Willow Ridge Irony is seldom absent

For @Enoki, 8th March, morning.

The girl had been keeping low, well, as low as you could when trailing after Odin. That there were other wolves her own age here, and that one of them was related to her was still a foreign concept to the girl. Her brother often spoke of family and its importance, and yet he had been gone so much since Nonna died, for days at a time. She began to question whether he would be one of those wolves he despised so much. One of the ones that left. After all, wasn't that what he was doing every time he took off to be with his new friends? Wasn't that what he had done every time he left to see Sahalie?

Her one-eyed cousin was a novelty, he acted so grown. He had come all the way down from the tundra (whatever one of those was). He hunted better than she did, fought harder, and had so many tall tales to tell, tales of battles with full grown wolves and journeys right across the lore, of all that lay out beyond the willows. She was beginning to think that stories weren't enough, especially with this heat, and the changing scent of her aunt and Enoki. It wasn't only the women that were acting weird, though. Even when he was home, he wasn't with her. He was following Enoki with an intensity that drove her mad. There was more to do than watch each other and so with her cousin's help, she had worked to pick up some of the slack. Under his guidance, she was improving.

But today, Odin was with Ravenna, learning about plants. Attica had an interest too, but something else had changed in the air and she was more intent on figuring out just what it might be. Her nose led her to the den, then out again, towards the borders, which could only mean that it was Enoki smelling so strange. The black and ugly feeling that had been writhing in her stomach since her Nonna's death seemed to retreat a little at the thought of the piebald woman and so Attica set out on her trail, silently drawing alongside the leader with a nose to her cheek when she finally found her. She was happy to just have company for now. Perhaps once they walked a little further she would find the words that so desperately wished to break free.

 

 

Enoki Ashrelle

The magpie matriarch had not expected to find herself in the company of another during her patrol of the borders that morning, her ghost of a shadow, Sven, no longer tagging along at a distance to ensure Renier couldn't enjoy her presence for more than a moment or two now that the scent of her heat had begun to fade away. The handiwork of Nicolo and something that hadn't sat well with the agouti leader once he had become aware of the change. Instead, a new scent was beginning to take root that held the delicate notes of the new life beginning to grow within her womb.

"Good morning, Attica. You're up early." Enoki greeted warmly after lightly bumping her shoulder against that of the young girl's, smoldering amber gaze shifting from the path ahead to momentarily hold the silvered hue that so closely resembled her Nonna's and brought a lopsided smile to the dappled woman's face. Pausing her trek along the border, front limbs lifted to place her paws against the rough bark of a tree, scoring the surface with the dull points of her nails to transfer her scent onto the timber before lowering herself back down onto all fours and returning her attention to the young girl.

"Did you need anything?" She questioned softly while moving onward to continue her task at hand, knowing the girl would follow close behind if indeed there was something pressing she needed to ask for it wasn't often the Archer girl sought out the older female. Although Enoki didn't mind the added company now that the men had decided to leave her be.

Word Count: 272

Ashbash 2017 - Sebastian Unrau