Ravensblood Forest I love you, I hate you, I can't get around you

the storms of the last week had been relentless, burying any tangible scent of her daughter.

still astara pressed on, relentless in her pursuit. she knew not where avicus had gone -- it was as if she were smoke on the wind -- but true to her mother's heart, astara could not rest until avicus was found.

the roar of a river in the distance brought the blackbird forth; water was often a site of congregation for all life, and astara prowled carefully through the thicket towards it. the rush of water in her ears obscured any note of noise, but along the opposite bank astara saw a figure supping from the icewater below.

she did not immediately recognize it as nyra. the mist of the river, coupled with the distance, obscured most of nyra's features. after all, they were a long way from ursus' doorsteps, and the saints had all but disappeared from ursus' radar.

astara did not move from cover -- instead she opted to watch this thirsty beast, and see where the she-wolf headed once she'd drank her fill.