Bearclaw Valley give back a hungrier stare

messed up af timeline; @Xan & @Indra

whatever mona had decided to do in the interim between departing tindome and meeting two dwellers of bearclaw, nathaniel had not discovered her. it was a decidedly thinner and slightly bedraggled firebird that stepped on small paws to the borders of the place where both tadec and indra lived — their scents were here, and for a moment, the girl's heart was soothed at the potential of no longer being merely herself in the wilds.
too exhausted to groom much more than the disheveled fur along her breastbone and forelegs, the mayfair set adrift a low trill for leadership, settling herself on her haunches and biting her lip to keep from dozing.

The call that was carried on the air was shocking for two reasons. Tadec knew it, and it was familiar and warm in the space of his chest. It was a call of summons for leadership, but from a wolf that was not native to their quiet little valley. Though Indra was close to giving birth, the dark crow felt it was important that he seek out the red-coated witch that had come knocking on their door. Surely, the pallid leader over their valley was busy with his own agenda. The moonlighter set out to the mouth of the swale.
 
Once his glimmering lantern eyes latched to the familiar figure, Tadec released all restraint on his limbs and began to sprint quickly toward her. “Mona! It is Tadec. You remember Tadec?” he yapped to her. His narrow muzzle was crinkled in a jovial smile that spoke vividly of how fond he was of the Mayfair child and her glittering green gaze. The tip of his tail seemed to come to life with flame and it danced and twitched about, seemingly with a mind of its own but no less excited.  

o k but can we talk rq about how pretty mona is in her tar???

Arthur had awoken and with him the albino spoke at any chance he got, asking questions and hearing stories; he had thought the bear lazy over the winter months but, now, knew that it was necessary. He was partaking in some idle chit-chat when the howl was heard, making the male excuse himself for the time being. He steered himself away from the valley’s bear and towards the entrance, where he spotted a fiery girl—he’d mistaken her for Indra at first—and the hybrid; the conversation between them went unheard, though his eyes were trained on the stranger. “Can we help you?” he asked, glancing towards his pack mate—who wasn’t too bad of a creature, he’d begrudgingly decided—and then back to the other.

somni is a master artisan omg <3 also OMG I FAILED AND DID NOT TAG YOU MARY WTF EBONY

it was not long before the man who had been with her in the glade found his way to her. dark and filled with a glow that danced across his features like some sweet spell of magicks she did not yet know, tadec greeted the mayfair. in response, mona felt her small chin begin to tremble with the unexpected swell of emotion the young heart in its scarlet encampment experienced at that moment.
without the usual hesitance that marked her well-mannered gestures, the druid-girl leant forward to seek the tip of one alert dark ear with her muzzle, a beam spreading across her lips. "of course i do, tadec!" mona trilled, and would have said more, had not the imposing form of who she felt was the valley's guardian appeared.
pale, sable-nosed, and with a direct gaze, the man was formal and the little firebird immediately offered him her deference. "y-yes," came her unsteady rejoinder; she glanced to tadec for a brief strength, searched beyond the pallid shoulder of the bearclaw alpha for indra — surely she would come? — and straightened somewhat. 
"i -- i want to join you here, please." slowly mona lifted her murkwater eyes for a careful moment, soft light lifting the emerald from their depths. and there she saw the shatterstar glow of the powerful creature's gaze, scarlet and sky-blue. the sighting of it brought the witchling's stare downward; there mona waited to see what would be made of her.

indra had been scarce of late; her fault more than any other. the children she tended preoccupied the most of her time, and what little freedom she scrounged for herself was often dedicated to tadec. she noted his absence, and thought of him fondly -- it was not unusual for the redleaf to tenderly await his visitations with a soft sort of warmth that thus far, had only been reserved for laurel.

yet it was a call that sounded, one that the redleaf knew -- and she begged @Laurel to briefly keep eye over her adoptive charges and stole for the entrance. she knew it was mona, and her steps were harried with anticipation. was she well? had she gotten married? did she finally run off, to find some happiness amidst the cheerless grey of life?

a rare smile split her somber features as she caught sight of the firebrand mayfair -- tadec was already alongside her. indra believed from his body language he might have known her -- yet it was xan's reticent posture coupled with mona's eyes to the ground that caused indra slight worry. she quickly closed the gap, long limbs reaching -- and once in appreciable distance a warmth dusted her red features as she dipped her muzzle towards mona and flanked tadec. "mona -- it's good to see you." she deferred to xan then, eyes trailing the very same spot mona had glanced moments before.

at the appearance of the russet wolfess who had been kind to her before winter ended, mona visibly relaxed. her sense of strength now flanked by two with whom she had affable acquaintance, the girl's plume flagged at her heels. the pale man had not yet answered, but her fear of how he might respond was ebbing.

PP with kuros permission but plz smack if i took too menny liberties

indra's gaze rested on xan for a moment. even after all this time, indra knew him little, and her guarded gaze seemed to convey she was unsure if he would accept mona willingly into his fold. for her own sake, and for mona's, indra hoped earnestly he would afford the fiery mayfair respite. indra had, surprisingly, found the girl's vulnerability endearing. so many wolves had cloistered themselves in thick guises, but mona had seemed bare as a freshly opened book - indra thought that like tadec, such openness was reassuring.

xan appeared to settle once it was revealed both indra and tadec knew the mayfair; indra briefly detailed their first encounter to the regal apaata - naturally, she left out mention of mona's betrothal, but finished on a positive note. she looked to tadec quietly, as if to suggest if he wanted to say anything further now would be the time -- xan had in the meantime settled back and watched the two of them with interest. thus far, it appeared mona's chance of getting in was certain.