Two Rivers Isle Mother knows best... Most of the time

@Pyro :)) a bit of PP, just say if you want anything changed :)

Two yellow eyes stared in the darkness of the den. It was midnight, and as far as she knew, everyone was sleeping. She couldn't, though, with the thoughts of Judas in her head. She didn't know how to feel about him. He had marked her with an ugly scar, yet they had so much in common. And now he was at Moonspear, with his girlfriend, and Malice was happy for him but... She wanted him here, in Arthendal. They could go out in search for Mitanni, and maybe even Veritas, and Silver. They could start again- they could be one once more. But she feared she may have broken bonds that would forever stay that way.

Her eyes trailed over the small frame of her youngest son, then to the opening of the den. It was a clear night, perfect for stargazing. Perhaps...- no, no, she shouldn't. He was sleeping now, and claiming some mother/son time now would be ridiculous. Still, she couldn't help herself. She reached out and grabbed the sleeping boy softly by his scruff. She stumbled out of the den, quietly enough to not wake up the others, and walked away from the den. 

She reached the big stone again, the one she had put Vassago on one time, and placed the sleepy boy on top of it. She sat down nearby, waiting for the little boy to wake up fully.

It came in the middle of the night and it took him.

He had been sleeping, dreaming of the world and the things he imagined were beyond the rivers. He didn't expect to be awaken so soon, and his eyelids were still heavy when mother picked him up and dragged him out of the comfort and warmth between father and brother in which he was nested. He mumbled something in a low voice that Malice probably wouldn't even understand, but didn't resist being carried away.

Pyro was placed on top of a rock. It was cold, and it made him flinch, awakening him fully. He blinked, his eyes were a mix of discomfort and confusion as he looked around, but when he found the warmth of his mother's golden eyes he found some solace. "Mom?" he whispered, hoping she would give him some form of explanation why he had been taken there, and wadded up to her to snuggle against her warm fur, but not without first landing a wet kiss upon her nose.

Perhaps it was a bit selfish of her to claim some time with her son in the middle of a quite warm summer night, but wasn't everyone? Burke was afraid of Pyro not making it, but Malice never doubted. Pyro was maybe a little smaller than the average wolf -okay, a lot-, but he was still of their blood. He was a fighter, the little one, and Malice assumed the hardest part for him was already over. Of course she had feared him dying in her grasp as they fled the brotherhood a few moons ago, but that fear was no more. Pyro would live, and there was no man nor woman who would strip him both from her and his life.

She smiled at his whispers, surprised to have him talk so clear despite not being as talkative as Vassago. His kiss was returned to a lick almost covering his whole face, and Malice giggled as he came closer to get some of her warmth. She moved closer to the rock that came to the height of just over her knees, making sure the boy wouldn't grow too cold.

She nuzzled his face toward the sky, hoping he would find the lights of above just as beautiful as she did, not giving a spoken explanation but a silent one.

Mother embraced him, covering his body with her own warmth once more and he felt safe. Pyro had always had a stronger connection to his mother than his father would ever develop, and he did not mind having been taken from the den that night if it meant spending time with her, his life-giver.

His face was nudged upwards, and he didn't put resistance. He'd been pointed towards the sky, and as soon as he opened his eyes again he could see the wonders of the night. Twinkling above him like the reflections on the river, the stars looked incredible, and they took the kid's curiosity without much effort. He blinked, trying to get a better sight, and soon got lost in their beauty. "They're not scared," he stated, referring to, but not explaining that they always went away when the sun came up.

Malice liked to believe she loved Vassago just as much as she loved Pyro, but even a mother had her favorites. While they were both of her, and she'd do anything to protect any one of them, she favored Pyro. She was so impressed with the little guy and with all he had gone through, she almost respected him in a way. While Burke or any other for that matter might see him as weak, Malice found he was the fighter of the litter. Obviously he had had a harder time getting here- yet he had done it all the same. 

Two yellow eyes looked upon the young face filled with wonder and a little smile appeared on her somewhat tired face. Soon, she glanced up too, silently greeting her mom. She wondered if Meldresi was up there too, or that her religion had brought her elsewhere. Her attention was soon placed upon the boy again though, his statement a rather philosophical one. Why would they be? She said in a soft tone, almost whispering as to not break whatever spell had been put on him by the stars. 

There was no better way to describe the feeling that he got by his mother's warm embrace than love. He felt loved when he was with her, and she was always the safest place. And the scenery, as they were bathed by the shine of the stars, made the moment most magical to the miraculous survivor.

Pyro wasn't expecting it or planning it, but his mother did not understand his statement about the stars. The boy blinked, a smile drawing up the corner of his mouth. This was a happy moment because the stars were free to shine. "When you play in the water the fish go away because you're bigger than them," he explained, once again in his own way. The sun, in Pyro's opinion, was a total jerkass, bullying the stars away every day. But in the end, their light was way more beautiful. That proved that the small ones did have a chance to win, no matter what the big ones thought.

How thankful she was that the Gods had given her children. When she had refused her former mate, she had not seen herself capable of being a mother. Without that decision, Vassago and Pyro wouldn't have existed, and that thought made her sad and happy at the same time. Every time she looked upon their faces she felt like she had done right for once. Them and Burke were her everything, and without having done what she did, she might have never found peace quite like this.

A happy smile played on her lips as Pyro explained, getting what he was trying to say. The sun was basically an asshole. The sun shines to give us life- she has to scare away the stars every now and then for us- anything to exist. She said in a soft, low voice. Do you know who is up there? She asked, happy tears welling in her eyes as she looked to the lightshow of blinking lights in the sky.

His mouth was wide open as they both got lost in the stars, in their thoughts. Mother had a better explanation to why the sun had to be such an asshole, and suddenly, she wasn't that much of an asshole anymore. She was simply doing her job, like everyone else. Pyro felt a joy by looking at the clear night sky that he had never felt before, and his curiosity burned in that moment as he wondered who indeed was hidden among the bright stars and why wasn't it himself. That was when his eyes met his mother's once more, questioning, curious as always.

"Who?" he asked, itching to know the answer. This once he didn't have a hypothesis, he didn't know a way to get up there, or else he would have gone long ago. He could still see the stars reflected on his mother's eyes, and her tears. "Why are you sad, mommy?" he felt more important to ask. Tears were there for sad moments, and Pyro simply did not understand why his mother would be sad when he was with her and the stars were so pretty.

Plants could not live without the heat of the sun- the light it brought them all so generously. Malice didn't know exactly how it worked, but it had to be true. As a stargazer, Malice would rather stay under a sky full of shining sprinkles, yet she couldn't imagine life that way. She wondered what would happen if the sun just disappeared one day to never return, yet she didn't ask it out loud. Pyro was probably not capable of answering that question- and the stars only spoke in riddles. She theorized everything would die, or the moon would take over.

My mother-Absinthe. She said softly, glad she had interested the boy. And everyone that was not capable of living on earth anymore. The purer the heart- the brighter their star shines. She explained in a gentle tone. She let out a tiny chuckle at the little one's question. I'm not sad, little Lordling. When something is just so beautiful, it brings me tears. I'd call them "happy tears".

When you laughed so hard at your brother, surely you felt it too. When I look upon the two of you- it brings me happy tears as well sometimes.

Pyro giggled lightly at Malice's response. It was funny thinking that his mother had a mother of her own, he'd never been explained the life cycle or been talked the talk. He was discovering the world piece by piece, and each was more interesting and complicated than the last.

Mom gave Pyro yet one more reason to worship stars as they are. Each one of them, all pretty, all bright, were there for one who passed away, and the brighter the star, the purer the heart. Pyro was still not old enough to grasp the concept of life and death, or even get  what the purity of the heart was all about, but this story gave him a reason not to fear death. He just wanted his star to shine the brightest. "Which one is your mom?" he asked curiously, trying to find the brightest of them all.

Pyro was not sad anymore because his mom wasn't either. She explained that tears were also for happy moments, and made him realize that he'd made some happy tears himself. He giggled again, remembering the image of his brother's stump-tail wiggling in the air. Then he hugged his mother strongly. "I love you, mommy" he said, his heart had told him to do so.

The though of Pyro eventually finding a mate of his own and leaving the nest pained her. She wanted to be with him forever- her little lordling, but knew that one day she would have to let him go. She was the bringer of his life, and it was only fair to give him all of it. "The talk" came with that. If he, however unlikely, would like to stay in Arthendal with a girl (who had earned Malice's trust) she'd not hold him back either. Perhaps, when Burke would perish, she'd even step down for one of her own children to rule the Isle if they proved to be a good leader. It scared her to think of this...

She smiled as she looked at her little sprout. She wished him a long and happy life- to have him never fear death but rather the ones who brought it. Sometimes, it was time that brought the peace of death. It made one realize we only have so little or much to make our star shine the brightest of them all- and that we should do what we love before we ended up up there. She nuzzled Pyro's head towards the north where the North-star shone brightly in the sky. That one. At least, I believe so. She said with a quick yet loving kiss on the child's head.

Her eyes almost closed as she heard the giggles of her youngest son in love. It gave her that fuzzy feeling inside. Her heart almost melted as Pyro gave her a wolf-hug, one she would treasure for as long as she would live. I love you too, little sprout. She whispered softly in his ear, pulling him a little closer to give him some more of her warmth. 

Curious eyes glared upwards as he was nudged towards the north star. He blinked in astonishment, amazed by the fact that his own grandma was such a bright star. "She's the prettiest," he noted, looking back at his mother with joyful eyes. He wanted his own star to be just as bright. And then he was pulled closer to his mother's chest, embraced with warmth and love. Pyro smiled, feeling a happy tingle in his forehead when his mother kissed him gently. There was simply nothing compared to her, she was everything, the best mother in the world.