Broken Antler Fen berrybrambles

400 for youuu

teya had returned for a foreleg, and now dragged it thumping and comical under the falling light. the fireflies had come out by now, and followed lazily in a soft wake. she set it down, tongue lolling.
"@Bridget?" she called, having trailed to the end of the medic's scent. teya was sheepish and guilty, but could not help her fond hope to see the red-mask again.

She was surprised, but not shocked, to hear Teya calling for her. She'd assumed that eventually they would talk again, but she'd been unwilling to rush it. Bridget wasn't the type to hold a grudge for long and, from where she stood, there were no problems between the two of them outside of her own silent questions. Any tension that was there, Teya would need to either voice or resolve herself.

Hey. She turned from where she'd been tucking a few more snippings of plants away. Her style was a little organized chaos, but she didn't have much trouble finding what she was looking for or separating things out. She'd found a drier place to keep things, for now, though she thought maybe her stores might do better even closer to the western border. She was trying to decide the trade-off between them being further from the main pack's denning places.

Oh, wow. You've been busy. She grinned at the leg which seemed, from this angle, almost as big as the wolf who had been carrying it. Shit, they'd had a hunt and she missed it? It had been so long since she'd had a part in taking down anything sizeable, but the flicker of regret died pretty quickly. She'd catch the next one or plan something before the weather got too bad. I hope part of that's for me, I'm starving.

"it all for you!" teya declared. she tossed the limb to the ground and looked around, noting the cut and precise piles of green. a healer through and through. she wondered if eljay and bridget had things to learn from one another, but it was a thought that faded beneath the cheerful tone, the light eyes.
"redhawk caldera — ah — ruenna. she send two hunters to help brecheliant with whatever. i guess they also help caldera." teya gestured to the foreleg.
"they hunt elk. call me."
her own expression was lifted. "i feel like real raven now."

What, you've been a fake raven all this time? Could have fooled me. Bridget responded with a playful spark, happy to see how pleased Teya looked with herself. That was more than sufficient to wash away any lingering feelings of missing out and she pulled the food towards her, snagging a few bites appreciatively. She'd worked up a hell of an appetite and hadn't stopped for food yet.

Why would the Caldera send us help? Bridget asked, registering the first part and finding it odd. Cleaning her muzzle in the pause, she glanced up questioningly. Wouldn't they have enough of a job of their own, keepin things goin on their own side of things? Seems like a lot to expect, even for an ally.

She didn't know if that meant the situations would be reversed at some point and she'd be expected to help them out without really being asked to. She wasn't too fond of that idea - not because she didn't want to help! But moreso because it felt like enough keeping an eye on one pack - trying to keep track of two felt like asking for trouble.

teya relaxed, grinning as bridget began to eat. "oh, uh —" and here she colored beneath her fur. "after i go to redhawks, i think — i think ruenna send them as apology. they not part of caldera. but want to be allies."
she rolled her shoulders. "i not know for sure. a man named germanicus. and crowfeather, a boy."
teya looked curiously at her friend. "should we do same?" the raven asked, unwittingly echoing the cardinal's sentiments.

Interesting and a little weird.  Bridget had already visited after and told them they were square.  She'd kind of assumed it would be over with after that.  Was it really that much of a deal?

That feels like a loop waiting to happen.  At that point, feels like we should just swap territories.  Bridget licked her chops clean.  They send a few to us, we send a few to them, so on and so forth.  I wouldn't even know what they need help with.

Well, in a way.  All she had was Caracal's visit and news that for some reason Towhee was under the weather.  But to be completely honest - stepping in for that felt like overstepping unless they were asked for.  She knew better than to push her services, not unless the situation was life or death.

Who would you be trying to get rid of?  Eljay?  Planning a coup of your own?  Wouldn't that be a sight to see.  Wife and kids aside, it'd be extremely funny to see those two at odds.  She couldn't even picture it, Eljay was just so nice.  He'd probably give it to her, poor guy.

teya was beginning quite belatedly to sense that bridget didn't care for the arrangement. this confused the raven, for the red-masque had been the first to make overtures. but she simply refused to be mired in that conundum again. they were past that, and it was over. "i not really understand what alliances need."
eljay! the idea was so funny she snickered aloud, the sound trailing into a helpless giggle. "eljay not forgive me ever if i say, go to redhawks." at the suggestion of a coup, teya straightened with a faux gasp. "bridget! i never!"

Bridget didn't have much to say on that since she didn't really either. The Court hadn't had any, to her knowledge - they hadn't needed them. And the second Court hadn't lasted long enough to find out. She figured the only thing you really needed was friendship, judging from how they'd done things with the Caldera and all so far, but she didn't even fully know that situation. After all, her interactions there had been pretty spotty. Actually, she probably wasn't the best to weigh in.

I wouldn't tell! I swear, she answered, the words completely sincere while her smile still carried a little bit of an impish quality. It was nice to see Teya laugh again, and be the reason for it. It made Bridget feel like things were finally almost back to alright.

Honestly though. And this is totally serious - you're a natural with the whole leading thing. Are you sure you weren't some kind of secret heir to something?

teya grinned, reaching out to nip bridget's shoulder. "if i was secret princess, i tell you!" the woman retorted dryly.
but her eyes shone. there were a hundred things she could think of doing in this moment. she wished only to share it with bridget.
the red-masqued woman was beloved to teya.
"wrestle?" she invited, dropping into a playbow and darting back, seeking to lead her off into the fen.