Why Do These Things Happen?

The news of @Modesto's removal from the pack had hit the tawny Valle hard. She'd kept her feeling to herself but the older Valle had meant a lot to her now she was gone. Sharlee had no idea where she was or if she'd ever see her again. Her ventures away from the Backwater usually involved explorations but this time she needed some time away to process what this might mean for her. Something inside her told her there was a choice to make but she didn't know if she was capable of making it.

The marshy land that she now found herself in was covered in snow. It seemed prettier than she imagined it would be in full summer. It was quiet and would make for a good place to think things through. The Valle woman found a tree that she decided to sit under. It would make a good place to sort out how she was feeling about the whole thing. Sharlee didn't think she should return to the backwater until she had.

Though Sharlee couldn't have known it, she had made a direct path towards the location at the lagoon which Modesto had been settling. Though the large body of water brought plenty of food directly to her, Modesto sought to stretch her legs for a time beyond her camp.

When the land became soupy, she knew that the Backwater home could not be too far off. Modesto had never quite understood why they had chosen a bog for their pack's territory. The loss of their caches that first year should have told them of the mistake.

Modesto tisked. Not her problem now.

What was hers was the loss of her mother and closest niece and nephew. Just the thought of them made the siren believe she smelt them... Wait a minute.

Nose lifted to the marsh air, she took in the scent of Sharlee fresh and near. The land here crushed under her footing- wet land now frozen over but breaking under foot.

"Sharlee..." Modesto whisper yells the young woman's name when she sees her in the distance.

Sharlee had been well aware that Modesto wasn't exactly happy with the circumstances they'd been put it. She supposed that back when they been brought to this place she'd hoped that her aunt would adjust to the changes they'd been forced to make. None of them had been happy about being taken from their home but there wasn't anything that could be done. The chances of finding their way back to the sea were nonexistent. So they made the best out of a bad situation.

She sat under that tree wondering if there might have been something she could have done. Maybe she could have helped Modesto change her mind about it all. Maybe if she'd done that then Vi wouldn't have felt it necessary.

She also felt guilt, like she was betraying Vi because she was upset that her aunt was gone. She was his advisor and subordinate her loyalty should be with him not anyone one else. It was a very confusing situation that she didn't know how to resolve.

She'd been lost in her thoughts for awhile so she didn't register that Modesto was close by. She almost didn't hear her name being said but she did and looked up. "Aunt Modesto, you're here?" She still wasn't exactly sure that this was real.

They had all moved on and easily so. Still very young, barely even able to produce their own pups. Meanwhile Modesto had been five and well into her livelihood. Just 'forgetting the old ways' and starting anew without the 'council and it's snobbish rules' had not been much of an option for the woman.

Without anywhere to go, Modesto had been forced to live a life not her own and had grown far more bitter for it. What was the point of an advisor when their advice was not heeded anyhow?

So being seen as an old crone stuck in the old ways, she left.

"Aye, I am...I didn't quite fly away." A small chuckle under her breath. For if she could she'd likely had.

So this is where Modesto had gone after everything went to crap. She still had mixed feelings about what had happened. Despite everything deep down she still cared about the older woman but she was angry. Sharlee looked away at from Modesto at the words that she spoken. She wanted to yell at her that she'd done a stupid thing. Instead she took a few deep breaths to push that urge down.

When she turned back to look at her it was with a question on her lips. "Why did you do that? Say those things to Vi? Why would you put your position in jeopardy like that?" She supposed those were the questions that had been burning inside her since the whole thing had happened and especially after talking with Vi.

The anger and disappointment Sharlee held for her did not go unnoticed by Modesto as the younger wolf turned her face from her. A frown touched Modesto's expression then. Modesto had been close to both her littermate's children but it would seem that they still did not understand her. Unknowingly just yet how much @Vayko had understanding for her outburst. It made for even more reason to leave them behind, just as they so easily had left her behind.

"And what 'position' would that be, Sharlee?" She huffed. "No one cares what a former council member has to say; Our ways are old, hence the reason why you all had decided so easily to abolish them in this new place..." She pauses, a sigh, and tips her muzzle up and away from Sharlee. "If that wasn't true, I wouldn't have been kicked out the moment I spoke my opinion."

Then, a murmur on her breath. "I'm not living in the shadows like a distant memory anymore..."

Sharlee was angry for what Modesto had said, like she'd said them to be purposefully hurtful. That was the one thing that the Valle woman hadn't been able to understand. Those things that Vi had told her Modesto said weren't necessary. So it just hadn't made sense why she woukd say something that would inevitably lead to her being removed from the pack.

"The position of being with family and of supporting Vayko and I in whatever we chose to do." That was why they had been so close, she'd always supported them. At least that was what Sharlee had believed. "Or are you too stuck in your old ways to actually care what we want. To see us happy?" Yes, Sharlee was angry because the old bat couldn't see past her old council ways to show that she did care. Sharlee glared at the woman, "And what is so wrong with doing things differently. What is so wring in running the pack the way we had chosen instead of the life we would have ended up living had we been allowed to remain in the Estuary?" Sharlee honestly found the way they lived a lot freer than it used to be. She could do what she chose to do and not be told what she had to do. And then Sharlee flat out laughed at the woman. "We followed the rules of your precious council."

"You mean your insults. You never needed to say those things to Vi. Why would you? Are you jealous?"

Wow. Modesto was so shocked, she batted her eyes hard and tilted her head in confusion. "'Supporting you and whatever you choose to do'?" Modesto parroted the words back to her niece. "Have I not been there this entire time up until now and doing so?" Or had Sharlee so easily forgotten how they had become so close to begin with? "I am there to backup everything you and Vayko do and yet the moment I need support I get nothing in return? Vayko runs off and you lecture me for not keeping silent and do as I am told? What of my happiness? It that not important too? Or am I your servant now Sharlee? Just to 'support' every move you make?  Selfish girl!" And so it came down to this. Caring for the pups, being their advisor, all for not. Whatever respect they assumed to have for her was a sham and showed such by the way she was being treated now.

"At least everyone at the Estuary had a voice- they had a vote, hence the council. They weren't told to shut up or get out." And maybe if she could have predicted this she would have chosen differently. Had her own pups to be raised with good moral of loyalty and respect, something which now had become lacking now that they had 'broken free' from the Estuary. To think that their family being ripped apart was something they were happy for made Modesto's stomach literally churn.

And then, Sharlee laughed and mocking her in doing so. Modesto didn't take it none to kindly, either. Her body stiffened, her lip quivering and eyes narrowing on her niece. Modesto side steps and back, feeling the acidic taste build up in her throat. "Goodbye Sharlee." And good riddance. She turned to go back to her little sanctuary. If Sharlee had anything more to say, she'd be ignored. Modesto had nothing left for her.

(This post was last modified: Feb 07, 2022, 09:38 PM by Modesto.)

Sharlee was livid with her aunt and the things she was saying. This woman had to be joking. "What you need support in insulting family? How about insulting our home and making us feel like it could never be as good as the Estuary. What the he'll kind of support is that?" Modesto had never agreed with Clover and Vanadis being there, she remembered the was the older Valle had spoken of them. It was even more clear to Sharlee she felt that way after Vi told her what had been said. "I am not as selfish as you would have me believe. I give my life to my pack. Everything I have and what have you done for it? An advisor works to help the leader better the pack Did you ever do that?" Sharlee didn't believe she had. She felt Modesto wanted them to fail and when they didn't she got passed and wanted out so she forced Vi's paw so she could blame it all on them.

Sharlee didn't bother with her words about the Estuary. It was done and they were never going back there. If it had been as great as Modesto believed then why would her brother and cousin seek to build something different. The fact of the matter was Modesto was just made that they were making it just fine without a council.

Then the woman left, just left with a goodbye, Sharlee. Well that was just fine, "Thats right run away cause you can't hear the truth." Sharlee wasn't stupid Modesto couldn't face the truth, couldn't admit that she was wrong. She couldn't help but think that maybe they would all be better off.