Crux had been able to help her. She felt terribly guilty. Nearly dying hadn't been intentional. A mere consequence for trying to do good. Her emotions were conflicted. Would Sirius allow her back into the Armada? Or would she be pushed out before she could live on her own? How was she supposed to ask him? The reason is unknown to her, but her voice, her knowledge of speaking, is still lost to her. Language she understands, that much she is thankful for. But speaking the words herself? Impossible.

Frustration laces through her as she makes her way from a small den in the cove. The young girl has found a hidden den toward the north of the cove that she believes Sirius doesn't know about. Or at least he pretends he doesn't know about it. Either way, she stays there the days following where the colorful girl and Crux had found her. She hates that she hadn't gotten the girl's name because she would really like to thank her! How she was going to do that was a mystery since she couldn't talk.

Walking slowly along the beach, she drags her paws. Doing much was still exhausting. Her ribs still stuck out and her fur still slightly loose. Building muscle and fat would take a while, but she would try her best. Letting out a sigh, the girl stops and looks out to the horizon. Shivering against the frigid winter wind that rolled off the water, she wondered if she could find a cloak somewhere.

Tethys hadn't thought a whole lot about Dierdra since she'd appeared on the beach. There was no real reason to - a capable healer had taken over the situation and she presumed that was the end of it. Whether or not she'd stayed here or had left wasn't something that had crossed the yearling's mind. It wasn't really any of her business, as far as she was concerned. Life went on as usual, though as she made her way to the cove she found a fresh trace of the girl's scent that caught her off guard. She was still here, then. No doubt recovering from whatever had happened to her. At least she was alive - not that Tethys thought much about the welfare of wolves she didn't know, but at the same time she wasn't exactly rooting for someone's demise. Even if she wasn't outright the most altruistic of wolves, she certainly wasn't cruel either. If anything, right now she simply felt curious, and even more so when the girl came into view. Dierdra was more familiar to her than she'd initially realized. It didn't hit her immediately, instead crashing over her like a slow wave as she headed in her direction and the distance between them slowly began to close. Though she still looked rough, she was looking better than when she'd found her, and then it struck her. She'd been part of the Armada, hadn't she? She and Tethys had both been children then, and though they'd never interacted she'd seen her around, and her name suddenly struck her. "You were part of the Armada before, weren't you? When you were younger?" Tethys called out, once she was within earshot. Her brow furrowed tightly together as she tried to recall anything else she could about the girl, but nothing came to her. "I remember you. Only a little, but," she offered with a faint shrug. What had happened to her, she wondered?

Distracted by the way her paws dragged along in the sand, Dee didn't notice the girl approaching. With how the wind pushed against her from behind, she had no way of knowing someone was right in front of her. Sure, someone probably wouldn't have felt those eyes on them, but for some reason, she didn't. Not until the familiar voice of Tethys called out to her.

Freezing in place, Dee stares wide-eyed at Tethys. Her body feels as if it shrinks backward as the other yearling closes the space between them. When her heart starts hammering against her chest and almost deafens her, she tries to focus in on what Tethys is asking her. A part of the Armada? When she was younger? Someone remembered her? Blinking slowly, she nods her head softly in response as Tethys comes to a stop in front of her. Then her head tilts slightly. But what? Dee's mind is confused as her brow furrows slightly. Lifting a paw, she brings it up to press against her throat before giving her head a shake as if saying I don't speak.

Tethys had only stayed with the girl as long as necessary, following her uncle's instruction without question. Once her role was fulfilled she had left, and now that she was with Dee again she wondered if she was disappointed she hadn't stayed with her longer. Maybe she would've appreciated the company. Over-thinking was definitely Tethys's downfall; she worried about the impression she was making on everyone, even wolves she barely knew. The girl before he was no exception. She felt a shiver wrack her body as a wind blew in from the sea, though she braced herself against it as she approached Dee, watching her shrink backwards. Was she frightened of her? She'd never been met with such a reaction and the yearling didn't know how to take it, especially since she'd only tried to help her. The nod in response to her question was clear, but the way she held a paw to her throat was much less so. "Can you not speak?" It was all she could assume, given that she hadn't heard anything from her, but it still seemed a strange conclusion so she wanted to be sure. If she confirmed that, communicating with her was going to be very difficult... if Dee wanted to communicate with her at all.

Dee was more than thankful that Tethys had helped her. Had practically saved her from dying. If she hadn't been found on the beach that day, she might not have made it. But how do you thank someone when you can't speak? She could still hardly walk on her own without feeling exhausted after ten minutes or so. Rebuilding her muscles, strength, and energy was proving far more difficult than trying to stay alive.

Uncertainty lingers on Dee as she stands there in front of Tethys. The nervousness is obvious as she shifts her weight back and forth, left to right. It's hard for her to keep eye contact so her eyes quickly move back down to her paws. Even her tail tucks between her legs slightly as Tethys asks if she can't speak. A frown creases at the edge of her lips as she nods a few times. Inhaling a slightly deeper breath, Dee glances up and tries to have some sort of courage.

Opening her mouth, she pushes out some air and what follows is a strangled sort of 'urgh' that could not be taken for anything other than maybe an animal in pain. Her brow furrows and she looks to the side at the water that laps at the black sand shore. She feels frustrated, tired, exhausted, and so many other emotions. It was practically overwhelming and made it hard to breathe. Dee so badly wanted to say something, anything! Why wouldn't her voice work?

Though Dee was recovering, she didn't really look like she was back to normal. Tethys had no doubt that recovery for the girl would take a long while, not something that could be patched up overnight. She clearly wasn't really steady on her paws yet and she'd have to work to regain her muscle strength again, something no doubt proved harder thanks to the brutal cold of the winter that the north was blessed with. She watched her attentively - not hiding it, as some wolves might, out of politeness - as she tried to assess her mood. Her nervousness was obvious, and not something Tethys could mistake as anything else. "You're afraid of me," she speculated, as much a question as a statement, watching how she reacted to the statement. "Or afraid of everyone, maybe?" Tethys understood being wary of new things, but being outright afraid she was less familiar with. And it wasn't like she was really a stranger at all, though maybe she'd been gone long enough she felt like one? The other girl tried to speak but nothing really came out. Maybe her voice had been damaged somehow, which seemed the most plausible explanation, since she could make noise but it wasn't anything recognizable. "You don't need talk," she said finally, after a moment. Wasn't like talking was her favorite thing, anyway. Sometimes listening was a whole lot easier. "Do you want some company? Or would you rather be alone?" Tethys paused between the questions, giving her time to nod or shake her head.

Dee watches Tethys. It's sort of the only thing she could do at that moment. Words didn't work and well, she had no reason to move. Other than a few shivers caused by the brisk wind that ran sharp fingers through her coat, she just stood there. Watching and feeling emotions that she couldn't put words to.

Her ears fold back slightly as Tethys asks if she's afraid of her. No, her head shakes lightly. Not her. Then Tethys asks the correct question. Everyone was a better answer, but fear wasn't... the right word. Dee's eyes squint slightly as she gives her head another soft shake with a slight tilt. Uncertainty was a better word for how she felt, but maybe it was more along the lines of hesitancy. She wasn't sure and since she didn't have a way to quell Tethys' concern, she let out a sigh.

Almost withdrawn into her own thoughts, her ears perk when Tethys speaks once more. Again, she watches carefully. Unlike others, Tethys doesn't have facial expressions that express as expressly as them. That was... a weird way to put it, but she was still so unsure as Tethys confirmed that she doesn't have to talk. Yet, she wanted to talk. So badly. To voice the words, the concerns, the feelings, and everything that was pent up inside her dumb little brain.

Feeling slightly discouraged, the emotion is wiped away when Tethys asks if she wants company. Nearly instantly, Dee's ears perk up and her tail wags a few times while she nods her head. Yes, company! As Tethys asks if she wants to be alone, she shakes her head no, she definitely wants some company. Her expression shifts to a thoughtful scrunch as she glances around. What could she use to help her communicate? All she sees is sand... and shells and more sand. Okay, this place wasn't exactly helpful.

Then she gets an idea. She wags her tail a few more times before slowly moving to stand beside Tethys. Then she lifts a paw to point down the beach. With a nod of her head, she takes a few steps and then looks back with a small smile. Hopefully Tethys would understand that maybe it would be a good idea if they took a walk along the cove.

Discerning her responses was difficult, but not impossible. At least without speech Tethys didn't really have to dig and dig and figure out what she was really saying. She shook her head, expressing that she wasn't afraid of her. She did something similar to her next question, but her response seemed a bit more timid. Well, at least she wasn't afraid of her - that thought wouldn't really settle well with her. Though she tended to care much more about what her family thought of her, she still wanted to make a good impression, and fear wasn't really the way to do it. Her brows furrow as she studied the other girl. She gained very little from her observations though, but it was obvious Dee was struggling to communicate much of anything, and that frustration was written as clearly as anything else across her features. She seemed to perk up at the prospect of walking together though, so Tethys decided to latch onto that. "Okay," she said, nodding along with her. Slowly she began to move, though she slowed when Dee moved alongside her. That seemed to have put her in a better mood, and she even gestured down the beach, implying she wanted to walk that way. She complied, starting off with some slow steps until she felt certain Dee would fall in alongside her. "So... do you plan to stay here, in the Armada?" She'd said she didn't have to talk, but that left Tethys to do all the talking. Maybe yes and no questions wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she could even learn something about her that way.

Dee did her best to fall in beside Tethys to walk along the beach. What with Tethys' longer legs, she had to compensate with a longer stride of her own. She noticed though that Tethys was aware enough of this and ultimately adjusted her own stride so they could walk along the beach together. For as quiet as she was, she was glad that Tethys was willing to do this. To spend time with her so she wasn't alone. To have a... friend. Would she consider Tethys a friend? Or Tethys consider her a friend? The question plagued her until Tethys asked if she planned to stay in the Armada.

She didn't respond right away. It was something she didn't quite have an answer to. She wanted to stay, but would Sirius let her? Allow it after she had gone missing? Frankly, it wasn't up to her and while she wanted to say I would like to, she didn't know how to say that without words. So instead, Dee nodded her head softly in a yes, but also shrugged her shoulders slightly. Her eyes move to Tethys for a moment before focusing on the beach ahead of them. Would Tethys understand? She would know the Warlord better than her. The wolves of Armada had been nice to her. Had given her a home and a purpose. Well, at least tried to until she had messed it all up.

Most wolves felt like a challenge to her, but Dee felt like an even more complicated challenge... and strangely, she wasn't completely deterred by it. Their interactions felt like they'd be fairly predictable and Tethys would be largely in control, given that Dee couldn't speak, which comforted her in the face of the uncertainty that came with dealing with wolves outside her immediate family. Dee nodded, but she didn't seem certain about the answer. Maybe she wanted to stay, but wasn't sure if she would? If she'd be able to? Or maybe she just wasn't sure, but thought she wanted to stay. Hmm. Tethys furrowed her brows, deciding maybe she'd have to be more specific with her questions, or maybe just ask the other girl something easier. "Well, if you stay, I'm sure you'll be asked to train in something," she started, occasionally glancing over to gauge Dee's reaction to her words. Not like she'd learn much from that though. "Are you interested in fighting?" She paused, giving her time to answer. "Hunting? Healing? Something else?" Between each word she paused, seeking an answer, whether an obvious yes or no or even a shrug.

Dee understood how difficult it might be to converse with someone who couldn't speak. It was difficult even for herself because for as much as she wanted to speak, nothing would come. No matter how hard she tried, her throat denied the words. Instead, it felt as if a fork was raking down her vocal cords. Would her throat ever heal? Or would she permanently be a mute? The idea made her feel all the more self-conscious and slightly scared of the world. How was she to defend herself if she couldn't communicate? At least she wasn't tiny, but she definitely wasn't the largest either. A conundrum she felt that she couldn't.

She was thankful though that it appeared Tethys was willing to lead the conversation. Her expression perks up slightly when Tethys mentions if she stays, she will be trained in something. Ah, yes! That was a good topic to start on! Her tail wags a few times until Tethys asks if she's interested in fighting. Quickly, Dee shakes her head. No, definitely not fighting. The idea of hurting someone else makes her stomach clench. Then hunting is posed. That Dee nods her head yes too and even lets a smile tug at her lips. Hunting she can do! She likes to run. Enjoys the thrill of the chase. She doesn't think she'd be good at healing because well, if you can't ask your patient questions, how were you to figure out their ailment?

As someone who was often annoyingly analytical, Tethys didn't really mind that interaction with Dee was a little more methodical and careful. She didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing, not when she had time to both analyze the other girl's response and carefully craft exactly what she'd say back. She seemed pleased at her question, which seemed peculiar given her previous answer. The galaxy-coated girl pursed her lips, considering it. Maybe the thought of having something to do, to distract herself with, was a positive thing? That made sense to her. She shook her head at being interested in fighting, but hunting seemed to earn another nod and smile. Okay, she could work with that. Tethys nodded understanding. Maybe she couldn't ever really lead a hunt, or hold a higher rank if she struggled to communicate.. but surely she could contribute. Tethys wasn't entirely sure why she was convincing herself Dee could earn her keep here, or why it even mattered, but she found herself trying to reason over it. She could contribute, she could be successful here, she was sure of it. The pack always needed more hunters, and surely Sirius would agree. Maybe he could help communicate that to her. "Are you hungry now?" She paused to wait for some response. "Maybe we could find a snack on the beach?" She didn't tend toward seafood, but maybe they could find some creatures scuttling about in the cove, or otherwise see what sort of fish were close to shore. Tethys paused to look out across the water, thinking.