Dragoncrest Cliffs god is a shapeless hunger

Thuringwethil had started feeling better. Able to take longer walks, she still struggles with everything else. A long travel won’t do her any good and still, they have to wait. But they can make decisions now, in the meantime, and so when word comes from @Tirgatao that @Thuringwethil is ready to see them, she and @Ajatar made the trek through the redwoods and to the outside of Hougeda, where she’s technically not supposed to be. The pale heir knows where she’s going, having spent some time here already.
 
When she sees the woman, it is a shock; she is but a reflection of her former glory. Thin and angular—her fur is kempt and neat, someone (@Wildfire) is obviously taking care of her.  It is like a ghost staring at them as the three approaches. Tirgatao takes her leave when they’re close enough and Helix and Ajatar both bow their head upon their arrival. Helix offers the same to @Blixen, whom is standing next to the dark woman, but Ajatar does not change her direction to acknowledge the guard.
 
“I have called for @Dio and @Eske, too,” the woman says, a raspy voice; has it always been so harsh? It’s been so long since she’s stood in front of Heda. She isn’t the same child; instead, perhaps someone she could be proud of if she hadn’t left the others to fend for themselves.
 
“We are lucky we are no—” Thuringwethil cuts her off, licks her lips, and waits for the others to arrive.

He made one last headcount over the growing trio before he passed guard of the litter over to his wife and daughter. Hopefully his efforts to keep them busy make them easy company for a while, but he wanted to get going. As with so many summons, this is not one he intends to make wait. Times are tense.. he's aware of the more delicate matters, and the ones demanding their attention more than the rest; Heda may be making her mend, slowly but steadily thanks to time and the dutiful wolves keeping her, but it's not as simple as that in the end.

The pale wocha arrived in silence, and dipped his head and ears alike to Thuringwethil as he rumbled a low, fond greeting to her. But, businesslike as usual, he revered her appropriately before attempting to settle near Blixen, after passing her a quick nudge on the shoulder. For Helix and Ajatar, a more curt nod of greeting seems to suit him well enough; he's still getting used to their company--they're too new, especially Helix, while Ajatar is only freshly returned to them and he wonders if she is an omen for what can come.

Badly, he wanted to ask how everything--everyone-- was, but patience kept him quiet; when they're all here, they will know.

blix has been occupied -- furi bringing kiwi back to them once again sending their orbits into collision, preventing any chance the redhead might have had of being able to move on. she can't dwell on it with nomi in the condition she's in and the strange procession from trigeda. there's things she has to do -- her family and drageda are still her top priorities. 

she lingers by nomi's side as a restless guardian, greeting ajatar and helix quietly. the strangeness of her nomi's voice puts her at ill-ease -- there is news and diplomacy to be talked about, stuff she's still not particularly informed on (either because she lacks the head or hasn't got the patience to try yet). the news of a war far away feels both worrying and distant -- she was born here, she has no connection to the other gedas. they exist as cultural lore. but they are important and so she will be good and quiet and listen and support her nomi -- and dio as he shows up, offering him a small smile as he takes a seat beside her.

She’s stood before Heda many times, even before Thuringwethil become, but looking upon a thin, sickly form reveals an entirely different woman. The child to ascend at merely eight moments old isn’t the same child in front of her and though she is a ghost of her former glory, she can see their former leaders within her still and perhaps not everything is lost.
 
Dio is the first arrive and then Eske, greeting those already here, making themselves comfortable to hear what she has to say. Ajatar opens her mouth to speak first but Thuringwethil’s sharp glance gets her to shush and attention falls upon her. An ear twitches and she clears her throat.
 
“We sent a messenger here weeks ago for aid. A pack decided to move into the area and took over Maungeda,” she explains, her features grave as revisits fresh memories. “Trigeda took in those that remained and tried to reclaim the mountain with no success. When we did not hear anything from the messenger, Ajatar, my son, and I, set out for Drageda ourselves.”
 
“I see,” Thuringwethil says but falls silent, though Helix can’t tell if she’s contemplating or waiting for her to continue. The prolonged silence urges her forward.
 
“The wolves in Trigeda demand your return. Warriors if you have them.”
 
Thuringwethil takes a deep breath and Helix’s ears droop back. Drageda is not as big as she expected, with fewer warriors—what can she take with them? what can they leave behind?—but it is not the end of the world. The guidance of their head is all they ask for and she worries upon her return if she shows up emptyhanded.

Soon, they're gathered. His eyes and ears flick from wolf to wolf, settling most primarily on a volley between Helix and Thuringwethil as the details come in clearer than ever before--especially punctuated by the purpose here: to send Heda back to Trigeda. This fact, this very notion, sends tension anew into his every fiber. Why now? He's always remained dimly aware of the possibility, though banked on no necessity up until now, when it wasn't.

His mismatched eyes dart to the heda, and he clenches his teeth carefully. Again, why now?

Helix's words hung, though. Warriors if they had them. He was loathe to thin their numbers, and still churning through the possibility of their commander leaving them for some place he really only knew of through the words of others. Knee-jerk reaction did not find him all too pleased. "We have few to spare," he was firm in this; she, and those who had accompanied her, had probably seen it for themselves. While their security here stayed tight, much else would stretch them thin. When a bear they had not killed once before lurked the coastline, and winter loomed on the shortening of the days, the wocha trusted few else in these wilds.

even if she didn't know the details of this sort of thing what helix says makes her stand up straight, fixing her aunt with a startled look. yeah, theoretically heda runs all of the branches -- and theoretically that does include traveling between them -- but nomi can't just leave them. let alone the other half of that request. she looks to dio before nomi, not wanting to see confirmed in nomi's face her imminent depature (she's heda, of course she will go even if blix disagrees), nodding with him. who do they have to spare? herself, eske, artaax and hush -- if all of them were to go they'd leave dio with no backup (unless ajatar decides to remain, she supposes, but even then.)

gone is the impetuous blixen of youth who would have thrown herself into volunteering to go along with nomi. she licks her lips and actually thinks about it. going with nomi seems like the rightest choice -- she still thinks of angling for cheka, and maybe this would be a way to show nomi she's ready, and frankly the thought of nomi leaving in this condition makes her worried.

but on the other hand. drageda is her home and she is loathe to leave it -- and especially now that furi has been brought back into her life. furi had said she wasn't ready to come back, but there is an implication in that -- maybe she will be ready, and what if that happens while blixen is away? what if she misses her chance? 

she sucks in a breath, letting it out in a quiet sigh. to nomi she says, "i will go with you if you think i should," pauses, and adds slowly, "but i think i should stay."

Dio offers his take and Blixen steps up to the task. Helix turns her gaze toward the young warrior, sizing her up before her attention is drawn to Thuringwethil.
 
“No, you will stay,” she tells Blixen. Whatever the reason, Helix doesn’t like it. If they don’t have many warriors to begin with, why not send those trained and willing? She is doing her duty by stepping up. “I will return to Trigeda. I will take a few, those who are willing, but I need you here,” she says to her daughter. Exhaustion is still deep in her gaze and she returns her focus to Helix.
 
“The sooner we go, the be—”
 
“No,” Thuringwethil interrupts, setting her gaze hard—clearly, she wasn’t finished. “We will leave in a week or so. I am not ready for travel. There is no active war, that we know of, or else someone else would be on delivering the news. When @Portia thinks I am well enough, we will go. Blixen,” she pauses, turning back. “You will take the helm while I am gone. Dio will help you. And Helix,” says the woman pointedly, back to the dark warrior. “You will stay here and help protect Drageda. @Hush, @Eske, and @Ajatar will come back with me. And @Denali,” she adds as an afterthought, deciding he might be useful along the way and a chance to sort that in the meantime. To everyone’s surprise, @Ephraim will express interest later, tagging along to learn their ways as it’s meant to be and hopefully upon their return, a young warrior of Drageda.
 
Helix opens her mouth to object but a cross look from Heda causes her to snap her jaw shut and accept it, turning to Blixen, expression free of the judgment settling deep in her chest.

“Sha, Heda.”

All too suddenly, he thumbed through their ranks--their guard, his friends and packmates, and tried to rationalize their best to go, or stay, all while striking the balance for both ends--even when he didn't really like any of it. He had never once volunteered the notion of himself, not right now.. not when even a trip to Blackfeather had soured him as badly as it had. Blixen's offer stood.. and though he hated to part with her, he knew she could help. Artaax occurred to him soon after, since Robin had already gone from the cliffs to another branch (and of course he wished Sirio had ever amounted to a wolf able for contention here). Eske was a possibility, as was their faithfully silent scout Hush. Although he really did prefer they all stay here with him.

He dispelled all thought of it quickly at the Heda's words, and as it all came to be, she sorted through them and with it went her choices. Dio couldn't argue. She would take with her skilled wolves, and she would be in capable, trusted company.

Ideally she make short work of whatever exactly it was that called for her in Trigeda, war noise included, and come back to them soon. Ideally, this would not be so difficult. But Helix offered no major resistance to the idea and he watched Blixen most of all. His agreement was just a quiet, deep nod.

of course she is relieved when nomi says she should stay here; her offer had been customary, and she agrees with nomi that she belongs here, protecting their claim. her mind turns over the other potential warriors: artaax for sure, eske probably? ajatar pr

blixen, you will take the helm while i am gone.

what?

she opens her mouth as if to protest and shuts it again, visibly startled as she looks first to nomi and then to dio and helix. neither are opposed -- in fact, they are looking at her as if waiting for her to say something. she should probably say something. she clears her throat and says, "i-i understand," fumbling slightly as she -- accepts, somehow. not as though she really has a choice -- if this is what nomi asks of her then of course she shall accept and do what she can to keep drageda safe and sound, and make nomi -- heda -- proud. it is the only option for her. for drageda.

Neither wolf argues but Blixen seems surprised. Helix watches her a few scrutinizing seconds. Heda’s daughter is young but she has been trained beneath her, she’s sure, and Helix hopes it is only a surprise for her reaction. Thuringwethil had been young upon her ascension. Perhaps she has always had good faith in the young.
 
There is nothing left to say, no room for her to argue, and the woman ends the conversation there. When she is ready, the wolves will leave to help Trigeda and she’ll be left behind. She doesn’t like what has been decided but she doesn’t do anything but a stern purse of her lips and clenching of her jaw. Thuringwethil dismisses the group and awkwardly she liners a moment, but ultimately steps back to sort through everything.