Blackfeather Woods I’ll always love you

Moonshadow walked to the entrance of the den looking out and to the sky. Reflecting on her life; what she has gone through and what she had lost along the way and it saddened her. With Istoira disappeared and not that much interaction with anyone lately it saddened her greatly. She looked back and watched as her pups huddled together sound asleep (at least that’s what she thought) and smiled.

Jakoul had done her best to give all the mothers their space. Motherhood was not something she was well acquainted with and truthfully, it terrified her. Yet children grew and mothers wandered more. Which was perhaps why she did not swerve away from the form of a mother outside their den. The Merei had originally planned to deposit a slim hare into a cache but she figured it would serve best here.

It was with care that she set down the limp creature before letting out a small boof to announce her presence.

A wolf of whom she had seen but never met came in her presence with a noise. The young mother turned her body to face the female and gave a warm smile. “Hi, I don’t think we met. I’m Moonshadow.”

Her head dipped down as she rolled the hare closer to the dark mother. You. She softly spoke as she backed up from the gift. Her tail gave a few soft sways by her ankles before it settled back down. Mother? It was a soft question as she peered at the den behind Moonshadow. There was a certain anxiety that settled in the pit of her stomach at the idea of being so close to such vulnerable life.

The other female didn’t provide a name but she gave a thank you nod as she saw her nudge a hare towards her. “Yes I am a mother. My pups sleep in the den behind me.” Her pups were now old enough to be seen by the rest of the pack. She felt safe with the wolves here.

The Merei had no interest in seeing the squirmy children, the anxiety in her stomach made sure she knew that. Scent was enough for her. Perhaps once they were more mobile and not so defenseless she would feel better interacting with them. Less things to go wrong.

Jakoul. Her name was given late as she raised a paw to gesture at herself. It was a short, quick motion as she settled her leg back down.

She was a patient with the other wolf from what she gathered this female may be one of few words and that was okay. She kept her soft smile as she gave her name. “Well nice to meet you Jakoul.” The female hoped she had pronounced it correctly. “Have you been here long?”

Jakoul did not track time like others might. The passage of days meant little to her in the grand scheme of things. She focused on the flow of seasons and yet the passage between late spring and summer had been so fluid like the rain it brought. A soft hum escaped her as she tried to narrow down her time spent here. Moons. It was the best she could provide but it was not a very detailed response. Home. That was all that mattered to her. The feeling she held when she was here meant more than any amount of time actually spent within these borders.

She gave once again one simple word and that was enough for the ebony female; it was also followed by a word she knew well. Home. “This place has been the only home I’ve ever really known. I’m glad I was able to come back and birth my children within the woods safety.”

A smile graced her features as the mother spoke of her feelings, her home. If it would be accepted from her companion, Jakoul made to lightly touch her nose to Moondshadow's shoulder before moving back into her own personal space. Safety. Health. Peace. She murmured as her tail swayed. For you. For childs. She wished it upon all of the wolves who resided within the Woods, but especially towards the mother who were raising the future generation.

She felt the touch of her packmate and she had a soft smile. “Thank you and to you as well. I probably should get back to them.” She said as she heard her pups beginning to wake. “It was nice meeting you. Have a goodnight.” Moonshadow would return to the den if nothing else was said.

Jakoul did not dare keep the mother from her rousing children. She waited until Moonshadow slipped into the darkness of the den before she aimed to move away. A subtle smile was etched onto her features as she slithered back towards the edge of Blackfeather.