Tuktu Hinterlands I have wandered long enough to know how good a good thing was

Her hunt might have been cut short when the earthquakes hit, but Rosalyn had not managed to return home yet. When the first of the larger tremors happened, she'd just struck inland, and was only beginning to wonder if she should run when the ground opened under her feet. She'd fallen pretty damn hard, but eventually wound her disoriented way along the bottom of a newly formed rift, cursing whatever gods might be listening and terrified of the next one dropping her even further.  Or what if the rift decided to close up quickly as it came?

Eventually, fortunately, she had come upon a space to claw her way out, but at that point, she was uncertain on where she was.  As determined as she had been to find their lost daughter, Rosalyn was frantic with worry over the rest of their family, and getting home was all she was focused on now.  The shaking had been ever present since it began.  She never should have left.

She was lost but knew the shore to be east, so eastward she traveled.  Hopefully the sun would lead her home.

It was the coyotes that had caught her attention first.  They had something and were worrying it, a pitiful looking heap that turned out to be a small, dust-colored wolf.  She had frozen, watching, as one of them seemed to grow bolder and darted forward to snag an actual bite.  The lack of reaction had seemed to encourage the other two, who swarmed after.

Normally Rosalyn would have passed by.  However, she had a recent bone to pick with these creatures after what their like had done to her wife, and her worry over her family had her spoiling for a fight.  She had barreled into them without hesitation, and by the end had taken a few nasty bites, but also torn out the throat of one and forced the others to think better of it.

The wolf was probably dead.  She was nothing but bones, it seemed, and had shown no sign of response as Rosalyn lifted her easily to drag.  There was still nothing when she had managed to pull her into a nearby lake, hauling her into the shallows and dropping her in.  In the end, she had to try and force the body to drink.  She did so patiently, trying to hold her head somewhat  above water as she did so, otherwise likely the girl would just drown. 

Upon finishing, Rosalyn had paused to appraise her with narrowed, thoughtful eyes.  The girl's breathing was irregular, but she was breathing still.  As soon as Rosalyn left, there was little doubt that would no longer be the case.  Likely she'd had maybe a day left, if that, even if the coyotes hadn't come along to hurry the process.  A choice lay before her.... and after a moment, she had heaved a heavy sigh.  Better go get that coyote and see if any food would stay down.  She'd give the girl a few days... but after that she was gone. 

During the span, endless it seemed, that it took the girl to wake, Rosalyn must have thought of leaving her to inevitable death half a dozen or more times.  It would be proper and natural; obviously she was incapable of survival alone.  The child's saving grace was that Rosalyn was a mother now.  Missing her own, she couldn't bring herself to leave this one, though she cursed her own conscience as days passed.  She couldn't bear to think of Erzulie...  but also wondered if she could face her, or their children, if she walked away now.  Soft, she condemned herself, no small amount of ire behind the sentiment.

bringin these two back in <3 bc I'm hopin things will calmmm

Fennec was lucky.  From the moment she woke, it was clear the unknown woman was reluctant at best and spiteful at worst, especially when she learned the girl she'd saved had no sight to speak of.  The young wolf was terrified, despite being so numbed by exhaustion.  She'd panicked, gotten herself lost, and nearly died for it.  She couldn't make it alone.

But the woman didn't leave.  Fennec had tracked her as she rested, panicking anytime she left earshot and feeling a rush of relief whenever she returned.  This wasn't a reality she enjoyed, but she hardly remembered a time she wasn't dependent.  This woman was a shoddy stand in for Figment, but she was all Fenn had right now.

She missed her brother.

At first she mostly slept, but as she regained herself, the woman gave her a choice; follow or be left.  It wasn't really a choice, though, was it?

She followed.