Firefly Ravine black thunder

She hadn’t set foot outside the territory since before giving birth. Meerkat felt a bit guilty about leaving her kids, especially with their da absent, but they were old enough to be left alone for a while. And they wouldn’t be truly alone, not with the foot traffic that passed through the rendezvous site each day.

As her feet carried her outside the pack’s claim, she wondered if they might take advantage of the lack of supervision and leave the rendezvous site to explore more of the territory. So long as they didn’t leave Sapphique, Meerkat supposed she couldn’t blame them, nor did she really mind the thought. They were growing swiftly, becoming more independent every day.

She refocused on her own independence, ignoring the niggle of grief whenever she thought of how lonely she felt without her mate. Meerkat stopped midstride to assess her surroundings. She could see the edge of Firefly Ravine just ahead and trotted toward it, perching on its lip to gaze down into the gorge.

Her gaze then flicked upward to the mountains jutting into the western skyline. Perhaps she should pay a visit to Mereo soon. She ached at the thought of reuniting with her mother and meeting her younger siblings. Meerkat shifted her weight, wondering if she could bring her kids along or if she should go alone and arrange for a playdate somewhere in between, like they’d talked about doing.

A distant rumble of thunder scattered her thoughts.

He thought of the sea that day.

It had been some time since he had seen Marina, but his life had churned and thundered far from whatever the blossom of that had been. He had his duties to Avicus, he had distracted himself with another too. Now the Rise would see more children on its horizon soon with the addition of Augur's wife. It was a word that haunted his mind, clutched at it violently.

He ignored it.

Constantly.

Except for when he spotted a pale figure, vaguely reminiscent of Marina. Perhaps it was for the best he couldn't catch the scent from here. Lest he lose his mind entirely thinking it was her with the smell of the ocean. Still he lingered on the lip of the ravine, admiring the stranger from afar. The roll of thunder perhaps a reminder he shouldn't be gone long.

So why did he stay? Staring?

Longing.

She canted her muzzle skyward, watching as dark clouds scudded inland from the coast. Meerkat angled her head to look over her shoulder, back in the direction of Sapphique. Her maternal instincts coaxed her to head back to keep her sons and daughter company during the storm, though she resisted them. Ray, Fish and Mercy would be fine.

Facing forward again, she started a little when she noticed the man across the way. For a split second, she thought, Njord! Her heart jumped into her throat, only to fall again an instant later. Though they shared some of the same fur colors, this man favored earthy tones versus her mate’s fiery points. His eyes were an intense shade of red, though, immediately capturing Meerkat’s attention.

Waiting for another peal of thunder to pass, Meerkat raised a foreleg in a wave and shouted, Hello! across the gap, pausing before tacking on, You’re not from Mereo, by any chance, are you?

She was bright and bubbly, a different streak than Marina who seemed more...whimsical. Not to mention this woman asked of a place that he had no clue of.

No. A shake of his followed, in case he was hard to be heard. What is Mereo? A group, he assumed, but what kind? Where from? Perhaps he could have phrased his own question a bit better.

He assumed he could ask a clearer question if she did not give the answers he sought.

His answer didn’t particularly surprise her, considering they were nowhere near the canyon. Her lips parted to answer his question when yet another growl of thunder interrupted them, growing louder now as the storm neared. As of yet, no rain had begun to fall, though Meerkat could feel the wind picking up and pressing against her back.

It’s a pack living in the Sunspires, she called back to him when she could be heard, gesturing toward the sawtooths behind him. Where are you from, then? I’m from Sapphique, if you know of it. My name’s Meerkat. Sveijarn-Corten, a voice added sadly in the back of her mind.

A pack, in the Sunspires.

His head turned to look that way. Not once had he ever bothered to venture so far. The Taiga had nearly exclusively been his place to roam since his arrival. Once he went to the coast.

The next thing she spoke was familiar, though. Meerkat of Sapphique, an ally to —

Redtail Rise. I am Prophet, the Berserkr there. We are allies. He regarded her with a bit more warmth now. He glanced along the ravine as thunder rolled. Momentarily he wished there was an easy way to cross.

What a place to meet, Meerkat. He mused with a lazy smirk, shaking his head softly.

It took her a beat to place the name of Prophet’s pack. Berserker? she thought with an amused twitch of her lip even as she realized, Oh, that’s Avi’s pack! Now her tail began to wag slowly back and forth, catching the first few raindrops as they fell.

Undeterred by the approaching storm, Meerkat simply raised her voice to call, It’s kind of fun though, isn’t it? Shouting across a ravine? During a storm? She laughed, the noise echoing a bit off the rock walls below. I know Avi! How’s she doing? And the rise, as a whole?

Without being consciously aware of it, she sidestepped to stand parallel with the lip of the gulch, favoring her good ear to catch his response despite the nearly continuous rolls of thunder.

He wondered if she was always this...upbeat. To find fun in most things that were inconvenient. Not that he hated this so much as to leave, clearly.

Talking to her provided bountiful knowledge — and perhaps he softened some more when she mentioned knowing Avi.

She is well. The Rise has seen growth in children, we remain strong. He boasted warmly, a stiff wave of his tail.

A clap of thunder rolled a bit closer, a few raindrops flicked at his ears.

What of Sapphique? I do not know many there!

Were they Avi’s children, or another’s? Before Meerkat could ask, he tossed the question back at her. Her parted lips slammed shut as Njord’s face flashed through her mind. At the same time, her legs stiffened as the wind pushed at her flank. She took a few steps away from the edge, just to play it safe.

We’re the same: going strong, with many children, she called back, having to raise her voice even more, hoping the wind would carry her words to Prophet. She paused to do the math before sharing, Nine, actually! How many for you guys?

She had never added them up before. They’d certainly had a fruitful spring! Of course, that thought made her chest ache as she thought of her relocation, betrothal, marriage, pregnancy and birth. How had she ended up raising three children by herself, in the end?

It’s only temporary, she reminded herself before thinking to shout, Three belong to me. What about you? Were any of the rise’s young his?

Nine.

Suddenly he felt relieved that so many had not fallen into the care of the Rise. Although the addition of Augur's wife very well could push them to that number, no?

Five! Soon more, perhaps. A pause as she claimed three of Sapphique's were her own. With three you must be proud!

As for how many belonged to him? His shoulders shrugged first, face a bit wry with his smirk fading some.

Hard to say. I don't know parentage! He boomed over the rolling in of the storm. The wind tussled at his fur, tangling some of the looser strands in one another. Once such an admission might have troubled him.

But Tulimaq showed no signs of return and Augur seemingly had a wife to tend to now.

What was to stop him from saying all three of Avicus' were his?

She was proud, even if thinking about her children was a little bittersweet these days, with how much she missed their father. A smile flitted across her lips, her head tilting as she pondered Prophet’s words. There were still more on the way? And they may or may not be his?

She knew of far too many unconventional couplings to bat an eyelash, thinking of her pack’s own leadership and even of Njord’s eldest children. She swallowed, then sighed. Meerkat would’ve described theirs as a fairytale romance up until recently, then chastised herself for that thought. He would only be gone for a little while!

I’m really glad to hear our packs are both so prosperous. I’ll take that news back to my leaders, if that’s alright, Meerkat shouted right around the time the rain really began to fall. I should probably head back there now, though it was nice meeting you, Prophet, slightly strange circumstances aside.

We should meet again, in more favorable weather, Meerkat!

But it was all he wished to say before they parted. No desire to keep either one of them trapped here in the rain along the ravine's edge. A far too dangerous place to be caught.

He would offer her a nod, before he departed back towards the Rise.