[ P ] Honeysuckle & Cinnamon

What a morning! What a morning it had been, indeed! They'd had an influx of larger parties as of late, mostly consisting of Jacobite soldiers. For the most part they'd been respectful...aside from the couple that had heckled her as she worked. They whistled and whined and called her ‘sweetheart' as though they'd never laid eyes on a female before. Odette refused to serve those two which, fortunately, caused only a mild stir among her patrons. There were repeat customers present that she'd known for a while and they backed her up, escorting the rowdy pair of brutes out, understanding full well how she ran shop.

Not long after that, their inventory for the day had been cleared a bit earlier than usual. Her and her father did their best keeping up with them and in the end they'd made a killing to be proud of. It would be enough for her to take with her on her next venture down to Rionna for more ingredients she sought after. As the many wolves began to clear out after lunchtime, signalling their impending closing for the day, she worked to clean up swiftly.

Thoughts of her future travels encouraged a bounce in her step as she went along humming, making her way to the entrance of the store to close it following what seemed to be the last guest. There was something that told her to linger in the doorway for a moment before completely locking up. Odette breathed a happy little sigh as she watched flow of the passersby with a smile.


@Willow

T

he terrible news just kept coming. Grief was ever present in her heart and mind, even as she tried to carry on, if only for Rowan’s sake. Today, she had left her daughter with her usual watchers, just to take some time to herself – which perhaps was not wise, for the macabre was soon all that occupied her thoughts. She had traveled further than usual, seeking a distraction. But the new scenery provided no solace from the losses, for Willow scarcely noticed the world around her.

Word was spreading like wildfire across the Highlands that another battle would soon commence – and in Melrose, of all places. She longed to see Haven, the family home, but knew it would almost certainly be crawling with soldiers laying claim to the cottage. She could see them trampling through the garden, their blood soaking into the earth, the very place she had been discovered nearly four years ago. The Lowlands would always feel like home, even if Willow hadn’t been there in a long while.

Soon, the tri-color femme found herself in a new place, a bustling village with shops and busy wolves who went about their lives without the weight of tragedy on their shoulders. Willow was too preoccupied to pay them any attention. A heavenly scent caught her attention as she meandered down the way – familiar, somehow, but distinctly different. It reminded her of childhood, though the exact memory remained elusive.

Head bowed and mind racing, Willow failed to see the wolfess who stood in the doorway of her shop. The other was watching wolves, ordinary people with ordinary lives, to whom the woman smiled as they passed. Neither she-wolf noticed as Willow moved closer still at a swift pace – until she crashed heedlessly head first into the stranger with a startled yelp as she fell forward into the woman. When peridot sights found the she-wolf she had smashed into, they went wide with horror. "I - I'm sorry!"


@Odette

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

A pair of wolves past and she watched them as they strode side by side in deep conversation. What lovely friends they appeared to be. At least until the taller woman, peppered the other female's cheek in tender kisses. Odette felt her cheeks warm and she immediately admired the couple even more so, staring after them as she imagined herself to be the smaller of the two while the taller one was-

“Oof!" There was a sudden impact to her other side and she staggered backwards, but was able to keep her footing
Somehow, she even managed to catch the unknown force in an awkward embrace to keep them from falling completely in a reaction of pure instinct. When she finally turned her sights on the figure, she blinked in surprise and confusion to find a pair of the brightest green eyes she'd ever seen and another woman with a horrified expression on her face.

Odette did her best to assist the other in righting herself as she would allow as she chuckled warmly and shook her head. “Not a worry, dear. Simply caught me off-guard is all. See?" She stepped back a pace and turned herself around in a display of her stout figure. “No harm done! Not even the slightest." She reassured her, pausing as she attempted to read the stranger's demeanor. “Is everything alright, Miss?"


@Willow