Ghastly Woods tired 24/7

Set after meeting with Lorcan (leaving some things vague). For @Cyril || Late Night, Clear, -25°F (-32°C)

After the rather good meeting with @Lorcan, Piety had to make her way back to the woods. She had promised not to take longer than necessary. Perhaps it would have been easier to keep wandering astray but the mother had to be done doing what was easy. She was too old with too many responsibilities to gallop off into the sunset like the princess of the woods.

There was business to be done here, anyway.

So she trailed through the forest along a bit of a rocky path. The mountain grew and lumbered on her right side while the other held the forest. She had tucked them away in an interesting place but it was not their dead-set location. At least, Piety didn't think so. She had a desire to scale the mountain a bit more. It would be easier to secure themselves with a bit of elevation.

A soft sigh escaped her, her breath traveled in strong whisps - a reminder that the cold was still here. They faired well here but perhaps they needed something more permanent.

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Cyril spent most of his time exploring the nearby territories and avoiding unwanted encounters with the locals. There were a few packs nearby, but not many, which made slipping through the trees unnoticed a lot easier than it had been in the north. Pre-death the boy never imagined living anywhere but the monadnock, for it was the highest point in the lowlands. He could see for miles atop the towering rock, which made tracking prey and their neighbours much easier. After-death Cyril wanted nothing to do with the north. Even the thought of it made his stomach churn and his lips fall into a scowl.

The mountain base wasn’t so bad, but it wasn’t anything special. The change of scenery, although it hadn’t been by choice, it was nice. He still wished @Adeltra had stayed with them, but he knew that her family was important to her… especially since her mother was now missing and her father had fallen ill. Cyril couldn’t help but worry about her even though he knew he did not need to. It made him want to venture south once more, to check in on her, but he had just returned from a visit to the willows. He couldn’t keep leaving his mother. Cheedo was keeping her company but it wasn’t enough. Now that his father was no longer in the picture Cyril felt responsible for his mother.

He spotted her pale figure from between the trees and quickened his pace, his tail swaying absently behind him as he approached his scarred mother. As he sidled up beside her Cyril pressed his nose to her cheek in greeting, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

There is a moose carcass that has been scavenged by coyotes nearby. +15 Health

@Cyril<3

She could have missed him in the darkness. Her son's large form and dark features (both stunning traits from his father's side) made him a shadow in the collection of trees. But those yellow eyes were familiar and she could never forget the feeling of him at her side. Her son had been a rather steady force at her side despite everything.

A warm rumble escaped her as Cyril's nose prodded her cheek. She returned the gesture by nipping at his own cheek. Her smile was rather visible, ebony lips pulled up in a rather happy manner. "Missed you." Her voice as motherly as ever. Piety truly had missed her son on her own adventure but perhaps it turned out it was best he had stayed behind. She certainly wouldn't have minded Lorcan and Cyril meeting but then and there hadn't been the time.

"Anything exciting happen while I was gone?" A brow raised with genuine curiosity. Surely her son had gotten up to something.

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The mother and son team had switched roles. He had kept close to the mountain and she had gone south, toward the willows. A warm smile tugged at his lips as she nipped at his cheek, his long tail sweeping slowly behind him as he matched her pace stride for stride. Missed you, too, he responded in a soft tone, his yellow eyes glancing over at her as he spoke. The death of his father had turned the ebony Kael into a bit of a momma’s boy, but he did not mind. She was the only family he had left and he intended to cherish every moment they had together. As long as she needed him, and he needed her, Cyril would remain with her.

And he was in no hurry to leave her side.

At her question his head fell to the side, the corners of his mouth tightening as he considered her words. Slowly, he shook his head and rolled his shoulders into a soft shrug. Not really. He felt as though he was disappointing her by staying out of trouble in her absence. An amused smile rolled onto his dark features at the thought. I saw Everly, he added after a brief pause, his ears sweeping back against his crown.

The mother did not doubt for a moment that her son missed her. They were a close duo after all. A painful reminder of what she didn't have with her first son but no doubt she tossed most of those feelings out. There was no use in sulking on the past when she had current matters to attend to. Ones that were only a bit more pressing than failed relations.

His answer earned a soft nod from Piety. Nothing exciting was better than everything blowing up again. For the dove was not entirely sure what she would possibly do if something tragic happened again so soon. Most of them were only just patching up wounds from the loss of Wraith. "Everly," She rolled around the name gently. Piety knew that the name was now a mask but it appeared her son was not aware. "I saw her before I left too." Her shoulder rolled casually as she motioned for him to keep strolling with her. They weren't 'home' just yet.

"By the way," The mother hummed softly. "it's actually Lenae." Certainly the former teacher wouldn't mind Cyril knowing, especially sense the two seemed so close back at the Monadnock.

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His brows pinched together as his mother confessed that she, too, had encountered the scrawny agouti before her departure to the south. He wanted his former teacher to join them, wherever it was they were planning to settle, but he did not know if she would. Something had happened to her in her absence… perhaps it was Wraith’s death, or something more, but she was no longer the same wolf he had followed around atop the monadnock.

But he wasn’t the same either.

By the way, his ears cupped toward his mother, his mustard gaze resting on her pale figure as she spoke, it’s actually Lenae. Huh. He blinked as he stored the name away in the back of his head. Lenae, he repeated, testing the name out for himself. Suits her. He was a little upset that his teacher had not shared her real name with him during their meeting but there had been little time for that. It was mostly Cyril consoling her and trying to keep her from freezing to death, so he could not fault her for holding onto her secret a little longer.

How was the willows? Did you see Adeltra? Did she ask about me? But those questions didn’t come. He missed his friend but he didn’t want to sound obsessive or weird. He was just curious about her wellbeing… that’s all. Totally.

Her tail waved behind her softly. "I thought so too." Piety confessed with a small smile, a kind gleam in her eyes. Everly certainly had been a pretty name without a doubt but Lenae...it was so special and lovely. Much like the wolf who carried the name. "I asked her to stay. So hopefully we'll be seeing more of her." The mother confessed with ease. There was no need to hide anything from her son. "Be gentle with her, okay? She needs lots of love and support just like the rest of us." Her nose moved to gently bump her son's chin. He was no brash boy, from what she witnessed, but it was still best to inform him. She would not hesitate to defend the patchy-furred girl if anyone dared to tread too harshly - teeth and all.

"What makes you think I went that south? Hmm?" Piety did not consider the fact that perhaps Lorcan's scent might have lingered on her enough to pick up. For he was a wolf of the Ridge now. Accidentally. Or so he claimed. "I didn't make it that far south. I ran into an old friend in the Grove." Her voice was rather neutral, not showing distaste or excitement at the adventure. Piety was still processing it. "He used to be a member of Whitestone. Before you were born and he was there even before I joined." A small smirk lacing her ebony lips. If her son wished to be bored to death with her nostalgia, all he would have to do was ask.

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Lenae. He smiled as he repeated the name once mentally. It was much softer sounding than Everly; prettier. He hoped that she accepted his mother’s offer and stayed with them. It was almost like being back at the monadnock but better. Without all the haunting memories and the blood. He gave his head a small shake at the thought, dismissing the image of his father’s broken body. Cyril was tired of his thoughts always returning to the past—it wasn’t going to do anything for him, except make him sulk even more. And Adeltra wouldn’t be pleased to hear about how much he’d been sulking since his last visit.

I hope she stays, he hummed in response, his brows pinched together in concern. I don’t think being on her own is good for her. Or for the rest of the former Whitestone wolves. They needed her just as much as she needed them. Cyril especially. He nodded at his mother’s words and returned the soft bump to his chin with one of his own.

He chuckled at her comment and rolled his eyes in response, a lopsided grin unfolding across his dark maw. From his visits to the willows Cyril had become familiar with the scents of the surrounding territories. Lucky guess, he answered with a sharp wink. His expression softened as she mentioned she had encountered a friend in the Grove, one that used to call Whitestone home. He. His tail twitched. Where is he now?

"I don't think so either." She agreed in a whisper. "But let's keep that between us." A side glance was all that was given, expecting her son to follow her word. The last thing Piety wanted was for Lenae to test her luck alone or thinking they thought less of her. Piety deeply cared for the girl and only wanted to help but she couldn't do that if Lenae went running off.

Her smirk turned into a bit of a serious face. "Willow Ridge actually." She answered with a soft shrug. "He said he found it accidentally and well, he ended up joining them." Piety couldn't hold back a soft chuckle. It still sounded funny as she ran the conversation over in her mind but it was what it was.

She motioned with her head for them to take a slight turn on their path. "Have you gone down that way lately?" Her gaze was one filled with curiosity. How was Adeltra? Did the two of them keep in touch? Piety knew it wasn't a short distance there but certainly they could bump into one another. Her son had a set of wandering paws (likely thanks to herself) after all.

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