Blackfeather Woods a turtle has made it to the water

she licked her lips curiously, staring at both strangers in wide-eyed wonder. while she was careful not to meet either gaze, she felt compelled to unabashedly study them. she did not know they were siblings - or even relatives; she had no tether to them save simply a morbid curiosity as to who they were, why they looked the way they did, and what exactly had caused the stunted ridge of the dark one's spine.

as her mother swept towards them, astara did not miss that she appeared familiar with them; feeling protected under the shadow of her mother, the girl simply continued her blank glances to both. with the familiar form of kove now arriving, astara retreated -- though she sneakily peered at the grouping often between the trees.