Ocean's Breath Plateau relight

attn @Heph and @Rodyn, lmk if these assumptions aren't ok <3

When a snowflake landed on the tip of Matteo's nose, he knew it was time. Talk of finding a pack for the winter occupied their mealtime conversations. That morning, the boy roused @Iseul and together they arrived at the edge of a plateau where the scents of pack wolves were thick and heavy. Moontide. The extent of Iseul's connection to the ocean pack was mostly a mystery to him, yet he only hoped that whomever she may have known here had stuck around.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his pelt briefly into hers before letting out a boyish howl, fur prickling nervously. Up until now it had just been them against the world; the thought of moving on, of starting life anew without his family was as exiting as it was daunting. They weren't coming back. By now, acceptance had began to settle in his stomach where sadness once grew. To have Iseul by his side was more than enough for the light at the end of the tunnel to grow just that little bit brighter.

Heph was ranging afar down the coast when she heard the call from Moontide's borders, but she headed back quickly, taking the shortest path paws splashing in the surf as she returned. But her steps only hurried when she saw a familiar figure on the horizon. It had been some time since she had seen Iseul and she was not familiar with the wolf by her side but she slowed her pace to a walk as she neared them and called out. "Iseul, to be finally graced with your presence again, it's been too long! And who is this handsome fellow man?" She said, wide smile wagging tail and exuberance.

She tilted her head slightly, steadying her voice as she asked. "What brings the pair of you to Moontide?" She had not been to Two River Isles in some time, with Samani gone the journey had felt too long to justify. The stab of sorrow shifted in her chest once more, but the presence of the two wolves dampened it.

All good

iseul would walk besides matteo, a feeling of failure still lingers within her belly as she walks with uncertainty, however, moontide had remained a close ally for a reason. while she felt embarassed in some aspects, she also understood that matteo needed a life and a pack in order to survive. she could not do it alone.

"heph" she greets warmly and quietly. "this is matteo, the isle is... no more" she says to her with honest eyes. in some ways she had to stop herself from saying too much, unsure of what it may do to squander the thoughts of the isle and the coastal group. shame burns, but she can swallow it whole when needed.

"we need a group." it comes off as a gentle nudge, an ask, a plea.

There was a sense of dissonance between the jovial arrival of a wolf and Iseul's subdued reply. Unfortunately, there was no way the pack wolf - Heph - could have known that the nature of their visit was to seek refuge until later explained. Guilt rose in his chest - would there be a place for them here? Heph had every right to turn them away, yet he hoped Iseul's kindness would show through.

Matteo regarded the newcomer with curiosity, tail stirring briefly as he is addressed before he falls into silence, the conversation rising around him.

The subdued reply caught Heph by surprise, but Iseul's words and silence explained more than she needed to know to formulate her answer and yet did not answer all she would have wished to comfort a friend. She steps forward posture open half offering reassurance, yet not wishing to push. "I'm so sorry about the Isle Iseul, Matteo." Her words are warm, but soft, with sympathy if not full understanding. "Of course, you are both welcome here in Moontide, we'll be glad to have you among us and I hope it is what you are looking for." She stepped away, the beginnings of an invitation deeper into the territory. "Come, I'll show you around and if I can remember where it is find a cache for you to eat, I'm sure you've had quite the journey."

there's a kind brush of her muzzle against heph's shoulder, a small and silently show of her gratitude before she looks to matteo with a reassuring smile.

she'd follow heph quietly, asking questions but making room for matteo when able. she wanted him to be treated as the blossoming adult he was, and therefore felt no need to overstep for him. in many ways, iseul hopes that this may be their last stop for awhile.

happy to keep posting or archive, whatever is easiest! thank you for welcoming these 2 <333

happy to fade here if you guys want, sorry for the holdup!

Fortunately, Heph didn't pry more and for that he was eternally grateful. Perhaps, once they were fully settled, their story would come to light but for now the boy was content to leave the past in the past. "Thank you," the phrase carried all the meaning it needed to.

He would fall into step beside Iseul, sticking close to her as they moved deeper into the territory of Moontide, the promise of food putting a pep in his step where Iseul seemed to have lost hers for now. In time, he would join the conversation and offer his tentative enthusiasm.

Heph answered their questions and eventually remembered and wound her way to a cache with enough for the pair. She took them to the major sites, the dens and the borders too at an easy pace but they would discover all with time. There was no need to overwhelm them with a week long tour needed to cover every inch of the place.

of course <333 and no worries happy to fade here!