As spring gives way to summer, the temperatures begin to rise and, with that, bring the first heatwave. The sun beats mercilessly down upon the lands of Insomnia and Enki decides to retreat to the land of the nearby willows in search of some relief. Normally, the long limbs of the willows sway with each soft breath of wind but today they stand eerily still. There is no wind to offer a sweet respite from the scorching rays and, as he gazes into the large pond that surrounds the weeping trees as he walks, the pale pink man swears that the water line is receding.

Worry blooms in his gut as Enki wonders if this what the entire summer will hold for them and, if so, how Insomnia might be able to lessen the impact to their wolves. Pink form slips through the green veil of branches that surround one of the still giants and a grateful sigh slips from his maw as the punishing rays are finally taken off his sensitive skin. Gently, he lowers himself to the ground while observing his surroundings, considering what he will tell Medusa as he lays there.


"Enki Klein"

For the first time in what felt like ages, Rue finally stepped foot beyond the lands of Insomnia. It wasn't very far, mind, but she had spent a significant amount of time within the pack lands working on a garden to grow a number of herbs for future use. The plants she put there needed constant minding, and she was loathe to leave the garden for very long for worry that something would go wrong if she wasn't there. Through the seasons she had dedicated her time to protecting them from the elements, replanting and replacing the ones that weren't thriving or that had died so suddenly. It was more work than she thought, but the end result, she hoped, would yield remarkable results. Now though as Summer bore down on them, the intense heat threatened to undo all the work she had worked so hard for. She needed to figure something out, and fast. She couldn't think with a clear mind while she hovered over her beloved garden, so she forced herself to go somewhere where she might be able to think. White dipped paws carried her toward the Willows, crimson gaze searching for any ideas on what she could do, what she could use. But in her search, she found Enki's pale form beneath the branches of a tree instead. She usually wasn't one for conversation, but she needed something to take her mind off of the dilemma she was facing. "It seems Rue wasn't the only one that had the idea to come out for some quiet," She stated as she approached, slipping beneath the branches to escape the blazing sun. "Speak"

Bright blue eyes sweep the area around him, noting the way the grass on each of the small islands that houses a willow is already beginning to dry out. A frown pulls at his lips as he realizes that the flowers that dot the land are also starting to look brittle and, with the extreme heat and fact that the water here is already beginning to receded, it all adds up to a concerning trend if the weather does not change.

A voice pulls his attention away from the pond that he had been gazing into and over to where one of Mudusa’s children approaches and he hums a noncommittal sound. Brow quirks as he looks at her, saying, “Seems like something is on your mind Rue. Anything I can help with?” Maybe she could help to take his mind off the worrying weather and back onto something more concrete in the moment.

Eyes slide back out to the pond where cattails poke up sporadically from the face of the pond, their long stalks bending near the ends to dip the brown heads back toward the water’s surface. Lilly pads dot the still blue surface and frogs croak out from hidden spaces all around. And still, there is no breeze to be found.


"Enki Klein"

His question couldn't have been truer. She settled down and sat back against the trunk of the willow tree, crimson gaze fixated on the pale boy. It was hard to believe that at one time, this wolf's family were once enemies of her mother. She knew the history between Medusa and those of Habari, and the way this one had come to give himself in exchange for his siblings. Would that ever be something she would do for her siblings if it came down to it? Unlikely. While she loved her family, she was also selfish. She doubted she'd ever trade her freedom for those who were very well capable of gaining it themselves. "Rue's garden is in trouble. It is too hot. She doesn't know what to do to protect them if the sun does not stop." She breathed a heavy sigh as her head turned, finding a trail of ants make their way up and down the tree, no doubt trying to keep out of the heat while simultaneously looking for food. Such unselfish creatures they were...it wasn't something she understood, unfortunately. Though as she watched them, she reached up and drew a dull claw across their line, sending them scattering as their march was broken. She supposed while she was here, she might as well grab some willow bark to take home. At least that wouldn't die on her. "Rue has worked hard for her garden, like these ants work hard for their food." She said, as she slid her paw away from them and started to pick at a spot on the trunk that was already peeling. She carefully tore away a long strip and placed it on the ground before going for another, ignoring the ants that were now starting to crawl around her paw. "Speak"

The young woman offers her trouble and Enki’s head dips in acknowledgement, knowing that the heat has been poising a problem for a lot of things. Eyes trace the plants that grow over their little island as he thinks, noting the way the grass in the shade isn’t as wilted as those outside of the radius. Tilting his head thoughtfully, he offers, “Can you build them some shade to help? Maybe we can also divert some more water to help with the increased heat.” Increase the water and surely the plants will be happier too… right?

At the sound of Rue’s claws scrapping at the willow bark, Enki’s attention diverts over to tree and he inspects the bark that is peeled away. It seems that the willows are at least getting enough water, their deep roots greedily sucking up what moisture they can find to keep the core healthy. Gaze turns up to the canopy where the brunt of the sun has hits the tree and he frowns at the browning leaves knowing that they will soon be shed.

Still, at least the tree itself seems to be healthy. Eyes watch the marching ants as Rue continues to work and he wonders what this place will look like in a few months.


"Enki Klein"

Her attention now is on her quest to harvest some willow bark. The ants began to crawl on her paw in a frenzy as she continued to disturb them. She wanted a good harvest of this, as it would do well to treat pain and inflammation. And considering how often some of her siblings got into trouble, she was sure she'd be going through it like candy. Mid-strip, Enki asked her a question. And she abruptly paused to look at him as she considered it. "Build them shade...how would we do that? We can't exactly uproot a tree and put it where we need it..." Were there other ways of building something to provide shade? If there was, obviously she had never done or seen it done before. Then again, with her reclusive nature, she hadn't seen much in the world. Her gaze returned to the willow tree as she finished stripped another piece, and then another, and then another until she was satisfied that she had enough. "Have you seen others build such a thing? I would hate for all my work to go to waste, it took a long time to grow what I have now." She hid the hope and curiosity in her voice as she prodded him for any information or ideas he might have to pull it off. "Speak"