Dragoncrest Cliffs but come, dear companions

erzulie was not certain when to name chacal. she was not sure of the proper steps. and she could not rely upon rosalyn now to tell her. she must decide herself.
but not this hour.
sobo searched. she called to him, voice trailing, and then she searched for @Loko, two-toned eyes resplendent with determination.

She kept busy, between spending time with Njord, seeking out the rest of her pack mates and getting to know the lay of the land. But that didn’t stop Meerkat from missing the glacier, the connections and memories she’d made there. Sometimes it stopped her in its tracks, the grief of it. She didn’t regret where life had taken her, yet sometimes she still needed to mourn a little.

Erzulie’s voice drew Meerkat out of one such funk. It sounded like she was calling for her sons. She also sounded close by. The Granite did a sweep with her eyes, spotting the captain and deciding to walk over to say “hi,” at the very least, and maybe make conversation until the Obsidian located her kids.

Hi, Meerkat said upon approach, her posture suited to greet her leader.

erzulie looked warmly at meerkat. "bonjour, cherie," she said, deciding for a moment to only exist from moment to moment. the younger woman looked as though she had been settling easily into the pack. njord's welcome and their own was what erzulie wished to credit.
"when it be warmer, perhaps we will go for a swim," she suggested, not wanting to subject meerkat to the harshness of the winter sea in which she still rushed headlong every season. "how are you feeling?"

She didn’t know what the greeting meant, yet it dripped with familiarity and fondness. There was a warmth in her face when she suggested a swim—when it was warmer, of course. This earned a nod and a cheeky smile, though it was tempered a little by Erzulie’s sincere query.

I’m feeling pretty good. It wasn’t easy, leaving the glacier, but it was worth it. I’m just trying to make a point of meeting everyone. On that note, did you need some help looking for your kids?

Mentioning the children reminded her of Njord’s role in their life. Meerkat tried to dwell less on the fact that he’d been intimate with this woman than the reality of how much those children meant to him, even if he wasn’t in a traditional paternal role. Out of everyone in the pack, she most wanted to meet and get to know them.

"an admirable pursuit." she chuckled and fell into step with meerkat, shaking her head slightly. and then erzulie paused, tilting her muzzle. "yes. let us go an' look for loko. he is often fishing regardless of de weat'er. he takes after me dis way," she said, thinking proudly of her rangy reddish son.
the thought of children reminded her that njord and meerkat might bring forth their own brood. it was a bittersweet thought.
"it is hard to be a young woman striking off on your own. i am glad you chose sapphique. it be very clear to me dat njord adores you."

She appreciated the approval of her endeavor and met Erzulie’s remark with a grateful bob of her head. A moment later, they were moving off to locate Loko, who could likely be found at some waterside or another, just like his mother. Something about the maternal pride in the Obsidian’s voice made Meerkat wonder if she would have any more litters. Who would sire them? But it wasn’t her place to make such personal inquiries.

The comment about Njord made her flush with pleasant heat. I adore him right back, she said a little dumbly, then laughed at herself. Thank you, that really means a lot. On the topic of kids, I know we’re both hoping to be parents. He mentioned he has your blessing. I’d love the opportunity to earn it myself too.

Her heart fluttered a little in her breast, her belly tightening with some mixture of anticipation and anxiety. She wondered, was that too forward? What would Erzulie make of her words?

erzulie felt many things at meerkat's words, but jealousy was not among them. njord had told her of his heart's desire, and how it had hurt him to only be sire to her children. this idea in turn reminded her of the tall man she had entwined with before returning to sappique.
perhaps even now new life grew within her.
erzulie was not sure it was a good thing, not with rosalyn wandering in her own mind.
"njord has de blessing of de pack. so will you, meerkat. i ask dat you get to know sobo and' loko, coraline. mireille. dey have only known him as their da. dey know we are de mot'ers, but i am not sure how dey will react when njord be a father again."
it was a steep ask. erzulie must have faith that the woman their tourmaline had chosen would be a good fit.

Erzulie asked her to get to know the litter sired by Njord last year. She smiled at such a pleasant task. She already intended to get to know them better, partly because of their kinship with their sire, but also because she still desired to be a coach. And she really was on a mission to not just meet but properly get to know everyone who called Sapphique home.

Her smile faltered a little at the Obsidian’s words of caution. Every wolf was an individual, including the youngest among them. It stood to reason the youths might have various opinions about Njord and even herself. She already knew this, though now she had to wonder if any of them had expressed concerns to their mothers already.

It was and wasn’t her business, so Meerkat tried to think of a way to ask tactfully. I look forward to getting to know them. I’m a coach by trade, so I’m hoping they’ll look to me as a potential mentor, if they need one. The Duskfire pups had embraced her, but would it be the same here? If you have any tips about how best to approach any of them, I’m all ears. I’d love to be their coach and their friend, but I’ll respect whatever they want me to be to them.

meerkat was charming, erzulie decided. "loko be daring. impress him wid somet'ing physical. coraline is sweet. she be standin' off to herself a lot of de time but she has many t'oughts of her own. mireille can be defensive. lately she be stayin' close to rosalyn an' i. she an' sobo, can hardly find one wit'out de ot'er."
a pause.
"sobo will be de hardes' to convince. he loves njord. i t'ink perhaps he needs his da more den he wants to admit." the two-toned eyes alit on the girl. she would have her work cut out for her.

She took careful mental notes as Erzulie offered advice about each of the children. She ended on Sobo, mentioning that he would likely present the greatest challenge. The stated reason gave Meerkat some pause. She didn’t want to infringe on Njord’s relationship with the kids in any way, though she realized it might seem otherwise to them.

Thank you, Erzulie, I’ll definitely keep all of that in mind, Meerkat said sincerely, glancing ahead toward the telltale scintillation of water, wondering if they might be about to come upon the boy, Loko.

erzulie smiled and passed on, searching for loko. when he did not want to be found he simply would make himself undiscoverable. he blended easily into salt and sea and sand. she felt that her sons were the paragon of the man she wished to reside in sapphique. their futures were not denied.
but thus far all besides two of her daughters had dispersed. the children not yet flown from the nest might still choose to do so. 
she led meerkat down toward the beach and sighed in delight. "if you live here long enough, de cold will cease to bot'er you."

There was no sign of Loko, though Meerkat didn’t think much of it. It sometimes took a lot of effort to pinpoint a single wolf’s location in a large territory. And anyway, Erzulie didn’t seem particularly concerned either. Her search seemed casual and Meerkat took her cues from that.

They found themselves at the beach and the Obsidian’s earlier words echoed in her mind. “When it be warmer, perhaps we will go for a swim.” Had she changed her mind? Was she thinking of getting in the water? Meerkat remembered splashing into the waves with Njord not so long ago.

I plan to live here a very long time, she said by way of answer, then smiled a little as she added, I lived on a glacier these past six months. I bet I can handle some cold water. She wasn’t actually sure she could, though she didn’t want to disappoint Erzulie. Here was a chance, perhaps, to further earn her keep and the Obsidian’s respect.

erzulie chuffed out a laugh. "dat be so?" she asked, turning to regard meerkat for a resting, true moment. her eyes were not mocking; in the next she invited the girl toward the lapping waves. "i make a habit to enter de water in every season. in winter i do not stray beyond where i can feel de bottom wid my feet."
this last was said with a more solemn look. "de water be heavier in de cold. it can take you away in one draw."
with that the seawife moved into the shallows and beyond without a wince, only a low breath.
"did you know a wolf named wintersbane?" she asked conversationally as the waters lapped toward her shoulders. green-gold eyes moved to look for meerkat now.

The look Erzulie gave her, followed by her words of wisdom (and warning) made her realize she might be too cavalier about getting in the water. She dipped her head to acknowledge this.

Duly noted, she said, dipping her own toes in the frothy shallows. Wow, that’s… definitely refreshing, Meerkat yelped with a laugh.

Her expression sobered at the Obsidian’s question. Yes, I did. He was the Alpha when I joined Duskfire Glacier; he accepted me. I didn’t know him well but I coached his kids. Losing him was hard on everyone, she said, hoping his death wasn’t news to Erzulie. You knew him?

erzulie blinked. "yes."
"he tried to take over de pack rosalyn an' i led before. de challenges were allowed in rusalka. men fought men. men hung onto what dey could not defend. an' one day we grew tired of it. we put an' end to it. an' we moved here to become sapphique. wintersbane was de las'. i have no grudge against him an' i do not be rejoicin' to hear his end."
she coursed back to meerkat and allowed the waves to strongly rush along her legs. the obsidian flexed her paws against the stone beneath. "i am sorry you lost him. it sounds as though he became a better man when he left de coas'line."
was it harsh to speak so of a man she had barely known? erzulie felt that such sentiment endured in sapphique. better that meerkat knew it now.

Meerkat was so busy staring at Erzulie in surprise, an icy wave rocked against her legs, nearly sweeping her feet out from underneath her. Ears still pricked attentively toward the Obsidian, she navigated to a slightly shallower area of the surf, otherwise riveted by this information.

I had no idea, she said truthfully, passively admiring the way Erzulie effortlessly flowed with the tide. I only really had the one conversation with him, to be honest. She had never really gotten the measure of the man. He brought some really great kids into the world, though.

She missed them quite a bit, Veteran especially. Her fondness showed on her face as Meerkat swirled her paws in the seawater and hummed under her breath. It was her experiences with the Duskfire pups that made her hopeful she could foster similarly rewarding relationships with the young wolves of Sapphique.

By the way, I didn’t mean to hijack your search for your son, she thought to say a moment later, just in case Erzulie wanted to stop idling here and resume her search for Loko.

erzulie's mouth warmed once more. "dey are good children. wild. but settled in a way i did not always see in my older ones." she nodded toward meerkat's retreat, approving that the girl had seen fit to know her limits.
it was respectful of the ocean.
"if dis pack held you for even a time, meerkat, den he chose to leave a better legacy den he would have made taking over a resentful pack."
erzulie turned and moved deeper into the water, kicking in practiced strokes. "oh, loko be aroun'. challenging himself to somet'in' physical, i imagine." did all men and boys train for imaginary wars?

Meerkat didn’t say anything for a moment. There didn’t seem to be any urgency to Erzulie’s search for Loko, so she pushed aside any worry about that. She kind of wanted to go find Njord, yet she would absolutely not squander this opportunity to get to know the Obsidian better, and vice versa.

Speaking of kids, how many do you and Rosalyn have altogether? Meerkat found herself wondering, hoping Erzulie didn’t mind the relatively personal question.

"fifteen." she counted raleska. her teeth glimmered in a smile. "of t'ose, ten were bir'ted by us." she padded forward and shook the sea from her coat. "i will tell you all t'ere names, if you like?"
she would spend the next hand of time speaking with meerkat, and perhaps show her how to paw urchins from their stony beds, and clamshells from their sandy nests.