Hearthwood River Tears of a Clown

-implodes thread even more-

It was a far cry from the family reunion Lekalta had dreamt of since before her return to the River. Kisla had accepted her back with open arms – as had Lachesis. Her infatuation with the ivory male had subsided gently, only when she had been able to catch a hint as he had blatantly avoided her during the season, despite her own heat never appearing. Kisla had kept her in line – the grasps f her muzzle from her mother’s jaws and the show of dominance had been enough to subdue the girl, and as nature intended, she submitted fully. It was the way of pack law – something so ingrained to her that she never questioned it, but still felt the harsh sting of rejection when Lachesis actively avoided her simply from her gender.

Or so she had hoped it was her gender.

But loping along the borders, she felt her heart lift at the sight of Inna – and Aleksei! With her tail swaying behind her like a banner of contentment, the honeyed girl quickened her pace, gleaming apple green eyes fast upon them as she neared. But as she closed the distance, the tension that rolled from them was like a thick smog in the air, and she hesitated now, her ears flattening to her skull as the twin crept forward, noting Aleksei’s wrath and Inna’s remorse. With a frown furrowing her brow, the she-wolf pushed forward, firmly trying to plant herself between her brother and sister, casting him a frown. “What’s going on?” She was still too young to note the change in scent of her sister – and had been gone for long enough to not recognize it.

(This post was last modified: Mar 26, 2017, 01:39 PM by Lekalta.)

are you deranged like me? are you strange like me?
lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?
do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?

Luckily, the regal did not come upon her gathered children instantly, and had missed much of the conversation. She had skirted throughout the territory, trying to keep the subordinates of the pack within the lines of pack law that was something so ingrained in her very nature since Corinna had passed it upon her – the silvered woman holding true to the strict fact that none other than a leader was meant to breed. Inna had disappeared though, and Kisla had felt the flutter of worry in her heart – but had refrained from following her ebony daughter, for she trusted the girl. Inna, of all her children, was the one who seemed to hold the most solid head and had been the most dependable – or so, Kisla had always felt, until she came upon her daughter now.

It was impossible to tell what had flared between the three youthful wolves before her now, but as the tawny leader drew closer, her own form lifting in an arc of dominance as tension flared, it was Inna’s scent that hit her – like a sucker punch to her face, it stole her very breath, and she stared at the girl, ignoring now Aleksei’s anger, and Lekalta’s indigence as she stood between her two siblings.

She halted in position – knowing already the life that would swell within her own belly from her one union with a man she would not name unless she absolutely had to. It had been her right as leader to do so – the helm of this pack, alongside Lachesis, and yet, here was her daughter.. changed. Defiant to the laws of her pack, after Kisla had spent the month reinforcing.

Stoicism could no longer play upon her features as she stared at her daughter, the final piece of resolve falling from her. Time and again, her children used the doors of Hearthwood River as a means to come and go as they pleased. Karina had done it countless times, and now her daughter was lost somewhere in the world, caring for Kisla’s granddaughter alone.. when she should not have been. And now, despite the heartbreak Kisla had gone through when Karina had come home pregnant, and Inna had witnessed it.. her daughter had done the very same thing.

“Why?” It was whispered, forceful as she tried to raise her voice to even be heard. It rasped from, and she swallowed thickly, feeling the anger lift in her now. How often would she remain the punching bag to her children, who would choose time and again to walk over her? “After all of the heartache this family went through with Karina.. Why, Inna?!” Her voice lifted now, her form arching even higher in its domination. “Did it not occur to you that this small pack can not handle multiple litters? That we don’t have the resources?” She paused then, sucking in a breath as her eyes finally flitted to her other two children, releasing her breath once more. The days of the Baranski children doing what they wanted to do above the better of the pack was done – enough was enough. “It would seem my children have become very comfortable with breaking pack laws with little to no regard. To use Hearthwood River as a revolving door and the expectation that you can come and go as you please. Why?” This she asked all of them -- enough was enough.

Word Count: 558

 

(This post was last modified: Mar 26, 2017, 03:14 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

At first, he wasn't sure what to feel. Then came the confusion. Inna's sudden mood swing left Aleksei grasping for words. He had spent this whole time arguing with her, convinced she'd remain stubborn and feigning ignorance, but she had crumbled before him, eyes wet with tears. The sad thing was that he couldn't muster the sympathy to soothe her woes the way a big brother should. Instead, he wanted to keep punishing her as if it were a sick kind of justice—he wanted to snap his jaws around hers, hold her muzzle, put her in her place, remind her of how things worked in a pack! She deserved as much, she'd been an idiot! She'd mated without gaining consent to do so! But did she deserve this merciless kind of wrath? It ate Aleksei up like dry wood in a fire, turned him to ashes, and now it had left Inna in obvious distress. He was in bits and pieces, and the internal conflict was evident in his pained grimace.

She had done this to herself, she had broken pack law, she had made the choice to go behind their mother's back! And yet, she was his sister, his little sister. He had already failed one, he couldn't fail another. He almost took a step forward, almost went to embrace her, but her words pierced him like thorns in his sides.

She said she didn't regret it. But she would still ask for his help?

The confusion was replaced with anger. Oh, he could have screamed, yelled himself hoarse, but suddenly there was another in front of him, staring at him, and he recoiled. “Lekalta,” he muttered, trying his hardest to keep the rage boiling him alive inside, “you shouldn't be here. Inna has-!”

“Why?”

It had been spoken as a barely audible whisper, like a gentle breeze, but it was loud as a gunshot in Aleksei's ears, and twice as painful. His head whipped round and his heart leapt into his throat. His tail tucked and—and oh no. Oh no no no. Panic struck him as if it were a harsh slap, and his tail tucked instinctively between his legs at her display of anger dominance. His own internal fire drifted from his lips in the form of whine, and it whistled pathetically in the air as it dissipated.  Aleksei couldn't bring himself to look at her, hurt and angry, preferring to keep his eyes downcast. “Mother,” he tried to speak, but he felt her eyes on him and snapped his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut.

Of course he would not escape her anger. He had hurt her too.

“Mother, I'm sorry, I …” He choked on his words for a moment before swallowing thickly. “There's no excuse for how I've behaved—for what I've done to you. To all of you. This is my fault, this is all my fault. I should have been here, I should have been a better role model—I should have been able to prevent this.” He'd find some way to fix it. He'd never meant to hurt Kisla, he'd never meant to bring shame to her. He would do all he could to make sure she knew that. He would move mountains for her if it proved his love, loyalty, and his regrets.

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying

The words her brother spoke and the way he described the wolf he saw in front of him left Inna with the feeling of disbelief. Was that what he saw when he looked at her, a monster who didn't see the truth of things and believed that she was above everyone? That girl was not who Inna wanted to be, she wanted to be like her father, someone who cared deeply for those around her and would do anything for them. She wanted her family and pack to come before all others and as he laid it out in front of her for all the world to see her world crumbled before her. The exact moment when she had turned into what she was now… she couldn't pinpoint just then. Changing it was something she didn't know how to do so she turned to her brother.

They had only been reunited for a short time but she hoped that despite the anger that seethed from him he would help her. Tears fell from her eyes caused by damage his words had done to her. She pleased with him to help her to be a better wolf but before he could show her any mercy from the tongue lashing he'd given her a new form appeared between them. Her sister, Lekalta, and she wanted to know what was happening. Her dear sister who seemed to have no idea unlike Aleksei of the change that had happened inside of Inna. The ebony Baranski let her head fall against her chest as her brother tried to explain but he didn't get very far.

Inna's ear caught the sound of another approaching a turn of her head brought her eyes to fall on the figure of her mother. The angry dominance display causing an immediate response from Inna as she lowered herself to ground before her mother and alpha. Inna knew what she had done had been stupid and childish and she should have known better. The one word her mother whispered in her direction was met with a whine from the dark furred girl as she crawled toward her mother. She did not meet her mother's gaze as she spoke about Karina until she'd finished speaking. The more her mother went on the worse Inna felt about what she had done. The position she'd put the pack in and worse that she had been angry with them all this time.

Aleksei spoke first apologizing to Kisla for what he had done saying he should have been a better role model. Maybe he was right about his actions but Inna knew to she shouldn't have done what she had. She was an adult now and knew pack law and knew she should have not gone against it as it was always there in the back of her mind. Who was she to think she was above it. Finally Inna felt she should say something to her mother, it wouldn't fix what she had done. That would take time and effort to regain what she had lost with her family. “I am sorry, I have acted selfishly in my recent actions and their is no excuse for what I have done,” she said quietly afraid to speak any louder. Whatever excuse or reason she had given herself before no longer held, “I don't have a reason that can justify what I have done but I promise that I won't allow whatever pups that result from my actions to have an impact on Hearthwood and it's resources.” She didn't know if she was carrying any pups but if she was she would ensure that they wouldn't​ jeopardize any of the other litters in the pack. Inna’s mind was made up, she would be the one to care for her pups if she did become pregnant and no one else. Inna shook her head a whine escaping her, “I am sorry I have betrayed you and this pack.” It was all she had, to ask for a chance to prove herself to her her mother would be wrong. Still Inna had every intention of making up for what she had done and most of all making it up to her mother. “I'm sorry,” she whispered once more as more tears fell from her eyes, “I have hurt all of you because of my own selfishness and I want to try and make it up to you.” She didn't know how or if she even could make up for all of her sins against them but she had to try.

(This post was last modified: Mar 27, 2017, 03:05 AM by Inna.)

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you.

 

She remained firm in her stance, a scowl upon her features as she cast it upon her brother – quick to react as always, she did not falter in her belief that Inna likely didn’t deserve to be treated as such, and sweeping her head back, her nose made to touch Inna reassuringly. Aleksei could throw his weight around all he wanted – but not at her littermate! Of course, her brother was put off by her appearance, his tone taking a note of pleading, and her scowl lightened, uncertainty flashing for a moment before giving a shake of her head, waiting for him to explain.

But he hadn’t been able to finish – Kisla’s presence was like a storm, and as he brother quaked before her, Lekalta felt her own form slink closer to the ground now, confusion plastered clearly upon her slender features. Kisla spoke then – demanding something from Inna and Lekalta continued to reel – falling down a rabbit hole as her sister, docile and loyal above all others, was reprimanded – and even worse, her and Aleksei had suddenly been drug in to it. She felt heat flush her cheeks, a sense of indignation lift in her and she was about to voice this – she had told her mother she needed some time.. had said goodbye to everyone before she left for a bit, and now Kisla was treating her no better than someone who simply came and left without thought!

But whatever she was about to say was quickly swallowed as she instead averted her eyes, one ear flickering to the sound of Aleksei, still not sure what he was referring to. Only when she heard Inna speak did something click, and blinking, her eyes shot back to her sister, staring at her – Inna had bred? There was a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach – pity, perhaps? A flash of jealousy? A stir of protectiveness? It was the latter that won, and she shifted her weight, leaning in to her ebony sister, wishing she could shield her from the wraths he currently faced – that they now all faced.

are you deranged like me? are you strange like me?
lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me?
do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?

And so, after all of this time, they had come to the end of Kisla’s patience. Gone were the days where her children would consider themselves above the laws of Hearthwood River, and as all three of them lowered before her, she felt a twinge of regret, and yet a sliver of satisfaction. Corinna had never allowed any of her children to act in such manners – and none of them had tested her trust and ruling. Indru had caused her enough grief – to add to it would have been foolish on their end. With Rihael leaving, Rissa’s death, and Aiyana’s departure, Corinna couldn’t have taken much more – and so dutifully, she and Fenru had remained by her side.. and she had been graced with Serach and Sceral.

The Tainn wanderlust seemed to grace her own children – but their blatant disrespect for the rules was something she could not pinpoint. Nor could she know if it was a Baranski trait – Maksim was gone. He was gone, and she knew, without doubt, he would have been so disappointed at the situation before her now.

Aleksei quivered a response, and Lekalta looked like she was about to disagree – and then wisely remained quiet. Inna, however, was who held her focus, and she curled her lip back as the girl made to inch closer in an attempt to appease her mother. “Do you know what my mother did to subordinates who broke the breeding law? She chased them from the pack.” She paused then, letting that information sink in to her daughter. Clearly, her uneasy acceptance of Karina’s own doing had been passed down to Inna, who felt she could also simply return home pregnant. “But you know I won’t do that to you, or to my grandkids. So you took advantage of the situation.” Her eyes were like steel upon all three of her remaining children – to make sure there would be no mistaking that things would now be changing. “This behaviour ends now – the behaviour that you all seem to think you’re untouchable. You will be treated as any other subordinate. The next to leave without a word or to break pack law will either be demoted to omega.. or will not be allowed to return.” Again she paused, her muzzle lifting a notch higher still, her eyes flashing with the anger and sadness she felt. “Am I clear?"

Word Count: 393

 

sparking up my heart

This is super, super late. Sorry guys! @Kisla @Lekalta @Inna

Aleksei simply closed his eyes as Kisla began to speak. This was it, then. Inna was going to be removed from Hearthwood for her insubordination and that would be the end. There’d be no arguments. It was what his grandmother had done, and a wolf learned from example. Inna would go to wherever her mystery lover was and she’d remain there. At least, that was what the Baranski had expected. Instead, his head snapped up and his eyes widened, jaw slack as his mother said she couldn’t do that to blood. But how is that fair, he wanted to ask, how can Inna be above the law of the pack? But he held his tongue, pinched it between his front teeth, pricked it as he bit, and said nothing.


As Kisla continued, her words made less and less sense. He did his best to remain neutral in expression and posture, but couldn’t help the slight furrowing of his brow. You’re the one making us untouchable. When had the children ever really been punished? Could they be blamed for their behaviour when they were apparently excused from pack law? Aleksei said nothing. He simply bobbed his head and muttered under his breath. “I understand, mother.” There was no more to say, it would be easier to simply soothe her anger and agree. 

He bowed his head and stepped away from his remaining family. He paused a moment, to glare at Inna with narrowed gaze—the precious child who could do no wrong, clearly—before finally taking his leave. He wouldn’t dwell on the bitterness he felt, the confusion. What good would it do?

But it would prove to be hard to let go.

Aleksei Exits.

Let the roots & soil drink of me
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying