Blacktail Deer Plateau We're in the homestretch of the hard times

Rosalyn stretched, luxuriously, and felt a knot of tension loosen along the lower part of her spine.  She'd settled for a nap alongside the frozen stream, but it was time to move, and a jog would serve well to take the chill ache from her bones.

She smiled as she began to run, fast at first, then a settled mile-eating pace.  Today she'd found to be a good one, and her heart felt light with the mid-morning sun filtering over the landscape.

After addressing Erzulie's task, Harps had gone to ground, her emotional malaise metamorphosing into a bad cough that kept her confined to her den for a stretch of days, she knew not how long. Finally, the illness passed and she resurfaced. Not only did she feel better physically, she had done a lot of thinking and processing during her bed rest. The yearling felt ready to make a fresh start in Rusalka, despite her misgivings following the three sisters' exile.

Leery of moving too quickly and losing her breath, Harps padded slowly across the breadth of the plateau. She paused beside a frozen stream, licking at the ice to slake her thirst, then raised her head and pricked her ears. She could hear footfalls fast approaching along the small riverbed. Her copper eyes flicked upstream, catching sight of a wolf in the distance coming this way and tried to figure out of it was Reyes or Rosalyn.

Ah! A figure she hadn't seen in some time.  Rosalyn turned her trajectory, but slowed, sensing Harps might be quick to startle.  She'd seemed a little unused to pack life and familiarity, in certain ways at least.

Good morning, she greeted as she came close enough.  I was taking a run.  Join me?  She had a bit more antsy to work out of her paws.

It was definitely Rosalyn, Harps saw as the scarred she-wolf drew closer and slowed. The yearling bowed her head and dropped her tail in deference at the leader's approach. She halfway expected a rebuke for being sequestered so long. Had anyone even noticed, she wondered?

It didn't seem like it, based on Rosalyn's reaction to her. Harps didn't know whether to feel dejected or relieved. She didn't have time to well on it, seeing as the Beta invited her for a run. She would've leaped at that invitation before, though her recent spate of illness made her hesitate.

But she didn't want to come across as disobedient, unwilling or, god forbid, weak—not again—so she bobbed her head. "Of course." Without further adieu, she dug her paws into the earth and began to move alongside Rosalyn.

Hmm.  She had a hard time taking the measure of timid wolves like Harps, ones who kept their nature's close.  Brash wolves she liked because the spoke their truths openly - right or wrong, they were.  Others you needed to read between and this Rosalyn was not great at.  Her wife seemed to have an affinity, however, and she'd seen something in her.

Rosalyn dispelled those thoughts with a smile and took off running, not too fast yet, towards the southern edge of the plateau.  This run had to reasons - she wanted to scout the herds again, and she wanted to stretch her legs.  As they went she'd lengthen, but she'd keep a periphery in her good eye on Harps to see if she slowed.

For the first stretch, neither one of them said anything, at least out loud. Harps noticed a speculative look, though when Rosalyn didn't deign to speak, neither did she. The yearling focused on the physical aspects of the run, making sure to pace herself so that she didn't aggravate her sensitive lungs overly much.

When she found the breath to spare, Harps eventually found herself saying, "I've met some of your children: Reyes and Nieve." Unaware of how imprudent a question it might be and innocently attempting to make conversation, she inquired, "Was it you or Erzulie who gave birth to them?"

Running always steadied her.  Harps humored her and kept up well, and so by the time she spoke, Rosalyn was winded but felt clearer than she had when she started.  She slowed, coming to a jog and letting her legs stretch a bit.  Reyes is my doing, and Nieve is from Erzulie.  Both are ours, though.  She smiled.  I never expected to have children, and now I couldn't imagine being otherwise.

Even two years ago she'd been so adamant.  She wasn't sure what had changed her mind, but she was certainly glad for it.

The Beta's answer made Harps's brow knit. That idea hadn't even occurred to her. Come to think of it, she hadn't really parsed out how the whole thing must've worked for the two of them to reproduce. There must be a man involved—she was young and inexperienced in these matters, though she knew how they worked—but perhaps he'd simply provided his services, so to speak. It was abundantly clear that Rosalyn and Erzulie shared a pair bond, after all.

Although she wasn't particularly socially adept, some part of Harps understood it wasn't appropriate to push for much more detail. Instead, she said, "That makes sense. He looks like you, she looks like her." Her lips twitched. So they weren't planned? she thought, though that didn't make sense at all. Again, the yearling intuited that asking about it would be a little too nosy.

"I'm from an 'oops!' litter," Harps found herself saying, cheeks flushing a little. "My mother, Spur, not only didn't expect us, she didn't want us... at all. My father, he did his best, and Lele helped too. But my litter mates, they all died." She found herself exhaling a long, low breath, even as they continued their lope. "Um, sorry for the sob story," Harps finished, trailing off awkwardly.

Rosalyn and Erzulie had discussed and agreed, planned their children carefully.  But she knew it was likely her own mother had not intended her to be; she'd made no secret of the hardships single motherhood had given her.  

Some mothers do not deserve their children, she said, not unkindly.  Mine didn't.  So I've chosen to be better.  She'd made mistakes, some worse than others, but so far her best had been better than many.  She could rest easy on that.

It is good you had your father, then.  And now you are here, with I hope a new family.  Is that what you wish?  She asked, slowing more and taking up a walk now.  The conversation was heavier... less suited to the jog.

Harps didn't disagree with Rosalyn's sentiment, though she said nothing. Despite Spur's vitriol toward her, she still loved her mother and she couldn't explain it. Even Lele had never really understood. She had taken Spur's mood swings in stride, surely, but Spur wasn't Lele's mother and there had never been any love lost between them.

She wondered about the inference regarding Rosalyn's own mother. Had she had a tough upbringing too? Before she could ask, the Beta posed a question to her instead. She began to shake her head, only to freeze when she realized there was more than one way to interpret the leader's question.

"I don't know about having a mate, kids, any of that. But I absolutely want family ties." Harps reflected on her brief and tumultuous time in Rusalka thus far. The big confrontation had shaken her faith, though she was able to admit, "I really hope to find that here. I think I have. I know it takes time to form and nurture bonds though..."

The conversation distracted her enough that Harps stumbled over a tree root, though she recovered quickly and even began to laugh at herself. Between the company, the conversation and the exercise, she realized she felt lighter than she had in some time.

Family is certainly more than blood, Rosalyn agreed, though she silently wondered how long Harps would hold onto her ambivalence.  It wasn't unheard of; she'd held her own for well into the twilight of her life.  If you want to find it here, then you will.  And have, she thought, endeared a little more as Harps stumbled and laughed at her own misstep.

I was hoping to find a bird or two to take back for Erzulie.  Would you like to help?  She asked, intent on continuing their walk but moving towards more productive pursuits.

Finally wrapping up her threads, since she's been dead a month and she's starting to smell. :') Last one from me!

She met Rosalyn's reassurances with a heartened smile. She had joined Rusalka with high hopes, which had been tested very quickly. But they were on the rise again. Harps's tail stirred as she thought of the camaraderie she had struck with both Betas, even their children, although she wasn't sure she should count Reyes just yet...

When Rosalyn proposed they hunt for birds, the yearling bobbed her head. "Of course," she said simply, obediently falling into step beside the leader, their shoulders brushing briefly. Harps looked to Rosalyn with ears splayed submissively, a small smile tugging on her lips, her copper eyes saying, Just lead the way.