Sunspire Mountains and they will run you down, down 'til you go

Travel thread from Firefly Glen back to Swiftcurrent Creek. Tags for reference or to join. <3

The sun cast lower in the sky—his eyes grazing over the sky as it began to ebb in a faint glow of oncoming dusk. Autumn would soon give way to winter as the days length shortened, and he found himself quickening his pace, eyes scouring over the small band of wolves with him. “If we can go a little farther before we settle down for the night, it would be best,” he found himself muttering to both @Etienne and @Morwenna, though his eyes fell upon little @Caliste, her tiny legs weary with fatigue, and a gaze drifting back to Cygnet, knowing she should be resting with her injuries, rather than traveling.

He didn’t speak the reason that he did not want to settle here and now—@Muskrat had promised trouble with her glittering gem eyes at their last encounter, and he wasn’t entirely certain where they had settled on the mountains.

Still, he would take a pack of troublesome raiders over the potential war brewing in the desert lands, had they not taken the Sunspire home.

Dipping down, he would lift the exhausted form of Caliste into careful jaws—trading her weight every so often with Etienne, until he felt they were a decent distance from potential threat in the night. "Here," he murmured to them. Sheltered enough among evergreens and boulders, it would have to do for a quick night's rest.

The sky had long since faded to purple and nightshade—Caliste tucked within the arms of her uncle Etienne, as he pressed the packs of trades and belongings beneath a sanctuary of rocks to hide them.

Food divvied out to Caliste first, Cygnet and then to Morwenna, he allowed Etienne to pick at what was left of the dried meat they had packed before, the silence extended, his thoughts on the daughter he had to leave in the care of a pack he knew almost nothing about.

Morwenna watched the sun dip lower, its light casting long shadows that danced among the trees. As the warmth of the day gave way to the cool embrace of evening, her attention shifted to the little pup, who appeared comfortably nestled in Akavir's arms. A small smile flickered across her lips, a softening of her stoic demeanor, as she considered entertaining the weary child.

Turning her focus back to Akavir, she asked with genuine curiosity, Is this one of your daughters? The question was gentle, framed with an openness that hinted at her desire to learn more about him and his family, even as the shadows deepened around them. Though her coloration was stark compared to his own, it was a fragile question that meant no harm. 

As she spoke, Morwenna’s gaze wandered to another figure nearby, a gentleman with an air of quiet assurance about him. She remembered Akavir's words— Etienne.

She thought this be a better time than ever to introduce herself. I’m Morwenna, she'd introduce herself politely, a soft warmth in her tone. It’s a pleasure to meet you. There was a depth to her words, a genuine interest in the well-being of those around her.

Morwenna would take spared bites to eat as they settled amongst each other, comraderie flooding the small area.

Etienne held his niece closely. His mind troubled. His paws he had cleaned, but they still felt stained. He had done his best with what he could. Leaving the rest to his mother and Moonwoman. He blinked and looked away from the leader for a moment. Idly picking at the meat, but finally pushing it towards the man that had led them from the Glen.

He lay his head down around her and looked about. Golden gaze falling gently on Akavir. Prodding and Questioning.

He spoke softly. It be okay eventually. 'opeful.

Tousaint caught wind of a band of wolves moving about in the late evening. Paranoid that it might be a raid, he had departed from his patrol so that he might investigate- and see if the wolves belonged to Muskrat and her band. He said a word to no one when he left, not wanting to cause concern or breed suspicion. 

He watched them move, realizing quickly once he found their tracks that this was not the Ridge. No- among them he found one familiar scent, and continued to pursue them out of curiosity. After all- his cousin was in their midst. This lot would be safe to approach.

But fractious, perhaps, with such a young child in their midst. 

He stepped on a twig- intentionally- to catch their intention. Fear not- I be a friend. He said, as he slipped into the moonlight. Family, to some, He said to Etienne with a toothy grin.

Morwenna’s eyes were set upon little Caliste, her question lingering in the quiet mountain air. The altitude was crisper here, certainly—but he had a feeling that winter was not far from them down in the valley, either. “No, mine are all grown,” he offered, eyes drifting from the sleepy girl and back to their newest recruit. “Physically, at least. Mentally…” He shrugged—a half-hearted joke, to keep at bay the fact that Mae was away from home and with a pack of strangers as she healed…

To keep at bay the fact that just this summer, he had buried his eldest daughter by her mother.

Etienne attempted some comforting words—a wane smile given, but before he could respond, the snap of a twig had him on his feet—abruptly rising, already his form moving to block the view of Caliste from whoever had come to them.

He had hoped they could avoid attention on the mountains—but he was wrong. His gaze narrowed, tongue sliding over his lips as he assessed the man who, at least, seemed good natured. “And you are?”

cameo unless tagged <3

sunflower eyes watched with interest the trajectory of hex's father and the wolves who followed him. a woman and one very young, and a slender, youthful man who almost put her to mind of —

vale-perfumed and graceful, tousaint emerged to approach the travelers. from her high stone perch, muskrat could see that his stance was friendly, though she could not make out his words. 

so far this seemed a chance meeting. but muskrat found one thing unforgettable: that hex had not suggested they protect swiftcurrent creek from themselves. in fact, he had declined her mention of danger, willing to shed blood for what the ridge needed. 

now hex's voice attended her again, and she mused heavily upon it. taking akavir would bring down the wrath of a far larger pack with its alliances upon their raiding-group. 

taking akavir would strike a large blow to the heart of the valley, so fiercely bold as to be terrifying.

and then there was her confidence it could even be done. the creekwolf was a warrior and more than capable of killing in his own right. only a fool would underestimate their enemy.

but was akavir truly that?

muskrat would make no such choice alone, and so for now she remained cloaked in a light curiosity and the great shadows of the sunspire, at a distance but with sharp eyes roving all that went on.