She felt horrible! Gossamer squirmed in her den, shifting as she tried to get herself comfortable. Her stomach was churning and her head felt heavy and all around she knew that something was going on with her but she couldn't imagine what. She didn't think she was sick? Had she eaten something bad? The young female twisted back upon herself and it was then she noticed something red oozy from her backside. Blood? Had she cut herself. Tongue reached out to cleanse her swollen upholstry when her head jerked back at the taste. It wasn't just blood. What was going on? Outside her den the moon was glowing, full and bright. The roar of the waterfall that usually soothed her to sleep now kept her up. Carefully she slipped from her den and into the night to find Qanik. She felt a particular closeness to the femme, even if she didn't want to admit. She and Ritsuka were like a special little family to her. The three amigos. She was certain the albany femme would know what was wrong with her and could maybe help her. Gossamir had no idea she was in heat, she only knew that her very scent had shifted and it felt as if a part of her identity was slowly changing as well. She didn't like it. Gossamir travelled quickly and careful, ears alert to any potential enemies or predators. She'd heard tell that there was a mountain lion in the area and she'd even caught scent of it a couple of times. Finally she reached the entrance to Qanik's den. Clearing her throat she whispered in. "Uh? Qanik? Qanik can I bug you for a moment? I think somethings wrong with me I'm bleeding and?" she couldn't bring herself to say she was scared. TALK LIKE THIS

Qanik's sleep was uneasy, punctuated by unsettling dreams, so when pawsteps sounded outside her den Qanik came awake quickly. She kept still, her eyes closed so as to not pick up the light and alert the intruder to her conscious state even as she strained her other senses to identify the wolf. She caught the scent of her young friend Gossamir even as the wolf cleared her throat to wake her up. Qanik blinked her blue eyes open, focusing on the girl. She seemed uneasy herself, and the rush of words she spoke showed it. Qanik, concerned, was quick to slip to her feet and out of the den. Something wrong with her? Bleeding? Her quivering nose quickly picked up a scent that confirmed her suspicion. Gossamir was in heat. The white wolf gave her a quick, comforting lick on the forehead as she thought rapidly. She knew little, nothing really, of Gossamir's past, but it seemed that no one had ever bothered to explain heat to her, and young as she was this was probably the first time she experienced it. It had never fallen to Qanik to explain reproduction or heat cycles to young pups in her family, mostly due to the fact that they were rather rare to begin with and even then the task fell to the parents, so she was uncertain of how to begin. "Worry not, Gossamir," she spoke sympathetically. "It is normal to feel this way. You have begun your heat cycle, that is all. I understand it can be... uncomfortable," she added wryly, for she had experienced her own heat cycle, yet another, at the end of the beginning of the spring season and was all too familiar with the feeling. "But it goes away after a while and it doesn't harm you, I promise you." Speech,

Gossamir waited patiently as the snowy femme roused herself from sleep and came over to her. She licked the young fae lightly across the forehead making her wrinkle her nose as if in revulsion but secretly she felt a bit moved by the gesture. Despite Gossamir's rough and brazen attitude she found herself softening towards Qanik. She really looked up to the femme. Honestly? Qanik in some ways was like the mother she never had but always wanted. Gossamir listened carefully as Qanik explained that she was in heat! What?! Gossamir stuck her tongue out and pulled a terrible face. "EW! Really? How long does it go for? Ugh... I need a distraction." She flopped on the ground. It was no fun growing up. TALK LIKE THIS

Qanik's eyes crinkled in amusement at Gossamer's reaction to being told she was in heat. She flattened herself to the ground next to the flopped-down girl and chuckled. "I understand the sentiment. They never do get any easier, but you learn to tolerate it, and yes, the best ways to distract yourself. It lasts a few weeks but then you're done with it for the year." Wondering just how much Gossamer had, or had not, been told in the past about heat cycles, she studied the girl a moment, then added cautiously, "You may want to stay in the pack lands, and consider avoiding Ritsuka for a while. Not that I doubt the boy's integrity, for I am certain he would control himself, but you are releasing pheromones right now that will strongly arouse any male you are around. And unless you want puppies and plan to mate, it would be very unfair to that male to be around you for any length of time. And more unscrupulous males would not bother to control themselves." Blinking sleepily at the girl, Qanik considered the ramifications of if Gossamer actually did want pups. The first heat cycle was not the healthiest time for a wolf to become pregnant, but it was not unheard of, and quite common. Not in the pack she'd grown up in - only the alpha and beta couples were allowed to breed, and both her parents and their seconds had been long past that time by the time Qanik was born. She would have to talk with Roman about finding a healer willing to join them... Warriors were good, and important, but if there were any births or serious injuries Qanik would be less than useless, and of the rest it seemed only Gossamir had any knowledge of the craft at all. Speech,

Gossamir was soooo not ready for this and her ear flicked as Qanik told her it was unlikely to get any easier. Great? well, at least it was only once a year so that was good at least. Still sucked! She bet the boys probably didn't have to deal with this kind of crap and she found it so unfair. Her gaze shifted to Qanik as the older femme explained that she was now a male magnet. Gossamir wrinkled her nose. Double great? She scowled. "This is so unfair! It's not my fault!" She rolled onto her back and pretended to box the stars as she let Qanik's information slip through her mind. She didn't like being told what to do and being told that she needed to cloister herself up for two whole weeks til this thing blew over was so outrageous to her? But that said she really wasn't feeling that great anyway. Gossamir got to her feet. "You're right though I guess? if Ritsuka comes by can you tell him I've got the flu? Or something reeeallly nasty. Thanks Qanik, I think I'll see if I can sleep." She got to her feet and trotted back toward her den, pausing just briefly to glance back at the older femme to offer a small smile. -exit- ooc: xD sorry that was abrupt, I wasn't sure where to go with it and I figure there's enough going on with the hunt and all. Sharpening my words...