Broken Antler Fen I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet

After her brief conversation with Teya and Bridget, Ibis had meant to stop by the den shared by the pair of lovebirds (and new parents, which was exciting!), eager enough to meet the new additions to Brecheliant while also introducing the idea of Eljay as the new Auspex; but she had to stop at her own den first, as she had left her children for about an hour on their own. They had been sleeping — and when she checked on them, they slumbered still.

A deep breath, a sigh; Ibis wanted them to hurry up and grow, at the same time she wished they would stay the same, unchanging, so that she could always be there to look after them. No harm would come to her children this time; she was hopeful of that, although not naïve enough to trust in that hope indefinitely.

She checked in with them carefully, not wanting to wake them. There was a small mess around @Roswell and Ibis hastened to clean him up, feeling guilty that she had not been present, wondering how long he had been sleeping in his own waste. Once he had been tidied up and carefully arranged with the other two children, Ibis removed herself again.

She paced outside of the den. It was nice to have time to herself, even if it felt wrong to take it. Her mind wandered to the strangeness of Teya and Bridget, the absence of Wraen, and then to @Akavir, who had been living on the outskirts of Brecheliant lately. He had lingered among them but kept his distance too, and Ibis knew someday she would have to face him again.

By the time she decided to head over to Maia's den to meet her children, the time had slipped away from Ibis. She found her way by following Eljay's scent; at some point it met up with that of the other Ravens, and as Ibis crossed by freshly tilled earth she did not think much of it; perhaps they had thought to discuss things with Eljay too, taking initiative — she had yet to realize the truth beneath the patch of dirt.

She was, as always, preoccupied.

And as she came upon the new mother's den, she found it unguarded. There was a weight to the air that Ibis found concerning, as it reminded her of familiar grief, and at once she was hurrying to inspect the area. Had something gone wrong with the birth? Where was @Eljay? Ibis was not about to invade the other woman's sanctuary without an invitation, so she crooned a soft note to @Maia and took a few steps back, settling against the grass to wait.

There were many things that could have gone wrong, but Ibis was oblivious to all the changes taking place within Brecheliant.