Wheeling Gull Isle Package in transit

For @Astaroth. Afternoon. Partly cloudy.

Tzila strolled along the beaches of Yuèlóng, whose expanses seemed to stretch on forever, despite the size of the island. She had been trying to keep busy, paying Hua and her brood frequent, short little visits. But more often, she kept a sharp eye out for any sign of her missing sister, Ying. Thus far, there had been none. And now, even more concerning, was that another member of the seaside pack seemed to have vanished. His face was not one she knew well, his scent only caught in passing, strongest around Hua's den site. But now there seemed to be no trace of Atausiq. 

Worry knotted her stomach. Or was it nausea? The midnight woman had yet to cement any true bonds here, so fretting over the absence of a man she didn't even know wasn't in her nature. If she did worry at all, it was solely for the Empress. Jaw clenched, she fought back the sickening waves that churned in her stomach. She chalked it up to something she ate - likely the raw clams she had dined on for breakfast. That would make sense, since they were not ordinarily part of her diet. Hours later, after she retreated to the protective shade of a tree to sleep of the effects, she still didn't feel any better. Rousing, as she lifted her head, she felt the world tilt and spin. The inside of her mouth felt like parchment, too. Groaning uncomfortably, she got up to relieve herself, finding she had to repeat the process ten minutes later. Irritated and confused, she paced restlessly, wearing a distinct groove several inches deep in the soft sand, ears flattened.

his mind had been so focused on ying, that he'd forgotten much else of the world around him. he was determined to keep searching for his missing friend, but knew he couldn't dedicate his entire time to looking for the pale seafarer when he now shared the same responsibilities as any other pack wolf. should he just leave the island then? no. he hadn't know hua for very long, but he felt a sense of familial kinship with her. ying had been considered family, and so by default, hua was too.

so, he'd decided to shift part of his time to helping alleviate any worries the new mother might have had. he'd been on his way back from a quick patrol when he spotted the pacing form of tzila in the distance. paws redirected him towards the ebony wolfless, a faint smile tugging at the edge of his lips for only a moment before he realized his friend was clearly distressed. "you alright?", he asked with a flash of concern once close enough.

Her guts churned and roiled uncomfortably. Her body just wouldn't settle. Her brows pinched together as she stared down at the sand beneath her paws. Something was wrong. The last time she had felt anywhere near like this was a long time ago, when she consumed the rotting flesh of a water logged Elk carcass. That was what inevitably landed her in the capable, caring paws of the pack Elysium, which stood no more. But somehow...this ailment felt different.

A familiar voice reached out to her, accompanied with the always welcomed sight of the steele toned Astaroth coming her way. Lifting her head, Tzila clearly wanted to smile, but a wince from a fresh wave of dizziness put a stop to that. "H-hey." Gingerly, she lowered herself down to rest in the sand. Hind legs splayed out behind her, she took a moment to try and compose herself amidst the swimming sensation of her head. "I don't know. I woke up feeling...off. Now I feel like I might have ate something bad. And this dizziness...that came on suddenly too. I'm sure it's nothing." Tzila looked uncomfortable, but not in dire need of medical attention. She still hadn't placed the pieces together yet.

astaroth, knowing nothing of the symptoms of pregnancy, remained oblivious to the truth right before his very eyes. what he did know was that tzila was unwell, and he'd rather have her take the safer route now than have an illness turn fatal down the road. "do you know if there is a medic in the ranks? it might be better to get checked out and make sure it's nothing serious." the last thing he wanted right now was for her to fall ill.

he took a few steps closer until he was directly beside her, head bent down so that he might try to preen through the fur along her neck in an attempt to somehow ease the discomfort she was feeling.

Peeking up at him from under hooded lids, Tzila looked doubtful. "I'm not sure. I haven't gotten to know anyone yet, or what their specialties are." She had still been lurking in Nightwalkers when Serem was pregnant, and even when her pups were born. But she hadn't exactly been lingering by her side the whole time to be intimate with the signs. Though appreciative of Astaroth's concern, Tzila's stubborn resolve, her reliance on her own strength, reared its head.

Straightening her posture some, she sucked in a breath as he came close, proceeding to delicately sift through the fur along her neck. After a beat, she relaxed. "I'll be fine, I swear. I'm not feeling feverish and the only other time I felt anywhere near this way was when I ate some meat that had gone bad." She managed a weak smile of amusement. "That had me out of commission for weeks. I lucked out in that a pack took me in and allowed me to recover." She brushed her nose along the thinner, fine hairs lining his crown. "All I can deduce is that maybe the culprit were the clams I ate earlier. Maybe my body needs to adjust to the new diet." She attempted at a joke, the humor trying to reach her voice.

she insisted she was alright, and so he let the idea of her seeking out medical help drop altogether. "clams huh?", he let out aloud as he continued to work his way through the furs along her nape, a knot stopping him from going any further as he began to work away at the tangled clump of fur.

her mention of needing to adjust to new diet left him with a curious twist to his features. "i'm surprised you choose this pack to join", he started as he continued to comb away at the knotted fur. "i mean given everything you told me about your past and experience with the ocean, i'd think a pack along the coast would be the last place you'd want to settle down at."

She let out a short little chuckle. "Yeah, not exactly my first choice." Her skin beneath her fur twitched, making her toes dig into the soft sand. Astaroth's attentive, careful grooming felt wonderful. Tzila had always been one to try and take care of herself, hardly letting anyone else get close enough for an intimate grooming like this. But with him it was different. Almost from the get go, the Shadow Queen instinctively felt as if she could trust this man. Whatever good Ying and her sister Hua had seen in him, she saw too. Where others had judged her for her sins, he had not. 

She sighed, trying to force her body to relax, to settle her stomach. Talking may help. She reached up for him, as if trying to coax him down further to her level. Should he proceed, she would shift her body gently, so she rested with her side huddled up against his own. "I'm kind of surprised I did too." Her silver eyes turned towards the inland, recalling a particular day. "A while back I had a chance run in with Hydra, Moonspear's Queen." The glint in her eye and slight smile on her lips showed that she was fond of the woman. "We spoke for a while...for I dunno how long." She turned back to him then, pressing her nose against the side of a chiseled cheek. "I think it was then, on that night, that I realized what I needed to do. To alter my way of thinking and come back to the root of where my turbulence all began. I thought what the hell, if I have a shot at all, I might as well start by facing my past."

his ears twitched at her words as he lowered himself beside her, the tangled knot of fur finally combed free as she finished revealing her reasoning for joining the island pack. "i imagine it wasn't easy, coming to a place so similar to the one that holds your bad memories." he knew he was one of the fortunate ones to have a family that supported him and a home to always return to should things not work out within these wilds.

"i'm glad you did though, it's nice to have a friend around." after everything that happened with ying, tzila was certainly a great comfort to the inky man. he sucked in a breath as he shifted his weight to lean against her ever so slightly, golden gaze lost to scenery around them.

She found that staying still and keeping conversation with him, helped. Though her stomach still felt unsettled and when she looked towards the crashing waves, her dizziness felt a little more intense. Thanks to his careful grooming, the knot in her fur was out, making her feel much more comfortable. Leaning against his side, she rested against him, planting her chin softly atop his shoulders. 

"It is a little challenging. But Hua seems so sweet and welcoming. She made me feel a little more at ease. I've also been taking short trips back to the mainland when I feel a little too overwhelmed." Her eyes drifted shut contently, her tail going through the motions of a peaceful sway. "It wasn't just that. I wanted to stay close to you, knowing how tough of a time you've had, with Ying missing." In short, Tzila wasn't going anywhere. She was staying by his side to support him, and now, Hua through this difficult phase.

he let the tension in his muscles melt away at her touch, a calm wave of relief washing over him as she rest her chin atop his shoulders. he too fell into a more comfortable position as he let his head lower to rest neatly atop inky paws.

he let eyelids flutter close as she spoke, his tail mimicking her own as he let his sway and tap happily behind him. "thank you", he let out with a faint yet heartfelt smile. "it means a lot to me that you're here right now." he missed ying, that much was obvious to anyone. but tzila had managed to ease some of the heartbreak, and for that he was in her debt.

Keeping her eyes closed, for she did not wish to experience the crash of the sea, she angled her head just enough so her temple brushed against his. She had found comfort in Astaroth's presence here in this pack, and right now at this very moment. But it was a two way street. Her friend also took comfort in the support she provided, quietly aware of the emotional turmoil he was going through.

Her brows furrowed. She supposed if the same were to happen to him, she would feel the same way. Would be worrying herself sick. Something her harsher self never would have done over just any wolf. But that was just it. Astaroth had earned a special place in her life, even if she had fought against it at first. He had somehow wormed his way in and she wasn't gonna let him out. "Think nothing of it. Besides, you were there for me, when I told you of the life I led." A faint breeze, a cooling one, combed through her guard hairs, making her shiver pleasantly. Ah now if there was one thing she missed about the beaches, it was pleasant breezes such as those. "I know how much she meant to you. I can tell, when you speak of her. My only regret is just not having the chance to have met her."

he'd been in this situation before laying by the beach with the waves lulling him to sleep, the only difference last time was that it had not been tzila by his side. still, he'd rather not have anyone else with him than her right now, and while she continued to speak he found himself relaxing even more into her touch and the comfort she provided.

there came no response from him, only the silent rise and fall of his chest as he drifted off into a slumber. for the first time since ying's departure he found himself at ease, unconcerned with what happened around him as let his worries melt away.