Moonstone Quarry I can feel your love pull against the tide

AW but for @Kukutux especially <3 For others, this thread is intended for a trade!

Since she had arrived, Fleur had wandered, learning every crook and cranny of the Quarry. She had helped Solharr with a downed elk earlier, and her fur had been stained with its blood after an unfortunate slip. Which brought her here beside the stream.

After washing, she laid herself on the edge, casually dipping a paw in as she listened to it bubble and splash softly. It was cold and sharp, a gentle shock to keep her awake. The air here was light, carrying with it scents of greenery awakening. Soft and silky mixed with crisp and bright. She couldn’t place it, even if she tried—her amnesia had made it so.

Hope you don't mind me highjacking.

It wasn't often that Tiki left the spear or Pie. She did not want to go wandering and forget to go home again, as she was often want to do. No. Not this time. However, she had found a deep sense of wanderlust underneath her fur, itching and tightening. And had decided on a small jaunt from the mountain top.

Yellow eyes took in the sights as she loped. Occasionally the scent of a rabbit trail would lead her away from her path. But she always returned. The snap of spring was in the air and she was ready for it. She knew there would not be many babies on the  mountain unless Alaric had some. But she knew that they would grow anyway. They had too somehow. She would make it her mission to help pie. 

So lost in her own thoughts she did not realize she was no longer alone until the splash of water caused her to stop short and lift her head. Nostril flaring to catch scents.

she knew this one.

kukutux had only a hazy imprint of the woman's name; she had been young at the circle of healing, her inquiry wary and girlish about the nature of her changing figure.

quietly moonwoman wondered what had come of that carried-off knowledge.

"it is good to see your faces," came her greeting. the duck was still acquainting herself with the terrain of the dipped quarryland, and she was pleased to see tikaani, grown now quite tall compared to the child she had been. "you have started to move here then, forneskja?" asked kukutux now of the other she-wolf, wishing to affirm for herself.

Not at all Danni! ^^ Also, moved this to follow Kuku's for better continuity. It hurt my brain to leave it where it was XD

A movement caught her eye. 

Her splashing now ceased, sunset eyes turned to gaze upon the wolf that stood from her. They appeared younger than she and for that she was not entirely perturbed at their presence. If anything were to happen, she was sure a call she made would be answered swiftly.

No fear settled behind her smile, nor in the way her body moved to stand as she greeted this newcomer.

“Hi, there. Are you lost?”

No sooner had her voice died did another rise, one she knew. A distant memory, but known nonetheless. Her eyes arrived on Kukutux, carrying with it a surprised wave of the plume that was her tail.

"Kukutux--Hello! Yes, the Quarry is where Forneskja will plant its roots. It is quite charming." Her gaze had left the moonwoman, taking a moment to regard the land behind her, a fondness settling in their depths.

"Grounding. Beautiful in all its jaggedness. Warm." She would never admit that, in the moment, she wasn't exactly sure which she had been referring to all along: a what or a whom?

A swing of busy tail and she dipped her head. A soft chuckle. Naw I'm not lost. I live on the spear there. Nose turned and pointed towards the high mountain domain. Thinking of Treepie again and how she should probably head back soon so her sister didn't worry. 

A noise behind her and yellow eyes turned towards Moonwoman. She moved to the woman's side. Help if she should need. it is good to see your face also.

Then she looked to the other woman as she spoke. Ears perked forward. Listening.

moonwoman still had not recalled the other's name, an embarrassment for her. but if the somehow-stranger was part now of forneskja, then it would not be so hard to find it again. 

"it is very beautiful. i have happiness to see your steps here," the duck offered, delight shining soft upon her alasbastrine face.

"tikaani. it is good too that you are here. moonspear should see where forneskja will lay its head." moonspear might not be so moved, but as part of their alliance, all eyes must witness.

"is there anything to be done? i will give help," kukutux offered, determined in her stance.

With the knowledge of who stood before her, she smiled at the younger of the two, her eyes brightening.

"Thank goodness for that, then. It's good to know who I might run into here. Well met, Tikaani. I'm Fleurette—but please, call me Fleur."

Her gaze shifted back to the elder woman as she considered the offer. A quiet fear stirred within her—the fear of being useless if things were ever to go wrong. The need to belong, to be an essential part of the pack, was always there, rattling quietly at the back of her mind. It was the kind of itch that never truly went away, one she could never quite reach.

Until now—until a possible solution rose before her, standing here in the flesh. Or perhaps, the beginning of one.

"Well, I’m unsure what the pack would require... that’s a question for Solharr, our Hárkonungr. They lost their—" she paused, searching for the right word, "—their seiðkona. I could feel how important they were to them." Another pause as she thought of the others, remembering their faces as Solharr had broken the news to them. "I just want to support them in whatever way I can."

A breeze picked up, stirring through the Quarry and lifting her fur, as if the wind itself was pleased she would offer what she could to its newest dwellers. 

"I want to learn how to care for my people. I wish for healing paws." I wish to be useful.

The sun-kissed woman stepped closer, a quiet question shining in her eyes as she stopped before the moonwoman.

"Would you help me in this, Kukutux?"

Tiki dipped her head. Well met Fleur.  You can call me Tiki everyone does. A tilt of her head and a step back. It seemed whatever the moonwoman had spoken off. Had invoked an emotional response in the wolf in front of them. It was not a bad one. Just different. But Tiki knew well how emotions could sometimes rule you.

She let her tail thump gently against her leg as the she wolf spoke. So she was an aspiring healer. Tiki thought of Alaric then, of Kinusi, Sialuk, and yes even Moonwoman who was healer. This girl would not have any short amoung of mentors if she looked.

kukutux was pleased to be asked, and dipped her head at fleur's mention of the missing palefurred woman. "the seiðkona to forneskja village, she was my daughter. she has the name of callyope."

has, for the duck dealt in no pretense nor insistence. perhaps one day her child would return. "moonglow is friend to you."

she thought of solharr's hurting heart.

"i will teach you, and tiki, if you have the want also to learn," kukutux agreed at once, including the young one from moonspear in such.

"first, i ask what you know. is this a first day, fleur? or maybe you know — small things? some?" the duck inquired, wishing to find the limit and the potential of what she might teach.

Her daughter. Callyope. Which makes Kukutux Solharr’s mother-in-law. A soft wind brushed her cheek, a touch of recognition and reminder.

I am sorry, Kukutux. Her words were soft, but heartfelt nonetheless. To lose a child is a terrible thing no mother should endure.

But, Fleur knew well enough that life was unfair.

At the mention of Moonglow, she did smile then, her tail waiving with gentle excitement. I offer Moonglow much the same.

The wise woman’s questions bounced around in her thoughts, she pondered them as they settled. 

I’m afraid I don’t know very much, if anything at all. Ears flattened slightly, she turned away, slightly embarrassed by her admittance. I do not remember my life before a year ago, so I couldn’t truly tell you what I know. I am just certain that I am similar to a pup, learning how to walk.