Moonspear it's the promise of life in your heart

Sialuk was on his mind. Always. Inextricably.

He was by the stream near her ulaq, standing still and gazing into the water as if he were seeking fish. Truthfully, even if a fish leapt from the current and hit him in the face, he still wouldn't be able to catch it.

Because he wasn't thinking of fish. He was thinking of Sialuk.

Was this love? He'd harbored similar thoughts for Amalia, and even recently Ajei. . .but nothing this strong, nor all-encompassing. 

Killer placed the tip of one forepaw into the creek, swirling it slowly back and forth—the mountain-chilled water the only thing still rooting him to reality. Maybe he'd get lucky and have a trout attach itself to a toe, and he could say he did something today.

It did not take long for Bridget to begin exploring her new home more thoroughly. Things came back to her as she recognized more and more places, and it was soothing to be surrounded by the bustle of life again.

It was probably time to stock up her own personal stores a bit before winter. She hadn’t had a place to do so when she traveled, and it would suck to go into the colder season unprepared. The thought had struck her as she’d checked out the healing den, but she planned to explore a few days before really getting to work.

Not den. What had Sialuk called it? The word escaped her, and then Bridget was distracted by the appearance of someone in the water. She’d nearly passed right by.

Hey! Sorry, if you’re fishing it can wait. I’m just introducing myself as I run into everyone. She kept back, though her voice was cheerful enough to make it clear it wasn’t personal. She didn’t want to disturb the water or any fish that might be near. My name’s Bridget.

Something about him looked familiar, though she couldn’t put a paw on why. One of those faces, maybe?

The sound of a woman's voice broke him out of his reverie—though it took a couple seconds for it to register and him to turn around. What he found was a wolf with three legs and a somewhat familiar face.

Bridget, Killdeer repeated, trying to place the name. Bridget—oh, from Brecheliant, right? He smiled as it clicked. I'm Killdeer—Bronco and Fennec's son. I've stayed there a couple times.

He nodded toward the water, shaking his head ruefully. I'm not fishing, just spacing off, so you're good, he chuckled. So, what brings you here? I'm assuming to stay?

In all his daydreaming, he very well could have missed an introductory howl. Unsurprising if so.

whoops <3 this is def an oldie! I’m fine to continue but if you want we can also def wrap this up since it’s sat so long

Oh!! Hey!! As soon as he said it, the resemblance was striking. She didn’t really know her mom well, but despite her complicated feelings with Teya, Bronco had been a good friend. I can see the resemblance, should have guessed! Your dad was a good guy. It’s nice to bump into a familiar face. She smiled easily, not trying to drag him back into his feelings on it all, but wanting him to know she acknowledged it. If he wanted to talk about his dad then she was there.

Yep! Seems like it. I was always curious about this place, and visited a few times when I lived with Brecheliant. Sialuk is a friend of mine, and it felt like it was time for a change. Being a traveling medic has its upsides, but it’s a little hard to treat someone without a proper stash of herbs. She chuckled. I figure I can still travel a bit. Just with a home base here to come back to. What about you? If I remember right, you’ve got family around. Towhee, yeah?

Shit, that’s right! Her memory confirmed it as soon as she’d asked, though she’d let him answer anyway. His mom was the one who’d bit the shit out of her when she’d taken Towhee home that one time. Bridget didnt hold much of a grudge over it, but she was suddenly glad Killdeer seemed to take more after his dad’s side. It would be nice to hear what Towhee was up to though. That was a face she hadn’t seen in a long while.

They said one didn't grow out of grief but around it; he felt the all-too familiar pain in his chest at speaking of Bronco in the past tense, but it was a small hurt—a tiny pinprick in the wake of all the good memories. He gave the woman a smile and nod, listening to her tale.

Towhee's my grandmother, yes, Killdeer replied. She's still going strong—her daughter founded a pack just southwest of here, across the mountains, and now she and a granddaughter are running the place while Meerkat travels.

Did Bridget know Meerkat? he wondered. Surely they must have met somewhere along the line.

But I've got family even closer, too, he went on, his grin broadening. The kids are mine—or some of them, at least. Treepie and Tikaani are like little mini-mes, and I'm happy to treat the rest like my own regardless.

You'll have to teach me some stuff about medicine, Killer said, and chuckled wryly. I tried to learn a bit from my mom, but I think she was more into the plants than the healing part.

Grandmother, of course. Bridget wondered, with no small amount of hilarity, what he would do if he knew how their first encounter had gone. She’d crushed hard (and still would go after that, for the record, if the interest had been mutual). What could she say? His grandma had a presence.

Shit, it was tempting. Instead, Bridget laughed, nodding to his request. Sure! If you want. In her defense, most of it is just “plants”, which can get pretty boring if you aren’t into it. Her smile stuck around though, because she was not too surprised to hear Fennec’s bedside manner wasn’t exactly top notch.

Different docs have different ways of doing things though. I’ve never been one for the tough love approach, at least until I’ve got no choice. If you’ve got kids, that means you’re already probably getting practice there! Guess healing is a lot like having a bunch of random adult kids at any given time. She’d never thought of it that way, but the mental image was pretty great.

It was interesting to hear that some of the kids were his, including Treepie, who was the only one she’d met thus far. So he was with Sialuk then?

He laughed at the conclusion she drew. You might be right about that, Killer remarked, wide smile still stretching his muzzle. 

The expression faded, though, as he began to focus more on the subject of plants, and by association, his mother. 

Did you ever meet my Mom, Fennec? he asked her, brow furrowing in concern. Pale golden fur, pretty obviously blind. I haven't seen her in a while, nor has Towhee, and if you've been traveling and might have spotted her on the road somewhere. . .

Killdeer wouldn't necessarily say it wasn't like his mother to disappear without word. But hadn't she at least been intrigued by his coming children, as their future grandma? It just seemed. . .odd.

If not, it's fine, he added casually, though he felt anything but casual about the matter.

I did. But it was a really long time ago. I don’t think I made the best first impression, and I haven’t seen her since. Bridget added apologetically, not wanting to lift his hopes just to crush them. She also wasn’t sure, diplomatically, the best way to say she’d kind of gotten jumped by his mom at one point. Probably that was as vague as possible.

Past history and troubles aside, it wasn’t great to hear that she wasn’t just expectedly absent. You would normally know where she is? Bridget asked, voice softer with concern. Where was she, last you knew? She could always at least keep an eye out if she traveled any distance in the near future.

He knew his mother well enough to intuit that the bad first impression may not have been entirely Bridget's fault—but that was beside the point. The healer hadn't seen Fennec, and his worry would continue, gnawing at him from the inside.

Not necessarily—she does like to travel, Killdeer explained. And I know she can get around fine. I think she was in the hinterlands last, in the copse with Towhee. I guess I'm just thrown off by her just being. . .gone.

Fennec was going to do Fennec. Killdeer certainly wasn't a child she needed to look after. But he missed her something fierce, and to not even know. . .

He shrugged on a deep sigh, and gave Bridget a wordless, helpless glance.

Hopefully she’ll turn up. If I hear anything I’ll let you know. She wasn’t optimistic she’d hear word first, but it seemed like the right thing to say. He seemed like he wasn’t sure if he should be worried or not and Bridget sure wasn’t going to do anything to make him worry worse.

She was missing a leg, so maybe she didn’t have room to judge. But it was hard for her to imagine anyone being fine without sight. She admired his optimism, if nothing else. It wasn’t her place to crush that even if she did doubt that the woman was thriving if she truly had disappeared on her own.