Firefly Glen stacy's mom

backdated to the week of October 25th

The cold weather was coming fast, and prey was growing weak. Leto was truly in her element at this time of year.

She had taken down a cow elk, a young and inexperienced one, with the scrapes and bruises to show just how rusty she was after lounging in Verapaz for so long. She would be sore for a few days, but that didn't stop her pride from shining through.

Panting until she caught her breath, Leto lifted her head to call for @Aureli and Delos. She wasn't quite sure what they were up to, but she doubted it was more important than a decent meal. Whatever plants they had decided to stare at weren't going anywhere, she was sure of that much.

In the meantime she was comfortable laying down with a heavy thud. She would relax while she waited, and return to her usual restless pacing when the pair joined her.

It had been some time since Aureli had traveled with anyone else, let alone two wolves at the same time. And never before had one of those wolves been a layperson. The last had been Yellowcat, with whom he'd paired up to study a plague in the far west. Before that it had been Ulysses, and his master's friend Nandi, who had taught him midwifery as they traveled with her along her usual circuit.

With the season fast approaching, Aureli had decided to start with midwifery right off the bat. He would likely need Delos as an assistant in such matters very soon, and so they were working to identify the different plants that Aureli might ask him to fetch, and their different purposes, properties, and preparation.

All told, they had not had time for hunting. He was grateful, then, when they reunited with Leto to find dinner already felled. Grateful — but uncertain, too. A healer oughtn't be cared for in this way. It was fine for Delos, who was still young, but for himself...

"Go ahead," he encouraged, gesturing for the boy to precede him to the meal. He took the bundle of herbs they'd gathered from the boy and tucked them away against a nearby rock.

His gaze found its way to Leto.

"We'll be approaching the first pack very soon," he said, making awkward conversation. "Do you know anything else about them?"

The pair returned with bundles of herbs, not an uncommon sight these days. She watched Delos as he took his share, trotting away to eat on his own.

No, I haven't met them. She confessed half-heartedly. I didn't spend much time on this side of the wilds before following a partner to the lowlands. Part of Leto still regretted that. She had left Pepper behind with so little hesitation, and she hadn't even thought to visit. Soto had sent Beau away to speak to him at her request, and the cowboy never returned. Sooner or later Aureli would have to go to Sapphique, she would check in on Pepper then.

You'll keep him safe, right? If things go sour.

She wanted to back off, let Delos do his thing, but he was still young. Leto obviously had some confidence in Aureli, but he still seemed.. a bit too spindly for her not to worry. Was his bite nearly as loud as his bark? Or his glare, really.

Cameo!

The cat had taken a special liking to Leto, though none of the wolves present were likely to have noticed. This liking manifested mainly in following the pale shewolf more than the healer or his apprentice. Only rarely, however, were she and Leto actually in sight of each other.

This was one of those times. Lured in by the scent of fresh meat, the cat crept in and began nosing around one of the elk's hooves.

Aureli sat nearby, regarding Leto with a contemplative stare while the boy and cat tucked into their meal nearby. He was not sure if Delos had shared with her the exact wording of the oaths that they'd taken, or if Leto might have heard of them sometime before — but he had not told her, and he did not bring them up now.

"I will keep him safe," he instead replied, skating over the issue of his vows. Would he break them to protect the boy? Aureli told himself it would not come to this, and deftly, contemplated the issue no further.

Without a firm idea of the situation they were going into, he would just have to prepare Delos for any outcome. But despite his worries, he knew it was far more likely they'd be as welcome at this new pack as he had been at Redhawk Caldera.

"We should make time to hunt together," he went on, turning his gaze back toward their charges. "He needs to learn these things as well."

Leto let herself be satisfied with that answer.

We can, but not elk if that's what you mean. She managed a slight smile, amused. He needs to build up some proper muscle, first. It's why I make him eat so much.

He told me you two have gone fishing together. He liked that a lot, but I'm assuming you want me to show him something different? In truth, it seemed to Leto that her son liked anything he did so long as it was with Aureli. It stung a bit, but Leto was trying to understand. She didn't have anybody but her family growing up, so her parents were the adults she idolised. Delos had options.

Ouch. That just made it sting worse.

Aureli lifted one shoulder in a shrug — and unusually casual movement for the stuffy physician.

"You are his mother," he said, his tone matter of fact. "I defer to your wisdom in such life skills. I only know that we should make time for it. Fishing will only take him so far."

He stretched out, lying sphinx-like, now, and turned his head toward Leto even as he laid it across his paws.

"I can help," he offered. "With the hunting as well as the teaching. You have been kind to offer meals to me as well, and I am grateful. But I should hunt for myself, as an example for Delos if nothing else. If he continues on this path, he will need to be self-sufficient one day. He should understand first what that looks like."

Leto gave what could only be the harshest side-eye ever formed on her permanently friendly face in response. He's watched me be self-sufficient. If I don't look the part it's because having him and the other two made me fat. Whatever frustrations she had were fleeting however, her face softening back up soon after.

I'll take him out soon. I'm not going to stay with you two much longer. She knew better. This was never meant to last forever. I went into heat in mid winter last time, so I think I'll leave before that happens again. Delos will be close enough to a yearling by then, and I'll be have another chance at finding a mate. Whether or not she would be successful this year she wasn't sure, but a fleeting romance would be fun too.

I feel like it'll be the right thing to do. I trust you, and so does Delos. I know you'll take better care of him than I could.

He was not surprised by her annoyance with him, but he felt a pang of guilt all the same.

"I must have misspoke," he said, his voice clear and smooth. "Leto, you have been sufficient enough for all of us, not just yourself. Clearly. I want him to see that a healer must be self sufficient, even as he maintains focus on his studies."

He offered her a sardonic smile.

"Perhaps I worry he will think me a soft touch," he allowed, reluctantly offering this sliver of vulnerability to the woman.

He did not refute her desire to move on, nor her assertion that it was what was best. She had her own life to live, and so did Delos. He could only hope that she was right in her assessment of timing.

"In this, I will bow to your wisdom," he told her. "I will do my best by him regardless."

Leto hadn't expected him to retort with any sort of compliment. For once she was lost for words.

There's nothing wrong with a soft touch - but I wouldn't call you that anyways. From what she had seen of him, Aureli was anything but. He was smarter than that. But Delos looks up to you, he likes who you are. You're a much better influence than me or the wolves in his birth pack, too.

I stuck around my parents for too long and it made me stupid. He probably won't like it when I go, I didn't like it when they made me leave, but it's for the best. A bit of a generational ouch. He's good at this plant stuff, and I want him to focus on it. He won't be able to do that if he keeps looking for his mom.

He was not about to get into talk of who was a better influence. Privately, he found Leto somewhat grating, but her love for her son was clear enough. She was strong and willful, and those were useful qualities for a wolf to have. Most of all, she was the boy's mother, and that counted for quite a bit.

His voice was unusually gentle when he next spoke, a beat after she'd finished talking rather than his usual swift ripostes.

"That is what children do. Look to their mothers. He is yet young."

He wouldn't be for long — but for now, he thought Leto's presence was more powerful than she realized.

"He is lucky to have you, Leto," he said, his tone solemn but without inflection. "I am very glad you agreed to accompany us. I am certain it's made all the difference, and he will be a better man for having had the support of his mother for that much longer. Your role is one that cannot be usurped, and one that I could not have substituted."

But she was right.

It was a role that was drawing swiftly to a close.

"We will have to do our best to keep track of each other, when the time comes," he said, more firmly now. "He will need to know where to go to visit you."