The Sunspire looks like we're in for nasty weather

@Rannoch!

her mother had left, seabreeze and all the pups in tow. she'd aided them in their departure, and yet had returned. something forlorn sat in her chest, fueled by her solitude as she watched the sun dip low, a flock of sparrows winging across the horizon. they were just far enough to dip in and out of her vision as they wheeled and dived, and she watched them in silence. this would be good, for the pack - without the load of the two mothers and all their pups, the prey ought to return, slowly. it was all the good she could pull from the situation. she thought of the woman, Kaali, and her thoughts skittered like water-spiders on the surface of a pond.

Despite everything, Cassiopeia had returned to Sunspire. When Rannoch had caught wind of her return, he had dropped everything to seek her out immediately.

"Cassiopeia," Rannoch called once Cassiopeia's silhouette was in sight.  "You're back..."  his voice was a mixture of many emotions—relief, concern, gratefulness. 

Rannoch seated himself at Cassiopeia's side and bumped his shoulder to hers. "I'm...." he couldn't find a way to adequately verbalize his feelings. "Sorry... and appreciative."

she moved to her feet as her name was called, peering back over her shoulder at Rannoch. somewhere beyond, the birds dipped out of sight well and truly.  "I owed it to you. to sunspire." she offered, crown dipping a fraction. for all he'd done for her, for her mother and her siblings. she could not find it in her to leave, not now. 

still, her features were quiet. her decision to stay did not mean the absence of her family was not felt keenly; like a hole torn somewhere in her chest. she pushed against his shoulder in turn, ears flicking as if to dissuade his appreciation. "sorry?" she echoed back at him, gaze flicking over him.

"That I couldn't prevent all of this," Rannoch clarified, "And that you had to choose in the first place." He studied her, and wonder what she made of his sentiment.

she was silent only a moment before her head dipped in understanding. "don't be."  silent a moment longer, and then explaining.  "you took me in, after you knew where, who I'd been. after I killed my father, vanished, you accepted me back. I can not throw away your trust in me."  something rumbled in the distance; in the gathering dark a storm had gathered unnoticed. she twisted away, watching the horizon impassively. the shift in her was abrupt, the sudden quiet in the back of her mind lending her words a kind of solidity that had not been there before her disappearance.

"Of course," Rannoch replied with a nod. "I've seen for myself what you're capable of, and I want to help you achieve your true potential," she had already proved herself to be a skilled warrior. "I believe in you, Cassiopeia." 

He turned from her for a moment, to observe the torrential weather that transpired in the distance—his posture perked as he watched with interest. In a way, Cassiopeia was like the unexpected weather—she struck as fiercely as the lightning in the distance. 

"Just so you know," Rannoch began, his eyes still trained on the spectacle, "Your mother and Seabreeze are not enemies of Sunspire. Should they ever visit, they will be welcomed."

she wondered briefly what that was. she'd never really paused to consider who and what she wanted to be, never before had fear and guilt and shame allowed room for her ambition to take breath. lighting flashed, quick and violent, illuminating the stark outlines of the clouds for a fleeting instant. she didn't quite look back at him, but her ears flickered in acknowledgment of what he'd said. 

her next words had her look back, brow furrowed. she had not expected Rannoch to offer this - under no condition had she assumed he'd react with hostility towards the pair (did he ever?). she did not know quite what to offer on this, and so she dipped her head a moment in quiet thanks. her gaze settled on his neck, the thick scar that wrapped there. "scars make people bitter. angry. but you are not."  more than commentary on his personality but a question - why and how did he find it in himself to be so good?

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Cassiopeia's response was unexpected, and it caused Rannoch to contemplate what had been said for a moment. "You catch more flies with honey than you do with urine,” he replied; the proverb was one that he had learned long ago. "I used to be angry— chased wolves away with my bitter attitude. I eventually got to the point where I was absolutely alone. I hated being alone." 

"Through trial and error, I learned that kindness kept me in good company. I haven't stopped since."

the proverb was entirely foreign to her, and while she grasped it's meaning, would it not be easier to catch flies with a rotting carcass? she kept silent. he spoke, and she understood, in a way; though perhaps the closest to being alone was at this moment. in the woods, she'd had vaati, no matter how twisted their relation was she had not been alone. here - she would grow closer to her packmates in time, she knew. still, she missed the openness of being with her mother, the lack of walls or secrets. 

still, understanding glinted as her muzzle inclined a fraction, and a beat of silence before she asked,  "did one of the moonspear wolves give you that?"  she knew their exodus from the pack to be fraught with tension, but had never truly considered how many of Rannoch's scars belonged to them.

Rannoch shook his head at Cassiopeia's response. "No," he elaborated, "A wolf named Vaati gave this to me. He attacked me at random in an unclaimed territory." It had been nearly a year since the assault had happened. "I have no idea why he did what he did. I had been out looking for my brother, Cypress, minding my own business." 

"Moonspear actually saved me," he admitted then, "I'd be dead if they hadn't been there."

In time, Cassiopeia and Rannoch's conversation's reached its natural conclusion. Upon this benchmark in their exchange, he excused himself—the border were calling to him, and he acted on the summons.