Noctisardor Bypass lost in the labyrinth

Druid woke before daybreak to fish the waters of the lagoon. By sunup, she had procured three fat fish. She placed two into a cache then snatched up the third and trotted toward the stretch of trees colloquially known as Dawnleaf. She didn’t want to pester anyone this early in the morning, so she sat down to a solitary breakfast.

No sooner had she finished eating and buried her odorous scraps than Druid’s stomach revolted. Every bit of breakfast splashed on the ground at her feet, plus a little bit of last night’s supper too. Some instinct told her to recover the nutrients by eating the regurgitated meat but she began loping toward the nearest water source instead: Brookblind.

Tags for visibility: @Ava Amara @Dinah @Glaukos @Heda @John

it was difficult for heda to pick out exactly how far along her sister was, but when she found the cooling vomitus on the ground, she made a small noise of concern and followed druid's sharper trail toward brookblind.
"it's not getting worse is it?" she asked, wanting to help druid wash her paws and chin at least once they'd reached the water. "your nausea, i mean." it suddenly struck her that for all their ages, it was only her sister's first time being pregnant. she felt quite older thereafter, a matron in comparison, and busied herself fussing over druid, just a bit. "mahler always had some medicine or another. there's nothing left there now, but i — he had a tree where he stashed some things too. he said rosehips for a sour belly once."

She reached the water’s edge, resting a black paw on the thin ice to break it up before she dipped down to drink. Over the sound of her tongue lapping water, she detected soft footsteps behind her. Druid raised her head, jowls dripping as she turned to regard her sister.

I’m okay, she said, smiling as Heda fussed over her. Don’t worry about me. Her smile fell a little at the mention of Mahler, although she rallied and agreed, We should use it again, gather whatever medical supplies we can. But not for me—for Ava and anyone else who’ll really need it.

Druid eased onto her haunches and brought up a foreleg to wipe at some cold water clinging to her chin. Despite herself, she wondered if they could even find rosehips this time of year. It wasn’t the ideal season to collect herbs, though there were at least a few things they might find and store.

How’s everyone settling in? I caught you some breakfast. I left it in a stock near the lagoon, if we want to make our way there.

"you're just as important as anyone else, and you're pregnant. let me take care of you too a little." it was not a plead, and she would not press after. "it will take some time for them to settle. i — we went so many places after their father died that i don't know if dinah trusts it."
she took a breath. "breakfast sounds good. in a few days, a man named etienne is going to visit. he was taking care of ava while we were in the mountains. i believe he's the reason she's alive. he's a skilled healer. maybe he can tell us where some stuff can be found during winter." a sense of purpose was unfolding, tentative as it was. hesitant as it was.

Sure, Druid agreed, shooting Heda a sheepish glance. I’m not used to anyone looking after me. But I let Glaukos do it, so the least I can do is let my own sister do it too, she acknowledged with a lopsided smile.

She climbed back onto her feet, motioning silently for Heda to begin walking as she talked. Druid listened to every word, brow furrowed in thought. The talk of Etienne reminded her of the man she’d brought with her: John.

I’m so glad he helped Ava, Druid said. Give me a description and I’ll let Glaukos know to keep an eye out for him. I’ll do the same myself, of course. I look forward to meeting with him.

Their paws carried them past the bend of another rivulet, toward the bare treetops of the woods called—ironically, perhaps, in the course of this conversation—The Pharmacy. They walked alongside the water, which would eventually wind to the south, guiding them to the lagoon.

Do you remember Bracelet? Druid asked suddenly, breaking the brief, companionable silence.

pleased that druid relented, heda was pleased when her sister brought up the snake she had once kept as a pet. "i do. i remember i was so thrilled and a little jealous." 
she figured the snake had simply left one day, but heda couldn't remember. her memories of this place were so foggy with the anger she'd felt that it was bittersweet not to recall.
she looked back at druid, a little smile on her mouth. it was hesitant, but finally she just came right out: "our kids are going to be siblings." and cousins! but in this context it made more sense to call them brothers and sisters. 
a little nervous to see druid's reaction to the fact that heda had seen glaukos before she left, she glanced away, trying to make the forest fit to memory.

You named her, Druid recalled fondly, lips pulling into a smile that was a little wistful. When I ran away from everything, she was the only thing I had left of Rivenwood. I kept her with me until that winter. Neither one of us had any choice. She needed to hibernate and I couldn’t stay. I tried going back for her later but it wasn’t until the next summer. She was gone. She paused before finally getting to the point. I was thinking of naming a child after her.

But Bracelet was a silly name for a snake, much less a wolf! She was about to tell her sister about the alias she’d adopted in memory of the beloved snake. Basilisk was a strong name, wasn’t it? But before she could, Heda chimed in and said their children would be siblings.

Druid stopped in her tracks. She hadn’t pressed Glaukos about it, nor had she planned to pry with Heda. But her whole face lit up when she put the pieces together. She reached to sling her black forelegs around the other woman’s neck, a happy laugh bursting out of her mouth.

it came back to her; heda closed her eyes and allowed the memory to wash over her as druid spoke. in the excitement that ensued next, she felt her heart give a true and golden leap, and held her sister more tightly. "you should. i think bracelet would like that. and i would too."
heda was afraid to hope, and after allowing herself that little warmth, she became a pragmatic survivalist once more, turning thoughtfully toward the entrance to the bypass.
"i have to — i have to go back to the sea, once we're settled. just me. i have to look for my sons, and for ana. i — i need as many of them as i can find." but her voice was weak, wavering as she said it; pregnant and alone, how could she go? they'd not come with her. malakai had refused.
a shaking breath rose in her throat. "maybe — i hate to wait till spring, but —" and now hadn't she just dashed the moment? "i just — i want them to be with the rest of our family."

They drew apart, Druid reveling that their children would be siblings in both blood and spirit. Then Heda spoke in a lower pitch, her words causing a small furrow to appear in the gray she-wolf’s brow. Of course, Druid understood Heda’s desire to reunite with her children and she would neither discourage nor fault her.

You don’t have to go alone, she pointed out gently. What about John?

What about John? Druid still wanted to learn more about the man who’d come with her sister’s family. She would ask Heda first, then of course seek him out herself at the first opportunity.

You don’t have to wait, she added thoughtfully after a moment. I think it would be safer for you to go sooner rather than later, if you’re carrying pups. Glaukos and I can look after your girls. It’ll be good practice for us.

she hung her head; shook it once. "i couldn't impose on him at all, you know. i — he's been so loyal to me just jerking everyone back and forth. he needs to rest too. and —"
now it was her own brow's turn to furrow;
"i don't think dinah is ready to trust anyone else. not just yet. i — we've had a hard time being apart. she's — she doesn't do well."
so that left her here, for now, unless dinah accompanied her, and heda didn't want that. a sigh escaped her mouth. "i'm just glad we have a stable place to stay now, one that doesn't move around so much."

Heda shook her head. Druid said nothing, patiently listening as her sister explained. She nibbled at the inside of her cheek, already casting about for solutions to this quandary that didn’t necessitate her pregnant sister venturing off all by herself.

For now, it could wait. Druid pressed her shoulder into Heda’s paler one, leaning into her gently before pulling away. She resumed walking, the pair of she-wolves finally arriving at the lagoon. With a wave of her tail, Druid strode toward the cache and procured the two remaining fish.

Here, take these, she said, nosing the catches toward Heda. If this isn’t enough, I can bring by some more. She paused, pondering whether it was safe to assume her sister’s family liked fish. Or Glaukos and I can hunt up something else later today.

"no, this is all right, druid," heda murmured, thinking about how little appetite she had these days. now that she was presented with food, now that it was available, her stomach cramped just in consideration.
"do you think you'll learn medicine? should i?" heda wondered aloud, looking from the fish back to druid. she wanted to be useful, even as she knew so much of her intentions to work were designed to keep her mind occupied.

I already know a little, Druid replied to her sister’s astute question, expression growing thoughtful, and I think Glaukos does too. I think all of us could stand to learn some more. Perhaps someone like this Etienne could mentor us. Or we could always try to find a healer to recruit, she posited, gray head canted.

But for now, it was time for Heda to feed her young. And Druid wanted to do a quick patrol and maybe catch a catnap underneath The Giant’s boughs. Her stomach wasn’t bothering her but the lost meal had her feeling a little weak. Some rest would do a body good.

heda nodded. it was something for another time. though quite a lot of it had passed, it felt like she was attuning to her sister once more, almost as if they had not been parted.
"i'll take these to the girls," she said of the fish. "tell me if your nausea gets worse. i'll look around or go find that healer sooner rather than later."
a kiss to druid's cheek, a smile, and the red-striped woman was picking up the cached offerings and heading back toward dawnleaf.