She had left the North. So used to leaving things it seemed almost easy. An interaction with @Morganna that had gone mostly smoother than expected. No missing limbs or tidbits. Mostly whole except for the empty feeling in her chest. The hole that had been carved out the day she had seemingly floated away from her family. They loved her. She had a child and mate. While everyone else hated her they didn't. Granted she was willing to bet her faith they wanted her dead now. But she prayed and dreamed, which she believed her dreams told of futures. In her dreams, there was always a pale figure. Perhaps her son, perhaps a ghost. It would hover close but never close enough to touch. She wondered if that was the barrier she had made between her and everything else.

The Santoro never truly figured out how or why she had left that faithful day. Had everything happened too fast for her? Had it been the calling of God telling her to stray from where she was? While her faith had been strong and was recently repaired, she wished she had never listened to whatever it was that had told her to leave.

A sick feeling was building up in the pit of her stomach. Too much overthinking ofter drove her to feel like this. Leaning against one of the powerful trees, Piety heaved and coughed. Forcing those emotions to come out from her even if she knew it wouldn't work. Refusing to stop heaving until her throat was dry. Giving up when her throat began to tighten her form slumped down to the base of the tree. "Dear Heavenly Father, what did I do? Why did I do it?" There was no forgiveness, she had been taught that, but maybe there was answers. Almost in response, a songbird whistled above. Looking up she wondered what it was doing. The coldness out was no place for such a fragile bird. Its yellow colors were stunning. Like a spring daisy. She couldn't help but grin despite her down feelings. "My my, are you my answer?" The bird squawked and she giggled. "I don't think so but your company in such time is appreciated." Her muddy eyes watched the bird hop along a branch. Was it a sign? The sun of good times would break through the clouds of misery. Or so she hoped.

The bird had no longer been chirping in reply to Piety's voice. Instead, something else had caught its attention. She wondered what it could have been. The pious woman even bothered to ask as if seeking an answer. "What is it?" Yet instead of the bird giving a squeak of a response there was a crack. Her yellow bird friend had flown off from being startled. Stumbling to her feet she swung her head around, one ear slightly leaning forward.

There were more sounds. A low moan rang out through the cold air. Not being able to contain herself she offered back a gentle whine. Practically ignoring the scent that came with him. "Hello? Are you okay?" But when she had crept just enough to see him it was like a blow to the head. The not-so-small form still familiar, the scent of willows, that little dark spot above his nose, and those gray eyes. A much heavier whine built in her throat. The need to rush against him was battling with the need to drop to the ground. Piety wanted to act so submissively and animalistic like she had when Morganna took her left ear. But she couldn't do that in front of him.

"Is it really you?" Her eyes averted away and her voice so fragile it could break at any moment. She could not handle the truth. The pale woman almost wanted to wish this was a dream. That she was finally seeing the ghost that lingered so close and so far. The sensory overload and sick feeling in her stomach were enough to tell her this was real. Far too real.

She had to wonder for a moment, though. If her child was her, was her lover close by? Were Willow wolves close by? A chill running down her spine but she did not move from her awkward position. Too scared to look at him but too curious to move away.