Fool's Gold Chasm i can't help the way you made me

Rhaegara could not help but chuckle at her daughter’s reaction. Being a queen was a lot of responsibility, and one Rhaegara had shouldered training for from a young age. It was part of the reason she was content to be a guardian and mother in the Chasm, and she had no desire to lead herself. That had never been her. For a time, she thought it might have been… but it had been foolish ambition instead.

The question fell once more, and her eyes softened. “Not every wolf minds Ymir’s teachings, no matter how hard we try.” It was a complicated lesson to teach her pacifistic daughter. “Some wolves want to take advantage of the kindness that Ymir instilled in other, and sometimes the only way to get across to them is to fight.” All of her questions were complicated, so Rhaegara took them one at a time.

“One of the men who abused Ymir’s teachings was my best friend’s dad.” She explained. “He wanted to be king… and so he fought my dad and my mom… they joined the skywalkers… I think my brother and sister might have to… I do not know; I lost them when I ran. I was trained how to fight, but I was no match for a full grown wolf like that.” She had barely been a yearling, after all.

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

Enera continued to stare at her mama with wide eyes, ears vacillating between falling back against her head and standing at attention to catch everything mama said. Instead they lie halfway between, twitching. She wasn't sure what to make of what she was saying. Sometimes other wolves were mean. Okay, she could get that... the Scary Lady was mean sometimes, but sometimes she wasn't.

And then mama was explaining why granmma and grandpa didn't come with, and that she thought her siblings were gone too. Enera knew her grandparents were with the skywalkers, dead like Sirius, but she was struggling to comprehend what her mama was telling her. She hadn't experienced wolf-on-wolf violence of that level. Enera wasn't dumb, and when it clicked her eyes filled with tears and her ears finally made the rest of the journey to her skull. She shrank in on herself. "They killed them?" she asked, voice pitching an octave higher and trembling. And then an even worse thought hit her. "Would they have killed you?"

(This post was last modified: Feb 08, 2022, 10:56 PM by Enera.)

She waited for her daughter to reach the conclusion, seeing the tears in her eyes as sadness sank into her own features. “Yes, Little Dove, they killed them.” She confirmed, not sugarcoating it because it was what had happened. It had happened right in front of her… and then that question came and she drew in a deep breath, holding it for a second before she slowly exhaled.

“Yes, Enera… they would have killed me. I was the heir, the next in line to lead… and that made me a threat to them. I ran. I ran as fast as Freya and Ymir themselves to get away from them and it brought me here, to Adelard and Saga and everyone in this pack.” It had brought her to the life as she knew it. “What matters is I am safe and you are safe and we live in a pack where we don’t have to worry about evil wolves, okay? I love that you’ve been able to grow up so nice and understanding of Ymir’s teachings… but not everyone has. It’s important to remember that.” Not everyone was a friend.

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

Enera stared at her mother, eyes widening further in horror at the answer she received. How could anyone- why- killing them? Just so they could be some stupid leader? Was leading a pack really that important? Enera would never follow a leader that murdered someone. Never. And they were going to kill her mama! They were going to take away her life just because of who her parents were? The pacifist girl struggled to understand this.

She looked at her paws, letting her mama's words sink in and mulling them over. Her mama had taught her that they should all be kind to each other, and Enera wanted to live that life. She didn't want to hurt anyone, ever. She let out a low whine. She hoped she never met anyone who was like the ones who'd chased her mama from her home.

Turning her eyes back to her mama, Enera hugged against her side, this time in an attempt to comfort her. "I'm sorry they did that, mama," she said quietly. "I'm glad you made it here. I love Marrah and Caelyn and Aweho and all of our family here." She was sad her mama had lost so many wolves she loved, but she'd found new ones, right? So maybe not all bad things turned out to be completely horrible. She could live with that. There would be something good to come out of someone being awful.

Fade and archive with yours?

This violence, the lack of peace and the raw chaos that came with it… Rhae knew it was a lot for her daughter to process. She had the luxury of growing up a pacifist but Rhaegara needed her to be prepared for the fact that not every wolf was good. “Don’t apologize, Little Dove… it happened for a reason.” She assured her, pulling her close to share this moment. “I’m glad I made it here too… and the skywalkers blessed me with you as a gift when they saw what I endured. They blessed you with a peaceful life.” She was grateful for that.

She was thankful her daughter did not need to handle the pressures of wearing a crown on her head, the betrayal that came with it. Let other children carry that burden… anyone but the sweet little girl that she had raised. “I certainly do have a new family here, and I love you all dearly.” She cared for all the children, even if they were not her own blood… the adults… well, things could be tumultuous at times, but she would never fault the kids for that. “Come on, why don’t we get some sleep, Little Dove.” She encouraged softly. They had enough heavy conversation for one night.

had a dream so big and loud

JUMPED SO HIGH I TOUCHED THE CLOUDS

Enera yawned and snuggled further into her mother's side, letting her comforting words wash over her. Everything was going to be okay. Her mama loved her, and they were here, where it was peaceful, and they both could have what they wanted. There was nothing to worry about. Not in this safe home.

"Goodnight mama," Enera said quietly, peeking up at her. "I love you."

Suddenly exhausted, Enera shifted one more time to settle in, and drifted off to sleep.