Drooping Willows protect the seed that longs to grow to a garden

<blockquote>Just like that Borden became the <span class='word'>omphalos</span> of Arlette's sparked interrogation. He was no longer the <i>Keeper</i> nor a loyal follower of Jaysyek Lyall, the matriarch of Grizzly Hollow, but a man who sought refuge under the fallen king of the Plateau... the lone leader who had taken up a rank in Jaysyek's pack. His stomach churned and he fought to keep his face straight as he tucked away the thought that had resurfaces from the depths of his mind - whether or not he was still regarded as Arlette's {adoptive} father could wait. Though, either way, he opted to steel himself, to guard his conscience <i>and his heart</i>.

He kept his lips sealed until he found a way to unfold the full answer to her. <b>"<i>Your mother</i> and I felt it was time,"</b> he admitted. <b>"You are very much grown up now and, well, we just... felt it was only <i>right</i> for you to know. Alexander had come to see you... you... and... your brother, Theodore."</b> His eyes averted to the ground and his brows furrowed as he tried again to sort out his sentences. <b>"You both came to us from the Mountain when a mountain lion had invaded your pack's den. Vlarindara and one other brought you here for safety's sake. Without them you probably wouldn't have survived."</b> His words again came out slowly, cautiously... He did not yet dare to tell her straight out that he had known Alexander had had quite an unfortunate accident on the rocky cliffs or that he had once held a grudge against the wolves of the Mountain for a foolish misunderstanding... or that he had <i>almost</i> denied Vlarindara entry into the Hollow. The corners of his lips twitched but he still fought to maintain it. <b>"You were merely a few weeks old, half-starved and already striving against the odds to survive, and we took you in... brought you up as best we could.."</b> He gazed at her quietly, adding sincerely, <b>"I'm just terribly sorry neither of us, Alexander and I, were there for you when you could have needed us the most."</b></blockquote>

Well, what do you want from me?

i'm not sure how to wrap this up, but happy to keep going till their is a certain end :)

the suns going to shine, and sometimes the clouds will rain.

Her throat was tight from the shock wave of everything falling down upon her. She couldn't take her eyes from him, knowing he had all the answers to questions she'd never known till now. She could see his pinch of hurt by her spurred questions. She tipped her nose downward, shifting her pale yellow eyes downward; her ears drooping in the same motion. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this, there was no going back to the start, or erasing the words she had already heard. She took a careful moment to look from her paws, and pull in a weathered breathe. It was then he began to enlighten her further.

The mention of Theodore she found the pang in her heart, so he'd been her sibling of blood, and he was gone too. She could only assume something bad must have happened to her mother. Here she thought her life was finally not a tragic tale, but that wasn't true either. She pictured the events in her mind with his words weaving the story. She could not remember anything before Grizzly Hollow. Bits of the tale came together. They were taken in because of what had happened on the mountain, for their survival. But why?

"I understand," she quietly started, letting her gaze drift to their path they'd taken here. "But why, why would you two do that?" To think that if they hadn't taken them in that Prosper would still be alive, and that Borden would have never left....

<i>I think it's just about due time for a wrap-up. <3 Particularly enjoyed this one; thank you. :)</i>

<blockquote>The Hollow patriarch slowly looked to Arlette, taking in the emotion on her face and the downward motions of not only her ears but her muzzle and eyes as well. Her words came just as quietly as his. She asked why he and Jaysyek had taken them in and he merely shook his head. <b>"Because I owe Alexander every bit of credit to who I am today,"</b> he repeated. <b>"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have come here, to establish Grizzly Hollow, to discover who I really am, or... or even understand what one could possibly do for love. The least I, or we could do, was to take care of what was most precious to him."</b>

<b>"Arlette,"</b> he cooed. <b>"Whatever you choose to do from now on is <i>your choice</i>. Whether you choose to stay here or to follow him wherever or to leave to make your own path... is solely up to you. No one else. And, whatever you decide, you will always have our support."</b> A cautious smile lifted his face, and instead of the slightly sorrow tone that his voice had taken up, his voice mellowed into a more kindly pitch. <b>"Come now... After you finish up, you are dismissed. Wouldn't want to keep you from enjoying whatever you had planned this afternoon."</b>

<i>[Applause.]</i></blockquote>

Well, what do you want from me?