do wrong but know right

a look in your eyes

like black holes in the skies

"I bet we would!" She might have offered recommendations on how to go about it or what to find, but no. She had said that he could lead this part of the adventure and she intended to stick to it. She silently swore to only step in when need be.

The forest a silent welcome to the loner family, its scents fresh and abundant but Seri pointed out the obvious...something did indeed smell off. His words only solidified that as she confidently stepped forward. Leg extended as she aimed to stop his tracks any further. The creature not yet ready to charge but she imagined it wouldn't need much provoking to do so if they carried onward.

"That," Low and a sharp hiss. "Is a badger. They can be very dangerous and protective of their homes." She informed him in hushed stern tones. "It's best we leave them alone if we can."

Had this been a new home for them, she might have ushered it out, but as it stood now...there was no need to provoke the clawed creature.

And so I tell myself that I'll be strong

Seri Donata

and dreaming when they're gone

He was excited for this opportunity to lead and call the shots. To him, it was a sign that he was growing up In his mom’s eyes. That meant a great deal to him. He could be in charge. “I’ve been practicing my hunting, Mama. I bet I could catch something for us.” He stated rather proudly, his chest puffing out just a little bit in his pride.

Her paw went out, and he froze, his eyes widening as he looked to his mom. She hushed herself. “It’s dangerous?” He asked softly. “It doesn’t look super dangerous? What makes it scary?” He asked again, that curiosity getting the better of him again. It just looked like a big lumbering rabbit to him… with odd colored fur. He backed up a little bit, admittedly hiding a little bit behind his mom. He wasn’t like the water yet, he could still be frightened by things.

“Let’s go.” He whispered softly as he turned to leave, hoping he had not disturbed the badger as he made his way back towards the safety that the uncaring water had provided for them.

a look in your eyes

like black holes in the skies

"It has big claws, just like we have big teeth." Hummed lowly as she followed him to leave the scene. Blue eyes flickered between where they were headed and the beast they had left behind. It seemed...pleased they left it alone, or perhaps that was her own emotion bleeding in. Proud that her son was smart enough to not test his boundaries too much.

"If we were to make a home here, we would need to smartly chase it out, but luckily we can go wherever we want. Which means there's no point in either one of us possibly getting hurt." She stated calmly as more distance was put between the wolves and the badger.

And so I tell myself that I'll be strong

Seri Donata

and dreaming when they're gone

Golden orbs widened at the mention of claws. He imagined those could hurt a lot if the right predator was swinging them. He shuddered lightly at the thought but was assured in his own mind about how his momma would always take care of him. She wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him and he knew that. He frowned at the direction she took the conversation.

“Are there wolves that can’t go wherever they want?” He asked curiously. He had never met a pack wolf before and wasn’t really aware of the term. It had always been him and his momma and while they stayed in one place for a time, he had always figured it had been intentional, not a requirement… it made him curious. He felt better the more distance they put between the creature and themselves, enjoying as the putrid scent left his nose as well.

a look in your eyes

like black holes in the skies

"It's...something like that. Usually they can't be gone for too long or go too far, else they get in trouble." A neutral tone as she slowly explained it. "They need to stay near home more often and home is...one place specifically. Instead of wherever they want it to be." She wondered what he would make of it. It hadn't exactly been a conversation they had needed to have but now it was...here!

Perhaps he would have some questions and she would wait patiently to hear them. Answer them too. Such was the job of a mother with a curious, growing boy.

There is a small pile of bones gathered on the ground, there might be some marrow left in them. +2 Health

And so I tell myself that I'll be strong

Seri Donata

and dreaming when they're gone

Seri hummed with interest as he processed the information he was given. They needed to stay near home? He shrugged and then tilted his head as he looked towards his mother. “Can’t they just move their home? Why do they have to choose one and stay near it? Why can’t they travel like we do?” He was brimming with questions because it was such an interesting and intriguing topic to him. Then there were hints of worry on his features. “Will we ever have to stay close like that, Mama?” He asked, wanting to know if his exploratory tendencies were about to be contained by the boundaries of a land.

He didn’t know if he could handle that.

Quickly, though, the boy was distracted by the pile of bones along the outskirts of the tree line. He bustled towards it, sniffing at them. They reeked of badger, but the beast seemed to have left them behind. “It seems like a waste for it to have left all these here.” He mumbled.

a look in your eyes

like black holes in the skies

Ah, there he went. A million and one questions tumbled forth and she only smiled for the moment.

"I guess they could move around but it's probably easier to just have one place. Makes it easier for others to find you too." She informed him thoughtfully. It just seemed to be the nature of things. Have one place, settle down and make it home. A concept she had...admittedly struggled with. "And we won't unless you want to — or we can try things our own way." She offered with a sly grin.

Although it seemed something came in the form of a readying distraction. Bones on the ground, surely left behind by the badger if she too had to guess. "Maybe it's a gift for leaving it alone. Eat up." Encouragement more than anything else.

And so I tell myself that I'll be strong

Seri Donata

and dreaming when they're gone

Seri listened as his mother found an answer for all of his questions. She was good at that, not that he was at all surprised by that. She was smart, and he admired her for it. “Others like who?” He asked with a frown. Did people want strangers to find them? He didn’t mind when he stumbled across one, but the idea of actively wanting others to seek him out he found a little intimidating.

He liked travelling. “If we stay in one place, we don’t get to explore and see the world like we do now.” He added on more thoughtfully. He didn’t like the idea of settling down. It didn’t sound like much fun to him at all. His grin grew slightly, tail wagging vigorously back and forth. A gift! Why were badgers so scary if they left gifts? It seemed easy enough to leave them alone. He dove in, grabbing a bone as he started to gnaw on it, glancing at his mom to see if she would take one as well.

a look in your eyes

like black holes in the skies

"Others like other wolves who might wish to live with them."

Once he had settled with a bone of his own, she sought to pluck one up for herself. Bigger jaws made easier work of it but she did not miss how diligently her son worked on the bone too. He would grow strong despite how little she had for him in these first few months of his life.

"We will see plenty still, I promise." A soft pause as she licked her lips, the taste of marrow lingered in her mouth. "I love you." She hummed before she sought to toss her bone towards him playfully. This had been a good discovery in their travels.