Hushed Willows world enough, and time

✹☾❂

 

Eleuthera had been a busy little shewolf lately. She had become introduced to Kincaid, had given a small part of her heart to him that night, only to be sent off on a mission (with a little espionage on the side) the very next day. Though the entire thing had been ultimately enjoyable (despite the circumstances), she was pleased to be back home amongst her willows and spent several days sleeping and supping and resting in the dappled summer sunlight, the tendrils of the willow branches blowing in the dull breeze and tracing abstract designed into her lilac fur. She barely spoke to anyone, except Lumiya and Orlaith to share her findings, before becoming the ultimate recluse.

However, things were still quite on edge with so many Court wolves flying off to deliver a call to arms and so many others coming to (or simply breaching) their borders. When there was another call at the edge of the forest, Eleuthera tipped her head lazily to scry whatever she could from it — albeit exhausted, she still felt very much involved — but she was surprised to hear it was not only a summons, but a song! The crooning voice drifted over the tops of the willows and came to settle in the velvet lining of her ashen ears, calling for her, specifically! 

Eleuthera did not have to guess too hard who it was. Kincaid had said that he would come to call on her, and she did not take the cowboy for a liar. She had been so so busy and driven with purpose this past week, but many times her mind drifted back to Kincaid and memories of the night they spent entangled in the other’s arms. That’s all she chalked it up to: memories of an innocent affection and bolstering of her spirit that she oh-so-needed. She was a creature meant to be admired and cherished, and under his ministrations, the woman had come back to something closer to life. Eleuthera smiled to herself, checked her reflection in one of several streams that crossed the woods, and eagerly went to greet the man.

She saw him before he saw her; his image, a rusty red presence, flickering in and out of view as the lively willows sought to conceal him. The woman could not help but beam, wondering if this was her reward for having done a good job for Seelie Court. Eleuthera did not stay hidden for long — no, not when he was so close that she could easily reach out and touch him. She strode forward, beaming, obviously very pleased to see him and to hear his song. “Oh, rambler,” she greeted him softly, breath lost to the rush, stopping with several yards still left between them. “ You came all this way? "