Wheeling Gull Isle life is too short for bad vibes

he'd searched and searched, but any sign of ying was long gone. even now as he made his way across the island, her scent was fading. did @Huā know of what had happened? he assumed by now she would have noticed her sister's absence, but if by some chance she didn't, then he knew it was only fair that he be the one to dish out the news.

and so with a newfound weight tossed upon his shoulders, astaroth made his way towards the empress's den. the smell of milk and new life guided him closer until eventually he came to stop near the entrance. he let out a chuff to hopefully catch the attention of anyone inside before he slid back on inky haunches, and prepared himself for the emotional backlash he was sure to receive.

The chuff caught her attention as the pups were falling asleep beside her. Huā watched them lovingly for a moment longer, waiting for all of them to drift into the dream world, before she pulled herself up, making her way towards the surface. Charcoal head revealed itself beyond the entrance; there sat Astaroth before her. Sje eyed him with tired seaglass eyes- was he another wishing to see the children, to hear of them? 

Little did Huā know he came with news, not so new to her, that she did not wish to hear again. She had cried her tears, informed her dearest scout Aiolos, and fell into the den to birth. There was barely a moment for her to mourn the loss, and she could not mourn now- not with the children. She had new things to busy her mind with, as painful as it might be to push Ying under the rug... but unknowing of the pain he would spark again in her heart, she eyed him quietly, assuming now that he might speak first. He had come to her, after all.

he watched her emerge from the mouth of the den just enough to hold a conversation with him, before a regretful gaze fell to the floor. "ying is gone." he was oblivious to the fact she already received and processed the news. truth was, he still hadn't quite accepted that fact, even if others had. "i looked, i tried to find her...". he trailed off, knowing no excuse was worthy enough for the disappearance of his dear friend.

"but i don't think she wants to be found", and this is where his false illusion of strength broke. the thought that she had purposely left them behind hurt more than the idea that she had been swept away by the sea or wandered off and gotten lost. but he knew that likely wasn't the case, and he couldn't find someone who wasn't lost.

Ying is gone.

The glass shattered for a second time, sending a sharp arrow through her heart, or perhaps a slash to the heel or a puncture to the lungs. It was all too real- she wanted to return to the den, distract herself with her children, try not think about it. Running from her problems had worked in the past, right? But here she was confronted with the golden gaze of Astaroth, the one who loved Ying nearly as much as Huā, and she knew she could not escape these trials. 

The second part hit harder; Huā sucked in her breath, gaze falling downward. That was one of the hardest things to accept. That Ying no longer knew who Huā was, who she was, or who Astaroth was. Didn't even know who fathered her children- not that it had mattered, considering the douche's sudden disappearance. But the idea that Yingyue left, upon her own will, was something that would never cease to hurt Huā. Her eyes met Astaroth's again, she sucked down the tears that fought to spill over. Quiet for a moment then, before it came tumbling out in hysterical cries- 

I know, I know! I know she gone the day before I give birth. I want so bad to follow, to look too, but I am too heavy, I am lock to the island... it the worst time, any other season I throw my life away pursue her. But now, I cannot. She ducked her head shamefully into the fur of her own chest. But, think she leave because she want to leave us, too painful thought for me to bear. I not know how she raise children by herself. She not even know who she is, She breathed gently, gaze flitting to the ground.

what could he do other than listen to the cries of a devastated sister? the weight he'd been hoping to take off his shoulders only grew heavier in the end, and astaroth was left more heartbroken now than what he had been just moments earlier.  

he slunk closer, aiming to comfort the new mother through a gentle bump to her forehead should she let him. "i won't give up on her, not now, not ever", he reassured her, determined to continuing searching for his missing friend. "she is strong, she always has been. her children will be strong too." ying, even if she could not remember her connection to the pair of them, still had a connection to her children, and he was sure she would do whatever it took to keep them healthy and strong.

500 <3

If Huā had stopped to consider how she made him feel, she might've stopped. But she was too selfish for this, or perhaps too caught up in her own mind, that she could not halt the worries that poured from her lips. It was vomit of the brain- an adult tantrum. The bump to her forehead was appreciated, but could not ease the hole in her heart. The hole Ying carved each time she went away on her trips- this time for good, and the gap was carved deeper than ever before. I won't give up on her, not now, not ever. Me too, She hush-cried through a sniffle. When he spoke of the children, her face fell, eyes scrunched up. They were strong, yes. They would survive, yes. But the years of history- their own mother's history, their family- it was all gone. No stories of her adventures to tell. No knowledge of the queen of the wilderness or the barbarians of Rusalka. Only an empty body, with pumping blood and hardened muscle and bone and flesh and nothing there behind it. Of course they would make it, that she had no doubt. But there was more to life, and more to a soul than simply making it. She did not know how to express these feelings to Astaroth, certainly not in the common language, and so she simply shook her head, eyes shut, uttering I know they will. I know she will live. But there is more to life than... Than a beating heart. Than functioning muscles or a working stomach. More even than a brain that just worked, or a heart that worked- without her soul there, something would always be missing.

oop, i let this get a bit stale, sorry! want to wrap this up and maybe have a fresh one?

she didn't need to finish the sentence for him to understand the point she was trying to make. whether or not ying would be anything more than the hollow shell she was now was not for them to decide. fate had long since determined what would happen, and all they could do now was hope and believe that one day she would come back to them.

he let his ears slide backwards and pressed flat against his skull. emotions were high and the last thing he wanted to do was upset her any further. and so instead of pressing on and continuing to talk about a situation that was out of either of their hands, he simply stood there speechless as a silent show of support for however long she'd let him near.

yuh, just throw something up for me whenever ur ready and I'll see it !! :D

 

She could see his emotions were high as well, as his ears flattened against his skull. Their story would never be complete without Ying. As he fell silent, and so did she, Huā knew there was nothing more to be said about this. What use was there in dwelling on things that could only be controlled by the universe? And so for some moments the two of them basked together in the somber silence... and in this time, Huā's heart said its farewells to Ying. They would search, and search... but even if she was found, unless her memory was restored, she was gone forever. After Astaroth left, Huā would close that book with a heavy heart, and open a new, more independent chapter of her life.