Hideaway Strath weaver

@Fury let me know if assumptions are not okay <3

nala had found somewhere to bathe herself, spending most of the evening grooming herself until she felt less...matted. although admittedly she loathed to be very far from the pale warrior queen. not yet adjusted to the forest or to those who also called it home.

tentatively, she made her way towards where the woman's scent was thickest. although she was uncertain if the woman would be awake. the moon in the sky and the stars dotting around it were the only light around.

fury...? she called out, soft and hushed. unwilling to wake the children.

In the late of night, her daughters slept soundly, nestled into each other while Fury half-dozed just inside the mouth of her den. 

The soft call of her name from Nala made Fury open her eyes.
Her great head melted into the moonlight from the darkness of her den, eyes inquisitive.

"What is it?" She asked, yawning, though her tone was patient.

the look on nala's face was that of a guilty dog, face framed by the soft wisps of freshly groomed furs.

i...i know it's late but... nervously her tail wiggled by her ankles. feathery in its motions and appearance. i, uh, was hoping you wouldn't mind me being near for the night...? perhaps it was less than kind to ask, but it still felt worth asking. especially seeing as she didn't really...know where else to be — or what else to do.

Fury's eyes were uncharacteristically soft as she looked upon Nala. This girl was still a child it seemed, in many ways. 

And a mother was a mother, through and through. 

"Sure, make yourself comfortable." The warqueen yawned again and blinked a few times to keep the drowsiness at bay.

softly, nala curled up near the mouth of the den. mindful of the children slumbering and the space nyra needed too.

the scarred warrior somehow looked softer in the moonlight. the pales of her fur highlighted and the scars softened for it. undeniably the slumbering children by her side helped too.

once more she thought of tavina.

what would she look like in the moonlight? would she look the same as she had at the creek?

you have found a beautiful place to call home, she complimented sheepishly. eager to distract herself from her own thoughts of both women.

Fury was silently approving of Nala's effort to give space and be mindful. 
The silence was not to last, however. 
With a gentle smile, Fury looked skyward, admiring the stars.

"It truly is beautiful. However this is not the first time I have claimed the area. Hopefully, it will be my last this time around." She mused.

an idea curled up in the depth of her breast at fury's words. taking the knowledge as an opportunity to bond, to learn and grow.

will you tell me a story of the first time? perhaps...something to be passed along to those who join us now. a soft tapping of her feathery tail on her own paws.

Fury's features grew sad as Nala suggested being told the tale of the first time the Saints had been around.
But, with a soft exhale, the Warchief nodded and adjusted herself to spin the story.

"The Saints of these wilds were once led by a man named Kynareth Deagon. Kynareth was a lage and powerful man, who made many enemies for himself quickly. He told everyone this fact, for he was transparent. During the first reign of the Saints, we were then called The Saints of the Dying Light. A mouthful, I know." Fury chuckled lightly, "Our original home was a great canyon of many reds. We moved locations to prepare for war, and found this place. I, Fury, rose to become Kynareth's second in command, then his equal in power during our time here...But, upon returning to the canyon, after a time of searching forour enemies and failing to find them, Kynareth, his mate, and his pups vanished into thin air, leaving me to tend to the pack as it fell apart. It was after Kynareth returned to kill the mate of our enemy's leader that I made some rash and unwise decisions. The wolves of Ursus, the enemy we left to prepare to go to war against, allied themselves with the kingdom of Akashingo to get rid of us. They succeeded in running the remaining three of us out, and to my knowledge, the canyon has been claimed since."
Fury took a pause to breathe for a minute before continuing.
"It was during my time outside of a leadership position that I was part of a village, and after mating with a stranger I was run out from their pack. I spent the majority of my pregancy within the protection of the Druids of Blackwater, and after a talk with their leading figure, I departed of my own volition to avoid more trouble that I had caused upon trying to claim a part of the mainland. The journey from the coast was long, but me and Arashi made it just in time for me to give birth to my kids. And, here we are now."
There were of course some details she didn't think to mention in the moiment, like Kynareth's brief return, or how Xynos had been killed due to his betrayal. Or how it was HER fault that they made enemies out of Ursus to begin with when she yeeted Merrick's son.
Fury sighed deeply, and rested her head on her paws to let Nala process the history she had been given.

it was...more than the dog had expected. but she listened to it all, sometimes her features faltered to show emotions. sadness, happiness, fear. a cycle that transitioned when it was best fitted to the part of the story.

nala had not intended to open up something so emotional.

may i? she asked softly, scooching closer to nyra. if the other woman would not shy away or shoo nala away, the monochrome dog sought to soothe. to groom and tend to the great warrior woman as diligent as she may be allowed.

Fury would accept Nala's comfort.
The tenderness was not something she was used to after many months, but it was a welcomed thing, like an old friend.

Perhaps tenderness was something she missed, felt she couldn't return to after a long year or so of almost nothing but training, and strife. 
Fury felt a subconscious ghost of a smile as Nala drew close to groom her furs.

"Thank you." She murmured gently.

the small bard had seen nothing but kindness from the wardog. so she was especially keen to return it at every chance she was given.

i should thank you, she timidly whispered, keeping up the pace of tending to the fur. mindful of old scars, mindful of anywhere that touch seemed unwelcome.

Fury was impassive yet kind as Nala groomed through her furs.
She was appreciative of the care  being shown, and tilted her hed slightly as the she-dog spoke.
"Thank me for what?"