Heartleaf Creek our ties tie us down

Set directly after this thread. For @Eros.

Breaking from her mother was all more difficult then she had expected. Modesto had come to terms with her mother's death long ago, had prepared herself for it. Her mother had lived long, longer then most ever had the opportunity. Still seeing Katna in such a weak state and knowing it would be the last time she would ever see her mother again, shook Modesto physically and emotionally.

She takes a heavy breath, quivering as she lets it out. She could not break. Not now. She had quite the journey before her and did not have room to falter.

Modesto looks out towards the forest in the west with the Backwater at her backside where it belonged. West. That is where they would go.

(This post was last modified: Jul 31, 2022, 12:12 AM by Modesto.)

Eros had waited as patiently as he could for his aunt to finish her goodbyes with Gramna. The sadness of the day had settled over him as he did so, driving him to further reflect on what exactly it was he wanted for his own future. It shouldn't be like this, he knew that much at least, with everyone hurting and fighting and separating.

The forest creaked to his left and his head snapped up, eyes seeking Aunt Mo's frame. When he caught sight of the woman, he grinned widely with relief. No more sitting inside his head, now he would finally get a moment of action and answers to questions he'd long held tightly to.

"Aunt Mo," he called out to get her attention as he stood and headed for her side.

"I... Can we talk, just a little more? I wanted... We need to talk."

The boy had still shown love for her, despite the arguments against his father. Despite being told Modesto announced he shouldn't have been born. Not exactly accurate but none of that seemed to shake the youth. Where others had turned themselves to disgust and hatred, Eros still very much considered Modesto as family, as he should. As they were.

"Of course." She said it and there was no hesitance in this. However, Modesto expected another conversation she was not ready for. One that she did not wish to have, but likely needed. "What is it?" She asks with a lighter tone, turning her grayed muzzle to the young boy with a smile.

Of course she made time for him. Eros' tail wagged, though the features of his face were more ambiguous about his emotions. It still caused him a measure of discomfort to be so direct, especially with an adult. More than that, he didn't know that what he was about to hear wouldn't simply hurt far more than it helped him and his own strife.

Eros took a breath, and let it out in order to steady himself. When his peach eyes opened and met Modesto's, they shone with determination.

"I want to know your side of what happened. Of why Dad banished you. And I don't, I don't want you to hide anything just because I'm not two yet or 'cuz you wanna spare my feelings. Please. I need to know the whole story."

Wooo! Needed to get my words together for this one!

"Okay." This, along with a pause, was all she would give to the boy before she continued on, telling no lies, sparing no feelings.

"I was never quite happy with this swamp of a home Vayko and your father decided to settle in. It was a first of many mistakes...We have suffered sickness, flood, then drought and yet he still thinks to call this place 'home'." She glances to him, then away, out away from these lands. "We never strayed far from this ugly place, not until it was settled that we would lay our new roots here. Your father was very keen on 'being free' of the Estuary, of the council we held. Keen to abandon and forget the family which we were torn from and brought here. No scouts were even sent out to find our lost..."

"When I approached him that day, it was to correct the error of his ways. He was speaking poorly of the name Vale and those who had abandoned him and this place: his mother, brother, cousins, aunts and was too high upon his pedestal to ask himself why they had gone."

"He spat in the face of everything I'd known and loved and of course, I did not take this well." Whatever cruel woman she was, none would talk down upon the Vales, the Estuary or the Council without her having something to say about it. "To put it simply, he didn't like how I called him out on his shit show of leadership skills, so he kicked me out. There is no room for others to have a voice under his rule and I won't submit to idiocy."

She pauses, looking back to Eros now. "This is why The Estuary had established the council. The council was a pawful of trusted members in the pack, to listen to its members, vote and pass judgement. We even vowed to not take mates or have children, so that we would be unbiased when making our judgements and could focus fully onto the good of the pack. With this, anyone with an issue had a voice, anyone could be heard and a decision could be voted. No single wolf was the law of everyone else, for one wolf's views may not match anothers. The Estuary was more then anything Viorel could ever think to hold."

Eros realized just how much he'd been anticipating a refusal when his grand-aunt agreed and he was able to let out a stalled breath. Thank you, he almost wanted to say then and there, but there was very little hesitation on her part and he ended up quietly hanging on every word instead.

He tried to not take specific parts personally, but there were a few moments where it was difficult, especially when she referred to his father's 'idiocy'. There was a strong urge in that instant to defend his dad, for while he could be stubborn and distrusting he was not stupid. Resisting was made manageable by focusing on the emotions his Aunt Mo was expressing, and putting the choice of words into context just as he'd needed to with Vayko.

She was deeply hurt, and he understood even better now why. Ultimately, Eros listened to all of it with open ears and heart. Dad and Vayko had the right to create something of their own, but they shouldn't have expected Modesto to want exactly the same, especially after the sacrifices she'd made to make it clear how much she loved her home. Did Viorel not understand or see that? Was there even more to it all? Or did it all come down to a lack of proper communication and building resentment?

Eros wished it wasn't, but knew that whatever the problem was, now was too late to fix it. He sighed heavily, and nodded his head.

"I'm so sorry, Aunty. I wish things could have been different," he told her, voice thickened with earnest emotion.

"... I love my home. I could only imagine if I'd been taken from it, wanted to get back to it and was made to feel like... shit for that by my own family. I don't think that's what Dad means to do, I know he feels he's doing what's best but he just, he doesn't listen. I know that and it's so frustrating."

The anger was still there inside of him, and it tinted his words as they built up in the air between them. Still, he loved each one of his family members regardless of their differences and wanted what was best for them. Eros was becoming convinced however that sometimes, that meant space.

"... you deserve to go home, Aunt Mo."

(This post was last modified: Sep 08, 2022, 05:49 AM by Eros.)

Even in his youth, Eros found an understanding in Modesto where others had lacked. He pondered his own feelings, had he been placed Modesto's steps. He also felt that while his father thought he was doing his best, Viorel also refused to listen to any suggestion from others, even if they were older, wiser. There was little that could be done if one would not listen to reason. Another year or so on this path and Viorel would make for quite the tyrant.

There was little a need for more words on the manner and when Eros finished speaking, his great-aunt nodded in agreement. She lifted, coming to brush her grey chin over the crown of Eros' head. "I will remember you with fondess, dear boy." She sighed and then pulled away, taking a few paces further from the Backwater claim. "Until we meet again."

And then she was off, to go on her great journey with her pirate in order to find the sea.

Eros wanted so much more time, but his Aunt was ready to be done. Not of him, but of this place and its tarnished memories. He frowned sadly, but would not stop her. His ears crumpled down against his skull as she said a final goodbye, and watched her go quietly. It wasn't until she'd all but disappeared that he was able to squeak out a quiet "goodbye."

/ End.