Ghyslaine sought out Talisa or Morrigan, or both of them if they wanted... trailing through the Summit, silently. She knew she needed to talk to one of them, to figure out where she stood within the Summit. She hadn't officially joined, or officially decided not too. Honestly, she did not know what she wanted- and then the challenge came, and then life was chaos... and now, in the aftermath she knew she finally had to do something. She couldn't stay here, any not contribute- couldn't ride on their kindness and willingness to help her without making some serious decisions.

Even if her heart, her heart longed for somewhere else. Could she ever have that life back?

She followed Talisa's scent, and when she neared a place that marked it as a den, she let out a soft chuff- and remained distant, sitting silently on the snow, her gaze fixating on the distant horizon, watching... the sun as it began to set across the mountains- sinking into the far distant western horizon, and bathing the summit in hues of red, orange, gold, and yellows.

@Talisa and @Morrigan is always welcome too if Ferus wants! <3

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Ghyslaine? her voice called as she stretched her legs on out of the den after quietly nudging each of her slumbering children gently to make sure they were all cozy before leaving the den. The voice was unmistakable and the scent growing more obvious but it still left something to be questioned. When... did you return? Her question was so much more than that as the confusion truly set in that she was here and not missing. Talisa remembers attending that absolutely stupid meeting of the minds at the Peak and remembers Nero having addressed that @Ghyslaine was missing and she knew they now housed the white male and their children, so surely if she was here then he knew, right?? It's good to see you. You look good, at least she thought so. Hard to know if she did when it had been so long since they had last spoken.

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It does not take Talisa long to appear, and the confusion on the Sovreign's face makes Ghyslaine glad that she is considered a friend at least, because it seems that Talisa had not known she was there- as evident by the question she asked. "I had an accident, and stayed briefly at the Brook, then the Lagoon, then went to the Mire. Alaric met Morrigan and I came back here... but then the Cove challenge happened and Nero was injured and then the challenge here." She breathed out softly. "It's been chaotic but I knew... I needed to seek one of you out, and figure... out everything."

There was a difference to Talisa's scent, a milky scent, and Ghyslaine's head tilted- the nursemaid in her, and the mother noting that scent. "Cubs? Congratulations." She breathed, with a small smile. "I was trying to give you and Morrigan some space after the challenge... how is she?" A gentle question, in regards to how her wife was doing.

OOC: It was decided OOCLY that Alaric would have brought Ghys to Morrigan because it would have taken a long time to thread out, lmao- for the sake of fluidity, as far as I know at least- so that's how she referenced it.

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In truth, Morrigan probably had shared the information with her but her mind must've been elsewhere. Likely too busy focusing on not showing too much of the pains she had been having leading to the birth. Whoa, that's... yeah. Quite chaotic, she blinks her eyes wide as if not knowing how she could manage still being sane after all of that but in the very least, I'm glad that you're alright now. Good to have you back. Back being a very generic term but for the most part, simply back in the company of those that had sought her out and had not stopped. It was hard to find folks that truly would stop at nothing to have you safe and unharmed.

Oh yes, five of them. Hefty bunch, though. While she was also a nursemaid and had given birth three times prior to this one, she would without a doubt say that this one had been the most difficult. Pre-birth, during and after. It had affected her physically as well as emotionally for the duration and she was honestly happy to have it somewhat behind her now so that she could focus on their futures. Though, every time she spoke of the cubs with others she felt tempted to express their... exchange with the Sigrun Guardian but she couldn't bring herself to divulge that information. @Ghyslaine was a trusted friend but it was hard to know what friends she had that might have friends that would never be had.

At the mention of Morrigan and the grey woman's welfare she felt her eyes move away from her wheat friend. Perhaps it looked as if she were thinking but it was more about hiding her fear as well as her emotions within. She, uh... can't speak. We're working on trying to get her vocals working again but.. it's hard. Not hard in the sense that Talisa couldn't hear her voice (because she could somehow know exactly what her wife was thinking without words being said) but it was hard because she couldn't speak to their children. She couldn't let them get to know their Mummy's voice and they were relying on physical bonding rather than verbal.

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At @Talisa 's comment that it was chaotic, Ghyslaine chuckled softly. That was one way of calling it, she supposed. "Thank you." She breathed softly, a need to just vent to her friend over-shadowed by what had occurred- the injuries her friend's wife had. She needed to ask about her place here, to figure out what she wanted to do, to figure out who she was now... but she did not immediately delve into that. Talk about the other things first, yeah?

Five cubs? That was an impressive litter. Ghyslaine couldn't help the tender smile. "You two must be very proud." She said simply. "Cubs are a good sign, a sign of hope." She added softly. Hope that things would be better, though Ghyslaine's words... were for Talisa and for herself. Children had that effect- not that she was going to suddenly decide she needed more cubs, no no. She was not in that place in life.

Ghyslaine's expression faded into something serious, as Talisa spoke of Morrigan's injuries, and she shuddered. It was... horrible- to lose one's voice, for a queen of her caliber to not be able to speak- and a new mother. "Is... there any thing I can do?" Because asking that was appropriate, was something she was supposed to do.

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A hum of acknowledgement for her thanks, gratitude was nice but truly unnecessary given their friendly caliber towards one another. @Ghyslaine was a friend and likely could be so much more but Talisa was certainly happy just to have a kind heart to talk to. Quite proud. We actually.. they aren't all just Morrigan and I's. Our mate, Eyvindr, also contributed. Maua blessed us with children that the three of us could share in. They were all large and even larger, a struggle even for Talisa who had birthed many. It was only in between the time of leaving the Summit challenge and in the laboring hours that she had begun to realize that a part of her was creating an army and not just a family. They were furthering bloodlines that were crucial to the past, present and future. There was a lot more riding than simply existing now.

Just keep her in your thoughts, really. She mused, not thinking much of it nor expecting anyone to be able to do anything. It was about medical science and a tiny bit of prayer but she wasn't about to enlist her wheat friend into constantly praying to a God she may not believe it. I know she is struggling with the inability but even if it doesn't ever come back... at least she is alive. That was their turning point. A small silver lining in the dark of the clouds. That Rike monster had had the very opportunity to finish it and yet he had stopped and fled, leaving her there without being able to cry for help.

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As @Talisa speaks of the litter, and then Maua blessing them with the cubs, she is again curious and struck by the devotion and wonder of Maua. To say that Ghyslaine no longer believes in any entity is questionable- somehow something helped her survive and she does not know what that was. It makes a residual headache begin to pound in the back of her head as she even considers it. That was just too much to ponder right now.

"I will." A solemn promise that Talisa's wife, would remain in her thoughts, "But if you do need anything." She says with a smile. Whatever that may or may not be. She is silent for a moment, considering the devastation of what they must be enduring, and it somehow pales in comparison to her own problems, at least in her mind. She feels a flicker of guilt for even coming to bother them, and yet.

"I... did not get to talk with Morrigan before all of this-" A vauge gesture of her paw to envelope all of the challenges, all of the turmoil. "But I..." She trails off, struggling to decide if the Summit is what she wants- or of it's the peace of that beach that she found while living as a prisoner in the lagoon. "My cubs are here. Nero is here... I guess, I'm asking if you'll have me as a member rather than a guest traipsing about." She says, almost reluctantly, but if her family was here- she supposed that this would be home?

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Of course, she nods, I will let you know. If she needed anything she knew where she could find the wheat-colored woman. Continually happy to know the friends that she had, that Morrigan had and that the Summit had. That they were so blessed to have such large connections both big and small that were willing to help where they could. As for being around her family, Talisa nodded and agreed without question not knowing the inner turmoil that @Ghyslaine was feeling. Of course, Ghyslaine! You are always welcome with us no matter what. Our home is your home. Plus, Talisa was certain that her children (and Nero) would be happy to continue to have their mother with them. Truly, no matter where I live -- you will always have a place. The woman had shown her kindness time and time again, never showing anything less than a friendliness that Talisa was happy to house temporarily or permanently.

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She nodded, and remained silent, focusing instead on the reason that she called for Talisa. When Talisa replied, that Ghyslaine was welcome here, anywhere that Talisa ruled- she could not help but to wonder... how long that would be true. She was actively trying to not be involved in politics that seemed to find them. She'd been at the challenge, knew the Rike had not let the feud die between the families, and she truly did not agree with the Sigrun she found herself living with... but anything for her children, right?

She nodded. "Thank you." She did not know how long she would call the Summit home, did not know how long she would remain here. "I'm... trying to figure some things out with our family." She began. "And I won't trouble you with my drama, but if... if the Summit ends up not being a place I can stay..." She trailed off, "I don't want you to think it has anything to do with you."

She feared, deep within that coming back to her family, her marriage would not be as simple as she wished it was. "But while I'm here... I'll do what I can to earn my keep." She said simply, with a small smile.

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After being a leader for so long, Talisa had seen time and time again on tangled some alliances could be. It was truly one large spider web that had a million connection points. Over time she had realized that the lovely, kind and gentle @Ghyslaine had been in Lorien Plains, ruling over it at some point as well as being there when Violarum had ruled. She knew that that pride and that individual lion had been allied with the Mire to which they had never been on great terms with. That didn't make the wheat lioness any less lovely, kind or gentle. It just showed that she was a versatile individual that saw something in Violarum that she agreed with. Some alliances were unavoidable, almost made in debt to others (i.e. Violarum lived in EM once upon a time and thus, an alliance to EM was inevitable).

Heh, she chuckled breathily and shook her head, I'm sure your drama isn't much worse than our own. Truly. Talisa had been through enough drama in the last few years to serve her for a lifetime. Not to mention that any one of her member's drama was, in some way, her own and she would see to it to cater as best she could. Whether that was by vicious means or simply by being an ear to talk to. You're free to challenge for any rank that you would like, we do the occasional hunts and sometimes training events. I cannot promise you absolutely safety but we protect our members. No matter what. If there was anything that Talisa could guarantee it was that they looked out for each other. If Ghyslaine needed help in any way, someone would be there beside her so that she didn't weather anything alone.

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