A walk through the woods

The more she explored around the different northern territories, the more Juniper was reminded of why she loved the north so much. It was pleasant and mild summer days like this that made her adore the rougher terrains, making her feel like an intrepid explorer navigating uncharted territories for the first time. As Avacyn filled her in on the natural beauties of her home, Juniper couldn't help but let her mind wander as she imagined what Elysium looked like. A northern island, cascading mountains surrounded by the sea, a dense pine forest punctuated with a crystal clear lake in the middle. It was everything she loved about the north and everything she loved to find! It truly did sound like Elysium—a heaven on earth! Maybe she'd have to make her way over there for a visit sometime to check the place out. As Ava continued to regale her with the beauty of her home, June spotted a dense green patch of shrubbery, and more importantly, the bright red berries that grew on them.

Strawberries! Gasping in delight, June interrupted Ava with a quick swipe of her tail. "Ava, look!" With a delighted grin, the little gray-toned wolf ran up to the strawberry bushes, sniffing at them to check their ripeness. Having grown up in the Hallows and the wilds, she was used to identifying what berries were good to eat and when they were juuuuust ripe. These strawberries smelled like sugar, which meant they were at peak ripeness and a perfect snack. Grinning up at Avacyn, Juniper greedily snapped several right off the bush with her jaws, gleefully chewing through the sweet and slightly tart fruits, murring with delight as the familiar taste of fruit juices coated her tongue. "They're perfect! You gotta try some!" Without waiting for Avacyn to agree or refuse, June was already picking several of the fruits off and handing them to the much larger violet fae to sample.

While they sat and snacked and Avacyn filled her in on her personal life, Juniper listened quietly and attentively, nibbling on strawberries all the while. Things had been good and peaceful for Elysium, it sounded like, which was good. But then Avacyn made mention of her personal life being turbulent and June shot a quizzical look up at her companion, complete with a little head tilt and everything. The mention of her and her made needing to find a surrogate to have pups didn't escape her attention, but she didn't ask the questions in her head outright, not wanting to offend or upset her sort-of-friend. "Well, I guess early congratulations to you and your mate! I'm sure you'll both be great parents," she said, looking for the silver lining with a sweet smile. "I dunno if I'd ever want pups of my own. I'm sure my parents would love me to make them grandparents someday, but ehhh... I'm not so sure I'm ready to give up all this freedom just yet." Sure, she could raise her own kids in the wilds like her mother and father had done for her and her siblings, but it was different. They had the support of a whole pack just in case. Juniper was just Juniper.

"Juniper of the Sea"