Moonspear a still heart

Forward dating this 3 days because I’m pretty busy during the week, so leaving things a little vague.

@Stingray and his father’s pilgrimage to the sea had been successful. Moontide had greeted the Moonsperians with open arms and they shared good tidings, names, stories, and food. @Alaric’s gifts were well-received and the pair returned home with a few new wares. Njord was happy that Rodyn, Samani, and their pack were thriving.

Most importantly, Njord felt he had better connected with his son. Time spent together was precious to the man and he cherished their relationship.

Sea brine still clung to his fur as he crossed back into Moonspear’s territory. Father and son split ways when Njord headed back to the family Ulaq, excited to see his wife and daughters after a week away. A package wrapped in broad pieces of semi-wet kelp draped across his shoulders.

“Mo chride! Lassies? Da is home!” Njord called when he spied @Meerkat, unaware that any family had been visiting.

She spent the morning visiting Towhee et al at their new “campsite.” Evidently they wouldn’t be heading back to the vale. There was a lot up in the air with that but Meerkat was just excited they would be close at hand a while longer.

She hadn’t been back in the ulaq with her daughters long when a familiar brogue sounded on the balmy May air. Meerkat grinned and sprang to her feet, coaxing Orca and Seal outside.

Welcome home! How was it? she said, sliding her muzzle along Njord’s and then planting a kiss on the tip of his nose.

Seal was busy pouncing on a pillbug when she heard Njord’s familiar voice.

“@Orca II, listen!” she gasped. “Da!”

A week away was an eternity to a little pup and she was so happy to have her father (and brother Stingray!) home.

Giggling, she burst out of the den and frolicked around and under his legs. “Da! Da!” she cheered.

Njord’s face brightened when he laid eyes on Meerkat. A sense of accomplishment made the man beam with pride and his heart felt full. The trip was meant for Stingray, but Njord realized that he needed it as well.

A father and son in the wilds forging bonds with their sister packs… meeting new faces and seeing sights… a return trip home to their hearth and family. Njord was like a dog who had run in the park. Fulfilled, reinvigorated, and whole.

“Mo leannan!” Njord cheered. Meerkat’s gentle kiss inspired her husband to roughly smooch her on the cheek. “T’was a bonnie trip. We-”

Njord couldn’t get out another word before Seal and Orca were dancing around his legs like maypoles. “Och, my wee minnows! Da missed his lassies.”

Both of the girls received affectionate nuzzles. “Moontide was in good spirits,” he managed to continue. “Rodyn, Samani, and their people are thrivin’ by the coast on a plateau. Stingray was a braw ambassador for tha Spear.” Then, he slipped the kelp package off his back and unwrapped it with a paw. “They sent us home with gifts.”

It sounded like a smashing success. Meerkat was thrilled to hear it, even if she felt a little bit of “FOMO.” She really hadn’t minding looking after the girls. They’d kept very busy! She would accompany Njord some other time, preferably when he wanted to visit somewhere that wasn’t along the coast.

She took a step back to give him room to shrug a bundle off his shoulder. How had she not noticed that until now?! Meerkat watched as Njord began to unwrap it, then glanced around for Orca and Seal to make sure they were paying attention.

Look, girls, da brought us some souvenirs, she said, then looked up and caught his eye while he busied over the package. We have news too. My mom, dad and her kids are staying nearby. We’ve had such a wonderful time, meeting and playing with them, haven’t we, girls? I’d love for you and Ray to meet them at some point too.

When Meerkat pointed out the parcel Seal gasped. She didn’t understand the word souvenirs, but her mother’s tone implied a big surprise.

“Wooveneers!” the little girl whispered, voice filled with innocent awe.

She shuffled towards her Da as he unwrapped it when, suddenly, the stringent scent of sea brine tickled her nose.

“Achoo!” she sneezed and rubbed her muzzle with a paw. Like a kitten, she crab-walked around the kelp until she felt brave enough to lick it.

The taste was so powerful that Seal reeled backward, but her reaction was neither positive nor negative... only that it was overwhelming

Njord chuckled when the kelp elicited big reactions from the girls. Life in the mountains was so different than growing up on the coast. Seal and Orca wouldn’t be raised as Stingray, Vixen, or Swordfish had… they would never know the secrets of tide pools, where a seabird’s eggs were hidden, or how to rend an oyster from the rocks. Though their time with Sapphique had ended tumultuously, the sea would always and forever be intertwined with Njord’s true being… and so, by birthright, a piece of that existed in his daughters.

A warm smile made the father’s blue eyes squint merrily. “Is it salty?” he asked Seal before he undid the last wrapping. Laid out were a crab, three clams, a sand dollar, a starfish, and a smooth pink seashell.

He multitasked and kept an eye on the girls as his good ear turned and listened to Meerkat. “Ye mother? An’ Da?” Njord felt his heart jump into his throat. This was a big deal, and his wide expression telegraphed it. Only just recently Meerkat’s sister, Fennec, and nephew, Killdeer, had joined the pack. It seemed like fate wanted the Sveijarn-Cortens folded into the Redhawk clan, which was serendipitous considering Njord felt he had severed or sacrificed so much of his previous life to keep his family safe.

“Of course Ah want tae meet ‘em,” he assured her, though the way his brows flexed implied he was a wee bit nervous. After all, Njord cared about their impression of him. “They came tae visit us…?” he asked, wanting to know the particulars. Was this meeting by chance or did they know about what happened with Sapphique? With Swordfish?

Of course, she reminded herself, Stingray had met Towhee once before. She wondered if he remembered his grandmother and her yearling children (child, now). Either way, she would love for both Ray and Njord to catch up with her natal family, especially since her husband hadn’t ever had the opportunity before.

Don’t worry, she crooned, seeing the slight worry on his face, they’ll like you and you’ll like them. They were staying in The Heartwood, though they’re now camping out on Cassiopeia's View. Mom doesn’t want to go back to the vale. I guess it’s full of bad memories, since she’s lost both her daughter and her mate now. She sent my dad to ask them if they’d consider relocating but he hasn’t come back with word yet…

She knew Towhee was hurt too, though it wasn’t serious as far as she could tell. Meerkat selfishly loved having her parents nearby, not to mention Towhee’s little ones, who made great playmates for the girls. She still hoped they might end up right here in Moonspear.

There’s no rush. Settle in. Spend some time with the girls. We can go see them anytime, Meerkat said, then redirected her attention to his new wares laid out with the kelp.

Truth be told, the sight of so many seaside trinkets turned her stomach a little. But she reached out a paw to gently touch the pink seashell, thinking of the conch Njord had once given her. It was probably still in their burrow back in Sapphique. She drew a breath in through her nose, mindfully banishing the bad vibes as she continued tracing the shell with a pale toe.

Seal and Orca ooo’ed and aww’ed over the 'wooveneers' Da had brought home. At first, both pups sniffed the objects inquisitively. Then, they tested out the materials with their teeth.

Seal was most interested in the crab. It wasn't like anything she had ever seen before! Its alien shell and protruding eyes fascinated the little girl. She took a tentative bite but reeled back when one of the crab’s pointy tines poked her gums.

Ouch! For a sensitive pup, the pain, surprisingly, did not deter Seal. She was too absorbed in trying to analyze it!

skippable <3

Orca was quick to rush to her da upon his return. And she clung to his leg like a velcro attachment, until the woovenirs were brought out. Then, her curiosity got the better of her. Orca stuck her nose into anything she could, and pushed it against the rest. The texture of the crab caused her, too, to step away and squint.

But like her sister, she wasn't deterred. She bat at it with a paw, growling softly, when her mothers movements caught her eye.

She lay in a crouch and began to stalk toward the object of her current desire, tail wagging behind her all the while before she impishly "struck", making an attempt to steal the pretty object for herself!

Njord took Meerkat’s assurance to heart. “I appreciate ye sayin’ these things,” he voiced as he touched his nose to hers. Truly, Meerkat was his partner in all things and acted as his rock. He listened to Towhee and co’s plight, nodding with a throaty hum in understanding.

“A familiar tale, hmm?” he jested grimly, though his blue eyes filled with sympathy. “Ah’m sorry tae hear ye mother’s ‘ad such a bad go of it. Perhaps they will stay with us at Moonspear?” If relocating was on the table, then it made perfect sense for the distant family to come together. “Would be good fer Seal, Orca an’ Stingray tae ken their family better." Maybe they could make lemonade out of lemons.

Njord’s attention was stolen by the girls fussing over the crab. He rumbled a hearty laugh. “Git ‘em!” Njord cheered.

“Aye, that sound like a bonnie plan, my love.” First, he would rest and then he would go greet Towhee.