Northstar Vale after laughter

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Just as the young stag had come into view, the wind shifted fortuitously, and Ixchel was slapped jarringly in the face by over half a dozen other wolfscents all at once. Had she descended into this God forsaken fishbowl and right into the pit of an ambush? A creeping hot tendril of paranoia snaked into her chest, and the coral-masked woman gave a sudden stiff pause, her spine prickling with unease, and her claws curling for good purchase in the earth— ready to save her own hide from any would-be assailants at the slightest show of trouble. She thought to dart away before she was noticed, but the idea came a second too late as a sleek raven— who appeared young to Ixchel even at this distance— materialized at the sterling wolf’s side and pointed her out.

They both made a slow move to intercept her, but it came without aggression. She took several steps forward herself to combat the severe anxiety welling up inside of her, but she otherwise made no further move to put herself more into danger. She let them come to her; all the while keeping her body neutral with forwardset ears that implied interest, and a slightly curved tail that acknowledged her disadvantage. The closer they came, the more she was able to tell of them— though mostly she couldn’t shake the impression of how young they were.

The tall boy was just that: a boy. Albeit a strapping and husky teenager, likely the star jock on his high school varsity team, he had a distinctly young face and fresh eyes. Eyes that had seen things, but not nearly enough of it for the deadness to set in. Which was strange because the even younger girl at his shoulder had a deadness to her face that could only come from unspeakable trauma or true apathy— of which neither appealed to the avalon midwife.

When they were close enough to speak, Ixchel found herself looking up towards the winterforest yeti, his blue eyes even, and her bewitching expression set into a phase of polite, unchallenging fearlessness. I mean no intrusion, she said steadily, honestly. I did not cross any borders, and the wind’s not been in my favor since dusk. It was dawn now, and almost ironically shedding light on her blunder. I’m not here to disturb your claim, she asserted quickly— but I am hunting for the sea.

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