Ouroboros Spine Finding my purpose

Minnow had been trying to keep herself busy since the departure of her friend and she did really miss him as well as her aunt so when she had been offered the opportunity to travel she jumped at it and she was excited to tell her brother. She wanted to help others and the female loved to learn new things and she was a quick one to learn as well so she lifted her head and gave a soft howl that would hopefully reach her brothers ears so that they may speak about it.

@Valiant

Valiant was never far from Minnow, lately. Even when they were not actively in each other's presence, he hovered anxiously in listening distance. Part of him was still terrified she would soon disappear.

It was a relief when she called for him. He dropped what he was doing and sought her out, glad to have an excuse to have her where he could see her and reassure himself she was alive. Even he knew this was unhealthy and unsustainable — but he didn't know how to break the habit.

"Hey, Minnie," he said, pretending like he hadn't been loosely tailing her ever since they arrived. "How're you settling in?"

He answered her call rather quickly and she was happy to see him. Her tail swayed slowly as she listened. “Hi!” She was excited and she wasn’t able to hide it. “I’m settling great it’s so nice here.” She was more happy to be here with her family than anything else. “I was actually invited to travel with Kukutux to learn medicine. They’re going to Hearthwood.” Although she was happy her voice dropped as she spoke. That pack had made their home in theirs, and the memories of her young life pained her to talk about but she knew she had to move past it.

It was a relief when she didn't immediately call him out, and it sounded like she was pleased with the pack this far. Valiant was glad, as it had become special to him very quickly. But she proved his worries were not entirely unfounded with her next words.

"To travel," he repeated, his ears ringing. He blinked, shaking away that cool trickle of dread as if it were water. "That's — she'd be real good to learn from."

And Minnow would be a good healer.

Valiant still didn't want her to go.

"Whereabouts is that?" he asked, a forced nonchalance belying the anxiety he felt over the matter.

She could sense that her brother wasn’t too fond of the idea but she didn’t say anything about that.”Yes only for a while and my friend..” she denatured above with her muzzle to the raven circling above her. “…would keep you updated on my whereabouts.” 

What he said next made her heart sink a little and memories come back slowly but she pushed them away for now. “It’s… home… they are in the lands where we were born.” And where everything fell apart, but the woman knew that this trip would also give her some sort of closure as well and she knew she had to do it.

Valiant gazed dubiously at the bird, having never communicated with one himself. But maybe it was — what was Dutch always talking about? Maybe it was women's magic.

That didn't make him any less inclined to be skeptical of the creature.

These worries fled his mind as soon as she revealed her true destination. The willows. Valiant had gone back a few years ago, and truly, that had been enough for him. The smell of roses still made him feel faintly sick, if he let himself think too much about it. He had been toying until then with the idea that he might accompany Minnow on this trip, as a guard if nothing else. But he didn't want to see the willows again, and he thought that this was something Minnow might like a little privacy for.

Mostly, he took it as another sign. He couldn't hold on so tight it strangled her.

"Are you gonna be okay with that?" he asked, his voice soft to keep the conversation private.

She pondered his question around in her head and to be honest she wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about the whole situation. The woman hadn’t been back to her birth lands since the death of her mother and she didn’t know how she would feel going back. “I have to be. I have many unresolved feeling about that place and I feel it necessary to get over them in order to heal.” She wished that he could come with her but she would not ask this of him. His feeling in the place she would talk about in time.

As much as Valiant wanted to be part of every step of that healing process — maybe it was time to take a tiny step back. She'd fended for herself just fine until now, and she wouldn't suddenly become helpless just because they'd found each other again.

Besides — he'd seen all he needed to see of the willows. Minnow deserved to walk through them in peace, without the dark cloud he would bring into the picture.

"I'll be here waitin' for you," he said, forcing a wag of his tail. "You'll be safe? Keep close to Miss Moonwoman 'n all?"

Her heart felt happy with being able to travel and this time knowing exactly where her family was. She gave her brother a loving nudge of reassurance. “I promise not to stray far this time.” 

Like many times as a kid she wasn’t able to keep that promise but she wasn’t gonna let her brother get lost from her again. They were all each other had blood family wise. “I’ll come back.” 

Valiant sighed but accepted her nuzzle, eventually moving closer to bump his head against her shoulder. So much had happened in the willows — he didn't know what he'd do if they took another family member from him.

"I'll hold you to that," he murmured, but of course, he knew as well as she did that these were promises they couldn't really make. He would try to scrounge up a smile before he saw her off, but for the moment, he couldn't help the pinch of worry in his eyes.

Her brother returned her embrace and she knew it would be hard for the both of them. They were all each other had left now and she knew that. “I have to go prepare but promise once I return you’ll be the first I seek out.” Not that she knew any other wolves of the pack yet but she’d hope to change that in the months to come.

short posts while I get caught up!

This did little to reassure Valiant. Fate cared nothing for promises, after all. But he did his best to take comfort in her intentions, and in the strength of her resolve.

"I'll be right here," he replied, finally offering a wan little smile. "Be careful out there. But — have fun."

If she could, returning to such a place...

She was happy that her brother was so understanding. Even though they had just found each other he seemed happy for her to be going on this trip. She nudged her brother softly. “I will see you when I return.” This was certain to the woman no matter what happens in this trip, they would see each other again. “Stay safe. Perhaps this trip will be a good thing for me.” Oh how she would be right. If there was nothing left to be said she would depart and go gathering herbs and food for the journey.

Valiant nodded in agreement and gave her one last nuzzle of affection — he hoped she was right.