Firefly Glen heart-shaped box

being very vague! dated for 10/28 :)
referencing this, this, and this.
attn: @Osiris

neverwinter didn’t feel like home anymore and it never would, not while miriam was there. she’d been the common denominator in all that had ever gone wrong, from beginning to end; she was a beast sent to torment those of good faith. liliana didn’t understand why her mother was this way, but she had come to the conclusion that it couldn’t be helped.

she left soon after miriam brought her “guests” to the border, taking the first opportunity which presented itself and by evening, liliana had returned to the glen’s border. she tilted her head back to call for.. what was his name again? her call stuttered, before being broadened to just “someone-come-help-thanks.”

Osiris recognized Liliana's voice, but he couldn't place a name to whoever called; there was a distinct youthfulness in the tone. Regardless, as he was nearly on the other side of the territory, he tipped his head back and answered the call with a howl: "This is Osiris—the leader here. I'm heading your way."

As his howl began to fade, he headed in her direction, pushing through his claim with a hurried clip.

osiris’s response was prompt, much to yana’s surprise. did her father respond this quickly to border calls, too? it made her worry about what would happen if someone went to tell neverwinter where she’d gone — how much time did she have left before her plan was ruined?

she tried not to think about it, and instead focused on the situation at hand. liliana, not knowing any better, kept her posture the way she would if greeting an old friend rather than a leader. she waited until osiris came into view then moved to step forward, but stopped herself as a second thought before crossing the border boundary.

When Osiris arrived, he recognized Liliana from their previous encounter. " Liliana," he greeted, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. "It's been a little while—what brings you here?" he asked once he had slowed to a stop, tilting his head curiously.

liliana started to speak but stopped herself to collect her thoughts. how could she explain everything that happened? and if osiris knew, would he send her back home? unsure eyes glanced up at the strange man, then found their way back toward the ground.

i wanted to know.., she began, meerkat said that i could live here, last time i came. do you think.. would you let me? liliana stopped nervously shifting her weight to stand firm, hopefully masking her anxiety.

Liliana requested residence within the glen, and Osiris felt a frown spread on his face. "Is everything okay at home?" he asked, wondering if her parents knew she was here. 

He followed up his question with another, "Do your parents know that you're here?" She was still young; he was reminded of when Mira had dissapeared.

yes, she gulped, they know that i left. liliana assumed they’d noticed her sudden disappearance, but couldn’t have been sure with everything happening at neverwinter. she thought that it might be better if they didn’t notice anyway.

she wanted to get off of this topic. i’m not sure what skills meerkat was talking about, but i can learn. i’m good at learning, yana offered. she was willing to do almost anything (within reason) to get away from her past.

Osiris's brow quirked at Liliana's reply. "And they were alright with you leaving?" he asked. Something about this didn't sit well with him, and he'd need to address his concern before allowing her residence in his pack. "You're still rather young," he remarked, her questions ignored for now. 

"It's just hard for me to believe that they'd let you leave like this," he elaborated.

well.. she dropped her shoulders, defeated by osiris’s light interrogation; it was completely outside of liliana’s nature to lie. my dad has younger kids to take care of, and my mom isn’t there anymore.

asmoses wasn’t there either, but that fact hurt more than the others. i’m almost at my half-year, plus neverwinter isn’t far anyway. i’m not trying to disappear or anything, just to get some space.

don’t send me back. liliana looked at osiris with gentle, pleading eyes, praying that even if she were denied, he would have the decency to allow her to leave by her own accord.

Osiris wasn't sure what to make of Liliana's situation. It was complicated, and he wasn't entirely sure what the right decision was. He allowed himself to pause for a moment, watching her as he silently considered what to do.

"I will accept you into my pack under the following conditions:" he began, once he had weighed the options. "We will let your father know that you are safe next door and that he'll be allowed to visit," he wasn't sure what she'd react, especially since it seemed like she was trying her best to get away from her father. "I'll also need you to take on some sort of skill that'll contribute to the pack. I am aware that you are young, but you are making a very adult decision, and I trust that you will want to be treated as such." These were the terms that he deemed fair, and the ball was in her court. 

"What do you think?" he prompted, allowing her the chance to decide.

that weight which had been lifted from her shoulders returned with more force, visibly pushing her downward. liliana’s head hung heavy in contemplation while she listened to each of osiris’s conditions and considered them in their entirety.

she looked up and opened her mouth, but hesitated before speaking. you’ll come with me? yana asked, what if he won’t let me stay? then what would she do? her current attempt was wrong enough, but could she bring herself to do it a second time?

osiris’s requirement of some skill, well, that was more readily accepted. i don’t know what i’m good at, liliana admitted. however, she was willing to try anything he had in mind.

Osiris nodded in reply to Liliana's first question. He didn't want her to have to face her father alone, especially when it seemed as though she wanted to get away from him. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," he advised then; he wasn't entirely sure what would happen. 

When Liliana admitted that she wasn't sure what she was good at, Osiris's expression softened. "We'll help you find that out," he promised, his tail wagging gently. "There are many wolves here who could mentor you in various skills—ranging from hunting to medic work." 

Not wanting to have Mal worry about his daughter's whereabouts for too long, he suggested, "Should we go and speak to your dad?"

frightened and uncomfortable though she might have been, liliana found some renewed confidence in osiris’s gentle reassurance. her ears remained plastered back, despite the closed-lip grin which had formed on her lips.

okay, she breathed, nodding her head, what if he says no? figuring that osiris would follow, yana turned her body toward neverwinter and looked over her shoulder for his response.

"We'll address that situation once we get there," Osiris repeated, motioning with his nose towards the woodlands that stood behind Liliana. Silently, they set off in the direction of Neverwinter Forest. Their trip would be quick, and shortly after arriving, they'd meet with Mal and Miriam.