Sex: FemaleAnd so she lingered at the borders -- such time had passed, the honeyed woman did not assume her welcome. Instead, she shook the snow from her pelt before reclining slowly, her gaze darting along the home she had thought about for weeks now -- one where at one point during her initial leave, she had been tempted to stray from forever.
There was truly no reason they should accept her back once more. It was winter, and they're numbers had been sparse when she left in the late autumn -- leaving for so long, she had endangered them.. and for that, she felt all the more the outsider, despite sitting upon the edge of the kingdom she had built with her mate. The hopes and dreams they had aspired for when fleeing Cut Rock River -- it seemed much like a moot point now, and she almost wished that instead of flight, they had chosen fight.. and had kept Grizzly Hollow from reforming upon their back door. Perhaps Maksim would not have succumbed to old injuries and sickness otherwise.
She did not know what changes she expected to see as she peered in to her home. She did not know what reaction she expected.. what she did know, was that it was Inna's face she longed to see the most -- and perhaps then Lachesis.. the one other wolf she had come to trust within the ranks of the river.
Inna was beginning to wonder if the big events would ever stop in her life, if she would get a moment to breath. She felt it certainly wouldn't any time soon, at least not until winter was over since there was still so much to do. Despite the fact she felt it wouldn't stop some good things had come out of the last few months, particularly her brother's return. She really did hope he would stay and keep his promise and she wanted him to be there when her mother returned. Inna felt Kisla needed to see her son after losing everyone else. The day for Inna was like any other with her hunting and patrolling but once she'd gotten that out of the way she felt a little time to herself wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't be an adventure exactly though she thought it had been a long time since she'd even felt like having an adventure. There were times she felt she had gotten too old for that but a walk to clear her head and get her mind off the pack for a short time couldn't hurt. In fact she thought Lachesis would even say it would be good for her. However a familiar scent caught her attention as she neared the border to Hearthwood. There were other scents that were mingled with the familiar one but Inna would know the scent her mother carried anywhere. She bounded forward but stopped just short of the tree line to make sure the scent really was her mother's and not wishful thinking. Sure enough she could see Kisla through the trees but Inna didn't understand why she hadn't just walked across the border. Worried that something might have happened Inna slowly stepped out of the trees head carried low before stopping at the border line. |
![[Image: 2wrks2e.jpg]](http://i59.tinypic.com/2wrks2e.jpg)
it will take me back to my home, sweet home
It was all a huge coincidence that Aleksei found himself creeping out from behind trees, carefully watching the figure of Kisla on the border.
He had originally set out to find his sister, Inna, to ask when their mother might be returning to Hearthwood River. He had been told the basics by Lachesis—Kisla's not here right now, she's at Oak Tree Bend visiting family. What was the first thing Aleksei found himself saying in response to that news. Had she discovered that one of the siblings had fled to a nearby pack? Was it Orren? Karina? Maybe Lekalta? Why hadn't she taken any one with her?! Only then did he remember that, ah right, his maternal side of the family lived south; Tainns.
Imagine Aleksei's surprise when tailing Inna to the borders led him to exactly what he needed to see, who he needed to see. “Mother?” His questioning whisper strained against the slight breeze and he took tentative steps forward, past Inna. Would she be happy to see her firstborn child? Or would she be wrathful and scorned? With ears tipped back and his tail tucked between his legs, Aleksei pressed onwards. Further and further, until his anxious, heavy breathing disrupted the fur on her chest. A whine escaped his black lips. “Mother.”
He wanted to crane his head forward, swipe his tongue against her chin, beg for her forgiveness.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry—
He desperately wanted to explain, but he had no words and his tongue felt thicker than ever.
I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry—
He wanted to cry all over again.
I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry—
He would not push himself onto her, nor would he test his luck. It was Kisla's choice, his mother's choice.
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying
She waited with distinct patience -- almost hesitant to move across those borders and see what awaited her on the other side. What had changed while she was gone? Her time away had stretched far longer than she had originally claimed it would, and she was not keen on how @Lachesis would receive her. She had needed the time to grieve, but to shirk her responsibility was certianly something the pale ghost would frown upon.
The dark figure of Inna emerged just beyond the tree line, and the girl studied her quietly. Kisla's muzzle canted, uncertain what was going through her daughter's mind -- frustration at her extended absence? Confusion? Before she could call to her though, it was a whispered voice that drew her ears forward, and her heart fluttered against her chest for a moment.
He looked so very much like his father in that moment. At least upon first glimpse, and as she realized it was Aleksei who was creeping forward to her now, she felt a rising sense of uncertainty within her own breast. Was she so terrifying to her children that they tiptoed as such before her? Despite their abuse of her borders and pack -- to come and go as they pleased -- had she ever reprimanded them in any way?
The thought alone made her wonder who had allowed Aleksei one more chance within the River, and her ears settled back to her skull in that moment. She loved her family more than anything -- would do anything for them. But how often did Hearthwood River get to be their revolving door before enough was enough?
And yet.. who was she to talk, the matriarch who had disappeared for weeks on end? She took a tentative step forward, in that moment only desiring to envelop her son who had likely heard the news from another that was not her. The thought shattered her heart. "Welcome home," she murmured to him, waiting for him to close the distance should he feel so inclined to.
sparking up my heart
Her mother had come home. After a few weeks of her mother being gone and not returning Inna had become worried that her mother might have decided to stay away. Now that Inna was standing just outside the tree line looking at the woman she looked up to most in the world she wasn't sure if she should run to her and greet her as a daughter should. She didn't want to be upset with her mother, she had understood when her mother had told her she was going and still did. She did want to go to her, so much so she even took a few steps forward but then stopped, something more important had to happen. It was then Aleksei came out of the forest, Inna knew he had been awaiting their mother's return since he has come back. In that moment she chose to let him go first and speak to Kisla hoping that it would go well for him. Sitting back on her haunches she watched as her brother approached their mother and waited anxiously to see what would happen between them. Then when Kisla welcomed him home she felt a sense of relief that it seemed their mother wasn't angry with him. Her hopes that maybe the three of them could be a family again raised. Maybe Heartwood would start to feel more like it had when she was a pup. |
it will take me back to my home, sweet home
It wasn't terror that drove Aleksei into his submissive posture, tail tucked and ears tipped back. It was guilt, the kind that weighed heavy on his shoulders, made him want to hide himself away in shame. Alongside that, it was the pain of knowing he had disappointed someone he looked up to and loved. Aleksei had always respected his mother, adored her like any child would love their parent (despite his terrible job at showing it).
Knowing that he had failed her not once but twice was shameful. No, it was disgraceful.
And yet, despite all his wrongdoings, despite how he had left and returned only to repeat such a disrespect, she welcomed him home. The words may have left Kisla's lips as a murmur, but they crashed into Aleksei's head like a roar—without missing a moment, he closed the distance with a whine, pressing his face into the fur of her neck and inhaling her scent, reminding himself that this was home; he belonged here with his family.
“I'm so sorry.” His voice was audibly strained as he attempted to hold back the emotions that threatened to burst forward again, and nausea washed over him, a reminder of just how fragile he felt right now. Fragile and weak.
But he'd have to be strong for his mother, wouldn't he? “I'm sorry I wasn't here to be there for you.” There was so much more he wanted to say, but would not. Not yet. He didn't want to suffocate his mother with empty words, like never again or I'm sorry I'm such a failure—it would be better to show her he was a changed man, than to babble on about it with wet eyes.
Aleksei was aware of Inna behind him, of course. Were it any other time, he would have let his younger sibling step forward and greet their mother first but this circumstance was the exception. Self inflicted it may have been, he had still spent the most time without seeing his mother face's face, or feeling her warmth. For the moment, he would be selfish and soak it in.
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying
She couldn’t acknowledge his regret verbally – the apology fell upon her and while she welcomed it, it was actions to the women that spoke volumes, and Aleksei had much to prove to his family now, despite the best intentions he seemed to lay out before himself. The youthful male pressed his muzzle to her neck, burying in to her fur in a familiar way that he used to when he had been but a puppy. For a moment, the Baranski matriarch was transported to those memories, when he, Orren and Karina had been so tiny that she had been so fearful something terrible would befall them. Somehow, despite her naivety, the honeyed woman had managed to raise them to adulthood.
She pressed her cheek more firmly to her boy’s head, breathing in his scent and realizing with slight comfort that he still smelled the same despite the couple of years since that time. “Do everything you can to make him proud, no matter where you are,” was what she offered, unable to say the very words that flashed through her words – Maksim was dead, and Aleksei had to come home to this realization. Despite everything, the she-wolf could not envision her mate not being proud of every one of his children, and she wondered briefly if he could still watch over them now. She had never been spiritual – but she could see the comfort in such thoughts.
Her eyes lifted to catch view of her daughter, who respectfully hung back. Tilting her muzzle forward, Kisla beckoned her daughter forward, eager to greet her. This was the reason she had come home – albeit late.
sparking up my heart
Inna waited patiently just inside the border of her home watching as mother and son were reunited glad that her mother had accepted Aleksei back. He was already a member of Hearthwood yes, but their mother forgiving him for leaving was what her brother had expressed as his worry. She didn't want him to feel as though he needed to leave once more and break his promise to her. She did hope that for her mother's sake he did stay, she didn't think Kisla needed to go through any more loss than she already had. Three of her children and her mate, her mother had to be strong to lose so many and still be standing. Just one more reason she looked up to the woman who had always been there. Inna had stayed back by the treeline sitting on her haunches giving Kisla and Aleksei whatever time they needed for their reunion. Her worries that something might have happened while she was away started to creep in in her once more.she didn't understand why her mother hadn't just come across the borders. It was her home that she had created with Maksim, in Inna’s eyes if anyone had the right it was Kisla and it would always be. When Inna saw her mother’s gaze fall in her and then the signal for her to come over she was ready to give her the greeting she deserved. Rising from her haunches she ran to her tail wagging furiously behind her as she reached her she placed a lick in her chin, “I'm glad you're home. I missed you so much,” she told her before pressing her muzzle into her fur and taking in her scent, “You'll have to tell me all about your trip.” |
it will take me back to my home, sweet home
Aleksei's eyes were wet, and he desperately tried to blink back the moisture that made his vision blurry. He gave a sniffle, once or twice, before he gave a sad little smile at her words. Making his father proud would be the only way he could make things better, make things easier – for himself, and his family. Already, Aleksei's mother had given him a purpose, something to strive for. It was funny, really. Even now, Kisla was a rock for her children, when she was the one hurting most. She knew the words to say to soothe their aches and pains as best as she could, to help push them onward.
She was an inspirational, incredible woman.
“I will,” was all he could respond with, his voice still strained with the weight of his hurt.
Kisla shifted, and Aleksei heard Inna's approach – a swift one at that – so he finally gave up his command of mother's attention, and stepped away, watching the two closely as they embrace, the yearling lovingly welcoming back her mother, probing her for details on her trip. The sight of mother and daughter warmed his heart, yet it shattered it at the same time. A thought struck the eldest son as he watched them; for how long had the two only had one another?
He frowned slightly, cursing himself once more. They weren't going to be alone any more, though. Aleksei was here, and he would fix things, the best he could. If he could.
Whispering leaves & pointing branches will tell them where I'm lying