rosalyn had returned, and the spice-hued wanton had breathed more easily knowing the first mate was back beneath ironsea's protection. the skin of an ermine, one caught just at the transition between winter-white and summer-hue, had been wrapped around the leaf packets wherein erzulie kept her herbs.
with them, a rabbit's marrowbone; satisified, the swab took up the soft bundle into her jaws and departed the forest, heading along the sands at a determined clip that would not slow until she had found @Rosalyn.

Erzulie was her new objective, a convenient one since Rosalyn seemed to be her own target as well.  Still, it took some time for them to run across one another; the bay was a surprisingly vast place and had a good many features to search.

Eventually though she spotted the woman, encountering her in the trees near where they met the shore.  "Erzulie," she called out, feeling some of the weight of the previous discussions fall away.  She was exhausted, but this was a conversation she looked forward to having, much as she had enjoyed all the others they had shared.

it was not long before erzulie caught the dark form of the first mate in her sights, moments before the woman's voice carried above the rush of the sea. the harlot let go her bundle to the sand, sweeping forward in a willowy trot to close the distance between herself and rosalyn. "tout mon beau travail," erzulie teased in a relieved murmur, seeking to place a lick along the other's shoulderblade.
"de redhawk wolves were treated to quite da show of ironsea's might in yo' absence, rosalyn," came her rich laughter as she urged the other woman to where she had left her bundle. "but da work dey did fo' you wounds seems trè byen."

Rosalyn moved to meet her, though with not quite as much speed.  Still, she pressed her cheek briefly to the other woman's cinnamon pelt, allowing the contact and the teasing to calm her briefly.  She laughed at the latter... she couldn't understand the words, but the tone was enough.

"I did warn them, though I suppose for a while we don't have him to bother with."  She pulled back, and a note of bitterness entered her tone, though she looked apologetically at the harlot.  It wasn't directed at her.

"Their hospitality was... surprising.  But I'm happy to be back."  It had been a mess she returned to, but this was home now, for as long as it remained. She sat, then looked at Erzulie with a more searching gaze... how did she feel about all of this?

She breathed out when Erzulie asked if she had met the captain, knowing that the ire she held wouldn't do well here.  It was difficult to keep all of it down, though, as she spoke plainly; she wasn't sure what he had told.

"We did.  He's gone; left us to find his sister."  Perhaps he saw the leaving as harmless, temporary... it was clear from her tone that the former First Mate felt otherwise.  "I'm to step up."  This she herself did not mind as much... what she minded was for the sake of the crew mostly.  All had joined out of loyalty to Smokestep, not her.  And she wasn't sure how they would take the change - Erzulie included.  She'd been less worried about her than Raptor, a partial component behind her decisions the last few hours.  But what if she did decide to depart?

She swallowed a note of anxiety at the thought and shifted as she spoke next, without much pause.  "I know your strengths lie in the company of others, so I was wondering... would you mind bein named Quartermaster?"

It was a lofty responsibility, but if any was to do it, she felt Erzulie best suited.  She trusted her, and that trust likely would be shared by most of the crew.  The dolce woman had a way with hearts and words... something that became more clear to the auburn woman each time they crossed.

Had Rosalyn known Erzulie considered Tetsubo in her stead, even momentarily, likely even her nervous tension couldn't have prevented her laughing.  She had known from the moment Smokestep delivered his news that these two she wished to have support her, but the only question had been where.  She would have been equally happy to call Erzulie her first mate.... but it felt a bit like cheating fate.  Not to say Erzulie was anything like Sarai.

Besides, Raptor seemed to need the space to deal with things, and this would give him purpose while letting the crew flourish beneath the She and the cinnamon woman's watchful eyes.  She banked on a yes; she didn't know what she would do otherwise.  When she received it, she gave a genuine smile of relief.

"Don't know about honor, but I'm glad."  She said, visibly losing some of the tension she had carried and returning the nudge on her cheek. "Been a while since I led."  There was a laugh behind the words, but also resolution.  She was determined this time would be better than previous.

It was funny, though.  When she first had returned, she'd sworn to herself she wouldn't join a crew she didn't lead; she'd broken that for Smokestep, but it ended up that way regardless.

Rosalyn did not miss the look, though perhaps she could not read everything within it.  As a thanks for both the physical caress and the support of her words, the new Captain moved closer, so that their sides could rest alongside.

As always, however, her friend (and lover) had a way of cutting to the heart of the turmoil.  Rosalyn gave her a long look, a mix of both surprised admiration and thoughtful amusement.  Then she shook her head.  That very thing had been deep on her mind ever since he said he was leaving them to her, and she hadn't settled on a resolution.

"I don't know.  Right now I feel like his leaving means he doesn't deserve the post.  Like he tossed the rest of us aside for his sister."  She smiled ruefully for the bitter words.  "But I don't know if I'd want to fight for it, if the time came.  He was the one everyone came for."  Not her.  She didn't know if she could follow him again, but this was his crew in the end.  At least right now.

What she said was right, and it was exactly what Rosalyn intended to do.  She hated to think of failure being an option; she'd lost so many times, she deserved a win, alright?  But it was, and if that time came, well - she'd do what she always did.  Pick up somewhere else and keep surviving no matter what it might take.

She smiled too, in response to both Erzulie's faith and her gentle words.  "Hopefully not too separate," she responded with a directed look, then turning into the attention.  "I wouldn't presume, but perhaps not as much as I missed you". Of them all, it was she who the new Captain had yearned for most in the isolation of the Redhawk claim.  She knew she held no claim over the harlot; this didn't seem to be either of thier ways, and she wouldn't ask it.  But their bond was closer than Rosalyn had allowed any in a long while, and it was as intoxicating as it was frightening.

erzulie smiled, genuine delight lighting the planes of her face. "non," the jezebel purled, daring now to rake her teeth through the fur along the side of rosalyn's jaw. "i t'ink we missed each o'da da same." the same, selfsame; she was not a creature who ever wished to be owned — again — but to be at the side of a woman, not a man.
yes; the idea brought her some small pleasure. and now desire filled her gaze; erzulie glanced toward her lover's wounds, lips pursing in a teasing smile, an arch of one dark brow. "perhaps you be too injured currently for me to show you how you were missed."

She took a large measure of feeling from the answer; she would not have been upset if Erzulie had wished to go her own way, or if it changed should it happen.  But Rosalyn was getting tired of the endless turn of company, and now sought to keep those whose companionship she treasured.  She hasn't in the past and regretted fiercely now, though not to the extent that it soured her.

"As you said yourself, those Redhawks know their trade." She returned, just as teasing.  "Maybe we should test their work."  She stepped over to press against, shoulder to side, and nibbled at a cheek.  She did not think Erzulie would hurt her, and companionship was just what she wanted right now.

her teeth flashed in a slow smile. "aye. perhaps we should." she said no more then, preferring to lave the pirate's fine-boned face with gentle kisses before retreating to the cover of trees along the shore, the captain at a follow. they needed no audience; she wanted none, and was more than delighted to die to herself for a little while in rosalyn's embrace.