Hushed Willows What To Do With These Weary Bones

Stark had slipped off without her, much to the elders anger, for she knew without a doubt that her words would be spun the wrong way. Nothing she'd done had been wrong, for she hadn't given away any location and she'd never been ordered to not give away a rank. Confusion muddled her thoughts as the golden woman walked along the borders, marking every so often and letting her spectral eyes scour the world beyond. Sure, Reek's hurting had gotten to her, but she wouldn't have betrayed her home to the rival alpha. Like Kunik, her feelings of the alpha female were growing further and further OFF, feeling as though the stormy woman wasn't here because she wanted to be. There was no care for them, no reason to follow, and yet she demanded them to submit? Funny. 
Alas, however, the elder knew that should Octavia's wrath come to her, that her time in the willows could be short lived. What would she do then, if Warbone wasn't around? Not again would she uproot her daughter, no, but leaving without a goodbye was also not an option. Nova still deeply hoped that here would she find her deathbed, preferrably after a few more years of serving Arkham. 
You wont have years left if you don't eat, you old bat.
Her own thoughts prodded at her belly, her sharply curved waist. Skinnier she was even than others, if that was possible, thanks to her refusal to eat. Bugs had been her main staple, plus whatever herbs Grace had insisted she eat. The trip had really taken the last of her energy, yet here she was still patrolling and pushing her creamy paws forward even more. The old woman was growing gaunt, and knew that wether she liked it or not she would need to eat if she were to live.
You say that like its a bad thing. WAS giving her life a bad thing? No longer would Tavi be irked by her, would the others need to worry about some old woman. One less mouth to feed.
Oh, did the wish come upon her harshly. The wish of death, of a release, but that wasn't happening just yet. Grace still needed her, needed the wisdom she could pass before her waste. The thought of dying and letting all her knowledge go to nothing was indeed a fear of hers, of death in general, but suddenly it just didn't seem like a big deal. Why not?

Having spoken to Stark, it seemed like a good idea to track down member number two of the mail delivery crew; and strangely, even after Octavia's coversation with him, she was not angry. Her thoughts were focused squarely upon Tambourine first. Once someone had been corralled in to the den to keep an eye on him, Octavia roamed away. She was passive because she was distracted. Her child had not been away from her for any longer than a few minutes thus far, and at every sound among the trees or shift of the wind across the empty territory she would pause to listen, ready to turn around at a moments notice.

When the alpha female came upon the old woman she chuffed softly, keeping herself contained emotionally, and even granted the crone a small smile.

"Nova, you have returned." She knew what Stark had said. Her attachment to this woman was practically non-existant, but being in good spirits Tavi would give her one last chance. "How did you fare? I can't imagine the look on his face after you gave him my message." She meant Reek, obviously. Stark had already explained things, but Tavi did not mention this - she would rather hear the old bat's version of events first.

Nova was not at all surprised that Tavi sought her out, but was fully astonished at the womans smile, however small. The stormy woman smelled of Stark, and the elder was very sure he'd already told her what happened. So why was the alpha here SMILING at her?
Obviously, she was dead. Or about to be. Tavi was happy because she was about to be rid of her. 
For a moment, all the bony woman could do was stare in amazment at her before giving a half-assed, nervous smile of her own. Might as well play along.
           "We found Tam's father. I told him our alpha female had bore him a son, and when he asked of seeing him I told him that the fact you'd sent us under orders not to give away a place was answer enough." 
The golden woman went quiet again, thinking. She had no wishes to hide anything from Tavi, it wasn't in her nature. But what else was there to say? There was the promise, and Reek's own words, but that was all she could think of. 
                           "I did promise to ask if you would be willing to, one day, permit him to see the little boy, be a father. He also wanted you to know he's sorry and, and I quote, 'bug-muncher hasn't smiled since she left'."
Short tale over, Nova turned her ghostly eyes on the landscape, ears and head turning to make sure there was nothing around, making sure they were safe before focusing again on the alpha. Would she show anger now, be upset? Should the woman explain her so called rudeness herself, or wait for the grey woman to question? Eventually, the latter was chosen, and she stayed silent in hopes there would be no rage.

So Stark had been telling the truth. Tavi had given explicit directions — a very specific, short, cut-to-the-point message, and this woman had decided to throw that away. The alpha's smile waned, and she even turned her head away from the grizzled woman, doing her best to remain level-headed despite the great urge she now felt to do otherwise. She looked to the trees, watched their empty branches swaying around them, and listened to the din that the movement created. Once this might have soothed her, but now Octavia didn't know how to feel.

She returned her attention to Nova and noticed the strain in the crone's entire being. The famine was working hard against all of them, and Tavi realized sending this one on the quest was probably a bad idea for everyone involved. Her expression was blank - hollow, even, gutted - but she got directly to the point without mincing words. You had one job. One.

I told you to find Reek and tell him he had a son. Those were my exact words, weren't they? I think they were, the question was rhetorical, while the chill that swept through Tavi's words could have frozen the sun. But you told him things I did not give you permission to tell him. Precious information. Were you planning on undermining me the entire time, or was it a spur of the moment decision? Don't answer that, there was a bit of heat now, and she hastily, angrily slurred the addendum to that sentence before Nova could respond. She was doing her best not to chase this useless old woman from the packlands, but it took actual concentration. You've put my son in danger. Now... Explain that.

The rest of what Nova mentioned - of Reek potentially seeing his son, the bug muncher comment - it wormed under her skin too, but Tavi refused to focus on that for the time being. She filed it away under the heading Emotional Manipulation within the storage locker of her mind.

Nova Rose kept her silvery, worn out eyes on the alpha female, but found she could be nothing but numb and cold. Undermining Octavia? Putting Tamborine in danger? 
Was Reek such a vengeful person as to come back in ill favor? She couldn't be sure, of course, but it didnt seem so. Why would he want to hurt the son he seemed to care so much to get. If she so much as scented the dark, scraggly male in the area, the alarm would be sounded and she'd confront the bastard herself. 
           "I meant nothing but to let him know you were gone for good, Tavi, to not bother coming to try and take you back. I would never put the boy in danger, no matter my opinions. If Reek were to come around I'd chase him away myself after blowing his cover."
Sure, she might've been irritated with the woman, but the pup was top priority: there would never be enough anger to put any mother in a position where she would run the risk of losing a child. Not after knowing the pain itself.

Octavia listened. She did her best to stay calm and not try to bite Nova's head off, despite wanting to very badly. It felt like every order she gave this woman was disregarded. That she kept trying to do her own thing, which flew in the face of what Tavi said she'd wanted. It didn't matter what was said between Nova and Reek aside from one simple fact: Octavia had given a very specific set of instructions, and Nova Rose had deviated from those instructions.

It isn't that I am afraid of Reek. I'm not. She was worried that he might show up and take Tambourine — just swoop in and ruin everything as he had a habit of messing everything up — but she wasn't afraid. She had Warbone, she had Stark, Grace, the rest of the pack. Reek had nobody. But it is not your place to say anything. That is the problem, Nova. You were supposed to tell him that Tambourine was born and healthy, then return. Not tell him I'm gone for good, not to put any sort of spin on the message I wanted to convey. Now Reek probably thinks I hate him, or that I'll keep Tambourine from him. He had been in a fragile place last time they'd spoken. Being given this glimmer of hope in the form of a living son, she had hoped to give him some form of peace.

But then Nova had to take it upon herself to influence things, to speak without permission, and that was what made Tavi so agitated.

The woman went quiet, but the seriousness of her attitude remained. She was thinking, considering many things. Whether Nova took this quiet moment to speak or not, Tavi would cut her off with a determined tone, sounding less commanding but still stern, filled with frustration. If I give you an order I expect you to carry it out exactly as I tell you. If you can't do that, then you have no place here. I am your Alpha, your superior, and you are supposed to obey me as you might obey Warbone; we are equals. This is the last time I will tell you this, Nova, and if you can't accept it then tell me now.

This could potentially put Tambourine in more danger. Where would Nova go? What would she do? It was morbid, monstrous, but Octavia couldn't help but think, hopefully the famine will keep us safe in the end.

Nova didn't bother to speak until it seemed the woman actually wanted an answer, her own frustration and irritation filling her as the alpha went on. It was easy to let most of it in one ear and, after thinking about it, go right out the other. It wasn't her problem what the two had issues with, and it hadn't been her intentions to screw up whatever had been left. Of course the woman could see Tavi's side on it, she couldn't see any real harm in what she's done, and therefore dosent care. Talking about her place here, however, got her even more irritated. Technically, yes, but Nova believed times of such harshness were for more FERAL wolves, not ones who could use reason. Grace was her only reason to stay, really, and though it burned her she knew there was only one answer she could give. The stormy woman had done nothing truly wrong to drive the Rose woman away, and perhaps things would get easier? 
Not likely. She kept her tone null and void of any emotion, and her ghostly eyes were glaring down at her own creamy paws.
               "I have no choice but to accept it if I want to survive, we both know that. Because, as you've stated, you're my superior. I'll keep to myself from now on, do what I need to do."

Whatever Octavia thought about the old woman, she proved her intelligence with her answer. Leaving the pack would spell doom for sure, as a pack wolf had a higher chance of survival especially in this difficult time. She wasn't done though, and when Nova Rose was finished with her answer, Tavi went on to explain a few other things.

Good. I will need you to stay away from the borders for a while, so your new duties will be somewhat limited. You could help Trick or your daughter with their medicines, try to hunt what you can find, or go out and explore - I don't really care, as long as you are hidden from sight of the Larksong wolves. But maybe that would lead to more problems. Thus far Nova seemed to be entirely against anything Tavi told her to do. She was willfully defiant in her old age. This talk might have changed that - or maybe she was just playing along until the Alpha was off doing something more important.

Tavi watched her with a steely gaze, interested in hearing a confirmation before she departed, but was already turning to leave. Any questions?

Nova listened in much the same fashion that she'd spoke, glaring down at her paws in silence and waiting for the alpha to be done. To stay away from the borders, her only real job, was now what she wasn't allowed to do. There was no interest in helping with the herbs, not when there was nothing green and two wolves could handle it. Hunting was sparse, and she already payed attention for any opportunities, and perhaps exploring could be fun.
Nothing had changed in the old woman, nor would it from a talk she'd been forced through. Nova was not, however, spiteful, and wouldn't do anything specifically to go against Tavi. As far as she was concerned, Warbone WAS above her, and Octavia was above everyone else. Even that was hard to accept, but it was indeed accepted. Relief flooded her body when the alphess turned away, and Nova was glad to follow suit, turning the other way with a nod of her head. She gave Tavi a half assed answer before padding off her own way, crossing the border and going off to explore on her own for a little while.
"No."