pawstepsinthesnow

“Now, young one, pay close attention to what I’m about to tell you.” Amrita circled to the edge of the cliff, then stepped back and settled down on her haunches. “You are one of us now, so it is time I taught you how to defend our territory.” Ruairi gulped a little, and shifted uneasily from paw to paw. The scents of the Ravine were still fresh to him, but his saviors had welcomed him (mostly, in their standoffish way) as part of the family. ...in a better sense than his captors had used the term in. Part of him was excited-- here was the Matriarch herself, trusting him with an important duty. The other part felt like this was the moment the other shoe finally dropped. “Why bother with the formalities, Mother?” the other toa on the mountaintop-- Soma-- growled. “Why don’t we just show him how it’s done?” “Patience, my dear. Patience. A virtue you would do well to learn.” Amrita stood again, tail sweeping behind her. Soma grumbled and settled back onto his heels. Ruairi

A low, mournful creek filled the small chamber, a sugar sweet breeze from outside the candle-lit room made the candles flutter around the young ketucari known as ‘Hinoka’, though they returned to life quickly enough. A familiar scent wrapped around her, soon followed by the bearer pressing his chest against her back and coiling himself into a hug. She leaned back into the gesture, grappling with the hollow feeling in her belly. This should be something exciting, or nerve wracking. Instead… “How are you holding up?” Toshi asked, his voice gentle and low, careful not to carry out of the chamber, his silvery feathers tickling her neck. “Numb.” Hinoka answered. “Chiyo should be here, not me.” The loss of their sister was still fresh, but it was that time of year… the time of year where strangers most wanted to see their loved ones. How unfair was it that she could show them all of their loved ones—children, siblings, parents, lovers—and couldn’t see her own? Masatoshi hooked his paw more