Hanako couldn't imagine being anywhere else as she stared out at the ocean waves, rolling and folding in on themselves as they brushed against the shore. She'd been born into nothing, didn't even have a last name to call her own and look at how far she'd come, how much she'd managed to gain. A smug sense of righteousness settled in her chest when she realised she'd chosen right, that no matter how much the paths in her life had twisted and turned it had all worked out okay in the end. That even now she barely had to raise a paw to earn her place around these parts, that her children were about a years old now and so much more independent than they used to be. She liked it that way, missed smothering and love bombing them till kingdom come but was proud to see them do their own thing. Liked the feeling of a job well done, you know? Hard part over.

But what now?

Well, she supposed her long engagement with Azure would have to come to an end at some point. It would have to be a massive affair, lots of song and dance, an Armada celebration to outshine all of the rest and yet- her brows furrowed.

It felt as though it had been forever since she'd last spoken to Mortis. She'd seen him around of course, caught wind of his scent as he did his thing and hung out with that low brow koi boy. But was she still mad? A little. But probably not enough to keep this cold-shouldering going on forever, all things had to come to an end eventually. Like the setting of the sun.

"But I wouldn't even know what to say, where to start." She muttered beneath her breath, as white fluffy waves rolled over her paws.

Hanako had been a wound for Mortis for so long. It had taken a long time before it was clean enough to heal. Now that it was finally scabbing over, he felt no desire to pick at it. He’d managed to effectively keep out of her way for a large duration of his time in the Armada now.

But as the pack's gladiator, it was not feasible to ignore her. The best way forward was to treat her like a stranger. So when he found her on the beach before his fishing trip - netting his maw, held off the ground by his enormous stature, he paused. The path he had been planning to take would take her past her. No point trying to change course now, so he started up again. Wings tightly at his side, as if they could shield him from whatever perceived hurt she might throw his way. He dipped his head “Good morning” he said amicably as he continued on his way past.


"Mortis Fatalis"

Hanako's ears flicked to the sides as she heard the crunch of approaching dire paws. She whipped her head around, curious to see if her biggest and bluest son was dropping by to pay his dearest mum a visit-only to suck in her breath between clenched teeth. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, apparently. He was on his way to fish, obviously, net clutched in his grasp as he held his wings tight against his sides. As though they could defend him against her presence, like she was someone he needed to be flighty around. Show trepidation. Her expression smoothened out with a bit of effort, a slow exhale as she turned to face him proper.

Was that it? All he had to say?

"Morning." She responded in turn, her tone stiff and the closest to awkward she'd gotten in a long long while. It was awful. "You're going to fish?" She didn't know why she'd phrased it like a question, the answer was obvious enough. "Well I guess I ought to join you then, before someone accuses me of being a slouch. Again."