Hushed Willows I take my whiskey neat, my coffee black and my bed at 3

@Tybault <3

Humming a tune, Carnelian had found himself walking the edges of Opal Lake, peridot eyes sparkling in time with the crystalline waters he circled. It was peaceful here in the Hushed Willows. For the first time in what seemed to be eons, he didn’t feel worry festering in his gut. Worry for himself, or for his sister. 

Nothing.

But, he knew better than anyone, that peace was fragile, and that fragility was always meant to break. Someday, at any point or time, it would shatter and he needed to be ready. Hopefully, there was someone he could from here.

Right now, however, he was content to mindlessly circle the Lake, kicking rocks ahead of him as he walked. For once, Peridot did not accompany him and that was another piece of evidence that this place was a haven for them.

The yearlings were Medeiros. His sister had been quick to share the news — a niece and a nephew they'd never met. Opal's kids. In a way they were more like siblings to the last of Morticia's litters, who had been raised in part by the eldest. It was odd to think of them as either.

The first feeling to bloom was protective instinct, a natural thing toward those he knew as blood. Tybault had taken to checking up on their den-site from a distance — regardless of how Reina felt about it. He reinforced the borders nearest where they denned, too, but never once did he seek the yearlings.

It was entirely by accident that he stumbled across the boy. Carnelian. Tybault glanced at him as he came to the edge of the lake. At first he only drank in silence. After a moment, his curiosity got the better of him, as he'd known it would. How was it, the last time you saw it? The Gilded Sea, He lifted his head from the water as he spoke, eyes finding the dark boy again.

He startled, and silently berated himself for not noticing Tybault, his newfound Uncle. His mind was still reeling from the news—they had family here. For so long, it had been him and Dottie, charting unknown territory and fighting to stay alive at every turn. If Reina had not found them, he was sure that they would have been goners. 

Another thing to kick himself for. 

The male’s question had stirred something in him, the taste of smoke filled his mouth and flickering flames swam in his vision. With a shake, the memory dispersed, giving way to the male before him. Hard eyes found Tybault’s, a slightly haunted look in them as he answered. “Blanketed in fire.” 

It was all he could manage, his throat suddenly dry. Dipping his head, he drank from the Lake, collecting himself for what might be an interesting conversation.

Blanketed in fire. Tybault only held those haunted eyes for a moment before he looked away with a rough, humorless laugh. Sounds about right, He agreed. Fuck that place.

I hope it all burned to ashes.

What about uh, Opal? Your mom - she make it out okay? He still wasn't looking at Carnelian. His gaze was fixed somewhere out in the middle of the lake. Tybault felt his heart in his throat, considering his siblings and the fates they might have met in The Gilded Sea. The price they might have paid to see the place abandoned forever.

Still, he couldn't help but hope that it stayed that way.