Our games of make-believe are at an end

@Yuka Slight pp <3

It had been an understatement to say that she was shocked when she had scented both Yuka and Ash's scents across Woodland territory. What were they doing all the way over here? And both of them? Had Nina called in reinforcements for the impending war? Fear had leaped into her throat at the very thought, but then she remembered @Nina had told her of Minka's visit and that war had been called off. Her relief had been almost palpable. So the woman had busied herself along pack lands, learning the unfamiliar territory with eagerness. It always felt so amazing when her paws landed on new, unexplored territory. She was eager to learn every inch of the thickets, but the woman kept to her word as she aided in what she could by adding to the pack caches and spending time at the borders. She hadn't met any wolves yet, for she had only seen most of them in passing. But that would probably soon change as Inali grew familiar with the new territory and her desire to make friends grew. Inali was a social creature and thrived in relationships with her fellow packmates. After all, this was a new chapter in her life and she needed to make the most of it. Days passed as Inali enjoyed learning the new territory beneath her well traveled paws, but the scout knew she was avoiding the inevitable. Meeting up with her ex pack mates was bound to happen sooner or later, so Inali had braced herself. Nearing afternoon, the woman sat, wanting to take a quick break from her constant go go attittude. She had tried to seek out Yuka, but to no avail. She needed their charade to come to an end. He needed to know and realize that she was alive...and ready to reconcile. She was tired of their games. The woman just wanted her son back, no matter how life had changed him. Yuka would always be her son. ”Speech”

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This has to be backdated a bit because of Nari's birthing thread.

When Ash had called upon Yuka to leave for Secret Woodlands, almost weeks ago, the young Guardian in-training had not protested. Often, Ash would take about his sister, hinting at how wonderful she was and truly gifted. The young man had always wanted the opportunity to meet her, but it had quickly become aware when they arrived that Nina’s mental stability had lessened since the last time Ash had spoken with her. So muttering a quick greeting to the queen, Yuka had allowed the siblings to catch up, going to look around the lands that he would be spending his time in for the next several weeks. During this time, he had found that he had liked it, there was darkness everywhere, save a few areas where a little bit of light would shine through the trees.

Eventually, Minka had come. The Thorben had never enjoyed Minka’s company and he had grown to have a steady hatred for the woman who had betrayed Whisper Caverns and taken his angel with her. And now, Inali had paid for what she had done. There had been a settlement of peace, and Ash had decided to stay for a few days before they would depart home. Over the next two days, Yuka became increasingly aware of Inali’s scent once more, cursing his luck. Had it not been for the argument that Ash had started with Nina, Yuka never would have known that Inali had deceived him again. In the end, Ash had been quite understanding, pleased that Inali had done what she could to ensure Nina’s safety. He had appeared calm and forgiving, shocking the russet-faced boy to his core.

Since that point on, Yuka had watched Inali(from the shadows, of course), watching her become adjusted to the area that she now called home. The Guard had remembered that Inali and Minka had been considered sisters and it had been why Inali had left him. Why in the world would she have risked her friendship with Minka when they were at the advantage?  It was an unspoken question, and he found the itching need to get answers, many answers from the woman that he thought he had murdered. The one thought that had been torturing his mind for so long. And so finally, he stepped forward, her back facing him, and he silently approached. Not even bothering to clear his throat, the large man allowed his grumbled, baritone voice to echo in the area, "I do believe you have a lot of explaining to do…" He left it at that. Yuka was sure she would know who he was, she had always had a way of knowing it was him. Even if it was just Inali, Yuka’s head was tilted at the familiar awkward angle, leaving his monstrosity of a face out of her vision.

Thank you TABs

When she heard the voice, Inali jolted slightly but already she recognized the deep baritone. It was no use being shocked for she had come to realize that the boy lurked mostly in the shadows. Their last encounter hadn't been so pretty, so Inali turned slowly, her eyes roaming his figure intently. He had grown even larger, bulkier than before. He was basically a man now. No longer could she think of him as a boy entering adulthood for he was already heading into adulthood full force. It surprised her that already Yuka would soon be two years of age. How time had passed, and how many mistakes she had made concerning him. The petite woman realized this could possibly be the time, the only time, he would truly listen.  Her eyes flickered towards his scars, but he hid them in the darkness of the thickets. Unlike him, she could not hide her own with a simple tilt of her head. It would be branded on her forever, until the day she died. She sat, wanting to be comfortable. Opening her maw, the woman began in her soft tones. ”I have never enjoyed the idea of war. When tensions rose in Whisper Caverns, all I wanted was for the anger and misery to end. Something needed to give. And it did. We left and settled within the blackberry fields nearby here and in time, tensions arose with Secret Woodlands. Our healer was attacked by them, and Minka declared war. I didn't agree. You see, Nina had once been a friend. The level of ferocity of the attack didn't seem like something Nina would've done unless it was neccessary." Taking a pause, Inali continued. ”So, despite Minka's orders to stay away from the Woodlands pack, I came to find the truth. End of the story, Nina hadn't even known of the attack and was sure that it had been rogues who had done the awful deed." She bowed her head, shaking it gently. Gazing back up at him, Inali decided to wrap up the story. ”I warned her that there could be impending war. I could not lead a pack that didnt deserve it to their destruction. When I went back home, I told Minka of what I had done and she gave me mercy I didnt deserve which I practically threw back at her face." She looked at him intensely, needing him to see that she didnt regret her decision one bit. "She provided me with an ultimatum. If I was to be accepted back into the pack, I had to cut off all ties with the Woodlands and the Caverns. She shrugged lightly. ”So I chose." Waiting for his response, Inali wondered what he was thinking. ”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: May 10, 2015, 02:07 AM by Inali.)

Though he had been watching her, he had always remained in the shadows, never truly getting a proper look at the woman he had once considered mother. So when she turned to face him, the first thing that Guardian noticed was the new tarnish on her muzzle. His former ties to her wanted him to inspect it, to ask who had done that to her so that he could tear them limb from limb. But he remained rooted, his amber teal eyes watching as she took her time in making herself comfortable. Her initial reaction was shock but that was to be expected considering the silent entrance he had made. And so he waited, his eyes narrowed at her. Obviously, she was part of the Woodlands now and had left her beloved sister for some reason. All Yuka wanted to know was why. He would keep an open mind, being reminded of Ash’s reaction to the news and how he had, eventually, accepted it. Nina was quite intimidating and the Thorben would not want to be on the bad side of her jaws.

After the woman got comfortable, she began her tale and the Guardian listened attentively, noting the details that she gave. It seemed that she had done yet another stupid thing…but what bothered him, was why. His mother would never accept her back into the pack and she was certainly going on a limb hoping that Nina would allow her into her home. All she would have to do was break ties with the wolves that despised her. Though, if Yuka was perfectly honest, the pain he had felt months after the incident had been horrible and he had kept the guilt all to himself. Ash did not even know what he had believed he had done. He remained in silence for several moments, allowing her to bask in the awful silence that always made her so uncomfortable. She always was a talker and if someone else was not talking to her when they were in her presence, he recalled, it made her squirm. And so, he asked the one question he needed to know, "Why?"

Thank you TABs

He gazed at her, his amber teal gaze betraying absolutely nothing. The silence seemed suffocating as it grew in length, and Inali couldn't help that her tail fidgeted every other moment, showing her obvious discomfort. Where once she could've happily sat in silence by his side, this was not the comfortable silence that she had grown used to in his presence. Inali, though uncomfortable, didn't stray her gaze from his. He would speak soon enough, ending this horrific silence. Maybe this was what he wanted - to see her uncomfortable. She wasn't sure of his intentions, for she didn't know this Yuka. Inali was not a naive woman. She didn't envision that their relationship would be as great or as deep as it once was. Both of them had caused each other hurt, hurt that they couldn't take back. But if they could just be one step closer to a relationship again, than all she had done was truly worth it. In time, their wounds would heal and they could grow close again. That was the hope she held deep within, but she was scared even to voice it. No matter how aloof she acted to his words, each bitter word that escaped Yuka's maw tore at her heart each and every time. What would he say this time? The woman tried to gather her thoughts. How could she word her turbulent emotions? She was usually a woman that had no trouble finding the words to express her feelings, but now Inali truthfully was completely tongue-tied. After a few more moments, Inali opened her maw. "Whether you like to admit to yourself or not...our bond was a special one," she began slowly. "Minka was asking me to do something that I simply couldn't. I betrayed you once, I couldn't do so again. I don't hate you, Yuka. I don't care that you tried to kill me. I have long since forgiven you. The answer to your question is that Minka was asking me to forever be an enemy to you, but how could I forever be an enemy to my son?" For the first time, Inali now lowered her gaze. She didn't want Yuka to see the moisture slowly clouding her haunted blue orbs. Memories of them assaulted the woman, and Inali wanted them to stop. She had destroyed them. How could Yuka ever truly forgive her for that? "speech"”Speech”

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He remained silent as he waited for Inali to speak, his stance rigid and still on the defensive. Perhaps had he been more emotionally involved, he would have called into question how she was feeling and maybe have been a slight bit more sensitive to the woman in front of him. After all, she had acted as his caretaker, almost since he was born, and he should have been able to feel more than just…nothing for her. So he watched her while she explained, his facial expression unchanged as he waited for anything other than neutrality to pass through him. Nothing truly happened until his teal amber eyes focused on the scar that was prominent on her face. It had not been there when he had “killed” her and so, he could only assume it had happened recently. He felt his heart accelerate at someone else marking the woman’s face and his eyes narrowed slightly, his jaw clenching against the emotions that were trying to break though. He remained still, allowing the silence to wash over them again. He was able to collect his thoughts better, but his damn curiosity got the best of him and he was unable to keep his gaze away from the scar that now marred her face.

So, in true Yuka fashion, he bluntly stated his question, not bothering to see if his inquiry bothered her, "Who did that to your face?" He wouldn’t allow her words to get to him. If she could prove that she was telling the truth, then perhaps there would be a chance for some semblance of their relationship to be salvaged. His teal amber eyes locked onto her as he waited for her response, not having the patience nor willing to exert it as he waited for her response. His tail waved high above his back, even though it was probably disrespectful in the fashion that he was in, but it did not matter to him. He knew that soon he would be leaving with Ash soon, so it was important that the two of them decided exactly what they were and for Yuka to gather the answers he truly deserved. 

Thank you TABs

There is a rabbit\'s nest nearby. +1 Health

Silence surrounded them after her words, and Inali didn't dare look up to see what Yuka's reaction to her words would be. She had no idea what he was thinking, and that terrified her. Would he counter her words with anger or with understanding? The petite she wolf couldn't help but once more start to fidget as she suffered through the silence that Yuka seemed to relish torturing her with. After some time in the never ending silence, Inali finally gathered up the courage to look up and see what Yuka had thought of her words. But she couldn't read him. It was like his features were carved in stone, and for a moment, Inali's heart skipped a beat, her soul once more filling with remorse. Maybe if she hadn't left, he wouldn't have encountered the creature that had scarred him, and because of that, had turned into a man who withdrew into himself. A man who lived in the shadows, almost like a phantom. Did he seek redemption? What was he seeking? Inali didn't understand the darkness that she saw within him now, and she only wished that someone would one day be able to eradicate it. His words, finally spoken, made her flinch slightly and the woman even took a small step back from the man towering before her. The feeling of fear, the one she hadn't let herself show that day, came back full force. Not only the fear, but the despair. Losing Minka, seeing her hatred and hurt at her betrayal, was a memory Inali would never be able to erase from her mind. Taking a moment to compose herself, Inali took a mental fortifying breath before opening her maw. "I told you that Minka had offered me an ultimatum and that I had made my choice. Minka...was not very happy with my decision." The woman looked away from Yuka, not wanting to give any more detail for under no circumstance, did she want to relive that day. "speech"”Speech”

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Even if her words would not affect him, her actions did. He was taken aback when he saw the flash of fear in her eyes. Was it of him? He had not made any threatening gesture towards her. He almost shocked to the point where he almost took a step back to make the distance between them longer, but it quickly became apparent to him that it wasn’t him that she feared, even if it very well should have been. When she spoke, he listened attentively, his amber teal eyes flashing angrily at what she described. While he was angry, there was a part of him that was glad that this had happened to her. Had she remained with him, he never would have imagined harming her in any way, ever. Still, Minka’s actions reminded him very much of his own all those months ago when he had believed to have killed the only woman who had mattered to him. It was almost sad to think that he could tolerate his mother, whom he felt no attachment with, but would kill Inali within a heartbeat for the decision she had made. It just reiterated for him the monstrosity that he had almost committed and the capability that Ash had put within his paws. Often, he wondered how his mentor was so good at what he did, but Yuka never dared ask, in fear of angering the man. While the russet-creamy boy had never truly seen Ash angry, he could only imagine what it would be like…and it was not fun.

Swallowing his pride, he spoke to the woman in front of him, knowing that she had truly made the ultimate choice to save someone she barely even knew. She chose him over that stupid bitch. His tail wagged behind him in triumph. He had finally won. He cleared his throat, his deep baritone gliding through the silence, "I am sorry that happened to you…and…and I’m…sorry for trying to kill you." The last part of his sentence was stated bluntly, unknowing any better way of communicating it with her than to lay it on the ground with the fact that was in his mind. She had obviously given up quite a bit just so that she would be able to see him again and he was not going to be an ass and spoil that for her. There was no possible way for their relationship to be as it once was but now that she was joined with Secret Woodlands, there would be more opportunities for the pair to see one another. To try to mend what was broken when Yuka had been but a pup. He loved her, that was obvious, but the fear of not being loved back always won out on him and he once again pushed the feelings back, fearful of what pain it might bring to him.

Thank you TABs

When she turned her attention back to him, she was surprised to see him...happy. His tail wagged and she had no idea what to make of his actions. Inali had braced herself for words that would speak only truth - that she had deserved it. She was prepared for the now familiar jolt of pain to her heart. But this...this hurt her more than his words ever could. Yuka hated her for leaving him and breaking her promise, so it was only obvious that the boy would be happy at her pain. Right? The woman almost turned to leave, wanting to privately grieve at the complete obliteration of her heart. Losing Naia had nearly destroyed her, but coupled with the knowledge that Yuka truly did want to see her dead was too much to bear. Inali could only endure so much. But maybe she had read it all wrong. His actions said one thing, but his words meant another. The petite she wolf didn't understand. Maybe she hadn't completely ruined everything. Maybe she still had a chance to fix her mistakes, and carve a new, hopeful path for the future. Maybe she could redeem herself in his amber teal gaze once more. Maybe one day he would completely drop his mask like he had so freely done with her so long ago. There were so many maybe's, but nothing was certain. Inali was torn. What was she to do? He had apologized for his awful act that she had long since forgiven him for. Did he need to hear it again? Or maybe...he didn't need to hear it at all. Tentatively, almost like a pup stepping into the outside world for the first time, she closed the distance between them. Slowly, she laid her head against his chest, her form pressing against his lightly. Bit by bit, her tense muscles loosened as she sagged against him, letting him know she was completely at his mercy and to know that she trusted him to not hurt her again.She could admit to herself now, a small part of her had been afraid of this moment, ever since he had tried to kill her. A small part of Inali had indeed been afraid of her Knight. But now...now all she felt was free. Free of the anger, free of the bitterness, but most importantly, free of the fear that she had never let herself admit to feeling until this very moment. "speech"”Speech”

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(This post was last modified: Jul 17, 2015, 03:01 AM by Inali.)