As of late, Larus had been notably absent from the grotto they had, until recently, been cohabiting. Caiaphas viewed this as treason in the highest form -- Larus had unwittingly insulted the insecure waif by deciding to habituate somewhere else. With a frown Caiaphas sought to find the youth. He was old enough now that he spent a great deal of time alone -- yet not quite old enough that he knew how to avoid her. With a brisk step in her walk she trailed his meandering path down towards Megalith Forest -- each step increasing in urgency as she realized he was headed towards the borders.
but my petals have fallen.
He hadn't spent nearly enough time in these big dark woods to understand them, but if Autumn could get in, then he could get out. It was a simple thought. Coupling that with the rising homesickness that the boy felt, and Larus was eagerly hunting for the exit path; he didn't know it was a path, though. Or that the cliffs rose up around this land of the sea wolves and walled him in - until he was faced with an impassible obstacle. The boy mewled upon discovering yet another sheer rock face, and doubled back along his path. Had he stayed near the den that had once been his resting place with Caiaphas, perhaps he'd have had better luck.
Playing stupid, Caiaphas strode calmly over to him. Her angular muzzle was held upwards as if scanning the wide canopy of trees overhead, and when she was within close proximity she looked downwards at the pup, her lips pursed in slight amusement. "Nice day for a walk, no?" She inquired silkily, though her tone was significantly devoid of any sort of affability.
but my petals have fallen.
These trees were huge compared to what he grew up with - there were no cypress trees in Swiftcurrent, and only the sharp-topped conifers of Duskfire. When he thought he'd navigated around one of the massive trunks, he'd only find himself faced with another, and then another, interrupted by thick fern growth and frosted, foreign plants. It was maddening, and for the first time in his life Larus felt the stirrings of rage. A potent anger, more virile than a simple childish tantrum, sank in to his heart and waited there - festering with each step.
But the feelings were shocked from his system after one fortuitous turn, wherein he was faced with the yellow sheen of Caiaphas' gaze. Caught in her sights, he could only stumble backwards - as if the increased distance would negate her finding of him. The tone of her voice was enough to prompt the ducking of his head; but like any child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, he remained hushed by a sense of guilt.
The gesture was done with great gravity, and slowly she turned back to the cowering boy, her expression harsh and her lips thin. "What were you doing?" As it wasn't obvious. But before Larus could even insert a reply, Caiaphas spoke again -- likely cutting him off rather sharply. "If you're going back to your home, I won't stop you."
A lie.
She sat on her haunches as if indifferent to Larus' progress. "Although why you would ever return to a place where your parents abandoned you, I'll never know." The second impart, muttered darkly under her breath, was laced with considerable bile. She kilted her muzzle ever so slightly, watching him out of the corner of her eyes for his reaction.
but my petals have fallen.
The wraith passed by him, around him, swirling like the murk and gloom he had witnessed when the fox had visited; a phantasm of unknown intent. Larus was foolish, for he trusted her despite the apprehension that built within himself. Despite the quarrel she had with the little ruddy creature from a few nights ago. He wanted to keep his eyes on her, but the guilt inside his mind and heart were too heavy. She had rescued him and what was he doing? Looking for a way out - a way to escape her? But she was his friend.
Caiaphas came to a halt, her voice sounding oddly passive as it slid through the air towards him, If you're going back to your home, I won't stop you.
The boy lifted his head and his eyes caught upon her reedy limbs as she sat adjacent. Although why you would ever return to a place where your parents abandoned you, I'll never know.
Abandoned? The lie she presented to him was consumed, and as it digested in his mind (since Larus was not exactly a wordsmith, and was too young to fully comprehend the gravity of the claim) a sheen spanned the depths of his vision. He blinked away the potential tears, trying to be strong. Trying to handle this strange concept without allowing befuddlement to worry him. They abandoned me?
The parroted word was enunciated with tender care, and the boy looked upon Caiaphas for confirmation - for the pronunciation, as well as the statement itself. And, holding true to his childish naivety, the next question upon his lips was filled with awe: Why?
The fact that it wasn't a question of truth but really one of reasoning was enough to prove where Larus' loyalties lay. He was still quite firmly rooted to Caiaphas, and would believe anything that flowed from his protector's lips.
She didn't want Larus to leave, not now. For her own selfish reasons, she had become quite attached to his presence. To her, the small child was like a delightful pet -- she had no interest in losing him any time soon. And so, she lied.
"Because you weren't good enough for them." She answered simply, her voice curt -- knowing the boy would be crestfallen, she expanded on her words. "I ran into one of your packmates last week. Her name was Danica." She paused to see if any flicker of recognition passed through his wavering eyes. "I told her that the Sound had found an abandoned puppy. She smelled kind of familiar, like you did when I found you. They were going to drown you and your siblings in the sea since the planned cat attack didn't kill you outright, and angry that I had found out the crimes that they committed, Danica attacked me." She bowed her head, showing a bald spot where Junior had scathed skin from her skull -- beguilingly, she presented that wound as if affirmation to Danica's attack. It was likely Larus wouldn't know she was lying -- but in time, she imagined if she kept with the trickery he would soon get wind of it.
but my petals have fallen.
Because you weren't good enough for them.
Caiaphas responded, and once more a wave of hot tears brimmed along the edge of his vision. A single drop betrayed his control, sliding down his cheek as he sat as still as stone. He believed her, of course - Larus knew he wasn't as strong as Valtyr, as adventurous as Jokull, or as sweet as Maera. He hid from the gifts that their mother brought them while the others rushed ahead to greet them, and his father... His father had never shown any real interest. But he was young, and there was plenty of time for all of those things to change; however, all that Larus could think was, she's right.. He was more than crestfallen, he was... Gutted.
Upon hearing Danica's name, Larus' thoughts were stalled. He swallowed the bulk of his emotions and hurriedly blinked away the blur across his vision; he knew that name. He recognized it as the yellow-toned lady as one of the wolves that traveled with them - the lady who threatened to eat him! She smelled kind of familiar, like you did when I found you. They were going to drown you and your siblings in the sea since the planned cat attack didn't kill you outright,
The sea? The big blue thing that he had discovered? Larus' gaze went wide with surprise, but he remained silent, his attention rapt. -and angry that I had found out the crimes that they committed, Danica attacked me.
When the dark woman motioned towards him, Larus flinched back - but then bowed his head and glanced at the bare spots upon his forelegs where the cats had grabbed him. The thin layer of fur on his shoulder. His lip trembled as he fought for control - he would not cry, he wouldn't - but before another thought could pass through his mind, the tears were leaking down his face. At the very least, he wasn't sobbing like a baby, as per usual. The words were taken to heart and, naturally, the boy's psyche was rigid in its acceptance.
But... I don't remember.
He sniffed sharply, inhaling a tendril of snot which had begun to drip from his nose. She... She didn't.. hurt you, did she?
More acceptance. And he was up now, on his feet and carefully side-stepping around her seated self, looking for evidence. When he could find nothing, he paused and looked intently at Caiaphas' face. All the while, warm tears trickled and dripped from his cheeks. For now, his hunt for the exit was forgotten.
Caiaphas, only somewhat guilty for being the source of these raw emotions, sought to soothe him by bringing a paw protectively around him. But before she could do so he was upright, inspecting her carefully for wounds. She lowered her head briefly so that from his height he could see the rash of raw fur exposed by Junior's teeth -- and it was likely evidence enough, despite Danica not actually being the culprit of the wound. "It is okay." She offered belatedly, her voice full of conviction. "You are with us now, and you will always have a home here." And she meant that, certainly in more ways than one.
but my petals have fallen.
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He saw it, briefly, and it was indeed enough to convince him of the truth in her words. It looked so much like his own wounds, his missing fur which had grown like heavy peach-fuzz. The power behind her words served to sooth him, for the most part. Larus needed more than just words though. He needed physical contact, he needed his mother - even if she did not want him.
Without thinking beyond this, the boy lurched towards Caiaphas and sank in to the crook beside her, his head and shoulders slipping behind her front limbs - and with a nudge of his nose, he squished his face between her forelimbs so that his head could touch her chest. The boy's growth spurt had not started in earnest so he was still small enough to fit there - but the bulk of his shoulders and rotund belly squished against Caiaphas. He wanted to be close, and gathered the comfort he needed along with the heat she produced.
Ignoring any discomfort he was causing (mostly because he didn't think very far past his own desires), the next instant had Larus' tears coming to a stop. The wetness of his cheeks was dried by the dark woman's nearby limbs. Another thought then occurred to him, and he was unafraid to voice it: If dis is my home... Are you my... My mom now?
It wasn't until he tried to squeak past the word mom that the boy's voice faltered. His mother was everything to him - and now he was giving her up, in a way.
His question was met with a devious smile -- if she could contort Larus into believing she was his mother, perhaps it would provide her with a lifetime of loyalty. Unflinching, she delivered an answer. "I am now, little one." She purred smoothly, the yellow flicker of her gaze half-hooded with impish menace.
but my petals have fallen.
It was settled then. Larus was almost too accepting of the facts that were presented to him; to think that his mother had wanted him dead... That his parents had actually tried to hurt them! The concept of death was new to the boy, so perhaps his disaffected state of mind was caused by his ignorance. He was contented now, flanked on either side by the narrow columns of Caiaphas' limbs, and his head slid in a small nod. But the motion stopped when he thought of something new.
What about Kevlyn? Are you his mom too?
Larus' head lifted and he looked up his nose, beyond the narrow square of the woman's chest, to try and get a glimpse of her yellow eyes. Is he... Is he my brother now?
This was more difficult than losing his mother, the boy decided. Valtyr was his real brother and nothing could change that - he didn't know Kevlyn at all. Can we find Valtyr and save him?
With a rising inflection Larus' voice grew almost defiant; why couldn't they save Valtyr? Or his sisters? And Maera, and Jokull -- we have to!
The child's tail batted against the ground, slinking and slapping against Caiaphas' underside while Larus wiggled, suddenly energized -- too energized to be still in Caiaphas' grasp. He emerged from betwixt her limbs and about-faced. We gotta save them!
He demanded with a blunt chirrup of his voice, all the while watching Caiaphas for confirmation through the one-sided conversation.
Once he was done and his diction received, Caiaphas allowed only the slimmest of smiles. She had no intention of finding these pups -- but she could not afford to let Larus become cognizant of her reluctance. "I went back to where I found you the day after and could not find them." She lied smoothly, a frown expertly furrowing her muzzle. "But worry not, I have many ears open for their return."
but my petals have fallen.
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Larus had so much hope for his future, for his brothers and sisters, that he was blind to the trickery before him. All he saw was his protector - his new mother. All he heard were her promises, which he should have identified as being hollow from the start; but, he was hopeful. Hope that one day they would be reunited even if it was upon the beaches of the Sound. But worry not, I have many ears open for their return.
The chimeric woman stated as a stern expression was painted upon her face. It was enough.
A nod came from Larus, short and quick, and then he turned his eyes upon his paws; a curious behavior that he would hopefully grow out of. An admission of guilt, carried over from Caiaphas' initial apprehension of him. With all of this new information flooding his mind, he had almost forgotten that Caiaphas had caught him trying to escape. Now, in the company of his mother, he felt his face burn. I.. I'm sorry. I'll be a good boy.
He said, his voice apologetic, and a great shift from the exuberance previously expressed. The child gave one furtive look towards the sheer cliff face behind him, peeking through the trees, and then looked to Caiaphas, as if expecting a proper reprimand.
"It is fine, we are out -- we may as well hunt." She replied breezily, a flick of her tail given in an airy gesture. With that the two of them set off in tandem down towards the shoreline, where many crab and articles of kelp would be gathered and had.
but my petals have fallen.