Kingsfall homecoming heros

For @Kisla. Karina is approaching the border, but won't cross without Kisla's permission. She's looking thin and worn, and is showing/ smelling of her pregnancy.
With Karina's homecoming, I want to make an important note: there is no reason that anyone would really know (as in, beyond faint conjectures or suspicions) the identity of Karina's mate. No one has been told, Karina has been gone for months, and Kjors has not had any lengthy absence from the packlands.

No matter your age or experience, returning home just has that inexplicable way of making you feel a child again.

So it seemed that as Karina traveled farther from Dragonveil, she felt the All-Mother’s presence less and less and the heavy weight of her Earth-mother’s disappointment more and more.  The shift had been a subtle thing, as she was travelling very slowly due to her steadily progressing pregnancy. The doe was trudging along beside her, the faintest wisp of her usual luminous glow. Karina knew that by the time she reached Kisla’s border, the daemon would have faded to a bare suggestion of a shadow.  As the evidence of the Mother’s blessing ebbed away, Karina’s old anxieties settled back into that familiar place in the pit of her chest. She could not help but wonder if she was setting herself up for heartbreak, returning to the land of her youth no longer a girl, but an iniquitous woman with the product of her transgression so conspicuously in tow.

It had not been part of the plan for Karina to return to Kingsfall at all. She had meant to stay in Dragonveil, give birth and raise the dragon hatchlings herself, with Kjors to join her once he tied up loose ends in Hearthwood River. Once her belly began to distend and the reality of her situation truly set in Karina had grown uncertain, and this was only augmented by the amplifying, oppressive loneliness that constricted her heart a little more with every passing day. She had grown wild with panic at the thought of having to do it all alone, and so she did what any girl in trouble would do.

She ran to her mother.

Goddess above, what she wouldn’t give for Kisla’s embrace right now, her soft and comforting words, the reassurance that everything was going to be okay. Karina hated herself for not realizing what she’d had when Kisla had been within her reach every day. Her own mother, such a treasure chest of knowledge, of important family history, of love and support… the value of a mother’s wisdom should have been obvious to her, she the All-Mother’s priestess, and yet she had spurned Kisla’s every command of her. It would be difficult to repair what had never been sturdily built to begin with, but was it too late to try?

(This post was last modified: Apr 17, 2016, 03:33 PM by Karina.)

She had thought of this day ever since the moment Karina’s scent had faded form Hearthwood River – the ability to embrace her eldest daughter once more, and o soothe her worries. Karina had all but betrayed her family the moment she stepped foot from their pack borders to do exactly as she was requested not to, and it left the honeyed woman in a predicament.. and with an ache in her chest.

Maksim’s health continued to decline, and Kisla had become more resolute as the months passed and Karina was not to be found or heard of. She had sought her daughter out herself – as had others in their pack.. and only Orren had come forward claiming she was fine, but not coming home yet.

Like Aleksei, Karina had simply disappeared without thought or word to those who loved her, and only left them to worry without any sense of closure. She had expected it to be Orren who would have become the wayward traveler – his paws itched for adventure, and yet it had been Orren to remain by his parents side – it had been Orren who comforted her with his presence as she watched the love of her life wither away. It was Orren who held her full trust now – and the disappointment she felt that should either of her eldest children return, the door to their home was not one that revolved.. for Hearthwood River was not so accepting to those that had taken advantage of their trust.

Yet when the scent of her daughter teased at her senses, Kisla became lost on what her decision could be and with quickened paws, she carried her way towards her. She did not know how long Karina had waited, yet once her bright green eyes fell upon the now rounding form of the youthful girl, she felt not only a surge of joy that Karina had returned – but heartache, that she had also taken this one last step to rebel against the River wolves.

“Karina,” she murmured, all at once desiring nothing more than to sweep forward and hold her girl and never release her, or to throttle her for the pain and worry she had put them all through. Choosing the former, Kisla loped quickly to close the distance between the two, her form attempting to slide against her daughter’s as her nose would begin to preen at her ears, a gentle sob escaping her as emotion took her breath

(This post was last modified: Apr 29, 2016, 04:40 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

Karina could sense her mother’s approach, and the urge to both run into her embrace and flee from her disappointment immobilized the girl. She had thought perhaps they would be meeting today as one expecting mother to another, but as Kisla came into view Karina could see that was not the case. Who could blame her really, after her first litter had caused her so much disappointment and heartache? As their eyes met, time seemed to slow for the pair, and Karina’s breath hitched in her throat as she waited for her mother to react. 

Kisla ran to her, and her daughter fell into her embrace with such intense relief that it was all she could do to simply stand. She was eating meat regularly now—for the sake of the pups—and was stronger than she had been in a year, but her journey had tired her considerably. As mother and daughter held one another the younger began to quiver, though perhaps not just from weariness. Karina dipped her head to allow her mother to stroke her ears, as she had so often done when Karina was a pup. After conceiving, she had imagined she was now utterly alone in the world save Kjors and the dragon hatchlings. She never thought to ever again feel the soft warmth of her mother’s tongue sweeping lovingly over her, making her a child once more.

”I’m sorry, Mama,” Karina murmured, shoulders tensing, pressing Kisla into an even tighter embrace. “So so sorry.” A quiet sob escaped Kisla, and Karina pulled away from her, tears shimmering in her own crystalline eyes. “Please don’t cry, Mom. I know I’m not.. that this isn’t… what you wanted..” I know I’m a complete and utter failure and disappointment, but if you cry.. “Please don’t cry,” she begged again, visibly shaking now. I’m not dead, I’m not lost. She moved forward to swipe at her mother’s tears with her muzzle, terrified of what they might signify. If Kisla was crying, what could that mean for her felonious daughter?

   

    
 

She could feel the quiver of her daughter begin to stir, and it mirrored in to her own form as emotion completely overwhelmed her. Karina was home, where she belonged – in her mother’s embrace, albeit pregnant. Kisla pushed the thought away only for a second as she savored this moment. Her daughter’s scent was so different – the fresh forest of Hearthwood River long gone from her, and yet she was still so familiar.

The whispered words did little to soothe the sob that escaped her and instead caused the tears to flow more freely. Karina pulled away then, and the honeyed woman cast her bright eyes upon her fully grown daughter, unable to keep another sob from escaping her. What had she ever done to drive her away? To drive Aleksei away?

And suddenly their roles were reversed. It was Karina who planted kisses upon her cheeks, wiping her tears away as she consoled her mother. Kisla gave a weary laugh, riddled with overdriven emotion and relief that finally the girl had come back to where she had belonged. “I’ve missed you,” she spoke finally, trying to clear her throat and stabilize herself. She pulled back then, her nose grazing her daughter’s cheek before she studied her, her gaze softening upon the rounded swell of her pregnant belly. “We will make this work.” For any harbored thoughts of indignation at how her children used her as a doormat, at the end of the day, Kisla knew that she could never turn the girl away, even if it meant endangering her pack. She knew Lachesis would not be able to, either. “Naia is pregnant as well this year with Lachesis’ pups.”

(This post was last modified: May 16, 2016, 04:04 PM by Kisla.)

sparking up my heart

“Me too,” Karina agreed, I missed you like I’ve never missed you before. You never know what you have until it’s gone, and just as soon as she had turned from her old life the threat of losing her mother forever had driven her home.  Even if it was only just to say goodbye. Kisla would have the right of it if she chose to turn Karina away from Hearthwood; her daughter had earned that fate for herself several times over. Her mother pulled from the embrace and her apple-green eyes fell appraisingly on her daughter, as if she were finally considering the situation at hand. The girl stiffened a bit, heart hammering as she awaited her mother’s verdict. If she were banished, Karina could not very well travel the whole way back to Dragonveil in her condition.. she would have to give birth in Kingsfall all alone and unprotected.  Surely Kisla—a mother herself—could not resign her firstborn daughter to such a fate?

”We will make this work,” Kisla assured her, and the princess’s breath rushed out in a relieved sigh. “Thanks, Mom.” One of her rare smiles twitched timidly across her face, and Karina felt almost shy. She suddenly recalled another time the two of them had spoken, when Karina was so small she could still tuck easily beneath her mother’s chin. The tiny scrap of a girl had confessed to Kisla that she had fallen in love, and was terrified that she would be exiled for her imagined treason.  Karina’s smile grew as she remembered how her mother had laughed at that, pulling her distressed little daughter close to snuggle her and reassure her.

Questions floated up like bubbles in a pond as Kisla told her of Naia’s pregnancy, but they dissolved away before the girl could ask anything aloud. “..With your blessing?” she nearly choked out in surprise, before another voice in her head answered, ”Of course with her blessing!” Those two were the most loyal wolves in Hearthwood, and would sooner die than betray the pack for something as silly as love. Like Karina. Really the oddest part of the situation was the part where Naia and Lachesis actually fell in love to begin with.. Karina had seen them together many times, and their relationship had never seemed anything more than professional. Relationships can change in the blink of an eye, Karina reminded herself, recalling how Kjors had come to her in Dragonveil… how she had seen him as if seeing him for the first time.

The girl pushed thoughts of Kjors away guiltily, compelled by the strange notion that if she even thought about the father of her children in her mother’s presence, Kisla would somehow know. She had not yet inquired about the father and Karina hoped she never would; perhaps they shared an unspoken agreement to act as if he didn’t exist. Brooding on the father of her children made Karina think of her own, and she suddenly realized why this whole Naia–and-Lachesis  thing was so unsettling. “Then.. is Dad.. worse?” she asked, eyes widening fearfully as she anticipated the answer. Karina had been assuming that her parents didn’t want to  have another litter this year, but was it really that they couldn’t? 

   

    
 

Her eyes would drift toward the rounding stomach of her daughter, though she made no further comment on it. She did not question who the father was -- she did not see any man following dutifully behind her daughter, and she could only assume her silver girl had taken the attention of a loner during her journey from home. It was not what she had envisioned for her eldest -- but if Kisla had learned anything, it was that children did not do what one would ultimately dream for them -- nor was it necessarily what they wanted, either. All she could hope was that he had not forced himself upon her.. but as far as she was concerned, they were Hearthwood River pups, and there would be no questions asked.

"No," she answered, solemn, yet with a finality. It was no good to coddle her daughter -- Maksim was well enough to converse, and she hoped his energy would return soon.. but it had not yet, and Lachesis remained in his place. The ivory male had held the position for so long now, Kisla wondered if he had been the male regal of the lands longer than her own mate had when they carved out the River as their new home. "We can go visit him now. He'll be so happy to know you're home and safe."

sparking up my heart

There is a deer that was killed by a lynx nearby. +10 Health

Up to you if you want to reply or archive.

Kisla did not expand on the condition of her mate, which concerned Karina—she was Maksim’s daughter and something of a healer, she ought to know!—but the mother and daughter’s conciliation was so tenuous right now that Karina knew not to press. She was grateful her mother was letting her back into the packlands at all, and she could of course check on Maksim as soon and as often as she wanted.  

 Just as the girl thought of it, Kisla suggested visiting Maksim, and the reality of actually seeing her father right now dawned upon the girl with a mixture of relief and anxiety. She would spend no more time wondering and conjecting about his condition once she saw him for herself, but of course once she saw him, he would see her. And her condition.  And he would have wonders and conjectures. “O- Okay,” she agreed shakily, steeling herself for her father’s reaction, whatever it might be. “Let’s see Dad.” She struggled to smile for Kisla, but her attempt was so weak that it would convince no one, especially not her own mother.

 As she accompanied her mother back into her homeland, the girl sighed contentedly when familiar sights and smells met her senses. The thought of eating meat had once made her stomach squirm, but after months of near-starvation (and not to mention carrying pups) she found herself for the first time truly appreciating the abundance of food in Hearthwood River’s borders. Outside the packlands she would never find a carcass just sitting around unclaimed and uneaten, such as the one she smelled now, but within the protected boundary of Hearthwood food was everywhere, just waiting to be found and cached.

 Mother and daughter neared the center of the packlands, and Karina felt her nerves returning with every step they took toward her father’s judgement. Karina sought her mother’s verdant gaze uncertainly, hoping to take comfort in her mother’s supportive silence.

 Here we go..

   

    
 

She could sense the nervousness of her daughter – it was understandable, but she withheld any comment regarding Karina’s pregnancy for now. Later she would gently press the girl for details of the father, but she would receive nothing, and in turn, would not pressure her too much. It mattered only to the honeyed woman that the pups had been conceived with permission on both accounts, and she only hoped Karina had not been taken advantage of during such a vulnerable time – Maksim might not have seen it her way, but she would do her best to placate his own fears and concerns.

They would be at Lachesis’ infirmary den soon – and Kisla cast her eyes upon her daughter, softening her gaze as she slowed her pace slightly for the agouti girl. “Do you want me to see him first? This is going to be a shock to him.” There was no point beating around the elephant in the room – but in that moment, Karina’s rebellion was forgotten – the simple fact her children seemed to feel they could simply come and go as they pleased due to their name and heritage alone. In that moment, all that mattered was loving her daughter and showing her that she was not alone in any of this.

sparking up my heart

Karina winced at her mother’s bluntness, although Kisla spoke nothing more than the austere truth her errant daughter deserved. No doubt her father could already scent his mate and eldest daughter outside the medicine den. No doubt he was wondering why Karina hadn’t come in yet. The pressure was enough to crush a stronger wolf than Karina. “I..think... yes. Thanks, ” Her stuttered gratitude emerged as barely a sigh.

Karina felt an odd, pulling feeling on her heart as Kisla disappeared into the den. It was as if she was a tiny pup again, overcome with fear and longing as her mother left her to attend to some other matter. As a child Karina would have whimpered piteously until her mother returned, and even all grown up (and a mother herself!) she was barely able to contain her whine.

Karina’s heart nearly burst from her chest when after a long wait, her mother summoned her into the den. Trembling paws carried the young Baranski forward to her father's judgement. As the sunlight across her back was swallowed by shadow, so too was the innocence of her childhood eclipsed by the sin of her womanhood in the eyes of the River King.