Ravensblood Forest the swirling stream of what is and what was

>___>   the length...  this thread gave me so many feels lol

Quickly, the family was upon them. First came the lithesome spirit of Chusi, whose shining heart was most welcome. Chusi’s voice was a beacon, and though Olive remained stationary she felt her soul go forth and greet Chusi affectionately. The young woman spoke kindly, yet uneasily; for Chusi could not hide her bleeding heart, despite her training as a warrior. As Chusi scrutinized them, Olive felt her body flood with the lightness of hearth and home. She was home, she was safe. They were safe and now nothing bad would ever happen again.

Arturo was not far behind his daughter and immediately the tranquility of home was squandered.  The baleful silhouette of Ceannasach materialized between the trees; a dark harbinger of realities that Olive had not longed to face. As always, Arturo’s silence spoke volumes and Dakarai spun their tale for him; painted a picture of the amalgous wonders and horrors the past month had held. The pale woman gritted her teeth and turned her head to the side, pinching her eyes closed in consternation. She looking away from her family, not wishing to see their disapproval written plain on their features as they reacted to her dark knight’s star-crossed account. It was then, hidden amongst her own burdens and thoughts, Olive felt an emotion that rarely [if ever] entangled her tenacious psyche. Shame. 

It was shame was simmered in her gut as she was forced to relive the best and worst thing that had ever happened to her. What had started as the most blissful of times nearly ended her and Olive died a thousand deaths, forced to lay witness to everything she had ever wanted be pulled from her grasp at the whims of some karmic chaotic theory. The universe gave what it wanted and took what it wanted and paid no mind to the wreckage left in its wake; but now Olive wholly knew her capacity to hurt and because of that, the pale seraph knew that nothing could ever hurt that badly again. 

Now she was truly fearless. 

But she could still feel their scrutiny when Dakarai spoke loudly of her madcap dash into Blackfeather Woods; for it seemed rather crazy now, didn’t it? But it hadn’t even been a choice, for Olive would have done anything to get her husband back. Yes, Dakarai had always been there but he seemed so… far away. Few wolves loved like she and Dakarai loved and every waking moment with him had been but the tiniest piece of heaven. Those moments had stopped after their fated hunt. Those magical moments had seemed so far away. To feel so much and then to have it so deadened…  the lamb would have done anything to get it back.  But Chusi, Arturo, Lotte, even Dakarai didn’t know. They would never know. They would never understand. They couldn’t understand. She wished they wouldn’t ever understand such pain.

The family was right to be angry, though — and Arturo made good points, too. The duo had been gone for long; too long, and during one of the worst winters she had ever experienced. Olive had only just been titled Poílin. She nurtured life within her and even though it was a beautiful thing, the stress and drain her children would place upon the family would be great. Her and Dakarai were wounded [Dakarai greatly] and would need time to heal. Then, of course, there was a clear scent trail leading from the stygian forests to the family’s doorstep… Yes, Olive often mused that it would have been much easier to have just never come home than it was to answer for these types of things.  

At Arturo’s news, Olive’s eye widened and shone brightly, falling upon the sooty shewolf at his side: Lotte. So, Olive’s was not the only litter to be born that spring! The pale sylph, somewhat strengthened by Lotte’s strong feminine energies, managed to feel happiness for Arturo though his intention was clear. With two litters on the way, the pressure was on. There was much at stake.

The woman parted her lips, softly speaking her peace. “Oh, Arturo” She did not seek penance of forgiveness [for there was none to be had from the stern Ceannasach], but simply wanted understanding. “It was awful.” she drew a deep breath. “But where death nearly took hold, life now abounds.” Olive nodded knowingly towards the singed Lotte, hoping to demonstrate that they were there was a definite solidarity between the members of the family. They would work together, recruit, expand Teaghlaigh’s reaches until they were certain to support every single child born under their rule. That was just the way it had to be; there was no way around it.

Lotte had gone off, and it was easy to see that further traveling to the riverside stretches of their territory  displeased her. She so wanted her stone grotto, her neat line of dried flowers, crystals and stone trinkets. So wanted the dark dankness of the mossy forest, so similar to the forest where Dakarai convalesced. But Olive and her mate could desperately use the touch of a healer — and if this young woman was truly her new queen, then who was she to refuse? “Riverside?”  she suggested to Arturo and Chusi, hoping they would accompany her and Dakarai to Lotte’s rendez-vous spot. There was much to discuss.