Dead Empress Backwater a whisper and a clamor

Backdated to 1/3, the day after this thread. For @Vanadis only.

Eros had been stewing all night about what his Uncle had asked of him. Dawn crept into the den, and met with dry, open eyes. It forced him to blink away the daze that had consumed him, as well as realize that he'd now been up several turnings of the sun. That couldn't be good. He stood, and gave himself a shake - trying to wake his body enough to do what he needed to.

Eros sought out his mom, the only adult he could trust with such a complicated moral dilemma.

"Mama?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2022, 11:21 PM by Eros.)

Vana tossed and turned in her sleep, only begrudgingly opening her eyes once the thirst started working it's way into her dreams. She'd never been the up-with-the-sun type, and today would certainly be no different, but she couldn't just lay there wishing for water, and a few bites of snow just weren't going to cut it.

The early morning sun was bright, too bright, and she made an unnecessary attempt to blink it away, but alas, the sun did not care for the wishes of wolves. Heaving a sigh, the young mother lifted her frame up from the ground, gave a stretch, took a step, and was immediately confronted by her son.  "Eros?" She called with sleep evident in her voice. "What's up?

(This post was last modified: Jan 14, 2022, 08:45 AM by Vanadis.)

She'd been sleeping too, and Eros felt bad but this was really important and he needed it to stop eating at him. Thankfully, she didn't stall or dismiss him, instead inviting him to talk.

"Um," he fidgeted his paws, unsure of what words to use even after all this time thinking. He didn't want to get Uncle Vayko in trouble, and he didn't want to get in trouble either for tattling on a grown up - something he'd never had to do before. Never thought he would ever have to do in his life.

"Dad said, I gotta listen to adults all the time and do what they say. But what if... what if an adult tells me to do something... bad?"

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2022, 11:26 PM by Eros.)

Vana watched him fidget, a trait he likely picked up from his father, but one that displayed his internal turmoil for the world to see. Her brow creased, concern wearing away the last remnants of sleep from her body as her son spoke. Ignoring the first part of Eros' statement, a statement that by the end of this she meant to correct, Vanadis allowed her son to continue.

"But what if... what if an adult tells me to do something... bad?"

Emotion swirled through her core, anger and panic, concern and confusion. Perhaps it was a hypothetical. Kids were always asking questions like that, small, meaningless, insignificant questions. Surely this could be one of those? She took a moment to herself, attempting to calm and collect her thoughts so that when she finally spoke she wouldn't scare him. "What do you mean?" then she clarified, "Did an adult tell you to do something bad?"

His mother seemed to pause, and for a moment Eros wondered if this was a novel concept to her as well - that an adult would even ask something malign of a youth. At least, it felt like he'd been asked to do something bad. He told his mom and dad everything, and didn't secrets hurt other wolves?

Fidgeting a little more, he nodded guiltily. Well... Uncle Vayko hadn't said not to tell his mom, right?

"Uncle um, Uncle Vay fell and hurt himself really bad and he, he told me and Archer not to tell Dad."

Peach eyes looked up at her imploringly for answers.

"I don't want to keep secrets from Dad though!"

Eros' words soothed the rage that she'd built, pouring through her insides like water over flames until she was able to breath a sigh of relief. However tired she had been before, she certainly felt awake now.

First and foremost she offered him praise. "I'm proud of you for telling me." And truly, she was. "It was wrong of Vayko to ask that of you." Though she knew that he probably hadn't said it with any ill intent, Vana was not particularly pleased with Vayko's request. "I think when your father said that you have to listen to adults all the time he forgot to mention that if an adult asks you to do something bad, or something you're really not comfortable with, you should always come to us about it, even if that adult tells you not to tell us." And then, just for further clarification, "Especially if that adult tells you not to tell us."

A portion of him had anticipated her to tell him that he was being dramatic, that the matter was trivial. When she voiced her approval of this decision of his, Eros was visibly relieved, his tail even giving a few taps against the ground after he reclined onto his haunches. His mother's praise was a precious thing, even for a child so well loved.

It was wrong of Vayko to ask that of you, she next confirmed, and he gave a resolute nod - yes it was! What was most important, however, was what Vanadis went on to clarify for the growing child. Eros heard her loud and clear, as well as something unspoken by either of them - his gut had been right, and it had been good of him to trust it.

"Okay Mama," he answered with a warm smile, far more at ease than he had been moments before.

"I should... go tell Dad then?" his head tilted slightly then, regarding her now with simple curiosity rather than anticipation. That would have been enough, but being a kid he also blurted out, "it's a dumb thing to keep secret anyways, right?" and the skin above his nose wrinkled. He still didn't understand why his Uncle had been so worried about Viorel finding out anyways - what was the worst he could do? @Archer teased him all the time and they were still best friends.