Sawtooth Spire mach schnell

a dark as pitch figure approached her. phaedra heard the paw scuff and glanced, releasing a sigh as her eyes squinched in some avoidant direction. astraeus, doubtless here to menace her some more.
he had a subdued aspect, this time, demurring the brazier of her gaze and fishing around for questions she didn't have the answer to. nonetheless, she yanked on the lure and whirled on him. there were so many scathing remarks in her gullet she just puffed her cheeks and seethed quietly. the entirety of her insides burned with grief and loathing.
her sweet brother, her tower of strength, her thadey, missing without a trace. meanly, she thought to herself she'd rather astraeus had disappeared in his stead. even phaedra knew that was mean, and didn't speak tell of this intrusive thought; instead, she simply glowered at the face that wouldn't endure the scathe of hers. 
the charring of her mouth crumbled under her words; "dunno, how bout you go look for him asdrus insead of askin' me stupid questions?" and through the blear of tears in her eyes she shoved past him, finding some other isolated spot to be despondent.

The other girl, the one who bore an ethereal pelt and stood significantly taller than Ciri and her sister, looked her way. Her smile bloomed to life and her scruffy black tail wiggled at her rear, excitement in her transitioning gaze that gleamed at having been acknowledged - no matter how briefly.

She looked away, however, turned her attention toward their stone-faced leader, and the little blackbird observed for a quiet moment before veering toward her mother. Ciri pressed her sable flank to the lioness' forelimb and emitted a soft sound, canted her muzzle upward in attempt to nudge at the underside of her ivory chin. "Mama," she whispered, some urgency in her tone, "we go play?"

Denial came swiftly, and the girl's expression faded. She exhaled a huffed response through flared nostrils and turned her head again, seeking Phaedra where she'd seen her last, only to find her spot vacant. Ciri glanced around at the others who'd gathered, eager to find where she'd gone off to, but the sight of her was obscured by pack-mates and the little Ostrega was reluctant to further test her dam's patience. Defeated, she instead sought Elke's companionship while the adults talked, and moved to shove her dark crown playfully to her sibling's blonde shoulder.

last from me <3 feel free to post again, & ill archive in a week or so

the children reacted, a ripple of reactions. it was to the faces of the grown that mahler panned his gaze, softening with the affection he had developed for each one of those who called sagtannet home and he their leader. eyes rested upon wylla a gently longer moment, then moved with encouragement to stag.
"ve vill leave the sunspire, heading south. there ve vill decide." too vague an answer, and not one he would have liked to give under better circumstances. but if ever mahler required their trust, it was in this moment. believe, he asked silently of gracious, watching her expression before he addressed the small assembly. "ve vill depart early tomorrow," he decided, opting for a last night of rest in familiar settings for the children who must so abruptly be torn from the home of their birth.
this pained mahler, but he caught sight of phaedra's small form slipping away, what must be her. despairing, requiring himself to show none of this, mahler nodded quietly toward the pack, dismissing them if they so wished, though he would remain behind with wylla until they had gone. stag, he expected, would go to find phaedra, but was welcomed to stay as well with a shift of his lilac stare.

her eisen seemed confident enough in the plan, though the reliance on the agreement of others was needed as well. their journey would be long, with many aches and cracked paw pads -- but hopefully the reward of safety would be enough of a gain to keep sagtannet together. gracious put her trust into her leaders, they have not proven themselves to be unworthy of it for all this time they've been ruling.

she nodded her head to the plans and soon enough broke from the group after the dismissal. her cozy den would soon be filled up with snow and dirt and become a hollow memory of her sound mind. she would miss it, the same way she missed hers that was nestled in courtfall.

shorter post!

Astraeus mouth fumbles over words as Phaedra plows through the olive-eyed imp. Immeaitely the urge to shrink matures on his spine, but he shakes it off. The star-stag wouldn't allow himself to be demeaned!
he slinks away nimbly to torment that shell-creature again.

last from me <3

Stag stood silently by, as the members of his home trickled in one by one.

He mirrored Wylla in presence subconsciously, feeling a similar blow to his gut as Phaedra -- and then Astraeus -- asked after Thade.

A mournful note keened in his breast as he watched the children's discussion turn to Phaedra bumbling away - he made a mental note to seek her out later, but for now looked from Wylla to Mahler with similar despondence.

Soon, they would leave; but Stag's heart was far from the light heart of an adventurer.