Lost Creek Hollow no hard feelings

It had been a few days since she'd arrived at the Hollow. Ibis had adjusted as best she could but for the past few hours she'd been pining for home - for @Okeanos the most, who was still all the way back at Elysium. She tried to distract herself after a while by investigating the clover field that had become her bed. Ibis nosed around in the greenery until the bright scent of new flowers caught in her nose, and she followed that smell until she was led some ways away — to a patch of blooming something. The flowers weren't familiar at all, but they were very pretty. She set about carefully plucking them from where they grew (not realizing that they weren't really an appreciable thing, being some sort of weed).

Once she'd gathered a good pile, she looked down at her collection and smiled - then began to hum a tune. Unable to help herself, Ibis began to arrange her flower pile in to groups of longest to shortest, then biggest bloom to smallest, changing her mind often, and soon the hum became a little song:

Love me or leave me, make your choice but believe me — it carried the same cadence as the song she had been humming, and soon enough she was prancing around her piled flowers, putting on a show for the rows and rows of buds. I love you - I do, I do, I do, I do, I dooo! Cue pirouette, small kick, and she pranced the other way; Ibis was so involved in her little moment of contentment that she'd forgotten where she was. I can't con-ceal it, don't you see, can't you feel it? Don't you toooOo— and with a hitch to her young voice, she lost the tune for a moment.

When she looked down, Ibis saw that her carefully laid-out flowers had become a mess of broken petals, because she'd inadvertently danced all over them. So she did what any reasonable young girl would do in that situation - she sat down with a little gasp, and quietly wept.

He heard singing, and with a small smile he moved to investigate, liking the tune and the way it sounded. She had a pretty voice.

When he reached the source, she'd stopped and seemed to be crying. First, he was upset that she was upset, and second, he was upset the song had ended. What was wrong?

He was never very good with what to say when someone was crying, but if the music had made him feel better, maybe starting it up again would help her too. He came out from his spot in the trees and smiled, then gave a low hum, one of the bars of her own tune. He didn't know the words, but the melody was in his mind now.

The girl fawned over her pile of ruined flowers for a few moments, adjusting them tenderly, inspecting some of the scattered petals with a watery sniff. When she heard her tune being hummed softly behind her she was startled, and spun to look for whoever had commandeered her song; they had to have been watching the whole performance, she realized. Ibis was temporarily distracted from her sad feelings as a warmth rushed through her - embarrassment, which deepened when she recognized Gannet.

He was drifting closer. Ibis swallowed the weight of her earlier emotion and blinked at him, hoping her tears wouldn't be too obvious - alas, as soon as she could see him clearly, her eyes misted over again. 

I broke them, she explained meekly, and pranced a step away from her collection so he could see. Sniffling despite her efforts to control herself, Ibis then mentions, They were pretty, and now they're... gone.

The singing didn't seem to help, so he stopped as he got closer and switched to listening. The flowers she pointed out were broken and littered on the ground. She was upset about that?

They are pretty, he responded, tilting his head to look at them. Sure they were broken, but the colors were still vibrant and the smell was still there. Were flowers less pretty when they weren't whole?

See? He took a paw and ran it across, shuffling the petals. Then used it to scoop up a few and toss them into the air, watching with a smile as they floated lazily down. Still pretty, definitely.

He was right. As soon as the bits and pieces were tossed up, they came floating down like little blooms of color; it was like snow, but far prettier in her view. Some of the petals touched upon the crown of her head, and one large piece landed squarely on her nose. She giggled; the sadness seemed to lift, until — AaAaACHoOOo!

The petal flew up again, flipping and falling, spreading bits of pollen that were clinging to the still-attached pistil. Ibis didn't want to sneeze again but as soon as the debris touched her nose, she felt a second sneeze building up. Her eyes squeezed shut just in time for another booming, CHOO! And she was left sniffling, glassy-eyed, and a little bit dazed.

He got her to smile again, which was really the only goal he was going for. He did make her sneeze, however, so points for and against?

Sorry, he said, still smiling and stopping in the tossing. It was pretty rain! But still plants and maybe not everyone's cup of tea. See? Not ruined. Nothing was ever really ruined though. Things could be changed and they could be lost but it was impossible to ruin something completely in his opinion.

He was right, but she couldn't reach that conclusion yet. A few spasms wracked her as she sneezed again, and again, until she hit the double-digits and finally forced herself to take a deep breath. If she could've turned purple from that, she would've. Ibis held her breath and then slowly let it whooosh out of her with a quiet hum, at which point the sneezes seemed to stop.

There were bits and pieces of flower petals, stems, pistils, and a whack of pollen, all over her creamy coat. She shook off after inspecting herself and most of the pollen rose off of her like a cloud; she made sure to lift her nose away, letting the debris settle to the woodland around them, and then sighed deeply.

I didn't know I could sneeze that much! She proclaimed with surprise (and even a little bit of glee). Her tears were gone, and she was looking at the flower bits scattered around the pair of them in awe.

Me... oh, oh no. Gannet's face squinted, and then he too let out a couple hearty sneezes. - either. He finished, with a nearly silent laugh. Characteristically, when he laughed, there was the motion of laughter but the sound got caught somewhere.

More are coming. It's almost spring. he added, looking down at the petals about. Winter's done. It wasn't the best of conversation starters but it was more he thought than he'd given before. He wanted to make friends, and get to know who she was, but as usual he didn't know the questions to ask.

He sneezed a few times too, and together they tooted their noses among the trees, sounding more and more like geese than wolves; but it was fun, if a bit disorienting. He was fun, if a bit disorienting — a thought that made her smile. Ibis' nose wiggled a little and she tried to breathe through it, sniffling a lot, and listened to him blunder through some words that didn't make much sense together. Had his sneezes been so powerful that he'd gotten confused? Maybe. She tried to understand what he was getting at in regard to spring and sneezes but wasn't experienced with the seasons yet, so she didn't know what he was trying to tell her.

Whatever. She kept on smiling, as if she were wearing a customer service face. I liked winter! It was really pretty, and it smelled so clean. It was a little bit too cold for me, though. I'm -- well, I'm little, so I had to huddle with my brother to stay warm. Thinking of those days made her feel funny inside; happy at the memory, but guilty too, because Okeanos wasn't here.

In his description Gannet had forgotten a pretty important distinction - that he was referring to flowers. Luckily Ibis was a sweetheart who didn't call him out and instead rolled with it, leaving him to be glad he'd started the conversation.

I like it, but I like spring too. Everything is new. He was happy to be here for it, but he imagined it would mark the start of more travels for him. He enjoyed roaming far too much to remain pinioned here long. You have brothers too? Mine are gone somewhere, but I see them sometimes. He'd enjoyed his travels with Whip a good deal and hoped someday to at least run across him again.

She smiled as he spoke of his love for spring, although she couldn't help the fluttering shift of her expression when he continued the topic of brothers. Ibis was proud of her little family and desperately loved her brother Okeanos, but it occurred to her the longer they talked about family that — well, to be blunt — she'd utterly abandoned them. Okeanos included.

—I see them sometimes. Gannet was saying, and suddenly Ibis felt a weight in her chest. A strong sense of guilt enveloped her little heart and, forever living with her emotions exposed, it played across her face as a small frown and a slight glimmer to her eyes. I just have Okee. Um, my brother Okeanos. Ibis' good cheer seemed to be walled off suddenly, as she sobered up with her guilt.

He's my best friend — but he's still with mum in.. In Elysium.

He sensed from her body language and tone that something wasn't right when she shared her brother's name, but he didn't quite understand what. Likely she missed him? I need to visit Elysium. We could go? He said, his tail waving. He still hadn't checked in again for any teaching they may have to offer. If you wanted to visit. Maybe he was mistaken and she didn't miss him.

Gannet had never felt much guilt over leaving his family behind, so he couldn't very well understand what she was thinking right now. But he knew he always enjoyed visiting away friends, even if they sometimes didn't answer. Hydra came to mind and his ear flicked uncertainly. Another time maybe.

While the girl's initial response to the offer was one of immense glee, she couldn't help but temper this too with her guilt. She desperately wanted to go home and see her family — to talk to Okeanos again, cuddle with her mothers, maybe even see Lily and all the puppies she'd likely pooped out by now. But she had left them without consultation or warning, and she knew the return would be bittersweet. If only Okeanos could just be here with her; he would really enjoy all the mud puddles and pretty flowers!

We could? Ibis tweets back, sounding more surprised than she meant; she is still reeling a little bit at the idea when she blurts, I mean, I would love that — thank you Gannet. Would it be better to go... Before, or after, the babies are born? She frowns a little, not knowing much about the process that the mothers are going through. Would it be better to stay here until the kids are older (since they all needed to pitch in to help), or should they leave sooner ?

She seemed excited which made him happy!! He hadn't minded going alone but if she had reason to go, it definitely made sense to travel together. Company was always preferred.

After, he answered with a little nod. Just in case. He wasn't sure if they would be needed but it seemed safer to have the pack together for a while post-pups. I want to learn what they know and spring would be better. Later spring would have more plants and therefore more opportunity.

So, it was arranged. Gannet mentioned they should wait and Ibis nodded, not really understanding the intricacies of childbirth or the work it would require of them all, but willing to wait. Okay! Its a date, she proclaimed; it was a phrase she'd heard somewhere before but did not understand the more adult connotations of. She began to stride away from him, in a much better mood and intent on being useful to the pack until they left, and bid Gannet farewell by saying, I'm so excited! I'll introduce you to Okeanos and to my mums, and to --- well, everyone! Maybe I can find something new to bring to them? Ooooh --- with that in mind she was away, suddenly hyperfocused on the plants of the Hollow.

Lucky (or maybe unlucky?) for ibis, the date connotation also flew over his head. He nodded in agreement as she agreed, then seemed to get super excited over the things she'd show him. That was great!

She whisked off and he watched her go, then set off happily in the other direction. This trip was looking a whole lot better now.