Phoenix Maplewood kesyon

"back when i met your sisters an' you met my brot'er," mireille began to @Druid, watching caribou veer in herds around the edge of the forest. "it seemed like — maybe you did not like him?" her voice was hesitant. she was leery of crossing this with druid, and yet she had told sobo she would. it needed to be said. her brother was part of her, and that included any nearness with her rivenwood companions. "well. he t'inks so."

When Mireille retreated to some nearby woods, Druid was happy to accompany her. They could still see the herds (and likely the wolves in pursuit of them), but they tucked themselves into a little glade of trees to enjoy a few quieter moments to themselves.

Druid’s mismatched eyes scanned their surroundings, a little concerned about being apart from Heda, even for only a short while. Her sister seemed quite capable of taking care of herself, yet she couldn’t help but worry. Even though she knew Witch was safely at home with their mother, she felt an ache for her also.

Mireille’s words distracted her, causing Druid to turn her head and peer at her companion. Her brow slowly furrowed. She could no more deny her cool reception than lie to her best friend’s face. But how could she explain herself tactfully, in a way Mireille might accept if not necessarily understand?

The young she-wolf said, I don’t dislike your brother. I just don’t feel the same way about him as I do you. She smiled, eyes soft. I don’t… Druid continued, pausing to gather her thoughts. I don’t trust men, she thought, but that seemed rather blunt to say aloud, so instead she finished, I guess I very much prefer the company of other she-wolves.

mireille nodded. "i t'ink dat is why bot' my mot'ers only like each other." with not much more than a rudimentary understanding of how pups were conceived, and no interest to learn more, she accepted what she had always known. da njord had been involved in some way. and that was all that was necessary to understand.
"but sobo." she smiled. "he is good. sometimes being wid him reminds me of being wid you. in a different way," she rushed on, flustered. "i mean. trust. an' i can learn t'ings."
she stared up at the trees surrounding she and druid. sobo was her favourite friend. druid felt as if she had become more in a way that mireille was not ready to admit, because she did not have the words to describe this feeling.

Druid quickly grew weary of discussing Sobo, though she did her best to hide this from Mireille. She would never do anything to hurt her friend’s feelings and it was clear the boy meant a lot to her. Druid mustered patience as she listened to Mireille mention Sobo’s merits, though honestly there were other, more interesting things in what she said.

She didn’t even mean to change the subject, but something in particular stood out to her. You have two mothers? How had she gotten so lucky? If anyone deserved such an honor, it was Mireille, but Druid would be lying if she said she didn’t feel a touch of envy.

mireille grinned. "dat just de way it has been all my life! my mot'er rosalyn is firm an' kind. she is de tanzanite of sapphique. an' my mot'er erzulie is our obsidian. she smiles a lot. i miss dem," she declared to hr friend, though she turned a look toward druid that suggested she did not intend to change their time for anything.
"i am happy to be here wid you now," she said softly, suddenly shy and pawing at the ground as if it might yield something to look at.

You’re so lucky, Druid breathed as Mireille spoke fondly of her mothers. I miss my mama too, she sympathized, and Witch. She was just about to mention that she didn’t think she would stay here much longer when her friend made her soft declaration.

She smiled and replied, I’m happy to be here with you too, Mirelle. I actually like it better away from the herds. I know Heda’s having the time of her life but… I think I want to go home soon. Druid frowned thoughtfully, wondering how her companions would take this news.

mireille sighed but nodded. "i have been gone longer from home den i said i would be," she admitted, arching her brow in self-deprecation. "i must go back too." 
when they both returned to their packlands, they would be further away, and would probably remain so through the rest of winter. mireille felt suddenly seized with a dizzy feeling that druid would forget her. "i will come to rivenwood to see you, oui?"

Mireille said she would head home soon too. When Heda asked me to come, I guess I didn’t realize she planned on staying a while, Druid murmured. I don’t like the thought of her staying here without us but I don’t want to spoil it for her, either. Do you think she’ll be safe, with these wolves? She gestured toward the middle distance, where the hunters—Heda included—roamed.

And of course, you’re always welcome at Rivenwood, Druid agreed with a switch of her tail, reaching out to press her nose to Mireille’s cheek. I’ll come see you at Sapphique when I can too.

mireille frowned, and then nodded. "she be near duskfire. she said dat rivenwood an' dis pack are allies?" the sea-child searched druid for a moment. "i t'ink heda will be safe." she had not been, initially, but perhaps being almost trampled by a caribou would make her think twice.
"i'll be to rivenwood," she said softly, thrilling to the idea of seeing druid in either place. her cheek warmed where the other had touched her, and she returned the motion, maintaining contact until she grew too shy.
"goodbye. for now," mireille said softly, grinning at druid.

Druid didn’t know much about the packs’ alliance, yet if Heda said it was so, then it was so. Mireille seemed to think her sister would be safe. The gray youth thought again of Heda’s close call and the man’s ready reaction. She nodded to herself, deciding they would look out for her.

Wait, she said when Mireille bade her farewell, reaching out a dark foreleg to stay her. We should get something to eat and drink before we head home. I think I saw a stream over here, Druid said, tipping her head before hastily leading her companion to it.

But before she bent to drink, Druid paused with pursed lips. Do you think, she asked Mireille, the caribou have drunk from this water? Do you think their—what’s the word?—their germs could be in the water? Perhaps it was for the best that they wait until they returned to their respective homes.

druid kept close. mireille was happy not to leave so quickly, but her eyes flickered with concern. the large ugly animals had been truly ill, and she wouldn't fault her friend for wanting to be careful. "hmm," she answered, and then took a large mouthful of snow instead.
"will get you home at least," she laughed around her melting water, feeling truly silly and light, watching druid with dancing eyes. it was one way to avoid water, that much she had proved.

Mireille didn’t have an answer to her question, though she did come up with a solution. Druid’s eyes glittered at her friend’s clever resourcefulness. She lapped up a few mouthfuls of snow herself, holding it in her mouth until it melted against the heat of her tongue before swallowing the cool water. It made her teeth ache a little.

She wished they could walk home together, at least part of the way, but as soon as they quit the forest, Mireille turned northwest and Druid roved south. Before they were forced to part ways, Druid thrust her face into a snowdrift and then rubbed it against Mireille’s, leaving a cold kiss on her cheek before giggling and running away.