Oak Tree Bend Just Be Still & Listen

They continued walking and Jessie found it a welcome distraction to the topic they were speaking of. She knew that it was, more than likely, better for her to talk about how she felt but she couldn’t bring herself to admit just how much it hurt. Perhaps she didn’t want to discourage the hope that Serach would, one day, find a love in his life who would cherish him and maybe then, when she was long gone, he would understand what she was going through. Whenever the Donata spoke, Jess’s ear flicked attentively towards him to show that she was paying attention. Now a days, it was so easy for her to get lost in her own train of thought. Since Serach was actually speaking with her, she did not want to seem rude and distant. His first words, however, left a bitter sting in her heart. No, you don’t know. But she refrained from snapping at him, reminding herself that this was his way at trying to comfort her, and the widowed woman mustered a smile. The boy’s next inquiries did not bother her, in fact, she preferred them. History is something that Hotei had been quite hesitant in sharing with her. It had been especially hard due to his split personalities back when they first met but he had told her and that was when they had established trust between one another. ”Yes, they grew up together. Hotei was older than Triell, but they were separated during the fire. He was caught in the woods -,” she cut herself off sharping at the irony of his death before giving a shaky laugh. Almost killed by nature only to be killed by a tree later on.  ”And well…that’s where he got his scars from. Although he survived, the physical and mental damage was too much, so he fled, while Triell went on to found Swift River.” He was sure he generally knew the rest from a general standpoint. After too much suffering they had moved, only to endure even more suffering, perhaps even worse than the one before, though entirely different in and of itself. Jessie Tainn

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It was a trick, trying to get Jessie to talk. While she had been a part of the Bend longer than Serach had been alive, it seemed rare to hear her speak. Although that was maybe just when he was around. She seemed to be a close confident of Triell and friendly with Drestig. Not with Spieden though - not even Serach was clueless enough to miss the animosity that radiated off of Jessie whenever the pack's leader was around. He was curious as to why, but their conversation had been rather pleasant so far and he had no desire to put her off. Instead, he focused on the brief history lesson, nodding along as she explained. He had heard of the fire, from either his mother or Ruiko, he couldn't remember which, but he hadn't realized that not all of the Tainns had made it out safely. He had never seen fire, but it had been described to him like a red fog that burned hotter than even the warmest rays of the sun. He remembered the scars too that had marked Hotei's body. It was all the encouragement he would ever need to avoid fire if he ever came across it.

"Thank you for telling me," he murmured in response as she finished, his face screwed up as he concentrated on his next question. "Are there other Tainns out there now? Living some where else? You went on that scouting trip with Drestig - did you meet any more?" He had never actually heard what the results were from that particular scouting mission, at least not any details that had stuck with him. But the talk of Hotei and the ill-fated Tainns had got Serach's curiosity going, and he was hoping Jessie would be willing to humor him just a bit more as they continued their walk. "Kisla has kids now. I didn't get to meet any of them, but she said she has 5. I wonder if she knows if she has more family out there." Although he had admitted to maybe leaving, to join Kisla and her pack, he was also curious about what was on the other side of the mountain. Although he was well and truly an adult and was more than capable of making the journey, he had never done so. Perhaps if there were more lost family members running around that side of Relic Lore, he would consider it for the opportunity to meet them.

The silver woman continued with their walk, letting her story follow in silence. It wasn’t long, however, until Serach spoke up again. While she would have preferred to travel in silence, she did give him warrant for his questions. They were questions she would have asked if she were curious about something and Jessie was pleased that he no fears of speaking such things out loud. The pepper-and-salt colored woman was aware that she was not the most social of the Bend wolves and it could sometimes make others weary to approach her. Of course, Scouting was her specialty and the trip that he was referring to was the one that she had taken. He could have asked Triell but she was more likely to know everything down to the last detail. Jessie’s jaded orbs moved to Serach’s form again, her jaw unlocking so that she may speak. ”I don’t know if they are in the Lore, but I know that Ruiko had children and that they are alive. If they are here, they would be on the other side.” She confirmed this with a curt nod of her head. Back when she had been in Swift River she had gone on a brief mission with Hotei to visit his brother and he remembered the news of their litter. Not soon after that, Copper Rock Creek and the pack of Tainns disappeared from the lore. Ruiko had returned and while Jessie had not been overtly close to the man, she had felt his loss because he was family, and his death affected Hotei and Triell deeply. Jessie Tainn

feainne-stock & Dawnthieves.de

Serach's ears perked as @Jessie spoke up, responding to his question. It was a short answer, and frustratingly vague. Ruiko did have children, living ones, but Jessie stopped just short of providing any actual useful information - like their names. He was sure Ruiko had told him once, but it had been so long ago, and the unfamiliar names did not have faces to attach themselves to and so Serach had forgotten. Typical of Jessie, though, she did not care to elaborate and immediately fell silent once his basic question had been asked. Frustrated, and growing weary of trying to pry information out of her, Serach merely dipped his head in quiet acceptance. Feeling no desire to continue to walk in silence, the boy took his leave, murmuring a quiet, "Thanks," before diverting from Jessie's path and heading back towards the pack den.

Serach exit.