Hard as it was for Nova to get out of the Grotto come days, the older woman still went. Never as long as the past month, of course - these excursions only lasted a few hours at best - and she always came back with something. Be it herbs to store, prey to share, or trinkets to store in her tangled web of a nest. She'd finally chosen a honeysuckle thicket under which she could hide her den, draped and sheltered in the roots of the bush.
Today found her in the next door plot of Redtail Rise. It was peaceful here, and Nova was glad to sprawl and sun herself on the nearest flat stone. She didn't sleep, but instead watched towards the marshes in content silence - these were the elders days, now, spent lonley and quiet.
That's weird, Ally thought. There was a vaguely familiar scent drifting against her snout, teasing at her. She followed it into territory she had yet to explore until she came across another. Alyssum tried her best to examine her from afar before moving forward. Of the many questions she had in her mind, one stuck out above the rest: who was she? This she wolf--how did she know her? Stalking around the rock that the elder rested on, Ally couldn't place the wolf in her mind, so she decided to speak up.
"H-Hello? I'm, um, I'm Ally. I'm sorry to bother you, I just", just what? "I was just wandering."
Nova drifted in and out of sleep, eventually propping herself up on one elbow to better survey her surroundings. Her pelt was warm with the light of her lord, and as a familiar scent drifted to her on the wind, she couldn't help but reminisce. It reminded her of a place that hadn't been so kind to her - but somewhere she'd once had children. Their little faces had been etched into her mind, but they'd all went their separate ways when they could. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, and Nova regretted not being around her children more, but she'd been a good mom. They all wanted different things, and that was okay.
It wasn't until the girl came into sight that Nova Rose truly recognized the scent - those honey eyes wouldn't ever be forgotten, and as they looked upon the golden furred elder, all she could do was stare, open mouthed. The white girl spoke, then, and broke Nova's shock - rising to her feet slowly, the elder took a step forward. Her spectral eyes could not leave the face of the wolf before her: undoubtedly, positively, without a hint of hesitation, Nova Rose's daughter. Not one like Grace - not adopted, but a child grown in her own womb and raised by the warm hearted Nova.
"Alyssum? My little Ally?"
What did the woman mean, her Ally? "Excuse me?" she asked. Slowly, she began to make her way toward the other wolf. Maybe...no, it was a crazy thought! But was it really? It had been years since Ally had seen her mother but for them to cross paths like this was too improbable. "I don't think I'm who you're looking for."
The ivory pelted youngster seemed doubtful - but Nova did not relent. The elder stumbled another step forward, tears brimming in her eyes and voice almost pleading in its kindness. Ally claimed she was not the wolf she was looking for, but in truth Nova hadn't been looking - her daughter had come right to her.
"Alyssum, don't you remember your mama?"
Inching forward, Nova Rose reached for the fully grown young lady. Should she be allowed, she would press her golden body close to her daughters, side by side, breathing softly in exhilaration.
Ally was sitting straight back as she looked into the other's eyes. Could she have been telling the truth? Could this be the mother she had waited years to meet again? The woman who abandoned her?
"How...why did you leave me? If you are who you say you are then at least tell me why you left", she said, tears now brimming her large eyes as well. Her mind was stuck in between resentment and relief, so she used all of it to keep her standing.
Ally sat back, and the elder stopped where she was - just a foot away from touching muzzles - with tears filling her own eyes. Her daughter asked why she'd abandoned her, and she too began to cry. Nova's heart ached as she remembered the day she was forced away from her daughter.
"Sweetheart, I didn't abandon you - I had no choice. Kylus and Emory hated me with every bone in their selfish bodies. Once you were old enough to not need me, Emory demanded your father to kill me. I only just got away with my life, dear, and as hard as I fought to get to you first, I just couldn't. He would have killed us both."
Sitting back on her haunches, Nova held herself high and raised ler left leg. From where her daughter was sitting, she knew she'd be able to see the bright pink, thick scar stretching from her right flank to her left armpit - it was the only reminder she had from the times there, the proof of her story. Despite the fact she'd been next to abused, she could never hate anything that gave her her children.
As much as she wanted to deny it, it was evident that the she-wolf was speaking the truth. Remembering the conditions of her childhood, she knew Emory's temper. She knew that she'd been bitter about her mate's affair and furious about the litter to follow. However, she couldn't spend all of the blame on her. After all, her mother chose not to return, she chose to not come looking. If Ally were still a pup, she would cower into the elder's embrace, but she knew better now.
You left me and you never turned back. Do you even care to know what happened afterwards? Do you know what happened to my father, to Emory, to me? she said, before sucking in a deep breath and continuing, I'm sorry I found you. I know how hard it must be to come face to face with your precious mistake, right? Doesn't it bother you that I can barely remember your scent? I mean, does that bother you at all? She turned away from the she-wolf hoping she would have some sort of rebuttal, but if she didn't, it would be all the same.
Alyssum had once again wasted her time.
Even if her daughter believed her, she did not forgive her - the white girls assumptions were as painful as the fangs that'd slashed her eye - and Nova wasn't about to let their reunion end on that note. Rumbling a warning in her chest, the golden woman bounded forward, ears pinned and eyes still leaking tears. Her tone was both pleading and angry, demanding that Alyssum listen to her.
"How dare you assume I would leave you so easily! You don't know how long I stalked around those borders, how many fights I got in trying to sneak back in, how many times I challenged anyone I saw.... My only mistake was not being strong enough - or maybe it was believing that even if I beat one, I could never beat them all.... Of course it bothers me that you don't know me, but don't be so niave to think that I gave you up so easily.
Alyssum turned back to face her mother. Her heart ached, the last few tears pooling but refusing to fall. She began in a whisper, Before, when I thought you were...you were dead, that was easier than this. And you know, maybe this just isn't something I'm meant to understand. Maybe things were better before I found you. She took a deep breath and stood, before continuing, Right now, this is too much. This anger, this confusion...these emotions are too much. I want to come back in the future, have a proper conversation, but this is a lot. And with that she was off, back to her pack.
Nova didn't speak again, her heart breaking, but just watched the ivory female leave her. She deserved it - Raas must not have forgiven her yet, or maybe this was just another step on her way to a renewed life. Her loyalty was His, and everything He did was for a reason.... But damn, it hurt like hell. The golden woman was a statue, spectral eyes following her frame and taking the punishment her lord deemed worthy.
It was not until Alyssum was out of sight did Nova so much as move. Turning around, she went back to her rock in the sun, walking daintily as if she suddenly felt much older than she felt. She did, in fact, and a cold sense of helplessness overcame her - she crumpled to the ground and curled up, tail covering her face as she sobbed and sobbed. Come nightfall, she would drag herself to her paws and slink back to the Grotto, and bathe in the cold lake water before falling into her den and crying herself to sleep.