Blackfeather Woods & i've been sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool for a while now

a pained look briefly crosses her features at the confirmation yet all she responds back with is a heavily mustered nod. she does not wish to make the nona feel any worse considering how difficult a decision it already was and yet still she struggles to hide such prominent feelings. how she wished she could rediscover the somber faced mindset she'd once maintained so well, to slip into such an aloof state sounded incredibly appealing and yet no, she seemed cursed to feel the extremity of every inch of each emotion her mind shot at her. "diaspora.." she echoes, tucking the name safely within her mind. at least they didn't plan to depart to the sea or the lands of snow, they would be close and that..was something at least. unless their plans to track herds stole them away again, she swallows. no, surely the prey would return itself right? she would like to believe so, find confidence in the natural cycle of the earth but nothing that had led to the prey's initial disappearance had been natural, had it? never had she seen the earth in such uproar before and a soft sigh slips forth into the chilled air.

a smile as weak as the winter light peeking behind heavy, ashen clouds curls along her jaws at the younger woman's words. part of her is urged to disagree, insist she had done nothing to hold the forest lucky to have been in her presence yet weary as she was she simply opts to murmur; "likewise, maegi. thank you." 

it is then that they both focus on blackfeather's youth as the boy looks back with a surprisingly fiery expression. brows raise at his statement and she casts a sidelong glance at maegi. shit, had she come and rubbed on an open wound? she hesitates, at a bit of a loss for words as dark eyes run across the boy until finally her head shakes, a sad smile gracing tired features. "rowan...the woods will do okay they don't need to be protected. it is the wolves that do, it is hard to leave your home i know but you're brave- i believe wholly in your ability to make a home for yourself wherever you go." a bit hypocritical considering her own displeasure at the wolves of blackfeather not residing in blackfeather but she also knew her thoughts were wrong, he had to know that home was more than a place, right? gosh was she in any position to lecture at all. shrugging, she murmurs "no one can force you to leave but i think you should be careful not to go with your gut instinct, things like this you really need to think about" she blinks and looks back to the scarred nona, unsure if she wanted to add anything or if they'd been over this already.