Dragoncrest Cliffs elephants have wrinkles

It was another unremarkable day. Meerkat sidled along the beach, keeping an eye out for anything interesting that had washed ashore during the recent high tide. The usual things were on offer: countless broken shells, all manners of pebbles, stray clusters of kelp and the occasional dead fish. If the latter weren’t too far gone, she nipped them off the sand.

mireille was glad to have seen heda. the ocean grew colder, and as the snow gathered, she knew it would not be long before the ice and the storms began. she probably wouldn't see her friend again until the spring, and they would both be distracted then, it seemed. grateful for the whale given to sapphique, the young healer meandered along the shore, not really following meerkat but not deviating from the trail left either.

She paused to gaze out to sea, something catching her eye closer to the shore. Meerkat canted her head and watched as a few snowflakes swirled through the air over the incoming whitecaps. The sea breeze picked up strength and pushed against her, heavy with the scent of ice crystals. Perhaps they would see snowfall later this afternoon.

Her amber eyes drifted down the strip of sand, instantly attracted to the spot of red against the pale backdrop. Her face brightened nearly as quickly. Meerkat swiveled to face Mireille, trotting gently to meet her in the middle.

I was just thinking about you earlier, the Laramite declared. I was wondering something, actually… she confessed, then hesitated.

"oh?" mireille was all ears now. she wondered if it had to do at all with their previous conversation.
her emerald eyes fixed to meerkat's face, and she was quiet, subdued as she wondered what the older woman meant to ask.
her nose twitched at the snow in the air.

Mireille made an inquisitive noise and Meerkat took a deep breath. It felt a little presumptuous, though she kept thinking about Chacal’s reassurances about her importance to the family in Sapphique.

If and when you become a mother, will you consider your da your children’s—will they call him ‘grandpa’? she asked, her real question hiding behind this one.

mireille did not expect that! her laugh was then surprised, but not mocking. "grandpa." it was odd. she did not think the word had ever been said on these shores.
"granda, i t'ink." 
mireille was respectful of tradition, but loved her pack enough to see it progress. and if njord stayed to see her become a mother, well then: he too would receive that welcome.
the obsidian's mind was made then, she felt.

The question seemed to take Mireille by surprise, though in a delighted sort of way. Calling him granda instead of the more traditional title made a lot of sense to Meerkat too. She smiled, happy for Njord, though she also had a more selfish reason for asking.

Did you know that in your da’s mother tongue, the word for ‘grandmother’ is seanmhair? Doesn’t that sound a lot like ‘sea-in-my-hair’? I feel like that’s perfect for your mothers.

But that wasn’t what she really wanted to say, either. Meerkat cleared her throat and steadied her breath.

I won’t be their grandmother, of course, but I was wondering if they could still look at me as… something similar? And maybe they could call me MeeMee, like Quennell does?

Meerkat didn’t want to infringe on Mireille’s actual relatives or their titles, of course, but those pups would be so special to Njord: his first grandchildren. And so they would be cherished the same by his sandy mate.

meerkat spoke, and mireille found herself learning. not for the first time was she grateful over her da's wife, and hoped she would stay close. "seanmhair," she tried, a little unsteadily. but she was thankful for it, more of njord's words to learn.
yet she could not comment on erzulie and rosalyn, floored once more. "of course you'd be their granmaman!'" mireille exclaimed. raised in sapphique, bound to its shores, she found no more prejudice for meerkat beneath her breast than for anyone else outside.
"granma meemee." mireille smiled, and then gave meerkat a look of pure girlish fear. "i don't be trustin' men. how am i to do this, eh?"

She felt her heart thud against her breastbone when Mireille said, “Grandma MeeMee.” Meerkat hadn’t let herself hope for such an honor, though it really meant a lot to her. Her eyes glowed as her lips curved into a thankful smile.

Before she could express her gratitude, the young woman said something that at first seemed like a total non sequitur. A look of puzzlement floated over her pale features before a realization hit. Oh. Oh… Meerkat took a moment to connect all the dots in her mind and figure out what Mireille was asking.

Will you do what your mothers and sister do? Seek a donor? Or do you think you might want to find someone more… involved? Meerkat wondered before thinking to add, Either way, I’m happy to offer guidance in whatever capacity you need—and want—it.

mireille frowned thoughtfully. "i do not t'ink i want to have a man who be wantin' to stay close." she had seen the cost of love, first in her mothers, then in chacal's loss of a child who did return, and then heda, who pined for a man who did not love her back.
she smiled quickly at meerkat, shrugging her shoulders. "it be odd. my mot'ers told me what to expect. dey explained it all. but de — de idea itself — i be nervous for it."
unsure of being alone. unsure of being alone with a man she did not know.
her expression turned wry. "maybe you tell me if it be a good t'ing. pleasant." heat, she meant, though she had no way of knowing it herself till the time arrived.

She couldn’t help but wonder if her experiences with Njord had colored Mireille’s decision. Meerkat supposed it wasn’t any of her business, nor did it matter. Her offer stood. She would support Mireille, no matter how she chose to pursue motherhood.

I think that’s totally normal, Meerkat was quick to reassure the young woman, to be nervous. But it could also be fun, you know. I mean, it should be. My mom’s told me lots of interesting tales about her own heats. She laughed. She never had a mate until recently, so her first few seasons, she went a bit wild, if you know what I mean…

She chuckled for a moment, then cleared her throat. Towhee’s approach wasn’t exactly like the women’s in Sapphique. She sensed that they were choosier with their men. Meerkat was certain Mireille could strike a balance where she didn’t settle for anything less than the best, while still enjoying herself and the freedom of enjoying unattached lovers.

I’ve only gone through it once—heat, I mean, Meerkat said candidly, and it can be a bit of a whirlwind. But mating can and should be pleasurable, so long as you select a good partner. Do you have anyone in mind to be a potential sire?

the more meerkat spoke, the more — disgusted mireille became, until it soured her expression, and all but missed the question. "do not t'ink dat i am upset at your mot'er. not at all. women should always do as dey be likin', but —" and her face turned wry.
"i do not t'ink i want men to touch me dat much. once be enough. maybe twice." she kicked at the ground. "got no one in mind. cannae hardly think of it half the time, meerkat. i am not afraid. but i wish i didnae have to do it, for de babes." mireille laughed self-deprecatingly. "maman tells me heat be makin' you a madwoman. crazed for it. do dat be true?"

When she saw the look on Mireille’s face, Meerkat wondered if she shouldn’t speak so frankly about her experiences, seeing as they were with the girl’s father. But she asked! she reminded herself.

Mireille quickly explained and Meerkat felt relieved for all of three seconds before she realized what the Obsidian was saying. She didn’t have any suitors in mind, in part because she really wanted nothing to do with men at all. That made the Laramite wonder if a preference for women was hereditary as well as part of the culture here, though that wasn’t important right now.

I think it might be different for everyone. My mom told me all these crazy stories, so I was expecting it to be way more overwhelming than it was. I definitely felt… well, friskier. But I didn’t feel out of control. I didn’t feel like a madwoman, Meerkat shared, hoping that might make Mireille feel better.

She thought of something and hesitated to mention it, though she was in a unique position where she felt close to Mireille without being a parental figure. At least, she felt more like an older sister, despite her relationship with Njord. Meerkat didn’t actually know how the young woman saw her, though she was about to find out.

I’m sorry if this is weird or overstepping any bounds, she said slowly, thinking that surely Erzulie and Rosalyn wouldn’t want to do this, though maybe she was wrong. In any case, she continued, I could try to help you find a partner. And even… chaperone, if that’s something that might make you more comfortable? But if not, that’s fine too, of course.

meerkat was sweet, and for a moment the idea of not being alone was comforting. but the chaperone bit: it wasn't as though her da's wife would gape at her and her chosen whoever, but that was the idea that came to mind.
and so she shook her head, ruefully. "i t'ink i be needin' to do dis on my own. it not'ing against you, meerkat. but you are like —" she let out her breath. "chacal, maybe. you have done it before."
and maybe that was an explanation, and maybe it wasn't.
"i donnae need to be alone, though. my friend heda, on de islan' off de coas,' we talked. maybe we go out toge'ter, when de time comes."
friskier, but not mad. mireille supposed that was a comfort after all. 

When Mireille shook her head, Meerkat felt a tiny pang of discomfiture for suggesting it in the first place, though the Obsidian didn’t seem perturbed as she declined. She explained that she would rather seek the company of a peer than someone experienced, which did make a sort of sense. And while she didn’t have any suitors in mind, she did know of a friend who might accompany her.

No worries, I understand, the Laramite said, and I’m glad you have someone like Heda. There is a lot to be said for female companionship, Meerkat said, thinking of the many iterations she’d come across in her time, all of them equally powerful.

Speaking of your sister, I did what you suggested and spoke with her after our own chat, Meerkat shared, smiling faintly and toeing at a broken sand dollar partly buried in the wet sand. I’m glad I had a chance to speak to both of you. Your support means so much, you know.

She caught the Obsidian’s eye, flashing her a quick smile, then cast her eyes out to sea. She was in a slightly better mindset lately. There were still a lot of question marks in the days ahead, though all Meerkat could do—all any of them could do—was hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

mireille was pleased to hear that chacal and meerkat had spoken. "being a mot'er — it be different." it set even the women apart from each other, though not in a way that was competitive.
she leant forward and plucked the indicated organism from the sand, wiping it off and showing meerkat the fine red edge where usually there was only blue or a beige color. 'good luck," she said with a grin, laying it back down in case her relative wanted to take it home.
"t'ink i'll go for a swim," the young obsidian decided, hinting that meerkat was free to join or to decline at her leisure.

She watched as Mireille took notice of the sand dollar and plucked it from the wet sand. The edge resembled her fiery pelt. “Good luck,” Mireille said and Meerkat smiled.

In that case, I think I’ll take it home to your da. Enjoy your swim, Meerkat said, touching her nose to the girl’s cheek before they parted.