Drooping Willows You'll be in my heart [M]

Trigger warning: Depression || Not how I originally saw this thread starting, but the muse does what the muse wants. For @Enia

Recovery came slow for the magpie in the passing month since her return home, but what was there to really expect given the circumstances she faced? Time had zapped the former youthfulness from her bones leaving travel acquired wounds like sore muscles and paw pads to heal slower than usual and weight harder to put on despite the tender caregiving her daughter and fellow packmates bestowed upon her. 

And not to mention the lurking depression that clung to her heart and soul since discovering the news of her mate's passing. The heaviness of a broken heart still grieving only hindered her progress, but it didn't stop it completely. Deep down she knew he wouldn't want his love to stop living because he couldn't continue to, but in truth it was hard. So very hard. 

Dark, heavy lids lifted themselves to allow amber eyes to face the world once more, the edge of her scar painted muzzle protruding from the den her late husband and herself shared. Small tufts of his fur still remained scattered about seemingly untouched although his cologne had long since faded from the hole beneath a shady willow. It was a foolish wish to hope it would still be present to this day, but Enoki would have given nearly anything for one more whiff of his scent that lulled her peacefully to sleep each and every night. The warmth of his frame pressed alongside her own and the weight of his head on her shoulders, his light snores tickling her ears. 

How easily one took such simple things for granted until they were gone.

Aching limbs groaned in protest as the piebald hoisted herself up to slither out from the darkness and embrace the light however painful it was on her shielded eyes not yet ready for the blindness they were forced to endure until they adjusted accordingly. A small brush of her paw pushed aside a breakfast delivery of fresh squirrel that did nothing to stir the elderly woman's appetite. Little by little her exposed ribcage receded, but her weight gain was still a work in progress. Those surrounding her often times had to force the former matriarch to eat, refusing to leave her side until they witnessed something enter her stomach. But that didn't stop her from wandering off to hurl the contents back up behind a bush when nobody was looking. Some days her stomach just couldn't handle the heaviness of anything other than her sadness. 

Today like every day since her return, slender limbs slowly padded their way along the trail that led toward the old willow once sunlight banished the navy blanket of night. Only ceasing to gingerly lower herself into the same seat she took the day before, a paw outstretched to rest at the highest point of his grave while smoldering amber irises already glistening with moisture watched the weeping branches sway in the breeze above.

"Hello again, my love." Her words fell softly like the petals of a wilted rose, a saddened smile etching itself onto her maw. 

(This post was last modified: Jun 26, 2018, 07:33 AM by Enoki.)

Enia had never known of the Burial Grounds, never really needed to. Since she joined no one in the pack had passed and there had been no need to honor the dead. No one she knew within the pack lay buried there and she felt no need to pay such respects. The Athesila woman should have expected that the Ridge would have a burial ground for their deceased, as the Woodlands did. When her Grandmother, Nina, and father died they had both been buried, along other pack members that had passed during her short time in her birthplace. Often, the dark woman would walk through the burial grounds of the Ridge, unknowing that she was walking amoungst some of the most influential, powerful wolves of the Ridge, and perhaps even the Lore itself. She had never stopped to consider the slightly raised dirt areas, that had already settled. It just seemed like another part of the land to the young woman. As she was returning from the borders, a hare that had foolishly run into the territory clamped firmly in her jaws, a soft voice gave her pause. It sounded so sad. Burying her catch for later, Enia headed towards where the voice originated from, light brown eyes settling upon an agouti woman. Enia might have seen her once or twice in passing but had never really spoken to her. She was just all of a sudden here and seemed to be welcomed quite warmly - not that Enia would have treated her any differently. Ears folded back on her head as the woman's words came back to her. Looking upon the scene, it did not seem as though she were talking to anyone and the way her body was positioned. Would it be so bad to maybe provide the woman some comfort? That was what her mother and siblings liked when someone they cared about passed on. Hesitant, as she did not know this woman, the dark female suborinate approached. When she spoke, her voice was soft, breaking the unsettling silence, "I'm very sorry for your loss." She remained silent again, not going as far to touch the other woman, but standing shoulder to shoulder with her. Light brown eyes surveyed the burial grounds once more before turning to look back at the older woman, "What is this place?"

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

A silvered ear rotated off to the side at the first sound of paws touching the earth in the distance, the former huntress's hearing still quite in tact despite the onset of arthritis gradually plaguing her joints. Although her days of hunting were behind her, the skills she learned over the years were not. The footfall gradually became louder the closer they became and soon the silence that enveloped the magpie was shattered by an unknown voice, soft like the gentle breeze. 

Smoldering amber eyes shifted away from the swaying boughs to settle her gaze on the ebony female now standing shoulder to shoulder with herself, an endearing smile stretched across her greyed maw in response to the genuine sentiment. "Thank you." She responded before allowing her gaze to wander about the place as the question left the younger lady's lips, taking in the beauty the land had to offer despite the sadness that cloaked it as well. "This place is where our pack has buried our own. Leaders and members alike that have served the Ridge until their final breathes." 

A pause to allow her new found company a chance to absorb the significance of her words. "My husband was buried here recently." And I wasn't here for him. Enoki stated delicately, dropping her gaze to the freshest mound of them all that had her paw still resting upon its crest. "He was the former leader until he got very sick."

The dark woman dipped her head in acknowledgement to the older woman's thanks. Despite the beauty that these lands held, just as the rest of the pack lands, there was a certain aura that clung to it. Enia never seemed to understand it, until the woman beside her clarified. Burial grounds. It would make sense that Willow Ridge would have one, just as Secret Woodlands had. The young Athesila blushed darkly at the thought that she had quite literally trampled over these lands many times, unaware that it was the area of those that had fallen. Had she known before, she would have paid her respects and been more careful when walking through this part of the Willows. Dark ears folded back on her head, in sadness and guilt. When she spoke, Enia's voice was soft, "That's so sad..." Light brown eyes were trained on the makeshift graves. Enia did not know much about Willow Ridge, both how it was then and now. Sad brown eyes peered back at the woman next to her, "I'm Enia. Enia Athesila."

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Slowly the elderly woman removed her paw from the mound of her buried love and placed it beside her other in front of her, a single tear slipping free from her smoldering gaze but luckily on the side facing away from the woman beside her. Enoki's ear closest to Enia gave a small twitch in order to pick up on the softly spoken words better, the hint of a saddened smile etching itself upon her inky lips. "Death is a sad topic." She paused for a moment and shifted slightly where she sat to ease some of the pressure upon her aging joints. "But we can not allow it to remain as such. There is also joy in the memories made with those we have lost and that we must hold onto dearly."


This time the saddened smile upon her lips transformed into a more genuine one once the woman beside her introduced herself, offering a small nod. "It's nice to meet you Enia. I'm Enoki Archer." And for the first time in forever it seemed, her tail gave a content thump against the ground beneath them. 

There was a lot that could be said of another who could still smile and still speak of pleasant things. While Enia's heart had been broken after her father's death, it had been something she'd been expecting for some time. Death was also something that the young girl was familiar with, so grieving and moving forward came with no new challenges. All Enia could do in response was offer her own smile, dipping her head in respect to the older woman. Enoki had obviously lived here for a long time and there was plenty of history that came with that. "Has Willow Ridge been along for a long time?" Enia knew that her grandmother, Nina, had formed the alliance with Willow Ridge long ago, but just how long ago that was, the Athesila was unsure.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de