Always Luna

support

verb ~ give assistance to; enable to function or act

"Calida! Calida!" I called.

The woman in question spun around, dark eyes widening with surprise. "Nova? What are you doing in the pack house? I thought Phoenix had you on bed rest."

I had come at lunchtime today, wanting to catch Calida before she disappeared again.

It has been five days since my freedom, and despite not being allowed to do anything work wise, I was happy to be around people. My birthday had come and gone, and I have never felt so full of love.

I laughed, stopping before her. "He did, but last week I persuaded him to let me come here for dinner. I haven't seen you in a while."

"Oh wow, yeah, that's-that's good." Calida tried to smile, but I noticed how she kept glancing toward my bump. "I hope you had a good birthday after everything..."

"You dare say it, then I will attack." I warned her.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Charlie has said you are crankier lately."

I narrowed my eyes. "Charlie is a gossip."

"That he is." She grinned. "Where are you going, anyway?"

"I was hoping to catch up with you, actually." I shrugged. "Are you busy?"

"I was just going to go for a walk to burn dinner off. We don't all have wolf abilities." She snorted.

"Well, I can't walk, but I wanted to talk..." I trailed off, giving her my best puppy eyes.

Calida shook her head, amused. "Okay, we can walk to the back garden and sit on a bench. At least then I am outside and it counts as exercise."

"Sounds like a plan!"

I followed her out of the house, embracing the coming warmth of spring. It was a lovely day today. The sun was out for a change, but there was a breeze that I feared would cut our conversation short. We walked to the other end of the main garden and sat on a wooden bench surrounded by planters. I eyed them enviously. I wanted to garden again. Spring was the perfect time for it, but I knew I could not get up once I was down there.

"Thinking about your roses?" Calida teased.

I grumbled at her, pulling my cardigan around my chest. "Maybe."

"I'm surprised you haven't got stuck in gardening yet. Winter is gone!"

"I know! But how am I supposed to get down there, let alone get up!" I grimaced.

She laughed, shrugging. "I would pay to see it."

"Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes.

"Anytime." She giggled.

"So... what have you been up to whilst I was on lockdown? Molly said you have a job, and that's why you were busy?" I wondered.

"Yeah! I scored one at the bakery in the plaza." She nodded enthusiastically.

"The bakery?" My eyes widened, thinking of all the scents that came with it. "No way! That's so good."

"Well, it was the bakery or the butcher, and I didn't fancy skinning and killing animals. I did enough of that in the camp." She grimaced. "I get to bring unsold goods home, though!"

I smiled sadly and forced my pain from her past away. "I bet Charlie loves that."

"He does, but my scales do not." She grunted.

"How's it going with him?" I asked, looking to see if there was any scent change.

Celimene stirred, helping me to notice anything within her. She was still unmarked and unchanged, meaning they had done nothing. I tried to hide my disappointment, but when I met her eyes; she already narrowed them on me.