Broken Antler Fen Acid green

"There once was a Towhee..."  Wraen hummed to herself the silly song she had made about her friend the time before last they had met. After their most recent encounter she wished that there were more ways she could help the Redhawks to deal with everything. And ever since Moonspear's doom it occurred to her now and then that there was no reason for these two packs to stay apart, because the biggest "dividing argument" was no longer valid. Even the close-knit family circle had been broken - with Niamh disappearing without a trace. But then she knew that those old frustrations and misunderstandings hadn't gone anywhere - they would spark up, once they moved in again. So, if living separately meant that Wraen and Towhee could be better friends to each other, then so be it. 

Nevertheless even now she entertained herself with the image of all the fun things old ladies like her and slightly younger compatriot Towhee could do in Brecheliant and it was nice to plan and look foward to something in a fairly uncertain future.

odd timing but it's been a while! <3 these two need some practice

It was time and Maia was a bit of a bundle of nerves about it. She could feel her feelings towards Eljay shifting, could sense it, and she just knew. But before she took that road too far, she sought out the one she normally went to when this time came - Wraen.

She wasn't looking for advice, she'd already asked all those questions. She wasn't sure actually what she was looking for. Maybe procrastination? But she also just liked to make sure the two of them had some time, because even though she was married, she wasn't willing to let Wraen take too big of a backseat.

When she found her, Maia grinned at the song lyric, and without introduction continued it. Who met a squirrel near a tree?

She finished questioningly, inviting herself into a bit of a game as she came to gently press to Wraen's side in greeting.

"Well, this, in fact, is an already finished poem that I have... almost forgotten. But I roasted Towhee's relatives big time. Including us," Wraen explained, returning Maia's affectionate greeting with one of her own and then beckoning her sister to join her in the walk around the territory. "It started out as a lullaby to Towhee - one time before last, when I came to a visit, she was very upset about everything that had been going on over at Caldera, and recital of a silly song seemed to be the best way to cheer her up at the end of the day. I am not sure though, how much of that she actually heard," she smiled at the memory.

"But, if your up for it... we could make a poem about you. In a similar fashion... let me think," she looked upwards for a bit, because all great ideas fall from the sky (usually). "O-o-o-o-kay... 

When Maia was a wee kid,

She could not sit still.

In a blink of an eyelid,

She was gone in a trill.

Now's your turn," she tossed the figurative yarn-ball back to Maia.

Oh, whoops! She'd assumed it was something open to additions, but apparently Wraen wasn't up for amending that one. Maia nodded and laughed a little sheepishly, but enjoyed the story. Silly songs rarely failed! Though she guessed with Towhee it depended a little more. Part of the silly always tended to be the exaggerated tone and the way it was sung. Maia wondered, for the first time, what it must be like to not be able to experience that. Was it terrible?

Oh boy, Maia jokingly replied, as if preparing herself. She was obviously pleased at the idea, though. She was glad Wraen was still up for a song, even if it wasn't the one Maia'd started in with.

She listened, then paused, thinking.

Between making strange friends,
and insisting they play,
And exploring countless bends,
she made her parents quite grey

Maia finished with a grin, then waited to see where Wraen would take it next.

I knew Wraen wanted to meet Kane, so I figured since this is AW, this would be a good opportunity to pop him in!

Kane had started right away to establish the borders in areas that it had weakened, and to give him something to do. It allowed him to have things on his mind temporarily pushed away so that he could focus. Kane enjoyed being able to work and not be disturbed by circling thoughts, but occasionally it happened anyway. Voices in the distance told him that he wasn't alone as he continued on his walk. A smirk lifted to his lips as the first voice he recognized, but the second he did not. Kane hoped that he wouldn't surprise Maia and make her uncomfortable, given how anxious she was the first time they met. 

"Good day, ladies." Kane said with a bow, remembering the lady Maia told her about as Wraen. Kane visibly recognized her status and issued the respect and submission required. "Sounds like you're having fun with poetry?" he asked, eyes glancing to and from each of them.

"It's all nice, but our parents were already grey, you know," Wraen pointed out. And they had been that way, even when she and her two partners in crime had been small. If there was any truth about turning gray quicker with small kids around, then some other little rascals had done plenty of harm long before either of her parents had decided to have children of their own. Continuing that thought... they should have been awarded medals for even attempting. 

She was about to give a poetic addition of her own, when an unfamiliar man joined them. Friendly and with easy manners, but Wraen shot a questioning glance at Maia, wondering, who this charmer was. If she had been introduced to him, then she had probably forgotten. "Well, you have come just in time," she told him with a sly grin. "Because in Brecheliant every recruit has to prove their worth not only in routine tasks, but creativity too. Are you brave enough to venture the path of poetry?" 

Maia shrugged and chuckled when Wraen pointed out that their parents had already been grey before she was born. True! I like to think I helped in spirit, she joked, though she knew one hundred percent she was giving herself too much credit doing so. And luckily you're the only one around here to tell on me. She stuck her tongue out lightly, but was surprised mid-expression by Kane approaching.

Oh, hey! Hi! Maia straightened and her smile grew, tail waving welcomingly. Wraen, this is Kane! Kane, my sister Wraen. They... might have already met, but it didn't look like it from the look her sister had shot her. Did he like poetry? Oh please say yes. We finished on a small Maia, I guess not literally, turning my parents 'quite grey' by wandering off and bugging strangers. You choose what happened next?

Did she encounter someone in particular? Oooh, maybe a childhood heart throb to make her reminisce on a cold night alone. She almost started laughing at the thought; she couldn't help it, it was too dramatically funny for her.

(I'll need to get retitled for the pack. I didn't realize I dropped off. Oops.)

Kane dipped his head in greeting when the others recognized him, or at the very least Maia did. "Hello, Wraen. Nice to meet you." Kane took a seat next to the girls as he thought about how he could add to the poem. Kane had interest in poetry for quite some time, though it had been a while since he practiced. "I suppose I could give it a go."

Kane was silent for a few moments, allowing the words to collect in his mind. 

"As silent and swift as the night owl flies,
Maia runs swiftly through the trees,
To find the truth behind the lies,
In which ones heart love does seize.

From princely manners to romantic charm,
The facets of a man does change,
Her exotic lover protects her from harm,
Through an energetic exchange.

She knows not who, knows not where,
This mystery lover shall be,
But once she knows, and then love grows,
It's surely a wonderful affair."

It wasn't the best poem he's ever thought of on the spot, but it wasn't the worst. Kane felt most certainly that he was out of practice. Kane let out a shrug at the end of his poem. Hopefully the girls like it and it showed some skill. Kane did take pride with being successful at something when he was offered a challenge.

Wraen had not expected Kane to agree, even less that he would come up with something exceptional. Both she and Maia were here for fun and some silliness, not an actual poetry. But after the first verse the cheeky grin on her face was wiped and away and she stared at the man in surprise and awe. Though she might have argued that some verses lacked the fluid-music-like quality, this was by far the best piece she had heard of. Especially, when created on the spot and without any previous preparations.

"Well, Maia... I think that you have a lot of questions to answer now? Who is this exotic lover of yours - for starters?" she chuckled, because Eljay was many things, but exotic was not among them. "And where did you stash him?" she laughed, then looked back at the packmate. "You are quite a bard here - a first one I have met in my life, in fact," she praised.

Oh wow, he was some kind of secret word spinner! Maia grinned as Wraen joked about exotic husbands, though she felt a bit of a self-conscious stir. This guy was cute, and Maia had a habit of wondering... but she was married, and that wasn't anything she would think about seriously now. Luckily Eljay couldn't read minds.

I didn't know you were a poet! Where did you learn? She was more than prepared to start pumping him for information. She and Wraen had been practicing in fun lately, but he had apparently picked up the skill somewhere else entirely.

if we want we can wrap this <3

Wraen joined in and listened to, whatever Kane revealed about the source of his gift in poetry telling. After that they spent some more time refining and polishing the poem (though with her and Maia's additions they were less Shakespearian more like patchwork blanket, where pieces of expensive silk are interwoven with towel cloth material) and left each to their own home.