[ P ] Ameliorate

Odette’s scent filled her senses as she drew nearer – sweeter than any treat she sold inside, delicately feminine and wholly unlike any other Willow had known before. The other’s golden sights were somehow still bright, still vivid, even by the bleak winter’s light that afternoon. “I'd love to." ”Then it’s settled. I’ll be your guide on today’s adventure,” she said in a purposefully silly voice in an attempt to further lighten the mood. Laughter was a wonderful medicine.

The healer smiled, head turning just so to observe Odette as she disappeared into her shop again. She made a mental note to ask Odette more about her family on their journey. It was a topic that caused Willow’s heart to ache with a now-familiar sadness, but to allow that grief to creep back in, coupled with the trauma of Odette’s story… The she-wolf shook her head to clear the shadowed thoughts. Before her thoughts could wander further into the darkness once more, Odette returned, and the baker’s daughter came closer still upon her arrival, close enough that all else faded into the background for Willow but the sweet smile of her friend.

“Ready when you are." The gentle words had scarcely parted Odette’s delicate lips before Willow was on the move, eager to be away from the throngs of strangers that populated Odette’s village. The pair were similar in size, so Willow adjusted her gait to match the other’s so they could walk side by side, shoulders occasionally brushing against each other in their shared movement. An ear flicked at the sound of the other’s gratitude, corners of her lips drawing back into a wider grin. ”It’s no trouble at all. We’ll keep each other safe.”

She was quiet for a brief moment as she walked, putting the sounds of the civilians further behind them as a white meadow stretched out before them. ”There is something I need to tell you, Odette.” She had never mentioned Rowan during their previous all-too brief encounter. The opportunity had simply never presented itself. But it felt important to be open. Honest from the start. ”I know we don’t know each other very well yet,” she added a slight emphasis to the last word, ”But I feel you should know more about me, if we are to continue to get closer.” She added: ”And I do hope that’s the case.”




@Odette

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Odette was more than delighted to be in step with her friend rather than being led to their destination. It reminded her of, Aurora, a friend she'd made in Rionna that had also helped her through hardship. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately...making friends or at the very least trying to. The smile she earned from simply expressing her gratitude was brighter than the sun itself and Willow practically glowed, the light of the day framing her in angelic fashion. Odette had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't simply seeing things. Then again, would she be so surprised if she did discover that she was an angel? Likely not.

As if on queue, Willow said there was something that she had to tell her. Could she have read my mind? Odette had to wonder, but then reminded herself not to make assumptions of what she was going to hear. Ears perked up as her golden eyes rounded with a genuine curiosity. “Oh, of course, Willow." She realized that there was a level of trust being bestowed upon her and she offered a smile with a nod of unspoken understanding. “I really would like to get to know you better and for you to know me as well. So...why don't we trade tidbits about each other. When you tell me something about you, I will tell you something about me. Seems like a fair trade if you ask me." She made the suggestion and then sealed it with a wink.



@Willow

“I really would like to get to know you better and for you to know me as well.” The cold air that surrounded them seemed to vanish, at least for a few seconds, as Odette’s comment inspired Willow’s cheeks to grow warm. But it was the wink that followed her lyrical words that caused the tri-color femme to stare, perhaps a bit longer than was necessary. The warmth in the other's golden gaze stole the words she had been preparing to speak away as those thoughts suddenly disappeared from her focus.


The winter still felt as if it were kept at bay as Willow recomposed herself. ”Er, well, this one might be more than a tidbit,” she said with a nervous laugh. Her pace had unconsciously slowed as she tried to find the right words to express something that would likely be shocking to her new friend. ”I have a child.” A pause to allow the words to trickle through the other’s mind, and then she continued: ”Her name is Rowan. She was born early last summer. To say that she was a surprise would be an understatement…” She laughed in spite of herself, eyes turning upward to the cloudy skies.


”Her other parent and I, we just – it didn’t work out the way I thought it might when I found out I was expecting. They – they’re a great wolf. It just wasn’t right,” she explained. Her heart ached with a sadness she felt for Gallagher – how she had loved them, how she still did – it just wasn’t the same as the love she had seen between her mothers, or between Aryth and Grigori…


Silence followed, save for the sounds of dainty paws as they traveled through the snow. Willow cleared her throat, finally pulling her focus from the dreary firmament to Odette’s sunny sights. She would attempt to gauge the she-wolf’s response from her expression, and she felt oddly nervous to see how she would respond.




@Odette

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Willow seemed hesitant at first to tell her, saying that it might be more than a little fact about her. “Oh?" The baker smiled warmly at her friend hoping it might put her at ease. “Thats alright! Whatever it is, I'm all ears." She gave her ears a wiggle and then patiently awaited for what the blonde woman wished to share.

“I have a child."

Odette blinked, her golden eyes growing wide, but with awe rather than surprise. “Oh, goodness, Willow...you're a mother." Her voice softened, now seeing her in a new light. Her gaze was full of admiration, for she knew that becoming a mother was no easy feat for anyone and she knew that the two of them couldn't be that far off in age.

She then followed the gaze of light green eyes up towards the open winter sky, listening to her explain her position with Rowan's parent. It sounded like the young mother had been through quite a lot in the past year. Odette touched her nose to Willow's shoulder sympathetically as she spoke, but remained silent and attentive until she'd finished sharing.


When their eyes met, a knowing smile took over her features as she gave Willow a once over. “That certainly explains your larger orders of pastries. I knew those sweets couldn't have all been for you and that you must've been getting enough for two." She chuckled softly, experiencing an odd feeling relief that her assumption the second wolf was a significant other. “I hadn't a clue it might've been a pup. Ohhh, sweet little, Rowan...and what a lovely name too!"

It was her turn to share something then and she hummed to herself thoughtfully. There wasn't much that was incredibly interesting and so she chose a similar topic. “My father is actually the one who raised me. My mother, unfortunately, passed away during childbirth, so it has been me and Papa since day one. I wish I had at least been able to meet my mother...Rowan is a very lucky little girl to have you." She spoke with the utmost sincerity and she leaned into her friend with affection to show her that she truly meant it.






@Willow

Willow was unsure what to anticipate after sharing news that was admittedly divergent from the usual, especially since she had not mentioned her daughter before. Odette’s response eased her concern, though she didn’t anticipate less from the kindly femme. ”Thank you. I know it’s a big deal for some wolves. Everyone was shocked,” she acknowledged with a shrug. It was still hard to think of – the corvid messengers carrying cryptic messages. The sad shape her mothers were in when they arrived in the Highlands. Her unanticipated pregnancy truly had changed everything. ”Perhaps you could meet Rowan someday,” she suggested.

Willow’s dark-rimmed ears perked forward as Odette shared her own bit of information about her life. The soft smile that graced her muzzle faded a little at the knowledge of Odette’s mother’s untimely passing. Willow herself had been blessed with two mothers, and to imagine that someone had none at all… ”I’m a healer, as I’ve mentioned before, but more specifically,” she shared, ”I’m a midwife. I work with soon-to-be mums and help when their litters are born. Then I check in for a few months to make sure everyone is doing well.”

”I first went with one of my mothers to help with a birth, and it was nearly a fatal one. But I’m happy to report that the mother and babies all survived. In fact, those babies are going to be adults in the spring.” The days were long, but the years were short. How quickly time passed, from helpless newborns to fully grown adults. A bittersweet smile, accompanied by a sigh, cast in Odette’s direction. ”That’s my life’s mission. To help the vulnerable, especially teeny tiny babies and the new mums. So that no one has to grow up without one.”

Sympathy shimmered in her eyes as she looked at her new friend again. ”Your dad did an amazing job, Miss Odette. You’re not like anyone I’ve met before. And you know what’s funny?” A smile reappeared: ”I didn’t have a dad myself! Two mums instead. They found me and my brother and sister in a garden. And for far too long, that’s where I believed babies came from, growing in gardens and waiting to be picked by their parents.” Giggling, she looked over to Odette again, hoping that she would have a good laugh. Humor was an excellent medicine.



@Odette

art + code: clae

“I would absolutely love to." Her heart fluttered with anticipation of meeting little Rowan. By how the mother spoke about daughter, Odette could tell that her pup was so very precious to her. The thought of Willow sharing such a special part of her life with her moved her. And if she thought that would be the most touching part of their conversations, she couldn't have been more wrong.

After Odette opened up about her own mother, Willow revealed that her entire life and to this day, she had been involved in her community as a midwife. Her steps slowed and her eyes widened as she shared the story of a mother who had struggled with her birth, but ultimately survived with healthy pups thanks to Willow's family. To discover that not only was this her profession, but her life's mission...to provide care that would ensure pups would not lose their mothers...it impacted her in a way that she had not expected. Odette felt a lump from in her throat and tried to swallow it down, her eyes shimmering with emotion that she saw was mirrored in the other wolfess' light green hues.

“That's...that's amazing, Willow, really...you're..." Her voice trailed off, as she settled into the awe of seeing this woman in an entirely new light. She was a friend. A mother. A midwife. Improving lives big and small. “You are truly incredible, I hope you know that." Despite the tears attempting to form in her eyes, she smiled warmly, feeling a new appreciation for their friendship. Once again, the golden woman leaned into humor, her laughter brightening Odette's world. “Oh, goodness! Garden babies, you say? What a thought!" Imagining pups bouncing out of cabbages had her joining in on the giggling, bumping hips with Willow playfully as she picked up the pace once more.

@Willow

Her invitation was accepted with an eagerness that Willow found touching. Despite the worry that still lingered for Odette, it was rewarding just to hear the joy in her gentle voice. ”Then it’s settled! I’ll bring Rowan with me the next time I come to see you.” She was quick to add: ”To… get treats, of course.” And not like the other times, when I came just to see you…


Odette seemed to struggle to find words, and lingering between them, there was a sense of mutual appreciation. “That's...that's amazing, Willow, really...you're..." Willow’s cheeks grew warm, humble as she was. “You are truly incredible, I hope you know that." ”Aw, shucks,” she giggled. “Thank you for your kind words. And you know, Miss Odette, that you do amazing things, as well! Your shop brings happiness to everyone who happens upon it. And your smile…” Her words trailed off, as she became acutely aware of the warmth radiating from her friend's delicate form; Willow she got lost in her own thoughts. Wait, what was I talking about?


She hadn’t felt so lighthearted in a long while… even with Rowan, she had to be on, always in Mama mode, ready to help or to heal, constantly aware of the mask she had worn after her mothers’ deaths. Even talking about Haven felt less devastating than it had for the months since their untimely passings. ”If pups did grow in the garden, well, I wouldn’t mind that so much! I’d be a gardener instead of a midwife then. And for something so small, you might be surprised how terribly painful it is to actually have them.” You couldn’t forget the agony of birth… And Willow had only delivered one! ”The cabin isn’t too much further! It’s funny how I found this place…”


[fade out and into this thread: https://sonder.widowcc.com/showthread.php?tid=2324]




@Odette

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

Odette was already imagining meeting Willow's precious daughter and of course, what delectable sweet treat she might prefer. “I can't wait! Oh, oh, and let me know what her favorite pastry might be and I'll make sure there is an excess just for her!" She promised, wanting to make the best impression she possibly could with little Rowan. What better way to a pup's heart than through their sweet tooths and wee rumbly tumblies?

The sound of her bubbling laughter made Odette's heart race and the way she bashfully accepted the compliment. It was all so endearing and sweet and... Did she just...? The words of praise were reversed back onto her and she accepted them with her own shy avoidance, her cheeks burning beneath cream-colored fur. Oh, but when the flattery started from the subject of how she ran her shop to her smile...

It was the way Willow had said it that threw her off. And at first she thought the wishful thinking of her own mind had been playing tricks on her, but Willow's reaction to what had come out of her own mouth was one of surprise.The two of them seemed to become mutually flustered in that instant. Odette was suddenly finding the subject of garden grown babies very intriguing, glad to have that to talk about to distract her from trying to figure out what had just transpired between the two women.

She was able to find herself lighthearted and laughing along with Willow at the prospect of her being a gardener rather than a midwife. Her friend had such a natural sense of humor that made even the topic of childbirth at least a bit less intimidating. “Yikes...I commend you for that...I'm not sure I could ever..."

Odette had an intrinsic fear of pregnancy and delivering pups, but she could admire Willow for her strength. She gazed upon the blonde wolfess with a fondness as they continued along on their stroll and when it was announced that the cabin was up ahead, Odette turned her attention ahead of them to keep an eye out for their destination.

[Exit and onto the next thread!]

@Willow