Redtail Rise who want the smoke? who want the fade?

it had been a while since she'd seen pearl. the sight of lucette and lafayette on the shore, still and quiet, had so disturbed chani that she'd fled for a while — after pressing close and staying long enough to see that they'd live.
perturbed and out of sorts, she turned inland, deciding to visit the quiet girl who had been so nice before. a call rose for @Moon Runner, and chani was struck with the idea that she had a friend after all, a friend who wasn't sobeille or any of her companions. her own friend.

Moon Runner was surprised to hear her name on the wind! At first, she didn’t recognize Dry Creek’s voice.

She loped to the borders, curious. It was a welcome distraction from the commotion and tragedy of Dragonspine and the Rise.

Her thin, sickly figure did not match the bright spark in Moon Runner’s amber eyes when she saw Dry Creek. Her tail waved loosely – a warm welcome.

something was — wrong. pearl didn't look well, which provoked a wary bristle from the seagirl. yet she came along all the same, reaching to touch their noses together, to try and figure out what ailed her friend.
"has every'tin' been okay here?" chani asked, knowing no words would come, but also understanding that pearl's expressive nature would say all she needed to know.

The yearling could see the piloerection of Dry Creek’s red cape. How she balked at the sight of Moon Runner. The concern in her rust-colored gaze. Yet, these things did not change the course of the Sapphiquian’s approach.

Moon Runner met her friend with a gentle touch on the shoulder. Her ears cast backwards, half mast, and her head sunk to evoke a sense of hardship. So many details would have been more easily explained with words, but the emotion was all the same: sickness, injury, loss, grief, sadness.

Perhaps most disturbing was the absence of Sister and Tall Shadow.

Moon Runner looked toward Nova Peak and sighed.

Dry Creek's friendly presence was comforting.

sea-girl followed the line of pearl's weighted gaze to the peak, brushing her pelt assuringly against that of her friend. "i met masque. we talked about dragonspine formin' dere on de mountain." 
but surely the departure of an older wolf was not the sole reason pearl was upset. it struck her that mulherin hadn't answered at all, and she looked toward nova again. 
"are you hungry? i could hunt for us," chani offered, feeling a bit perturbed by the unsurety. she'd caught the scent of pups vaguely on pearl's coat and smiled now. "i got four baby siblin's dis year! dey be wearin' you out, oui?"

The touch of Dry Creek’s fur made Moon Runner realized that she was lonely.

The spirit contemplated this as the pair regarded Nova Peak. Dry Creek had a wistful expression. It alluded to some kind of connection…. which wouldn’t be unexpected, considering the proximity of Blood Spot’s pack to the ocean.

Her attention seemed to turn and Moon Runner was happy for the break. She began to pant in a relaxed and casual way, enjoying her friend’s company in silent conversation.

It made Moon Runner’s spirit wonder what kind of position Dry Creek held. Was she Trēow too? Likewise, Moon Runner gleaned the scent of Dry Creek’s family from her pelt. Maybe they were both elder sisters to the year’s new young.

She turned and sniffed the ground, looking back at Dry Creek as if asking her to follow.

pearl led. chani followed, happy to spice the quiet with her own voice. "t'ere names be shadess, jadou, lucette, an' lafayette. the last two be twins! an' auntie chacal, she had four: cherie, jean-heron, elosie, an' roux."
so many! the rise piqued chani's interest enough to fall silent; her ears quivered and her nostrils drank in the hopping tracks of rabbits, the step of ruminants, the spoor so different from that of the creatures she ate in sapphique.

Moon Runner quite enjoyed the sounds Dry Creek made and though she couldn’t understand or comprehend… she listened all the same in quiet companionship.

The blunt end of her muzzle hovered above the mossy loam as they traveled together, criss-crossing tracks of animals in the deep wood.

Then… a songbird flew overhead and Moon Runner changed course.

A discovery of easy prey! The kind that didn't run. Plump lowbush blueberries, not yet picked by the birds, basked in the sun at the edge of a marshy glen.

Had the salt wolf ever tasted a berry? the spirit wondered.

Moon Runner plucked a few from their boughs and ate them in delight.

in silence they trailed this scent and then another, chani glancing up at the passing bird. she tried to see if it had flown inland from the sea, but her attention was regained by pearl.
the other girl had stopped near berrybranches hung with glistening fruit. her eyes widened at the play of color on the pretty skins, and she watched carefully as her friend consumed more than one with gusto.
chani stared at the nearest outstretched limb, then plucked a single berry. tasted, swallowed. "ooh!" she exclaimed, tail waving at the burst of sour-sweet.
she filled her mouth with more.

A bright expression painted Moon Runner’s face when Dry Creek savored the unique flavor of the late summer berry. The Rise, and the territory near it, was full of treasures. It made the spirit ponder… what gifts did Dry Creek’s salt-land hold?

The moment helped Moon Runner forget about the hard times she and she pack had recently endured… surely, when the day came for Moon Runner to look back upon this summer, she would only remember the sun-warmed sweet taste and the company of friends.

She ate her fill. Then, Moon Runner continued on and led Dry Creek, once again, along the hunters path.