Sun Mote Copse a world, coming to see

@Waawaashkeshi <3 

Light would always be there if one could trust it to be there. Here now she stood in the brightest of all places she had seen thus far. She had believed it would be brighter here, so she came here, and she was right.

Little specks of something floated about lazily, and there she briefly stood and watched for a moment. The rivers had guided her to a fine place, and for that she thanked them.

Another little corner with an odd beauty, it seemed.

Along her way, she had discovered many more scent trails of fellow wanderers than she had actually met them. Perhaps for the better, perhaps for the worst. But the people she had met were kinder and often bore a whimsy absent from the northerners - she attributed that lack of harshness to the warmth and sunlight. Perhaps it was because prey was not a point of competition here...

A'yan blinked, then realized she was softly singing at a tree again. A habit of hers, she supposed. She smiled to herself and let herself finish the song. A world here then away, many worlds in between... I come to see, and thus my eyes shall find.

The sun was bright today, a sign of good things to come. It was for this that when Waawaashkeshi scented a stranger on the air, she did not heed caution in her search for them.

A woman with fur coloured of the earth coated in the night's grace, singing to a tree. She smiled at the sight, calling out. Are you a poet, my friend? She asked the question with a clear optimism, approaching with the confidence of one who had firmly set her claim, but the softness of one who knew her place in the world.

Her pregnancy was in full bloom these days. Rounded belly, a glowing complexion, and most obviously her swollen teats. Waawaashkeshi's condition was undeniable, and there was reason to avoid risk - but she felt good about this one.

Her eyes did find. A figure in the trees - 

Then there came two ivy eyes meeting her own.

Ah. A wanderer, a southerner? At least one must be true. If the cold of the north had imbued itself into the woman, she did not show it. Instead she carried herself with clear-cut grace and kind confidence. The stranger, too, had a world in her eyes.

She would see, she would see. If the woman did not judge her liking for singing, then perhaps a friend had been found in her.

A poet? I dare not call myself one. A'yan thought for a moment. I am but one who remembers.

It was true; the song was not of her own making, but of the riverlands she called home. Then again, home was everywhere, was it not? So the song belonged to all corners of the world, she supposed.

She turned back to the woman. A brilliant complexion, washed with a gentle gold. Fur soft with the essence of sunlight, belly round with children unborn. Rarely had A'yan seen another traveler of her appearance or even a demeanor so soft.

Are you fond of poetry? She looked around again, at twisted woods with patches of sun and rivers that babbled in the melody of water. Do you think this place to be fit for song and dance?

She seemed to brighten at the strangers words, her tail waving high. Fit for song and dance? She gave a small laugh. I hope so! We here are a pack of storytellers.

Trotting forwards, she aimed to get a better look at the woman. What is your name? Mine is Waawaashkeshi, Storyleader of the Summerwalkers. It felt good to introduce herself with such a title - like her own mother would be proud.

The sun shone down through the trees, bathing each of them in it's splendor. Yes, this one was no accident. They were meant to be here together.

Storyleader.

A'yan quickly found herself to be fond of the word. 

Oh? You are... She titled her head in curiosity. You are... a member of a pack? A leader? A'yan smiled for reasons unknown to her - perhaps the way the woman carried herself in strong, warm steps. 

Waa... Waawaash...keshi? You said? Of Summerwalkers? I quite like the sound of it. Her ears perked up, tail swishing about excitedly in the grass. Greetings, then, Waawaashkeshi! I am A'yan of nameless lands and distant kin.

The title felt odd upon her tongue. It was true, but it hid much. "A'yan" was a "small" name, not the "big" name given at birth. But this Waawaashkeshi did not seem to care for the titles of strangers, so long as their soul could find beauty where most saw none.

You said there were more? she asked. Others of the story-singing? I would love to know what melodies they hear that I cannot.

A'yan. She repeated, deciding she liked how the name slid off her tongue. A good name!

If you would like to meet the others, you are welcome to await their return with me. Though she was not quite sure how long they would be, it did not seem that this woman had anywhere to be. She was a traveller, just like the rest of them. Summerwalkers will never turn away a fellow traveller.

She gave her a look now, one that asked 'will you stay?'. She truly did hope that the answer would be yes - the copse needed more songs to be sung within it's borders.

An invitation.

A pack - she had only ever been part of a pack of her own kin, all the way back in the lost lands of Halfshatter. She had seen a few before, and spoken with even less.

But never had she been given an invitation to remain with one, until now.

There was a hope within the eyes of the woman, a gentle calling - one that A'yan suddenly found herself willing to respond to. There were more, there were more! Other wanderers with hearts tied to song and dance and forever wandering the world... she had thought them so rare, but she was elated to be proved wrong.

I am more than happy to wait with you, she replied. How many other... Summerwalkers are there? I would be pleased to meet them.

About four. She responded, though looking down at herself a moment later. More coming, I suppose! Though there was no guarantee that they would be singers, she hoped that her litter would grow to be pleasant packmates nonetheless.

Taking in a breath of temperate air, she turned her body back the way she came from before glancing to A'yan with a smile.

Come - I'll show you the territory.

Would you like to fade from your next?

sure! fade <3

Four! Four!

A'yan's chest fluttered in excitement. She had only thought another wanderer had joined, maybe two - she had not expected so many. She tried to imagined all the little beautiful corners of every length of the world, what they could see and what she could not... perhaps they could guide her? 

And then she remembered Waawaashkeshi's round belly - more were to come! 

A blessing really had found her, it seemed, and quite ironically in a place many called "hell". But it had never been a place of suffering - not for those who found its bits and pieces of happiness. And more joy would they find together now.

She eagerly bounded by the story-woman and followed her lead.