The Sunspire sister datura

it was upon this highest mountain that he had found her, and it was back to this place where muskrat stood now with @Hex, though she still was unknowing of the name he had given himself.

pride had made her silent; resisting regret had drained her spirit. but hunger was sharp and vital in the warrior. "where is your camp?" her voice was pitched low beneath the hum of insects. "and what i call you, yana cuchillo?"

they did not need to speak of akavir. but they would begin this life with no secrets, and this was before she hunted with him.

Frankly, he was a bit stunned. He hadn't expected his gambit to work. He'd gone down the mountain to scenes of her refusing outright, or, once his father had arrived, the two coming to blows over the woman. To have her here. . .

But the sense of pleasure at his success was much tempered by Akavir's news of sickness. The fear he'd lived with for so many moons, now, had been tucked tightly away in the back of his mind. Now, it rested at the forefront.

He walked with the woman through the gentler parts of the ridge, the tree-lined glades that cut verdant paths through stone.

I am Hex, he told her, gold eyes glinting in the leaf-dappled sunlight as he glanced her way. He wondered what she'd called him, just now—a query, perhaps, for later. And we're almost there. I don't know what to call you, though.

hex. muskrat took some moments to cut fresh black cohosh from the base of an old pine, packing a bolus of the plant against her gumline, swelling one cheek.

once more she fell into step with him beneath the dappled shadows, steps light. "muskrat is best word for my name." not a mistranslation, per se; an ease to have no other voices ever call her what cloud singer once had.

stone paths were crossed with dozens of thin game trails. she sniffed at these as the land grew richer, the rock walls slanting impressively above them.

Before she answered, the woman stopped to gather something from the tree, filling her mouth with the stuff. He stared but didn't stop, waiting until he'd caught her name before speaking again.

What's that you have? Hex asked, raising his brows. We're just about to the rendezvous spot, by the way.

When sheer cliff faces and rolling plains gave way to a small clump of deciduous forest, he knew they were close. The small clearing he'd found, with the mountain spring spilling from rock, made a perfect place for their home base.

There was a cave nearby that he hadn't examined yet, but he'd get to it eventually—and in the meantime, tried not to think too hard about what things, good or bad, lingered within.

almost she did not tell him, and her eyes flicked sidelong in minute suspicion. but they were both warriors, and warriors did not keep things from one another. "herb keeps body from making pups," she told him with a vaguely amused toss of her head, rolling the bolus to the other cheek.


she hoped.

citrus gaze brightened with interest and pleasure to see the place hex had claimed. cold springs fed by mountain snow drew her thirst, but the clearing with its spill of sunlight brought a purl of delight.

"alli," she muttered as muzzle fell to stalking prey-spoor. hex was fixed next in her sunflower sights. swallowing cohosh juice, muskrat asked, "you name land?" what would they call themselves, she asked herself, gleefully sprinting ahead of their conversation in her mind.

He ought to be offended that she sought to expel pups from her body, given that they might be his—but then realized they might be others', too. Akavir's, most notably. It brought a relief to him he was surprised by, and surely she knew what was best for her own body.

Thus, he responded to her answer with a simple nod.

Shadows, Hex answered her. Shadows protect us, keep us safe from harm. The more shadows, the better.

The two of them were cloaked in such dim light, the leaves leaving dappled patterns upon their coats. He still could not believe she was here, but was growing accustomed to the reality.

Shadow Ridge, he murmured, the barest of smiles touching his muzzle.

what had seemed too bright a luster before now revealed itself as shadowed sun. mica-glow in some places, dappled to cloud the lines of her body. hex himself breathed in and out of these darknesses, muskrat saw with delight.

"shadow ridge." she trailed into the shade nearer the boles standing around them, and traced a black crawl of lichen along its rough surface. "llanthuq'asa."

shifting, serpent's eyes in this delicious new gloom.

Tell me about your language, Hex replied, intrigued. I'm not familiar with the words. Where do you come from?

They entered the rendezvous, and he sat in the center of it, feeling disbelief and relief settle down upon him like a mother's embrace. He felt safe here. The only other place he'd found this sensation was in Agrippa's arms.

It was meant to be.

Hex sighed gently, eyelids sagging slightly as he relaxed.

muskrat watched him relax in the gloom. "hot water. long water. thick trees. place of shining lizards. place of panther teeth. hidden, deep in swamp."

her eyes glistened with reminiscence. she did not allow the sorrow to surface.

"women rule. men listen. are war chiefs, leaders. but women, old women; they have most power. our words are very old, hex," and she slipped into a quiet thoughtfulness, waiting for him to ask more.

Most of what she said didn't register much with him, though it fascinated the young man nonetheless. He listened with slightly-bated breath, and cocked his head slightly at the description of the gender hierarchy.

So you're used to being in charge, Hex replied, his tone serious. I can listen.

He had listened most of his life; it was the role he felt most comfortable falling into.

Want a drink? he asked, abruptly changing the subject. He made a beeline toward the spring-rock, toward that glittering spray of water from the mountain. There's fresh water nearby.

now that did make her laugh. "mother clan matron. make choices for many. for all. wanted me to follow." muskrat shook her head. "i warrior, not matron." but here; she flung a small hard paw toward the gathered shadows. "we do it together, hm? no matrons."

no grandmothers.

the mention of water pleased muskrat, who tried to urge hex into a race, right up to its glimmering surface. it was far colder than she might have liked, but it did not stop the swamp panther from charging into its frigid embrace, dipping her head beneath and surfacing with a cry of exhilaration.

i just realized i blended a spring fountain i described on shadow mountain onto porcupine ridge lol - but there can be another near our rendezvous

Together.

He really, really liked the idea of that. He had no history of leadership, and he was happy to hear out alternative ideas. Muskrat was giving him those different notions already.

Drink up, Hex said, pitching his voice above the flow of water. I like the idea of doing it together. I'll definitely need your help.

He stood back, catching the spray upon his cheeks and closing his eyes against it. 

Together, he reiterated, smiling.

works for me!

"tanta," muskrat murmured, holding hex's eyes as she flicked water from her chin. "together." a smile bloomed in her gaze for a moment, just a singular hiccup in time where the sardonic delight fell away to —

perhaps there was not a word for it.

she was off in the next, coursing, inviting him into a run that tested their stamina against the rolling land and its sharp clifflines.