Ouroboros Spine Autumn town leaves

it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that foxfur didn't know her son's father -- or what he might be capable of. but their lack of familiarity held her tongue; she did not wish to depress him with the collapse of her marriage. 

guilt tugged at her heartstrings to see lómion scamper behind her, his fear inspired by her own -- and by her gentle admonishment. "it's alright," she soothed him softly. "foxfur is friend." fleetingly, her jade gaze moved to the man's sunlit orbs as if to confirm this statement. she did not wish to overstep but the scent of the community was upon him now which made him moonwolf, village-brother. 

it was here, near the borders, that she realized that there were only the faintest whiffs of adrastus -- old and stale. a measure of the weight suffocating her lifted ever so slightly but she would not believe until she visited their former den and observed its desecration. only then would the fear abate and would she truly begin to move on.

for now, she tried to focus on their conversation. "are you new to moonglow?" perhaps she had been sheltered too long within the borders. or maybe it was just that most people she spoke to these days were children. the herbalist was tongue-tied, fighting the urge to shift her weight or drop her gaze. trying very hard to be normal, hence the bland question -- for she couldn't seem to formulate something more interesting to say.