Swift River Things don't glitter like they used to

She should have known. Should have known before now that this would happen one day. She had felt something dreadful crawling under her skin for a while now and deep down she knew.

How could it not happen? Between the chas with mating season, with Oula and Roland leaving first followed Pip, Kjell and their son and most of all Ophelia's death, how could she not see it coming?

And oh didn't that hurt her heart to even think about it. The lively little pup she taught words to and saved from a bull moose, now gone. No wonder Oula took her only remaining son and just ran. It must have been the last straw for the woman's heart and soul, given Ophelia was her last remaining child within the cedars. She would have done the same  

And Amaryllis couldn't fault Pip and Kjell for taking their son and leaving either. They obviously saw what was to come and figured it was easier to leave before it just all fell apart under their feet.

But that didn't stop the ache in the woman's heart at it all. What was she to do now? She had her own pups to care for and even with the help of Rook and Veho it would be difficult to care for them.

Where should they go? What pack would take a mother and her pups anyway? They'd have their own to watch over, never mind someone else's who they didn't even know. She knew of an alliance Grizzly Hollow had to the north so perhaps that was a possibility?

But as she left to go hunting, in an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts, a familiar scent crossed her and her heart dropped just a little bit more. Oh poor Oisin, the girl had come to Grizzly Hollow at such a bad time and now the place she had just called home, where she had hoped to become a healer, had been torn from under her.

Following the trail, Amaryllis just hoped the girl wouldn't give her the cold shoulder. Even though she was no longer a leader- hell, no longer were they even of the same pack but now they were loners- Amaryllis still wished the best for Oisin and wished to make sure she was alright.

"Oisin?" The grey pelted woman called out, her heart beating rapidly and praying she wouldn't be ignored.

(This post was last modified: Sep 04, 2017, 04:40 AM by Amaryllis.)

It was hard to peel herself away from the old infirmary but she understood that she had to in order to get to doing anything. With the scent of those familiar now absent from her nose she felt more alone than before. Oisin was not a creature who was meant to be alone for even short periods of time. She had contemplated turning tail and going back to Fire's Reach but considering her papa had ushered her out of there she doubted he would have wanted her to return. What a saddening thought.

The girl wandered into the unknown, each step taking her further away from the cedarwood forest. She would be a liar if she said she didn't think about going back with every step forward. The familiarness of the place was nice and welcoming despite the now silent and absent faces. It was a constant battle of pros and cons but in the long run, the cons would overthrow the pros by a long shot.

She broke from her thoughts as a familiar voice called out her name. "Oisin?" Oh, it simply couldn't be true. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned her direction and instantly started running towards the voice. The small form of Amaryllis came into sight and the ex-Hollow wolf couldn't stop herself from practically throwing her body at the mother. Her face seeking out the plush fur of the older female's chest. Oisin would not bother hiding her soft sobs. She had been convinced she would never see Ama again.

(This post was last modified: Sep 04, 2017, 04:58 AM by Oisin.)

What she had been expecting versed what did actually happen caught Amaryllis by surprise but after all this time, of worrying over if the girl was safe and if she was surviving well enough on her own, it all melted away as the girl came running towards her at the sound of her name and launched into her chest, softly crying.

"Oh Oisin." Whispering as the young girl practically threw herself at the mother, Amaryllis barely stumbled at the force and curled around the girl as best she could, in a sort of hug. Tears were welling in her eyes as well, so so grateful to actually see the girl and physicaly be able to know she was unhurt and safe. "Oh my dear girl, I'm so glad to see you too. I'm glad you've been safe ."

Amaryllis wasn't sure why she cared for the girl so much or why she held the embrace for so long, allowing the girl to sob into her chest for as long as she needed to. She had only arrived a few days before the birth of her own children. Perhaps it was something to do with the loss of her child and she had found solace in accepting the younger wolf as some sort of replacement, as she had been there when the pups were born? She had no idea but in her mind, she saw the girl as a near daughter and her heart was nearly bursting with emotion as she forced herself to push away from Oisin for a moment, to properly look her over. Once she had done a quick once over, the woman let out a sigh of relief. Oisin looked perfectly healthy, even after being by herself for a few days. And that released the last bit of unknown tension in her shoulders. Oisin was safe and sound and Amaryllis wasn't going to let her out of sight again.

"I'm so glad to see you're doing well," Trying to blink away her tears, so not to have Oisin worry over her, Amaryllis stepped forward to embrace Oisin again. And if later asked, she'd say it was for Oisin's sake and not an attempt to hide her tears as they slide down her face.

There are several fresh rabbit tracks in the mud. Hunt Opportunity

The comforting touch and motherly voice were too much for the young girl. She wept and dampened the fur of the mother's chest without a care. Amaryllis spoke to her in such a comforting manner. For someone who had no memories of a mother, she wanted to assume that this was what a mother would have done for their child. How could she blame Ama for being such a nurturing figure? With two children of her own (not counting the poor boy Minnow and those Oisin knew nothing of...) she assumed it was like instinct to the pale woman.

Tear filled yellow eyes looked at Amaryllis as she pulled back from her. "I-I," She stuttered unsure of what to say to her former leader. Yet it seemed she would not have to find words as she was pulled back in for another embrace. The warm form of Ama was beyond relieving to the young healer. She welcomed every moment of the wolven hug. "Are you with the others?" She murmured softly, muffled by the fur of the female's chest. If they were all together then she could assume that everyone else was alright too, that maybe things weren't as bad as she felt they were.

She had to be thankful that she had left the forest now. If she hadn't left when she did then surely she would have missed Amaryllis passing through. Her sobbing had stopped but her breath was still shallow and ragged, recovering from all the emotions she had just let out through her tears.

Holding onto Oisin for a while longer, she finally released the girl when her legs begun feeling weak. Gesturing for Oisin to sit by her, Amaryllis would lean her shoulder against her's, to reassure the other she wasn't going any where.

"I'm with Rook and Veho, along Merida and Mouse of course. They're doing fine, though Meri doesn't quite understand what's going on just yet. She thinks it's just an adventure so far and we'll be back one day." Amaryllis murmured in response to Oisin's question, her heart breaking a little more as Oisin's ragged breathing. "You probably noticed Pip and Kjell left with their son before it all happened-" and the sting that Pip hadn't even bid her or any of them a goodbye was still a great hurt to her, even if part of her understood why. "-but I trust Kjell can look after them, if nothing else." Even though he had barely interacted outside of what had been needed for the pack at the time, it was clear Kjell loved Pip and she trusted that love would be enough for the silent mother and her mate.

"You can travel with us, you know." The offer rolled off her tounge before she even realised what she was saying. But it was genuine as it came. "At least, if you want to. You'll not be alone and you can leave whenever you wish."