Fool's Gold Chasm The deep hearts core

@Woya but others from FGC are welcome. Backdated to 7/21.. Oksana is outside the border calling for Woya.

The crow hadn't wanted to leave the children behind but they were much too young to be traveling. Oksana had no plans of staying in the Chasm once she'd delivered her news. She had children and a pack to get back to. This was a fragile time for them all and she needed to make sure she was there for them.

She hadn't been sure of the amount of time it would take to reach the Chasm. All she really knew was the direction to head in hmshe was sure she'd find it quite easily. After all she wasn't a stranger to this part of the lore. She worried about delivering her news but it couldn't be avoided.

After three days the scents of the Chasm reached her nose. Finally she'd reached the forest in which the Chasm wolves dwelled. The crow followed the scents through the trees until she came to the border. There she stopped and called for Woya, asking for her to join the crow at the border.

(This post was last modified: Aug 07, 2022, 06:48 PM by Woya. Edit Reason: fixed ooc tag )

Woya didn't necessarily recognize the songstress' voice, but as the ferns parted and the raven-haired wolf's scent began to mix with the air the connection clicked. From what she'd heard of the kids' last visit, Oksana had become her cousin's latest lover, one he even went so far as to call wife. Why her, and not him? The Macieo was admittedly disappointed, but put on a smile all the same.

"Hey," she greeted once finally within sight, shaking off the brittle leaf litter that had attached itself to her on the way. Looking the other over, it was clear that she'd also bore children this year. Her brows knit as the confusion deepened.

"... what's goin' on?"

(This post was last modified: Aug 07, 2022, 08:40 PM by Woya.)

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

Enera was contemplating her next run for water. The rains had helped somewhat, but they were back to being dry as ever now and she needed to keep her sisters and their foster mother hydrated. She wished Marrah would come with her this time, but it felt like her sister-friend was avoiding her... and she didn't feel like seeking her company out herself.

The call came and the eldest Rayvne girl recognized the voice as one of the women from the Cove. Her ears pricked. They hadn't had a visitor from there in a while. Curious, Enera trotted that way, arriving shortly after Woya. It was clear the pale woman was concerned, and Oksana seemed... off. Enera immediately froze. She knew the look in the crow's eyes, knew the grief, like the world could never be whole again.

It was the same haunted feeling she herself wore for so long.

Enera swallowed, but couldn't bring herself to ask. She was sure the Cove matriarch was here on other business and wouldn't want the reminder.

Oksana was at the Chasm to deliver a message she'd never dreamed she'd have to. There wasn't any avoiding it. Aleisters cousin had to know what happened to him. Oksana had set her mind to this task, if she did nothing else she would make sure her husband's family knew what had happened to him. So she waited at the borders of Fool's Gold Chasm for Woya to answer her call.

Her orange eyes rested on the woman who'd come to meet her at the border. She'd only met her once before but Oksana remembered her well. She didn't consider Woya a woman to be underestimated. She offered a sad smile, "Hello Woya. Thank you for coming to speak with me." By what she said next it was clear she knew something was wrong. Though Oksana expected it was pretty obvious.

Another joined before she could answer the other woman's question. That was fine in the Crows opinion. Once she felt no one else was coming she spoke to answer the question asked of her. "Its sad news I bring to the Chasm on this day. It's with great sorrow that I have to tell you that Aleister has passed away." She didn't want to say rhe word died. It felt so final in her mind and though she knew it to be true she still was having a hard time accepting it.

Please see Sharlee's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

Woya glanced to Enera as she sensed her presence, refocusing on their visitor swiftly. The woman paused briefly, everything about her making the Chasm matriarch's heartbeat quicken with anxiety. Then the words came, as if she'd manifested them herself, and still they didn't hit right. Her brows pinched tighter, sandy eyes blinking back at Oksana's pumpkin irises

In most circumstances, she would have been shaken, her grief more hard-hitting. After this past year? Instead of an isolated tragedy, Aleister's death was now simply the straw that broke the camel's back.

"What?"

This had to be some sick cosmic joke. Had the lake dried and the drought taken him too? Was there a plague they'd yet to discover running rampant? Or had the murmurs really been true?; Relic Lore was cursed.

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

The young Rayvne girl swallowed again and forced herself to finish moving up beside Woya, nodded stiffly to her when the leader glanced back. They had to be welcoming to their esteemed guest, especially...

Oksana shared the reason for her visit. She hadn't expected Woya's blank reaction, her simple disbelief. Enera had to remind herself that Al was Woya's family. She couldn't remember how they were related, only that they were, and that his death must hit her hard. The Chasm had already lost so much this year, for her to lose someone they all thought was safe, living next to a lake that hadn't - to their knowledge - dried up, was... well, Enera wasn't sure what to think. She gently brushed her side against Woya's, not quite leaning into her but offering the comfort should her leader want it.

Enera looked to the Crow in front of her. "I'm sorry," she murmured, having nothing better to say. She'd hated it when others apologized for Rhae's death, as she had no response, but there was little else to offer.

Oksana no doubt understood how difficult the news she had brought was to hear. Aleister had been strong and expected to live out his life fully but that was not the case. Maybe had there not been a drought while he'd been injured he might have made it through. Oksana believed that his injuries and the drought had just been too much stress on his body. That because of that he just couldn't fight any longer. She refused to believe that he'd just given up and left his family behind. It wasn't the nature of her husband.

The Macieo woman's response wasn't really a surprise to Oksana. The young girl who'd joined them had offered her condolences. The crow offered her a sad smile, "Thank you." Her attention returned to Woya. She knew an explanation would ge needed here.

"It was shortly after our pups and Aquene's were born a mountain lion came into the territory. He went to deal with it on his own and recieved many serious injuries. Aquene did all that she could for him and we all believed he would pull through. It was early morning just a few days ago that he passed in his sleep." A tear slid down her cheek as she relayed the story.

It was hard to relive that moment for the crow. She remembered clearly the feeling she had when she realized that her husband would no longer be with her. That he wouldn't be able to see his pups grow and the wolves they would become.

Please see Sharlee's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

Woya felt Enera step just a little bit closer, reminding her that they stood side-by-side. She swallowed, and couldn't help but think that it should have been her mother here instead. Her stomach continued to twist unpleasantly.

Why alone? the words echoed in her mind, but she did not breathe them into life. The Cove pack had loved her cousin. Hadn't they? Aleister...

She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Oksana's grief had been clear as she spoke, and in the twin rivers running from her eyes. There wasn't anything Woya could do to help her with it, but Enera's small voice reminded her she still needed to try.

"... are you all staying up there still, even after this?" the question was asked in a soft tone, without her usual accusatory bite. She couldn't help but hope that the woman would answer no, however. That the Cove wolves would finally choose to settle somewhere safe.

(This post was last modified: Mar 01, 2023, 11:52 PM by Woya.)

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

Enera stood, mostly silent, beside her leader as the women mourned. Her own thoughts swirled. She knew Aleister had been a beloved man, by more than just the members of his pack. He had friends on both sides of the mountains, and even up north...

North. Chan. He was up there, wasn't he? At Turtleback Lake. Did the Cove wolves know where he was? That was such a long journey for them to make. She glanced down at Woya, then back to Oksana. If it were her, she would want to know if her friend had died. She would want someone to make the effort.

"Does Chan know?" she asked softly, looking up to meet Sana's gaze. "I know where he is... I can go tell him for you, if you'd like." She could get water while she was there anyway.

Relaying the details of Aleister's death was difficult but Oksana felt she owed it to Woya. The other woman deserved to know the circumstances of her cousins death. She was glad though when it was over and they could move on with any questions they might have. Shed come to the Chasm prepares for that.

The crow nodded when Woya asked about them staying. "Yes, it was Aleisters home and its ours. I don't think any of us would feel right leaving." The truth was Oksana wasn't sure she coukd leave. She wanted her children to grow up where their father had.

Her orange gaze turned to the younger woman when she asked about Chan. Oksana shook her head. "No, he doesn't know. We haven't seen him in many months." She hadn't forgotten about Chan in all of this. Oksana just hadn't known where to find him. "It would he extremely helpful if you could deliver the news to him. I would go myself but I didn't want to be away too long." She had children and a grieving pack to take care of. She needed to be there for them.

Please see Sharlee's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you