Magnolia Glen Don't rain on my parade, it's gonna glow in the dark.

-cackles-

Her mind was racing at a hundred miles a minute, because if he wasn't lying, and if she hadn't misheard or he hadn't misspoken, and if this wasn't some freaky coincidence, then, then - the implications were leaving smoke trails in her brain as she flashed uncontrollably from one to the other. It had been so long - all her life, it felt like! Longer, really. She was just finishing up someone else's business. She'd been to so many places, talked to so many people... Rue hadn't thought she'd hear the name Tainn, spoken innocently and unprompted like it had been now, before her bones were old and brittle. It was just something she'd come to accept, if in a I'm-gonna-keep-searching-regardless kind of acceptance.

When his voice touched her ears, every flailing strand in her mind hyper-focused on him, expression intense as she listened, impatient for some fortuitous sign that this wasn't just some wild goose chase, some fluke. Oak Tree Bend meant nothing, maybe she was wrong, but then it happened.

"TRIELL?" she shrieked, and pitched forward in complete shock, which was a terrible idea - remembering too-late that she was in a terrible location for a wolf, Rue squeaked in alarm as she began to slip forwards, and over-compensated by trying to heave herself backwards. With no claws to hold on and with the wrong kind of body for climbing trees (and staying in them) she fell backwards off the thick branch, falling the few feet to the ground and landing in an ungraceful heap. "... owwww."

Without hesitation, the prince sprinted over to where the girl had fell. "Are you okay?!?" She hadn't appeared to be too injured, though he was definitely far from being considered a medic. "I knew you would fall! I saw it happen! I-- Are you okay?" honest concern laced his voice, what would he do if she were seriously injured? The Bend was by no means far from their location, but would they even make it say she had broken something?

Why had his father's name caused such a reaction in the first place? Perhaps his judgement was off after all. Or, well, something had to be up! The Tainn's head was spinning, he hadn't prepared for anything like this to actually happen and he could feel the anxiety building up in his chest, though a panic attack sure wasn't going to help either of them out. Taking deep, controlled breathes, the ravened heir impatiently waited for his company to lay out just how bad the situation really was. He just preyed for both of their sake's that the girl could at the very least walk.

'You're probably over-exaggerating Darrah. Remember, you've always been good at that. She could be fine.. Just.. Just-- Calm. Remain calm.'

I curse the blue skies.

Darrah Tainn

(This post was last modified: May 05, 2016, 09:01 AM by Darrah.)

At some point,

I started looking at the ground more than the sky

It’s hard even to breathe.

She groaned as he dashed over, her whole side aching from the impact. One of her forelegs felt a little weak and throbbing, but she didn't think it was broken - not that she knew what that felt like. Somehow. As the dark boy blurted his concern (she was awful and had already forgotten his name, D-something... that was so unlike her, the incredible reveal of his family name had completely dominated every synapse) she shunted herself about on the ground a little to try and get a little more comfortable, and partly to test that everything still worked.

It did. "I'm okay," she said, and with that realisation the potential severity of her fall began to slip from her mind, unimportant, replaced, instead, with growing amusement for how his shock seemed rather greater than hers. "I'm okay," she said again, and couldn't suppress a smile, because she had been the one to fall out of the tree but he was in greater need of consoling. "I've done stupider stuff than that, I'll be fine." And go on to do more stupid stuff, no doubt. Grunting as she pushed herself up off the ground with her forearms to a sitting position, she winced a little at the sharp pain in her elbow, but decided that it was only temporary. Just like the throbbing all over her flank where she'd thumped into the ground. All temporary. In her expert opinion.

Expression sheepish but gleeful, she glanced up at him, appreciative of his concern even if it was over-the-top. As she looked at him, the shock of her fall began to ebb and the cause of her fall quickly seeped back in; he was family. Real, tangible family, and she worked it out in her head quickly - they were cousins. He was a real, tangible cousin, sitting right there and worried about her. Like family should. For once, something rendered her momentarily speechless, which wasn't all that helpful considering it meant she didn't explain why she was sat there staring at him with something like awe. He probably just thought she was a nutjob.

"Good." The Tainn whispered, pacing around slowly as if to walk off any remaining anxiety he held. "You should really be more careful! I mean, What was that?" After all, the boy deserved an explanation now that her safety was no longer a concern. To state for the record once last time, he'd never experienced a reaction quite like that when it concerned his family tree. "Do you have business with the Tainn's? With my father?" Now Darrah would be the first to admit that Triell had been known to do strange things here and there, but nothing to cause such an over-dramatic brouhaha!

"Because I'll apologize right now for anything he might of done to you, but he's had a lot going on too, yah know?" The prince sighed. "Like we were talking about earlier, with the whole living through sadness or whatever. Prime example; Triell Tainn." and wasn't that the truth? Though the same could honestly be spoken for the other remaining Tainn's as well; himself included. "Hellebore will help with the pain.." he learned that from the elders residing in the pack he'd just got back from visiting. "So if I can get you some, can we just call it even?" the inky yearling sighed. "We've really been through enough..."

Celebrate the way the night hides scars.

Darrah Tainn

At some point,

I started looking at the ground more than the sky

It’s hard even to breathe.

It was kinda nice to have someone worrying about her. She didn't need it, and in fact had spent most of her childhood rebelling against it, but as she sat there and revelled in the fact that she was in the presence of family... and family who cared about her wellbeing... well, it was nice. He was even framing it in a 'you're so dumb and should know better' kind of way, which made it all the more comfortable and familiar!

But, understandably, he was just as concerned about her apparent connection to his family. She hadn't yet explained her outburst so that made sense. It amused her, in a somewhat sad kinda way, that he might suspect her to be looking to cause trouble. Rue just watched her cousin with a distant smile, enjoying the sound of his voice, feeling strangely detached from reality, from this, from now. There was so much to be said and done that she was having difficulty putting it all together, as though she'd been preparing for some great trip for years and now was suddenly being told it's time, let's go right now! and oh no, where had she put her toothbrush and she had no idea if she needed her passport and why wasn't her luggage packed?! 

The way he was talking made it sound like all was, in fact, well in paradise, and for some reason that was at odds with her expectations; for some reason, she'd thought that she'd come across some serene haven of Tainns when and if that ever happened, without problems or cares. It didn't sound like that was the case. They were real wolves too, she guessed, with real lives, despite having occupied this lofty, ethereal spot in her imagination for so long.

"I promise I'm not here to be trouble," she said, a little more quiet and controlled than her normal, bouncy tone, soft brown eyes finding and fixing on his. She smiled weakly, sheepishly. "And you don't owe me anything, it's okay. My name is Ruenna Tainn. I think your dad might be my uncle."

Sorry! I had company over all weekend :(

He maintained a stern expression up until the very moment the fae released her name. " R-Ruenna T-Tainn? Triell... Uncle?" Quite ironically the prince was just as quick to mimic the same reaction he'd wholeheartedly disproved of only moments prior. He took a bit of a leap back, staring at the girl in disbelief. "H-Hotei had no children, to my knowledge..  Uhm, Indru?" Darrah questioned, now trying desperately to remember the names of his fathers kin. They'd only been listed once for him in the past, and being a mere pup at the time he'd not thought it important to lock them in memory.

"Borlla? Wait, are you related to Celandine?" Cella had always been somewhat vague with conversations between cousin's, though the heir was sure she would have mentioned something about a sister. "No, you're not as.. Erm, white as she is.. I-I'm sorry, I should just let you explain, probably easier that way anyway." he sighed, knowing all to well that he'd always been one to talk too much. Another relative, How fascinating. Darrah had always held family close to his heart, it'd be an amazing experience to let one more in. 'I gotta introduce her to everyone!' he smiled warmly.

Celebrate the way the night hides scars.

Darrah Tainn

At some point,

I started looking at the ground more than the sky

It’s hard even to breathe.

He wore the shock plain on his face, just like she had a few moments earlier. The girl just sat there, watching her dark-furred cousin with the cute white mark on his head as he jumped back and processed it for himself, her own manner now strangely calm. For a wolf who usually played about with the fantasy and unreal, this situation was weirdly comfortable; she still couldn't quite believe that it was actually happening. If she hadn't hit her head after hearing Triell's name, Rue might have blamed it on a concussion.


As it happened, the first couple of names out of his mouth cemented it. Hotei, Indru and Borlla were all names she knew, and knew well, as though the individuals behind each one were intimately familiar despite having never physically met any of them. Any chance of coincidence was shot dead and buried.

Unexpectedly, it stung a little that her father's name was not among those on his lips, though it would have been silly to assume that he would rattle off every aunt and uncle. Sensibly, he instead handed the topic back to her. She took a breath, felt as though she were floating in some thick white cloud, and steadied herself, eyes never wavering from her cousin's fire-orange eyes which she had been told were so typical of Tainns.

"I'm Kinis' daughter."


For once, more words failed her. Heart beating heavily, she was forced to conciseness, watching his expression for recognition of the name, hungry for it, the last level of confirmation that... this was it. She had done it.

What was she supposed to do now?

(This post was last modified: May 15, 2016, 03:55 PM by Ruenna.)

Kinis! The name clicked immediately, leaving Darrah feeling a sense of shame. How could he have forgotten that one? A litter mate like Borlla, if recollection served him right. But wasn't there one more? Yes, he was sure of it. 'Gah, Not important Darrah! Ask Triell later! Holy smokes, Another cousin!' He grinned, and his tail began to wag vigorously with excitement. "Kinis! I've heard of him! How is he? Is he.. Uhm.." Still alive? That's what the yearling wanted to say. Though he knew better than anyone else what it was like to be asked questions about a parent who no longer existed. "Uh, My dad would love to meet you!" quick thinking, the inky heir sighed with relief.

"Are you staying anywhere right now? You should come home with me, to Oak Tree Bend! You've got way more cousins than just me! There's Drift and Sahalie and.. And eventually I could introduce you to Celandine! She's kind of grumpy but.. She's got charisma!" Slow down Darrah, she likely had a home of her very own to return to. "Or I mean, you don't have to live with us.. But at least come back and meet them. Sahalie will love you." the Tainn shy'd away, knowing quite well that he was getting ahead of himself. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to overwhelm you." I just talk too damn much.

Celebrate the way the night hides scars.

Darrah Tainn

At some point,

I started looking at the ground more than the sky

It’s hard even to breathe.

You could fade with them heading back to OTB? :3 Start a new thread there?

The recognition she craved flashed over his face, the boy repeating her father's name with enthusiasm. Her heart surged, her tail brushing through the mossy ground before hesitating a moment at his unfinished question. Her ears flickered back for just a moment, but she didn't answer it, for her cousin was quickly onto other matters, and her tail resumed its happy dragging through the dirt at the sentiment.

A dreamy smile overtook her face as she listened to him ramble on, absorbing every name, every detail, enraptured by how rapidly her family was expanding right before her eyes. So many wolves she had had no idea about, for how could she? His polite but ultimately unnecessary concern for where she was staying brought light laughter to her lips, shaking her head at his adorable ignorance and his sweet concern that he might be overloading her. Quite the contrary; she wanted to know everything. "I would love to come back with you," she beamed, the pain in her elbows quite faded with this wonderful turn of events, and she stood, prepared to make a move this very instant! "I don't stay in one place, I'm free as a bird. There's nothing I'd like more than to meet everyone." Then she grinned apologetically, shrugging her shoulders in a what-can-ya-do manner: "And hey - I didn't properly catch your name back there. Kinda got my world turned upside down for a moment, you know how it goes."

Darrah's grin only got bigger as his newest family member agree'd to accompany him back to the Bend. "Darrah!" He chirped, not bothering to use his formal introduction a second time. "Pleasure to meet you, Ruenna!" his tail continued it's happy sway as he once more studied the appearance of his company, though this time with a lot less wiriness. "Man, Dad's gonna be crazy excited to see you! He's mentioned your dad before, ya know? I think he misses his family.." and though it wasn't his brother directly he'd have the pleasure of greeting, the young Tainn was sure his father would be just as pleased.

 

"Well, Let's not waste anymore time then, yeah?" They've already dawdled for so long, it was nearly sunset! Surely the girl would be content with spending a night with her family though, right? Well, at this rate honestly she might not have much of a choice. Darrah couldn't imagine his father just casting family away into the night after barely having the time to get to talk with her. "We're gonna travel south for a while, so you better be ready!"

What a day! Though the prince couldn't say it wasn't well worth it. Traveling toward the direction of the Bend, Darrah couldn't wait to bring his lost family member home, and he most certainly couldn't wait to see the look on Sahalie's face when they arrived. 'Gahh, Glad I decided to travel today after all.'

Celebrate the way the night hides scars.

Darrah Tainn

At some point,

I started looking at the ground more than the sky

It’s hard even to breathe.