It was the height of spring, with the seasons edging nearer to summer - her favourite time of year. Everything was vivid and colourful; the warm breezes were laden with pleasant aromas, her days choreographed to trilling birdsong, and best of all, everything was in bloom. She had crawled to this land in the dead of winter, and only now saw just how much it had to offer her. The slender werewolf was seated on a small flat rock, her face uptilted towards the sun, absorbing the warmth on her cream-furred cheeks. Things had been going well lately - she had been able to meet new people without scaring them off, had finally spoken to her dear Cercelee, had even befriended several youngsters that were interested in her knowledge of flora. It certainly didn't hurt to learn that Firefly Sadira and Svara Thames, the two greatest thorns in her side, had been officially outcast from their pack. She knew she shouldn't laugh at their expense, but it did give her a little extra spring in her step, knowing that her corner of the world was a more pleasant place.
Rising gracefully from her perch, Colibri's sky-blue eyes fluttered open, a small smile alighting on her countenance. Would today be the day? She had promised herself that she would go yesterday, that she would pack a small meal to take with her, and wander to the borders of Crimson Dreams... but she had been intercepted by a young packmate, and ended up spending the day picking flowers with her. It gave her the idea to gather a bouquet of wildflowers for her paramour, although with each day that passed, the image of her face blurred a little more at the edges. Was it foolish to still hold onto that memory, believing there to be something more behind the encounter? She had reached an all-time low that night, mourning the departure of her sister, cursing her own inability to make friends, and seeking solace by drowning in a bottle. But somehow, the beautiful ghost that drifted to her side had pulled her out of it, and every day since then, she recalled the warmth of her first kiss...
There it was again, the faint blush that graced her cheeks every time she thought about it. It was hard to write off the haunting encounter as something inconsequential, a result of the wine (which had given her such a headache the next morning!). No male had ever left as strong an impression on her, and she was beginning to truly believe that she was meant to fall in love with a female... it would certainly explain why she had never taken anyone to her bed, never dreamt about a man that way, although it would put a damper on her plans for motherhood. She did not even realize she had begun walking until her light footfalls brought her near the house she and Deuce shared, near the colourful garden she had been spending her days toiling at. There was a rustling nearby - someone had entered her yard...! Her first thought was that little Catalyst had snuck in again, the white puppy that had "liberated" a periwinkle the other day. But when she saw the graceful movements of an Optime, pale sandy-blond fur ruffling in the scudding breezes, her breath caught in her throat.
Anu... had found her...!
