Wild Berry Meadow dig that hole, forget the sun

again, @Titmouse is around somewhere and welcome to join if you have time, JB! @Flicker, too, depending on what she decides to do!

She saw it, like a storm cloud on the horizon. The dark line of trees stark against the pale sky and frosted ground. It sent emotion after varied emotion through her, joy followed by fear followed by joy again. She hadn't even been that long away, but Maegi felt like she hadn't seen Blackfeather Woods in seasons.

For now, her alabaster form blended well against the meadow, blanketed in snow. Only her gray socks gave her away, and even that was no matter when she plowed through the deeper drifts. She leaped over the small rises, laughing like a child again. Playing in the snow was the only thing distracting her from how incredibly nervous she was to be here again.

But at least she was not alone. There was that. She had been lucky enough to return to the Woods with company after every trip away. She knew it would be much worse if she didn't have friendship and loyalty on and at her side.

@Ramsay

Leaving the island wasn't as hard this time, but it still pained him to think of Seelie and Moorhen going on with their days minus his presence. He'd just started to feel normal again; like he belonged somewhere and was part of a family, when Maegi returned to him. They'd left, like he had agreed, but thoughts of the island plagued him as they traveled. He didn't bring it up in conversation as they went along - didn't say much at all, really, which was usually fine. Silence had never been a burden between the two ghosts before.

Then they found the forest's edge. It seemed to rise from the chilled mists of winter as if summoned, and Titmouse glanced to Maegi as if to confirm it wasn't just a mirage. She was staring raptly at their old home - then, running, laughing. It wasn't a sound he'd heard often but it made him feel lighter, a little better about their abrupt departure from Undersea. He watched her all but vanish in the snow, then picked up her trail and followed diligently after.

After falling off the cliff—luckily, not a far drop—and recovering from it, albeit with a pair of broken ribs courtesy of his bighorn friend, Ramsay left the mountains. Being a solitary creature, he did everything possible to hide outward signs of his injury, but in order to manage it, he had to move at a more leisurely pace than he was used to. Despite all his best efforts, there was even more rigidity to his movements than was typical for him, for certain movements strained his ribcage more than the average wolf and the pain sometimes made him falter.

It was several days before he made his way back to ground level and located the dark forest looming in the foothills. He always knew he'd be back here, one way or another. Ramsay hadn't intended it to be like this, him injured and seeking a safe place to properly recover without worrying about all the other dangers vagabonds faced, but life made her own decisions. He could do nothing but follow along. He wondered what Kove would think of him now, having been gone so long and returning with neither Cicero or Euron accounted for. He supposed he would tackle it when he got there.

Ramsay padded slowly across the meadow, composing himself and rearranging his posture half a dozen times until he could stride almost unimpeded. That's when he heard the laughter and stopped, drawing himself up to his full unimpressive height and lifting his head as much as his stunted body would allow. The pull of his muscles made him grimace. Two wolves were frolicking in the snow, or... well, one was and the other was just drifting along in her wake. Ramsay wouldn't recognize Titmouse—they'd only met once and he had been a young child, and Titmouse's fur had been more grey then—but something about the other wolf made him stop short and watch them silently, trying to place it.

It couldn't be...

Maegi forged ahead but kept mind of Mou the whole time; she didn't want to lose him out here, and so close to the end of their journey. One ear was constantly turned back toward his pawsteps, the other cupped ahead. Her eyes were fixed on the trees—that is, until a shadow in the corner of her vision caught her attention, and her head swiveled to stare there instead.

Something about the shadow was. . .off. Like almost fine, but not. Something out of a nightmare. Hunched over—

Hunched.

Breath hitching in her chest, Maegi quit her bounding and carried on toward it—him, right?!—with the most powerful strides her hobbled gait could manage. Her teeth were set in her lip, and in her haste, she had even lost momentary track of Mou. For there were only two wolves that eclipsed Mou, in her mind, and one of them was within shouting distance. . .

Ramsay, she called out, more a declaration than a question—for who else but him had that ghastly, crooked silhouette?

Flicker trailed around somewhere behind Mou. Begrudgingly, she'd add. She didn't talk much, kept herself to herself unless spoken to.
This was going to take forever, this escapade to the woods. She huffed often, quietly enough so the scarred pair didn't notice. Mou was interesting, spoke funny. She could've ended like him, voice broken.
She was lucky not to.
If it weren't for Yakone.

The woman often missed her late mate, he'd kept some semblance of morality planted in her; it'd manifested itself as her thought of what was right and wrong. She supposed if one wolf is killed it was right for vengeance.
At least it was something, not mindless killing like Meztli wanted, eh? 

Whatever. She didn't think of it much.
A hunched, deformed shape that spoke a wrongness trundled towards them. Maegi had seen and called out a name.
Ramsey.
Her brows furrowed, stepping forward to close up the ranks should this macabre seeming thing turn into something that would try to instigate death upon the trio.

When the pair of them paused, looked out at the distant forest that had once been their home, there was a moment of peace. Quiet reflection. Maybe even sorrow. Titmouse could remember everything he had been put through - some of it foggy, but still present - and he wasn't sure about how he felt when he saw those dark trees standing tall just beyond them. He didn't notice the encroaching figure behind them (Flicker) until he felt something shift in the snow near his flank, and he turned sharply to meet it. Upon noticing the woman, he felt his fur bristle with uncertainty. However before he could do anything he heard Maegi speak - and this drew him away from any immediate dangers behind them.

He looked to where she was staring and saw the malformed silhouette of some kind of creature; he didn't recognize it as a wolf initially, it was too blunt, like a piece was missing. He edged his way closer to Maegi just in case she needed him to intervene, but he would wait for her reaction before he did anything - always, eternally, her's to command.

Ah, there it was. Somwhere in his bones, Ramsay knew exactly who that wolf was even without any confirmation, but when Maegi turned in his direction, he noticed her clubbed foot even before she called his name. And even if not for that, there was a strong enough pull to his siblings that in pitch blackness, Ramsay would still recognize them.

His walk turned into a pained lope that carried him closer, close enough that he could say, hello, Maegi, in his characteristically quiet voice and newfound formal manner. There was a deep fondness there reserved for his family—not the useless lumps of flesh that shared his surname, but his true family, Cicero and Euron and Maegi—but it seemed just a little clipped at the end, like he hadn't totally forgotten that she chose a bunch of trees over her own brothers. But he was very glad to see her even if he seemed a little distant; his stub of a tail switched back and forth to show it.

It didn't help the way the two wolves behind her loomed forward, not totally threatening in body language, but their display was enough for him to pitch his ears sharply forward and set his jaw into a grimace as he looked between them, one scarred and light and missing an eye, the other red and cream and seeming a bit more tense. Though his eyes remained on those two, wary of their intentions, he spoke once more to Maegi: how are you?

He asked because of Iliksis, of course. Had he found her? Ramsay hoped not.

She let her breath out in a shuddering gasp when he greeted her by name; every muscle ached to embrace him, but she held steady. The last time they had been together in this neck of the woods, she had chosen Blackfeather over her brothers. It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce the tension still between them, cold and thick in the air. Things were different. They always would be, thanks to her.

Maegi watched his gaze shift between herself and Mou and Flicker, and she cast glances back to her traveling companions. He's not an enemy, she said shortly, hoping that was still the case. Then she turned back to Ramsay, ears swiveling in uncertainty as he gave his inquiry.

I'm. . . Alive. Here. She shook her head just slightly, staring at him with amazement. It's been so long, she said softly, uncharacteristically overwhelmed. She felt the sting of hot tears on the edges of her eyelids and closed them tight for a moment, shutting the emotion away. For now.

Are you back? Maegi asked. She dipped her head toward the treeline. Are you back to stay?

Flicker watched, one ear tilted to the scarred boy. Her jaw tightened, watching with a stoic expression. 
Maegi was happy -- overjoyed even. Him though, he looked as if he'd just had to spit out rancid meat. 
Her gaze narrowed slightly, her tail curled slightly and raised level with her hips. She didn't care if she was staring, he should be happy to see his sister.
Mor. The things she'd do to find her.

Flickers gaze tailed to the inclination of Maegi's head -- Blackfeather. Her gut twisted at the thought of going back, it wasn't the same. She didn't belong there. Her gaze turned back to the siblings, murmuring under her breath, only Mou could probably hear, "how delightful," as she again regarded the hunched male.

There was a tension in the air, but he couldn't tell if it came from the stranger or from Flicker, or from the collective as a whole; they were all tired from the long road to this place. It seemed to Titmouse that this might be a private moment between the two - Maegi and the dark wolf - but he wasn't ready to give her that space yet; even if she commanded he stand down (as she did) Tit was apprehensive. He twisted an ear when he heard Flicker's murmuring voice, finding that he agreed with the subdued sentiment.

Well, her companions remained on guard behind her, but Ramsay put them from his mind for now. Maegi wouldn't allow them to do him any harm and whatever impressions they had of him—fair ones, surely, for he was positively monstrous to behold—he had no inclination to harm them either. So he focused on his dear sister instead, remaining steadfast as emotion flooded her, but allowing a soft smile as he replied, far too long, indeed.

She asked if he would stay, and he knew his answer. He'd come down from the mountains prepared to join up with his old comrades for his own safety, and that desire was solidified by Maegi's presence here. He'd let her go once before, choosing Cicero's path and ending up waylaid from his heritage as a result. He didn't fault their father for this, but Ramsay sometimes regretted the decision, and so he would face no further regrets.

Mmm, yes, I suppose I am, he said, pressing forward to touch her cheek with his nose, if she would allow him. It's good to see you, Maegi. I'm glad you're well. Tell me, he went on as he turned toward the dark woods, passing a cursory glance over Titmouse and Flicker once more, who controls the woods now? I was told Vaati was beat by a challenger. So he assumed also that Ithrik was its ruler now.

Her heart felt like it was about to explode, and the sensation only grew as he touched her cheek. He was real, he was here. The instant before his touch was always when she had woken up from dreams in a panic but—she hadn't woken up. She stood before him; he stood before her. And Blackfeather Woods was within reach.

And then her joy ebbed, slightly, as she realized the emptiness in her soul was only half-filled, now. She looked over his stunted form, searching. . . Euron? Maegi asked in a whisper, afraid to hear the answer.

Ramsay was staying, though, and then he was asking about the woods, and then, oh, Vaati. The challenger. She racked her brain, trying to piece together the history as well as she could. A long story. . .and not a simple answer, either. Her lips drew tight in a frown.

No one, according to Flicker, she responded, glancing back at the cream-pelted woman before turning back to her brother. After Vaati left, Kove took over as Dark Master, and Relmyna as Listener. That went on for a while. But then Relmyna died, and Kove left, and everyone else, too. The woods are pretty much empty. She stared at Ramsay, carefully gauging his reaction to all of this.

Flicker knew of no Vaati. Was he too Melonii? She half wondered if he’d be the next person she’d be sent to find. He didn’t sound like too much of a problem if he was beaten in combat; although he still hailed from Blackfeather. She wouldn’t underestimate him. 

Euron. He wasn’t he; wasn’t he Maegi’s other brother? Flicker frowned. Wolves often died and seeing the trio were separated, it was likely Euron was dead. Good, she supposed. Perhaps Maegi would want to be around her family more — her blood family. 

She nodded curtly as she was gestured to, confirming the fact. She swallowed. They’d be wanting to settle there, it seemed.

Titmouse had nothing to contribute to the conversation, besides it wasn't his place to do so. Yet when the wolves spoke the name of one of his assailants, he could not help the grimace which formed upon his face - Vaati. The ghost had suffered because of him. Thinking of the horrid creature reminded Tit of the trio of sisters that seemed to always be on that man's heel; his expression darkens, and he must step away from the gathering to compose himself.

He is well, I think, Ramsay confirmed. We parted ways to pursue different training paths. Euron stayed with a group of sneak-thieves, I moved on. Everyone gathered would observe that Ramsay wasn't exactly an inconspicuous wolf. That life wasn't for him, though he had learned a few things from the guild before leaving. He could walk quietly now when he couldn't before. But infiltrating and stealing information? Yeah, not with that recognizable silhouette.

He glanced at Flicker as if to confirm what Maegi said, then looked to the woods beyond. Relmyna dead, Kove gone... it seemed impossible, but there was no movement in the shadows of the trees that he could discern, and the strong pack scent that once wafted from the place was absent on the breeze. Melancholy made its home in his breast, but also relief—he'd feared that he would be turned away from the borders of his birthplace for his long absence, necessary though he thought it, but now it seemed he had a free pass.

Would be nice to acquaint myself with home again, even for just a few days, he mused. Is that why you and your friends are here?

She smiled a little, despite her sadness that Euron wasn't here. Sneak-thieves. Nothing suited her sly, furtive brother more. And then, at the query, she nodded, glancing back to Mou in particular. Flicker she wasn't sure about, simply because of their conversation about Damien.

But she had to assume, based on their history, that the woman would stay, too. Despite the complications.

We're going home to stay, Maegi said firmly, returning her gaze to Ramsay. I'm not leaving the woods again. Nothing but bad things have happened to me when I do. It's the daedra telling me I should have stayed put, she joked weakly. I don't know how it will all work out, but I'll find a way. We'll find a way.

Flicker almost huffed and sighed. She wanted to get this over with but now they were going to stay?
She watched on blankly, knowing there was no use in protesting -- especially not here and now. Maegi had made it clear they'd go to the Woods. She wouldn't interject, it'd be too obvious her blatant disagreement with staying.

She glanced to Mou, wondering what was up with him. Her lips formed a tighter line, her gaze turning back to the siblings. One light, one dark. Both pure Melonii. Powerful in some ways yet not in others.

She swallowed thickly, ridding herself of emotion -- pushing it down into the pit of her stomach. She had to do something soon. Sooner rather than later. This would happen too quickly though, she knew. She waited, watching the group and everything around until they decided to move on again.