knew she couldn't help it. If a sudden noise came up, she would yelp in fear.

That's just the sort of coward she was. The small woman would find a place to flop over, her breathing almost labored. How long had she traveled for? It was still winter, even here. The last land she had come from... it had been winter too. But it didn't bring any comfort to know the two were close by. In fact, she wanted to run far away from each land she'd come across. She found nothing there to keep her.

So she was flighty - and a coward. What a delightful duo. Maybe, with some small hope, she'd find somewhere to go here. But all bets were off when she heard a rustling. It was a great rustling, too. The young woman whimpered softly, her eyes focusing on the entrance she had just entered. Was she being followed?

✹☾❂

Eleuthera by far wasn’t the only wolf who visited the willows these days, but perhaps she was the only one who lived there in a punctuated, weekly fashion. She spent some days within the willows and then she wouldn’t, disappearing for however long she felt necessary to quell her desire for entertainment, or company, or just something different — but then she would come back, and visit the watch that lay next door, and repeat the whole process again. 

The lilac faerie wanted to stay abreast of all the happenings in her willows, even if she loathed to spend every moment of her life in such a sad, sober place. She found this way of things worked well for her, as the whispering woods always held their secrets in a language she easily understood — scent. Scents lasted long in the early winter, without the heavy precipitation to wash it all away, and she could easily figure out who had been where, when they arrived, what their intentions were, and when they left.

Upon her most recent reentry, the willows told the woman a story of a sad, shivering wolf who took harborage within them — only that the wolf was still there, and the story was still unfolding. Eleuthera, more out of curiosity than it was out of any sense of ownership here, sought out the newcomer almost immediately. Leu found her, frightened and wide-eyed, beneath one heavy, weighted bough.

“Hey,” she cooed softly. “You alright?”

Far from being soothed by the female's soft words, Euphie jumped to all fours. She shuddered uncomfortably as she turned to face the stranger. Her eyes were wild, wide and scared. "O-Oh" she utters, fearful "I... I am so sorry. I-Is this your land? I can go. I'll go without fuss. Please..." do not hurt me she wanted to wail.

All weariness forgotten, her fight or flight reflex kicked into high gear. Though she could not defend herself to save her life, the woman knew she'd run at the drop of a hat. Ears pinned against her small skull, legs and teeth chattering away. She kept her amber eyes focused entirely on the stranger, tail curling between her legs. Trying to be as small and as nonconfrontational as possible.

✹☾❂

The scared, shuddering female jumped to her feet in a fright. Eleuthera was also taken by surprise at this and though she didn’t jump, the fur along her withers prickled and a grey lip twitched, lifted in automatic response. However, it was almost just as immediately clear that this little shewolf was nothing to be scared of — Eleuthera was most inclined to be fearful of whatever got this waifish, shivering thing in such a state.

Eleuthera softened, but did not come any closer. Should the stranger wish to bolt, she had a wide berth and several obvious exit points. Surely, there were some creatures who preferred not to be found at all. “It’s not mine,” the lilac faerie spoke truthfully. “All are welcome.” Well, all except those who wished to do harm upon others. Eleuthera wanted to waste no time, if her woods were at risk of being infiltrated by evil energies. 

“Just… Calm down. What’s got you in a tizzy?”