Altar of Twilight zeit

backdated to 12/10

mahler would not have his path turned from moonspear.
he tore himself from the bones of grief and let his trail empty near the mountain;
— mahler thought faintly that the scent of wylla still clung to his shoulder —
and there in the grey light of noonday he called for @Nyx, for @Elke, for @Ciri. 
the valley broke the wind that threatened his form, now tending toward leanness, and he had aught but his budding joy to see his daughters again.

Rare ever did the northern girl stray from the mountains which she lived, be it this one, the jagged heights from which she was bore or the Nova Peak which she had missed. Though when a call moved through the heavens and carried on by the winds, Elke did not hesitate an instead. That call, that voice, she would remember forever. It was her father. 

So the girl ran. Down the rocky slopes of her home, into the tangled forestry which wrapped around its base like a protective barrier to their fortress and into the twilight valley below. She would see her father there. Leaner then she remembered him to be (after being around so many large Ostrega) and she being much more grown then he would remember her. 

Dad! She cried out, finishing the distance between them in a run and once too him, dancing, nuzzling and licking with happiness.

Ciri, too, did not often venture from Moonspear's claim. While she thrived among its wolves where she could not on Sagtannet's spire and spent long hours roaming the territory, the little blackbird was yet to find the confidence to venture beyond the borders. In the time since her family's arrival, she felt she'd made a firm friend in @Altair. It was for him she looked, having picked her way quietly through the woods at the base of their mountain home in search of a fresh trail that might lead her to him.

Her search was cut short, however, as a voice from close by rose to draw her attention. Ciri's tall ears swivelled forward, high atop her crown, recognition clear in the jovial sway of her tail. Without a moment's hesitation, she bounded ohhh in the direction from which the howl had sounded, whimpering with excited anticipation of a long-awaited reunion with her father.

Elke arrived ahead of her, but the gilded sibling's presence there only bolstered Ciri's giddiness. Jaws parted, tongue lolling in a pant from her sprint to close distance between them, the youth moved to press the length of herself against Mahler's strong shoulder and squirm her way beneath his chin. Her whining continued, tearful but jovial, as she shifted to pepper her sire's throat in affectionate nips and kisses.

it seemed mahler waited for an eternity before elke arrived. she had grown so tall since they had been parted, the man observed wildly as she careered surefooted and mountain-raised to greet him. "elke," he said tightly, tail thrashing wildly behind his hips as a low whine emitted from his throat.
and then ciri was among them, and mahler was struck by how great a resemblance there was between he and she. to think she bore his stamp so clearly. "ciri." to her came his affections now, and then for a long swatch of moments father reunited with his daughters.
"vell," he swallowed, feeling more whole than he had in some time. "you have both grown so tall. soon you vill be my height." he smiled between them. "tell me your most favorite thing that has happened at moonspear."

Gonna make my ending. Let me know if anything need changed.

She found herself not being able to leave her father's side, clinging onto every bit of him and his warmth for as long as she could. She was happy here with her father and missed the beautiful Nova Peak. She'd learn to miss it less however when she came to learn there was no longer home there to return to. She would tell Mahler that her favorite thing had been learning how much family she had to love and care for, outside of their little group. It would be hinted that she no longer thought she was the little basterd Sagtannet had made her to be. That she had found some sort of happiness here and that @Hydra was a very welcoming and admirable leader. 

When it was time to leave, she would be reluctant. Of course, she didnt know when would be the next she would see her father again. Didnt know either that this would be the last time she and her sister would be with their father together as a family.

for as long as he could, mahler remained with his daughters. elke had grown in confidence; they both bore a new stamp upon them, one that he had not been able to give them in sagtannet: acceptance. not for the first time did guilt flow cool and damning through him, but this time the waters of strife were tempered by his gratefulness toward nyx for bringing them here.
how was he to know that so much would so bleakly change?
when at last they parted, mahler took up his position at the lioness' side, watched his growing daughters scamper into the silhouette of the mountain with affection.