Since the veil between living and dead had dropped, Meadow has been hanging around the castle where her daughter lives. She had found that her gray daughter is pregnant and near her due date. Pride and joy filled her dead breast but she still did not try to contact her or interact with Fern in any way. The ghost still remembers the hate and spite that had filled her daughter the last time she roamed the living world and she does not want to stress her. Not now. Not ever again. Still, part of her longs to touch her daughter’s face, to hear the heartbeats of the pups that are growing in her belly, and to tell her how proud she is of her.

That is why, on this chilly magical autumn night, with the moon high in the sky, Meadow pads over to her daughter’s slumbering companion. The love that the stoat has for Fern is apparent in everything the small creature does and that is why she reaches out to lightly brush against Puff’s mind. At first there is confusion but, as she communicates with the stoat, explaining the situation and asking her permission to use her small body, the sweet Puff readily agrees.

Making sure that the stoat knows how thankful she is, the dead woman then closes her eyes, touching the mind of the creature and easily slipping into her willing body. Small eyes blink open and Meadow stretches her little stoat arms, flexing the paws as she gets a feel for Puff’s body. Carefully, she stands, making sure not to make a sound as she pads over to the large bed that the slumbering couple share. It takes some acrobatics but the small Meadow manages to make it up onto the fur covered bed without disturbing the sleeping wolves.

Eyes roam over the form of her slumbering daughter, watching the rise and fall of her side and the roundness of her belly. A smile appears on her stoat lips as she carefully threads her small body between the entwined couple until she can press an ear against her daughter’s belly. Paws gently come to rest near her head and she listens to the multiple heartbeats that reside within. Tears prick the corners of her eyes as the dead wolf in a stoat’s body, lifts her head to look up at Fern’s sleeping face.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, her small body winds its way between the gray male and her daughter until the stoat is sitting near Fern’s gray face. With gently, loving touches, Meadow uses Puff’s paws to stroke her daughter’s cheek, feeling her fur and missing every moment that she should have been there with her, even more keenly.


"Meadow Lark"

Rudyard had hunted this night as he did often though, he’d started an hour or so earlier, not gone out so far, and hurried back with his kill.  There had been no playing around, it was about doing his job and getting it done.  It was all about being home earlier to be there for Fern if he was needed.  The weather was pleasant outside but still, things weren’t normal.  The statues remained as did the familiars.  This weather wasn’t as strange as the time of long night but it was still different and the closer his pups got the more it concerned him.  Sure, it was enjoyable and most of the time he did but, along with his thoughts at points and he recalled these concerns.

Rudyard had been in a deep sleep, the sort dreams are unable to touch and the body truly gets the rest it needs. Some part of his mind started working again but, at first, it was ignored.  The itch of something going on grew and then he felt something moving against him. Rudyard opened an eye, at first irritated by something waking him, and then his mind came fully awake worried if Fern needed him.  

Puff? What was it doing at this time?  He could have Reddy eat it.  Of course, he’d never truly do that to the little puffball but it had woken him up from a pretty nice bit of sleep to worry about his mate! “Puff,” the motley grey wolf rumbled the name softly, “get to sleep.  Even Fern is sleeping at this time.”  A quick glance and listen to make sure Fern was breathing easy though.  She was fine, good.

"Rudyard & Fern"

Meadow loving strokes her daughter’s cheek, the moment so surreal and perfect that the little stoat-wolf does not register Fern’s partner waking up. A soft, rumbling voice pulls her attention from the gray face that she misses with every fiber of her ghostly body. Normally, Puff’s eyes are a soft brown color but, as Meadow turns the stoat’s head to look at the motley gray man, the eyes that look at him are the same emerald green that she had in life and they even give off a soft glow.

Roaming over the horned male’s face, she swallows, uncertain how exactly to broach the subject that she is Fern’s mother and she looks back to her daughter. A gentle, loving smile appears on her lips as she gently reaches out a paw to touch her cheek one more time before she leaves her side to move closer to the gray man’s head. Whispering softly so as not to disturb any others that are sleeping, the stoat speaks.

However, it is not Puff’s voice that comes from the small mouth but Meadow’s gentle tones that roll out as she says, “My name is Meadow. I am…” voice falters as she glances back to her daughter before continuing, “I was Fern’s mother. I did not mean to wake you, Rudyard.” Yes, she has been stalking around the castle since the veil dropped, keeping out of sight of the occupants but learning about those closest to her daughter.


"Meadow Lark"

Puff may not have been his companion but he knew the little stoat well enough to have expectationts on its response.  He assumed regardless of which words it chose the little guy would let him go back to sleep.  What he hadn’t expected were the wrong color eyes or the change in voice.  Well, now he was fully awake.  His first thought with the eyes had been something to do with the magic autumn.  

Then she spoke and considering everything else going on Rudy found it pretty easy to believe true.  Heck, he had just spoken with his mom even if he hadn’t been able to see her.  It was enough in Rudyard's heart he’d known it was mom.  Now he stared at the little stoat, confused about why it was in another body but not doubting the words.

Rudy’s first instinct was to get up for a proper discussion but considering the size of the stoat, it was probably more appropriate to stay laying down.  He considered changing position but no, there was no need to wake Fern, yet.

“Oh,” The word came out first as his mind went through those basic thoughts. “Well, hi mom.” The whispered words pleasantly but then his eyes narrowed, “Wait a moment,” the wolf whispered back in an irritated hiss, “and you didn’t wake her up?  Let her know you’re here.  Imagine how happy she’d be! She could tell you about, well, she could tell you some great things. Uh, you know my name?”

He had just woken up and things were strange so perhaps it wasn’t that surprising his mind took a bit to catch up on every thought that should come up here.  “Pleased to meet you but tell her.” Sure, they had a rocky past, Rudy knew that.  Rudyard also remembered the pain of losing his mom and how he’d given anything to have kept her alive.  How they broke up didn’t matter, not deep down.

"Rudyard Carpathius"

Meadow looks at Rudyard, biting back a chuckle as he catches on that she has taken over Puff’s body. His words catch her off guard and a misty film appears in the stoat’s eyes as she shakes her head in the negative. When he hisses words at her, the stoat Meadow moves forward to place a small paw on his lips in an effort to stem the flow of words while using her other paw to make the universal sign of hush. Glancing back at the slumber form of Fern, the stoat’s shoulders slump in relief to find her still asleep.

Rudy speaks again, telling her to talk to Fern and Meadow, again, shakes her head no letting out a soft sigh. Emotions roll in her green eyes as she whispers softly, “I wish it was that easy Rudyard. You remember the Long Night? After she left the castle, Fern became very sick. I followed after her, trying to protect her as she walked around. The time she raved and yelled at me. I don’t want to risk that when she is…” A small paw gestures at her pregnant belly as her head shakes. Loving eyes look back to Rudy as she says, “But you really love her. I am glad she didn’t follow in my pawsteps in that regard.”

A soft, humorless chuckle escapes before she shakes the stoat’s head and swipes at the tears that sting her eyes. Looking to the gray wolf, Meadow says, “Rudyard, I cannot thank you enough for giving her what I could not. Our time together was too short and I would have loved to have you as my son.” She hesitates a moment before having her slender stoat body move up to his neck so she can throw her arms around his neck and offer a warm hug. As she holds him, the woman whispers, “Thank you, Rudyard. Just… tell her how proud I am. Okay? She’ll believe it coming from you.”

Her time with the gray wolf is drawing to a close and, not wishing to disturb him anymore, Meadow offers one more, gentle squeeze to the hug before unwinding her form from him. Placing a small kiss on his black nose, Meadow tells him, “Keep her safe, Rudy. I love you both so much.” With her message given, she takes Puff back to her basket and detaches her mind, thanking the loyal companion once more before disappearing into the night.


"Meadow Lark"

It's almost comical, the wolf-stoat trying to stop Rudyard from speaking.  It was Rudy’s best talent, talking and he had plenty to say on this subject!  Still, his mom-in-law appeared to be serious so he listened.  The long night was a time Rudy truly wished he could forget.  So many horrible things happened at that time.  Fern had left the castle due to Rudy screwing up.  Between the madness of the sickness and the state of mind he’d already been in Rudy had hurt Fern.

She’d have had the right to not forgive him.  Not only had she forgiven him but she had returned and become his wife.
Follow in Meadow’s pawprints?  “Well, Fern has a lot more confidence now than she did then.  Things were bad and,” he bit of how much more fresh the wounds to Fern’s heart had been with Meadow back then as well.  

Rudy gave Meadow a small smile but it was hard to not turn into amusement when he had Puff’s little arms hugging his neck.  “I wish I could have known you.  You are right, I love Fern with all my heart.  I’ll protect her while you’re gone, and our children.”  She wanted him to tell Fern she was proud of her and Rudy easily nodded to this, “I’ll tell her of course, that you are proud and that you love her.”

The kiss on the nose was also amusing and yet, tears welled up in Rudy’s eyes.  No matter how funny it seemed, this was a mom sharing her love both for her daughter and for himself.  Before she left Rudy raised one of his paws, carefully shifting his wait to catch the little stoat in a hug of his own.  He had to be careful not to crush her, but still a squeeze of affection.

Rudy lets Puff go and the little stoat is back to its basket and asleep.  Rudy watches it for several minutes before laying his head back down.  Closing his eyes Rudy tries to relax but it takes a while.  When he does there is a soft smile on his face.  Even tiny hugs from moms can be good ones.

"Rudyard"