Hushed Willows the cold-blooded moon [festival]

When they had inevitably splintered away from the main hustle of the gathering at large after all had started to wind down a bit, Amekaze was left feeling content with her mingling for the moment.. so, she was quick to take a step back when @Charon went to Gannet for words, or whatever else it may become. Having no interest in picking at that scab unnecessarily personally, and already toeing a fine, very specifically avoidant line, she stayed back away. Ame trusted him to deliver his judgements outright, so she didn't doubt that. Point being, Charon could take care of that one way or another

Alone for now, she loitered off near where her mate's path had led to go meet that inevitable frustration. Frankly, she didn't think it would last long, but it still left her some time to kill until she joined him again.

In the meantime, she didn't find she had dire obligations besides him, and nothing that urged her interests specifically besides a much-needed breath of respite. There were a few scarce faces she was vaguely curious about, such as the scarred loner that had supposedly passed this word onto Charon and any Drageda wolves that might have trickled over (although their Heda would have been the only one she would recognize) but most of the others here were strangers, too, and neither was she overly motivated to pursue anything with their likes.

Besides that, there were a whole little bouquet of past acquaintances that she would rather not bother with at all for the sake of her own peace to really top it off. Ame was increasingly trepidatious about all of this anyway. That didn't particularly help and she wondered, probably pending Charon's encounters too after this, how much longer they would even stay.

With evading those ghosts close in mind, she prowled a marked pathway and found the shadows with ease. From here, still on her own but guarded, she would meander and enjoy the forest for the trees while she was here at least. It had been a long time, and never before for anything like this.

/horribly late in putting this up but i wanted to anyway, and she's awful but all welcome! tag for ref's sake <3

somersaults in here

Lily had once had the energy to party all night long, but now, she tired much more easily. Not just physically, but mentally. The crush of wolves soon overwhelmed her, and she, too, withdrew to the shadows, seeking a respite from the noise. She let her eyes drift half-shut as she meandered through the now-familiar willows, letting their sweet calm embrace her. It took her longer than usual to realize that she was not alone.

Oh, hallo, she said awkwardly, giggling, as she came within several paces of the woman and her eyes popped open. Didn't know if anyone else was out here, walking. She inhaled slowly; she hadn't been properly introduced to the older wolf before, and didn't recognize the pack-scent on her pelt. But the other woman carried herself like a leader, and so Lily was curious to make her acquaintance. She thought she knew all the leaders in the valley.

Who was she?

I'm Lily; I help look after this place with Olive and Delight, the blackbird explained.

When shadows shifted back at her, she raised her head and flared her nostrils to test the winds. Searching for anything ahead, she soon pulled herself to a quiet stop. The Moonspearian was still feeling very out of her element here so low, although knew well enough to expect others when it felt like most the Teekon wilds had come to congregate here.. but in a second's breath of such matching scent, she realized this was not only a stranger to her, but one of the hosts too. Now she kept this carefully in mind, smoothing a reflexive rise of a hackle with the notion and moving on ahead.

Ame's poise was natural, life-long, and she blinked away some of her squint's ugliness. Though her tail hung slack, she kept about a proud headset, shoulders back, but still looking half ready for motion, somehow. My apologies, she said first and nodded her nose down towards her new company. I am Ame, of Moonspear, she did provide since she was in company such as hers, and wondered what it may mean for one of theirs like Lily. Olive and her strange little family had been among her and Charon's lot once, so Ame only knew her, distantly enough. It had been only short-lived in her grand scheme.

But, she had been enjoying the scenery, and didn't entirely intend to stop. It is quite the forest, and very generous of you all to share it like this, she said, watchful of her, and all.

Moonspear. If she'd heard of it, it had only been in passing, for the name, while pretty, didn't ring many bells in her mind. She shook her head. No apologies necessary, Lily insisted, laughter in her voice. I wasn't paying attention at all. I'm not used to so many wolves around here.

She nodded in agreement to Ame's assessment, looking around with the woman. Their pelts were similar, but she was older than Lily by several seasons, and far broader too; she felt puny next to the seasoned warrioress— not, however, uncomfortable. The blackbird suddenly had many questions for Ame.

No good hoarding it all to ourselves, she said jokingly. She glanced over at Ame, her gaze like torchlight in the darkness. Where is Moonspear? What's it like?

She returned with a sympathetic nod, and soft chuff to say she understood; true, how could anyone be used to this many wolves around? Which did make her wonder if the word had spread farther than they had planned, but it still was generous of them to share as she had said. It would drive her straight to madness were this the mountain with this many head to keep track of somehow, but all in all, Lily seemed to be handling it well enough if this was the worse end of it.

South of here, and west a bit, she replied, and shifted the angle of her snout accordingly. On the range on the other side of the Sunspire, and over the flatlands she mentioned, if Lily knew of the beyond at all. She glanced for any familiarity, though spoke on inevitably. It is verdant. A lot of dense forest low, some mid-height meadows, then more varied further up: caves, cliffs, so on. All the feature a proper mountain should boast, from peaceful grassy fields to jagged cliffs, really, and although she could speak at length about the home, it was a good, condensed version. And, as for the pack, they reflected their home quite well too she believed, but this was something she did not yet put to words so plainly. Ah, and sky-watching vistas unparalleled, I would say. Though, I may be biased, she said gently enough, twirling in a hint of humor with her small smirk.

Lily followed Ame's gesture and gave a little shrug. I've not traveled much on that side of these mountains, she admitted. Though I would like to, when these pups in me are big enough to live without their mum for a little while. I'm sure it's beautiful, she added, a little in awe at the description the woman offered. Especially the part about the stars.

Oh, how Korei would love that. . . (Little did she know. Ha!)

We have a nice stargazing place here, though I'm sure it's not as nice as what Moonspear has, Lily said, lifting her muzzle in its general direction. I had a friend, Korei, who loved looking at the stars—back in our old home, we used to sit and look at them together. (Emily couldn't resist.) Simpler times, those were.

Oh yes, she nodded, it was beautiful, and Lily's days to roam as she pleased would return to her in due time. She had always hated those days tethered to one place too, and it wasn't making her miss it any, despite Charon's insistence. Thankfully they grow quickly, but do cherish it too, she offered more in support of her future explorations more than the downsides to whelping. Amekaze was not envious of what she was in store for, from the greedy mouths and prodding feet, but come the long balmy days of summer, the matron had a feeling she could be free once again should all go well for her and the young ones.

Before she could remark on their stargazing opportunity tucked here amidst the trees, or even question its finer details, she mentioned Korei of all wolves. Her ears definitely perked. A name as that one, and the mention of the stars.. there could be no other who fit the description so well. Ame was accordingly quiet as that set in, and a fondness came creeping whether she liked it to or not. She listened keenly for any piece of detail Lily may unknowingly drop, and, well, at least she had not gone off and died immediately after leaving them it seemed. Ah, it is good she took that love elsewhere with her. She grew up on Moonspear--my daughter, the mother provided, but had not missed the past tense in Lily's words, which worried her in a way she did not put to words exactly. Her very first daughter was a delicate, contradicting subject.

I have not seen her in some time, I hope the road has been kind to her, she said, sternly avoiding the notion that their parting had not been on the best of terms, but likely it had been what she had needed. She still loved her as a mother would, but Korei had made it difficult and distance made it impossible to know right where they stood anymore.

The fact that Ame knew Korei at all was quickly followed up by the knowledge that her old friend was this woman's daughter. What a small world! Lily gaped at her for a little while, mouth slightly ajar, before her lips pursed in an anxious frown. If Ame was hoping for any sort of update on Korei, she was out of luck, at least as far as recent news went.

She was a part of our group for a long time, many moons, Lily answered, blinking slowly as her face grew soft with nostalgia. It hardened, again, when she remembered the subsequent exodus. She and another friend of ours left without much word or explanation, toward the end of last autumn. I haven't seen her since, though I ran into him once, and they were further southeast in the valley.

Lily understood the notion of delicate and contradicting when it came to Korei. She never knew quite how to feel about one of her oldest and closest friends here. And then a conversation they'd had came to her once more—

Korei told me about her sister—erm, Galaxy, I think she said, she murmured. Her eyes were mournful as she stared at Ame. I'm sorry for your loss. She seemed really torn up about it, even fairly long after she'd been with us.

She knew almost nothing of what had become of Korei after she had left them. At best, she understood her dark-furred littermates had a rough sense of where she had gone, and maybe a few fragments here and there otherwise but really, Ame had preferred not to know all that much when the aches were still raw; just that she was still alive, and not suffering, was enough for her.

Lily granted her a further glimpse in to where Korei had gone now that curiosity replaced the chill, and what path life had guided her daughter often left her to wonder. Knowing Korei, it was not easy to say how it made her feel, besides where relief met the contradicting sadness when she didn't know what else she wanted to know about her daughter's time with Lily's group. It did not feel like her place to pry.. although it admittedly prompted those Korei mixed feelings: happy she had found a place to run with, but sour that she would leave them without a word (and in autumn, too?), and that some him would end up separated, somehow. Likely it was messier than Ame wanted to imagine, but what didn't kill you...

Anyway. But yes.. Galaxy, thank you, Ame accepted through a nod, but the grief was faraway by now, old and shelved and just another check as to why that litter in particular, for some reason, had been absolutely cursed. She shook her head gently, sighing. It does not surprise me, sadly. Korei was closest to her, by far.. and the circumstance of Galaxy's end were complicated. It all ended up being a large part of why she left us, the mother recalled. She remembered her daughter's leave with a hollow look. Hope she is well, wherever it has become, she mentioned, (wondering also if her sister's untimely death still bothered Korei somehow) almost gingerly.

Complicated. That could mean a lot of things. But it did explain why Korei had been so torn up, and she felt renewed sympathy for her old friend, even through the resentment that still simmered due to her exodus. And she felt for Ame too, losing not one but two daughters because of it. She couldn't imagine.

Me, too, Lily murmured. I keep meaning to go look for her, but the time always slips away from me. Perhaps one day. . . But would Korei even want to see her? After all, Alarian had not been so keen (but then, that was Ali, always).

She dipped her head to the woman, eyes warm. I hope the rest of your family is well, she said kindly. Hopefully I can come and visit, when my children are older. Maybe I'll even bring them along, she added, chuckling at the thought. You can count on Elysium's friendship. . .and mine.

While she had never felt the need to look for Korei herself, she did like hearing of her through others. It seemed to suit the nature of their end better, and unless the wayward daughter returned to her first, Ame was not sure if or when she would ever see her again. If chance saw it fit, it would happen, but she was not pressuring the matter on her own accord any. Perhaps. I have wondered if she would ever visit us again, or if our paths may cross. Hard to say, the dark mother said, and gently shook her head almost somberly. Still, it was good Lily kept that hope, even if it seemed hazy.

Nevertheless, she liked to believe her family was well. Charon concerned her most, almost unrelated, and even her wayward offspring worried her less now that they were getting older--so long as they had survived, that was all she didn't know for sure. Anyway, she nodded softly, thankful, as if to say likewise. The summer time is perhaps the mountain's strongest, she smirked, looking forward to it herself. Although really she could make a case for every season, so it didn't matter when Lily and her family may see its verdant expanse, she believed it would be worthwhile. And, she took some silent solace in a distant friendship when they were so rare. We will be there, and hopefully they do get to see one day, she said, lighter expression accompanying.

With that said, she kept to a mosey to get to see more the willows while she was here. In Lily's company, for while she would have it, she passed the time waiting for Charon well she believed. It was nice, so she took in all she could in an opportunity she had found worthwhile--and probably not for the reasons her mate wanted her to, considering his original motivations in coming at all.