Hushed Willows sister of pearl

The family reunion was beautiful, as most reunions were, but there was a certain bittersweetness that lingered in her throat and simmered in her gut. Why couldn’t her babies come back to her and love her like that? Why was it that her eldest children had gone — and stayed gone? 

But this was not about her, this was about Brilliance, so Olive readjusted her focus without losing a breath. “Oh my, of course”  she whispered as she drifted forward and made use of the wiggle room that Delight allotted her, seemingly despite Mali’s wishes. Treading carefully not to impose upon the boy’s delicate sensibilities, Olive’s deft attention surveyed the starving cub. “Here, little spotted dove, let me see.”  Had this not been such an emotionally charged moment, Olive would have preferred to ask Brilliance questions about her rogue state and feel the girl’s tactile form, but no one was in the mood and Brilliance did not look in danger of perishing in this moment, or any of the next moments. 

“Let’s bring her home and have Seabreeze look at her too,”  she commented, as Olive was more midwife than medic. “But I see nothing immediately life threatening, though hunger may feel close to it.” The druid was about to move to help the child to her feet, but this was not her place — this was a place for a father and a brother to show their intuitive support. Clearly, there were things going on amongst their small family that she would not dare encroach upon [not more than she already had by uprooting them from their home, of course]. Olive was there to help carry Brilliance, if her assistance was rendered necessary.