Blackfeather Woods every single night, i endure the flight

set morning of Oct. 5, along the northwest banks of Otter Creek -- all welcome but especially those tagged

They led her out. Not the daedra, the Melonii deities she'd pledged to from the moment of her birth. They were dead to her, having exposed their true nature; they lived in all who had harmed her, all whom she had harmed.

No, it was Peryite who brought her from the darkness. Well. Not Peryite, exactly—but the same voice who had revealed themselves to Maegi early on. Peryite had just been a convenient moniker. They were sexless, formless, nameless. . .

But you can call me Jaes,

they'd said, something almost like amusement in their tone, so full-bodied and yet barely a breeze, all at once.

Jaes, then. Maegi was no longer a servant of the Peryite the Melonii knew, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be Melonii, either, given what had happened within the tunnels. She was still shaken by what she saw, what she felt; she was tired, hungry, her paws sore and her injured leg still in agony.

But if this were the case (and it was) she didn't show it. Her face was a blank slate, clear as driven snow, as she trotted along the banks of the creek, its flow interrupted by felled trees here, there, and everywhere. Blackfeather Woods was in tatters, uprooted and rocked by the quakes. She hadn't the heart to look near Spiderlings' Glen; she didn't want to see her old home in such disrepair. Nor did she care to see the rocks of Nightcaller Temple overturned.

So she stayed north, avoiding all the familiar haunts. She searched for her children, @Anansi, @Sobek, @Sakhmet, praying she did not find bodies along the way—she searched for @Jakoul, all the while stressing on what to do, what to say, next.

It was clear that the woods were not habitable in these turbulent times, and with her newfound revelations regarding the daedra, she had little love for this ruined place. They had to leave, right?

Oh, but without the daedra, it was so quiet. Just a few birds (where was Blue?), the breeze—

And me.

And you, Maegi muttered, not even the ghost of a smile disturbing her countenance.

There she was.

On the banks of the creek that had seen far better days, destroyed by the earth's awakening. But it was not the state of the lands that captured her attention so whole. It was her trusted tattered smokey dove. Oh if she had thought Nona to be a tattered dove before how the world had decided to prove her thoughts!

Any other time she would have whispered the woman's title, uttered it to bring forth her attention but the tightening in her chest would not let her. She stared from the shadows for a heart beat or two before it spilled from her like a sad bird's call. Maegi... How she wished the name would patch the rough woman back up, fix the injuries and fill her belly. Never once had the Morta been so desperate to fix the things around her. The wounds of the earth, the wounds of her family (for were the members of Blackfeather not her family?) and the wounds inside of herself. Come. She whispered so gently as if it might further shatter the lands and the woman. Although despite her own single summoning, it was her that moved to close distance between them as she sought to embrace the Nona. It was a fruitless endeavor but she wondered, if her words could not heal, if her touch might.

Her Morta appeared, seeming both relieved and worried. Maegi's bicolored gaze scanned Jakoul for any injuries and couldn't find any; still, she knew that things could hurt beneath the surface and no one would ever know, if it wasn't spoken of. Perhaps. . . No. She couldn't think of hypotheticals. There was too much wrong in the world around them as it stood.

Jakoul, she said, distant but cordial. She drew close to the dark woman and let her muzzle ease, if allowed, into the shadowed ruff, taking in the smell of the forest, of light, of life. She was silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. It was much too tempting to just stand here saying nothing, even after days of solitude.

Is anyone dead? Hurt? Maegi asked, getting the preliminaries out of the way. Sucking in a breath, she pulled away, giving her co-leader a gimlet stare. Without waiting for an answer, she added, We can't stay here. Not while the earth continues to move.

Would she agree? Jakoul seemed fairly attached to the woods as well, but. . .sometimes passion had to be shelved for practicality. Especially with children involved.

She would have welcomed the Nona into her embrace for eons, consoled her with touch. No words were needed in Jakoul's mind. It had been her life before the Woods to simply act, not speak. Now it seemed more important than ever. Although such was not to last in this moment. Important questions hung in the air awaiting an answer.

No. Came the solemn word with a gentle shake of her head. To her knowledge, no one had been seriously injured (or worse) by the quakes of the earth. At least not anyone who hadn't been taken by injury prior to the Nona's own incident.

Then came forth the news that she knew all too well. Even a stranger had suggested such action and she had thought to scoff at the child, tell him off for even thinking but....it wasn't such a distant thought now. Trees uprooted and the earth split. It was not safe for creatures — let alone mothers and children. Know. There was a touch of hesitancy in her voice but she could not deny Maegi's words. Must go. All of them, if they were to be safe once more.

The relief that came upon hearing that single syllable was enormous. Tension locked within her shoulders dissipated; she let out a shuddering sigh. Thank Pe— No. Not anymore. Jaes be praised, she thought fervently, and thought she heard their voice, a murmur of approval. It would take time to get used to.

The next syllable was, well, a homophone, and it threw her for a loop before Jakoul continued. So they were in agreement. Maegi nodded, mouth pulled into a taut frown. She glanced around the woods, taking in each tree.

Her home. Her home. And yet, in her eyes, there was no other choice.

Do you have a place in mind? she asked, looking back at the Morta, who probably had done more scouting than she over the past moons. Somewhere open, no trees, no rocks? And away from the Nightwalkers, she added darkly, face clearly displeased. She did not want to count Serem among her neighbors.

South. She rumbled with a motion in the general direction of her speakings. Meadow, lake. The Morta could only hope it would do in a pinch until the earth's rumblings ceased or they found somewhere more...tasteful. She had half a mind to suggest they explore over the mountain but crossing through would be treacherous and too dangerous to make with vulnerable children. The lithe woman's primal mind raged inside as she slowly drew to the conclusion that they had been backed into a corner by the events of the earth. There was no clear cut way to deal with the problem. It was out of their control! A utter disaster.

She was familiar. Maegi nodded, the expanse coming to life in her mind's eye. A far cry from the shadows of Blackfeather Woods. . .but if it kept them safe, it was fine. At least for now. 

Okay, Maegi agreed readily enough. The meadow. And when the shaking stops. . .

Would it ever? Was the chaos destined to continue until nothing was left? Oh, Jaes, guide my steps, she begged, feeling suddenly exhausted. She was not qualified for this, any of this. Failure loomed large.