Neverwinter Forest Blinded by the lights

For @Hua! Maybe others later??

 

There was a pain, a rage, in the man he had not felt in quite some time. Like the smoldering flame he had felt during his time in the black bayou, like his time with the siren women. A urging to act, to do anything if it meant easing the horrible feeling in the pit of his gut. 

Ruo was leaving and taking their son with on some spy mission. It seemed like so many of Yuelong's members had been lost to them from their move. A move meant to save them, not tear them apart. Now Minori was gone, Orochi, Hide...how convenient that it happened to be all their fighters. Or was there a hidden purpose to all of this? 

Aiolos howls, an angry bellow out through the falling rain for his leading lady.

A sickness in her stomach lately; knowing of all the members gone missing. Minori and Hide, and Orochi too- she had spent long hours looking for them in the areas surrounding Neverwinter, but pouring rain had pushed scents from beyond her clues, or perhaps she had been too slow to arrive upon the correct areas. That day her mind was on other things; the development of her children especially among them- when Aiolos' song, far from happy, struck the air. Huā was quick to cut a line in his direction, arriving quietly and awaiting her co-leader's words.

She comes, though this time she is silent- unlike her to not bestow a happy greeting. Likely, she was upset so many had been lost to them too. There was no telling or not if staying on the island would have been better for them but it was apparent the mainland was just as dangerous. On one paw you might drown in the ocean, on the other you might get lost and picked up by a killer. 

But first...

Ruo says she is leaving and taking Huojin with her- on some spy mission to intel unsavory wolves at hers and your home pack. You wouldnt have happen to know anything about that, would you? He needed to know if it was Hua who was sending her away, given their rocky relationship between eachother and Hua having once sought Ruo as a burden up until recently. 

If it wasnt Hua, good, but that only meant Ruo had up and chose to leave on her own accord which was equally as painful.

First things first, the mission- she wasn't surprised. No use dancing around it, Aiolos, my cousin is a terrible man. He did terrible things to me and my sisters. Ruò, She sighed, Was never well know, and never know by him. Now the other day, there is so much, I meet a little brother- Yunxu- and he tells me our parents is still alive. Ruò is going to make sure my cousin does not do such evil thing anymore, and also because my parents live, Huojin wants to meet relatives. Huā did not want to take his family away from him. Huojin had made the choice on his own, and even Huā was skeptical of his participation in such long distance travel- but that was likely the most of the worries. The operations were terrible, yes, and if they continued it would be such a dreadful thing- but Ruò was not one to launch herself into the heat of violence, nor try to dismantle the structure alone. Ultimately Huā had to worry of things here, too, but if ever any longed to head on a mission, she would want to work towards ending that trafficking, even if indirectly. 

It is not dangerous as it sound, and she should not be gone too long. There is also some stress here, for Ruò- And there Huā's throar felt dry as guilt overwhelmed her. I played part in that. It is my fault, I know. The other day we talk and I have tried to apologize... There her words trailed off. Ruò had said, I forgive you, but the siren felt in her heart it was not that easy. That was just the first stepping stone to recovering their relationship... but sometimes too much of one another was not good. If anything, Ruò might come back refreshed, missing the familiarity of Yuèlóng, seeing the world with new eyes- or Huā could only hope.

She began and as she did to his body began to deflate, yet somehow tense further all the while. Even as she started he knew now that it was her which had sent Ruo off on this mission. 

There were little options really when it came to deciding on who to send. Since Aiolos had joined the ranks, both Hua's sisters as well as a number of her cousins had left. Back home or elsewhere, the red man did not know. Ruo was small, swift, and quiet. She could make for a good spy, he figured. This didnt change however how Aiolos felt about having her gone but on a tactical point he could understand his Empress' decision. 

But Huojin? That was a different story. Maybe he did want to go, but he is a puppy. only a few months old, literally, and how far exactly was their birth home?? As far as I'm aware, adults have a hard enough time making the right decision, much less a child. He should have been told 'no', until he was older. But apparently allowing pups to make life altering decisions was on them now. No wonder so many pups grew up f'ed up- like him, for example. 

Aiolos then huffs, shaking his head and turning away. That wasnt at all Hua's fault. That was just bad parenting. Something Aiolos at this point felt, though wouldnt dare say allowed to Ruo. He had nothing against Jin visiting family, but when he was fully capable of actually protecting himself and surviving on his own, should something happen, would have been the best choice. 

What if Ruo and Jin were attacked by another predator, or a rogue band? What if another run of bad weather happened? One if he got injured, or sick, from traveling so far so young? What if the family found them out? So many 'what ifs' that it left Aiolos head spinning. 

Do you really think she will come back...? He then murmured delicately, as though saying it allowed may make it come to truth. That I'll see my son again?

The truth was, Huā wholeheartedly agreed with Aiolos. No child ought to be traveling so far, much less on a mission- he could easily meet his relatives when he was older. But, Yes, he should have been told 'no'. If Huojin was my own son, I would restrain him. But he is Ruò's. Already I have overstep my place in her family, back then- I will not raise her son for her. His freedom, that is her decision, and if you assert yourself, maybe yours too. If it was easy as wrestling Huojin back to the island and glueing him there, she would. But interfering with Ruò, who was still learning to tolerate her, was a dangerous game. She was the leader, but Aiolos had a more personal authority- parent. If anyone could sway Ruò's choice for their son, it would be him. Hearing his more sensitive wonderings caused her ears to flatten to her skull, moving closer to sort of nudge him softly, encouraging. Of course, She soothed, Her relative will have her wanting to leave again in a instant. Huā tried to lighten the mood with that joke. Of course she actually really liked their home- but there were definitely some things that women could get away with easier here than there, one of those things being blunt and rude. Sure, Huā had made things tough in the beginning on her, and that had been a rocky time. But now she'd likely come to find Yuèlóng was a much freer place. Less pressure to marry and behave as a woman "should".

Hia explained that she more or less was on his side. That she agreed a child that young shouldnt be traveling to long and far, away from the safety of Pack. But Hua and Ruo's relationship was rocky at best to which Olo remembered clearly. She wouldnt overstep her place as she was not the child's parent, but he could. His footing shifts, an anxiousness evident on his expression. As a man never have thought before to be a part of his children's upbringing, could be bring himself to assert himself so? 

To her nudge and comment, he fights a small smile and nods. Aiolos did not know much of their home, how beautiful it may or may not have been, but new women had a certain 'placement' there which Hua and her kin had escaped from. Ruo wasnt one to be commanded by a man, so staying there seemed unlikely so.

 I think I may roam out of the forest for awhile, clear my head of this-keep busy. He explains and making sure to communicate with his lead, that they remained on the same page together. Our warriors are missing-Minori, Orochi, Hide... Too suspicious for obvious reasons. I'd like to scout out for them.

She nodded, understanding the need to clear his head, but the mission made her happier with that choice of his. You are a good leader, and a good scout, Aiolos. I will be looking too- but in the nearby area, so I can return home each night in case anyone in Yuèlóng need me. She explained to him in agreement. Too many missing warriors. She wouldn't be surprised if Orochi and Hide had wandered off together, but the thought was still troubling- a tripod and a blind boy traveling together, with the sort of beasts that lived in the wilds now- it was not safe. She was determined, though- knowing she and Aiolos would have to find someone.

He would know well Hua would not abandon her pack, never gone for long and if she needed a few days (as she had before) Aiolos would be there to keep guard of the pack. This time the roles would reverse and he would be wandering whilst she stayed. This time he would rather that, the last thing he wanted for Hua to go missing or get hurt in the process. 

Thank you, Hua. He spoke, coming close to touch his wet nose onto the fluff of her scruff. For everything. For taking him into their ranks, offering him a chance to prove himself in so many ways, continuously believing in him when he had doubts in himself, the list went on... 

He would pull away, pause a moment tk see if she would dismiss him then before he turned and made way off and out of the forest of evergreen.

His words struck her suddenly with emotion, and her eyes widened slightly as he reached out to her momentarily. She leaned into him- in her present world, with Ying gone and others distant, Aiolos was the person she trusted the most. She wanted to be with Mal more than anything, and loved her children most dearly, but Aiolos- he was the definition of trustworthy, a rock she could always lean on. She did not understand why he stayed so loyal to Yuèlóng despite how much the pack had been through, but each day he proved himself again and again as the perfect leader to have at her side. When he pulled away, she was at a loss for words- you're welcome wasn't exactly the best choice here. She could only offer him a kind smile, warm gaze meeting his own with the real affection of a true friend, before she dipped her charcoal head to him and departed on dainty paws.