Starscream & Others

Keeping to his mother's wishes, Starscream stayed by the thicket while Liseli rested, not that he thought anything ill would befall her. The Aspen Grove was a relatively safe area in the valley, without much trouble from humans, and for a few short years at least, no trouble from other packs. In fact, the wolf was so secure in the packland's safety that he dozed off himself after a while, and didn't wake up when his nephew approached.

"There she is." Straight silver in color, Crow didn't stick out dramatically against the background, but he didn't exactly blend in either. Darling was walking beside him, and gave her father a passing glance before looking to the wolfess that had wandered into their territory a little while ago. Quietly, she spoke to her larger cousin, "Her eyes are like yours." Crow frowned and tilted his head, "Green? Huh."

Liseli

The eyes weren't just green - they were deep green, so dark in color that in certain lights they looked black. They were startling, and even moreso in the white face than they had been in a black one, as Darling and Crow would discover when they snapped open in response to the faint sound of their whispering. There were several long seconds where she studied them, silent and all but invisible against the snow, though the thicket around her broke it up and made her easier to see. It was difficult to tell, in those moments, whether it was sanity or delusion watching them through those eyes, full of darkness and mystery as they were. But at last, she spoke up, and her voice was whisper-low, and very level. "You shouldn't be here. What will... your grandmother say?"

Crow & Others

The two young wolves gave a small start when Liseli's eyes came open and she spoke to them. Darling responded by immediately averting her eyes and lowering herself, but Crow remained where he was, recovering in no time from the surprise and looking in no way frightened or put off, "We wanted to say hi." He ventured amiably. Crow was taking note of the eyes Darling told him about, and while they were a shade of green, he noted they were much darker than his own. "She's taking a nap right now, so it's okay." After Crow said this, Darling took another look at her father to be sure he was still sleeping, then murmured quietly to Liseli without looking directly at her, "We didn't mean to bother you."

Liseli

Despite how suddenly she responded to the soft voices with the stunning opening of her eyes, the fae never tried to get to her feet or approach either of them, remaining reclined just as she was. It was as though she wasn't bothered by the idea that they were nearby, even though she'd nearly begged Cortinarri to keep them away. "I don't know that she'd approve of you sneaking to see me simply for the reason that she was asleep... but I will not tell her." That was, if she remembered not to - or even remembered that they weren't supposed to be here, for that matter. Instead, she turned her mind to other matters, like more properly greeting the two before her. "You are Darling, as I recall... unless I've forgotten? Or did I dream it... well. At any rate, who's your friend there?"

Crow & Others

Crow's gaze fell with Darling's, sure that they were going to get ratted out and have to deal with their grandmother and their parents for disobeying the elder and sneaking over to see the 'new wolf'. Darling was frightened enough of her mother, and though Crow wasn't necessarily afraid of his alphen parents and he wasn't even a pup any longer, he cringed at the thought of getting reprimanded by them. Their shared trepidation was lifted by the end of Liseli's statement and both pairs of eyes lifted up to her. Crow wagged his tail a little, and Darling formed a shy smile, "You're right Liseli." The young wolf replied lightly, giving the former beta her name back in a show of respect and a keen memory, "This is my cousin, Crow."

Liseli

She spent several moments with her face scrunched, trying to remember whether this was Darling, or whether she'd forgotten... but at last, the younger female's voice assured her that she was right, and that allowed her to relax, and offer her a smile that was almost motherly in its fondness. "I forget so many things, nowadays... it is kind of you to remind me." Her tail patted, a blur of patchy white through the thicket, and she finally stood, moving into a deep, luxurious stretch that held more stability than it had yesterday - apparently, the rest and the food had done her good. Oh, she wasn't up to spec yet, not by any means... but she wasn't staggering about and looking like she was going to faint, either. "Well met, Crow... as you've heard, I'm Liseli. And, if your grandmother is to be believed... I used to be beta of this pack. Though I can't quite remember..." She faded off, her eyes clouding again, but she perked up quickly. "Memory troubles... they're a pain, most of the time."

Crow & Others

Darling showed some reservation around Liseli with muscles that were a little taunt, and a stance that was more submissive than it was relaxed or curious. They were all subtle things though, but noticeable when a more confident looking Crow was standing by her side. The young brute held his silvery tail loose to clearly state that he wasn't bothered like the others had been by Liseli's strange behavior, "You don't look old like Grandma does." He pointed out without reservation, "Why is your memory so bad?" Very quietly, Darling shifted a glance at her cousin and hissed a warning, "That's not a polite question." Crow pondered this, but in the end shrugged it off and waited for Liseli's response. He didn't mean to be blunt with his questions; he was simply curious and wanting to know more about this former beta of the Aspen Grove.

Liseli

The dainty white face wrinkled a little in concentration, and the crown of the head tilted to one side, expressing the curiosity beneath; Darling might be wary of her, but Liseli certainly wasn't alarmed, so unlike before she'd slept when she'd been so fearful that she'd hurt the others. A faint smile finally drew onto her features, and a pat of her tail accompanied it when Crow drew her attention to memories of fonder days. "Your mother was a little older than I am when she came to us... I was a young thing, then. A couple years old, at the most. She's old enough to be my mother, and unless my senses deceive me much worse than I suspect, you are both young enough to be pups of mine. Pups of mine..." She spoke that on a breath, repeating it for she knew not what reason. And in her mind, that voice echoed, 'Pups of mine...' Again, the eyes squinched together in a show of deep thought, but it was quickly dropped, and she returned their gaze to the young male. "I honestly can't remember, dear. It's been... a long time, since I lived here. I can't even rightly tell you how long. And I wander in my head a bit - so there's just no telling whether anything I remember is real, or something I've imagined to be. Sometimes it's more comforting that way, though... you can make up whatever you want about your life, and there's nothing to say it isn't true.'

Crow & Others

Crow was reading the female's body language as positive signs, from the thump of her tail against the ground, to the light smile she produced. It went some way to ease Darling's uncertainty too, though it was her silver-coated cousin that continued to talk and show the bold, calm authority that both of his parents were endowed with. "Darling and I are about the same age. We were born a season and a half past." Not quite at two years of age, Crow and Darling were young adults at best, with a few more months of growing until they'd fill out entirely. "So you have trouble remembering things? Do you think you'll stay here with us? Grandma told us you were good at your job, of being beta and all." His tail waved in encouragement. Darling might be hesitant of Crow's out-there questioning, but he was intent on learning more about Liseli, and following Cortinarri's concern, trying to get a commitment from the female to stay a little longer. "You know what might help your memory? Taking a walk around the place, even around in the Valley. I haven't traveled really far yet, but I know of a lot of places to go."

Liseli

'Season and a half... that's about right. Very close...' "Are you, now? And yet so confident. That's a vital thing, in this day and age." Ignoring the voice that kept pestering her, Liseli directed her answer to Crow with a mild tone and an approving nod, and glanced briefly to Starscream, just to ensure that he wasn't being woken by their talk. With that ensured, she offered Crow a smile. "I'm in no position to argue with Cortinarri's assessment, as it stands, whether I believe it to be true or not. I was hardly older than you when I met her... and I admit that sometimes, I have forgotten." 'Oh, you've tried, my dear... but never succeeded. You know how guilty you are. It never fails to amaze me how yo-' "I've traveled this valley the greater part of my life now," Liseli went on, firmly interrupting that silent voice and refusing to let it go on. It kept jabbering in the back of her mind, but she ignored it, keeping her attention focused on the two before her. With herself rested and some of her strength returning, she could put the voice in her head to one side, as long as she had others to focus on. "I daresay I could show you a few things. But perhaps someday, if I remember and my endurance makes a recovery, I might be persuaded to take a tour."