Sequoia Coast I don't want the world to see me

@Maia 

Wraen usually did not worry, when Maia took off for few days. She also did not boast to have a telepathic bond with her sibling, but there are times, when you simply know that something has gone awry. And that feeling woke her up in the most unconvenient time and circumstances - she herself was away from home and she had no idea, where she could find her sister. Not even a person in sight, whom she could ask. 

But knowing that her sister's paths often led to, where her friends and acquaintances lived, she decided to head towards Moonspear and see, if anything could be found out there. Something told her that even after their serious talk, Maia had not quite given up on Charon. Which meant that she had even more reasons to visit and see, what that cradle stealer was up to. With this resolution in mind, she left Sentinels behind and began walking towards the mountain range that was looming in the distance.

so I don't forget it!

It was a rather disheveled and bedraggled looking Maia that slowly made her way back towards the Firebirds.  As she passed by the Moonspear once more, she kept her eyes carefully downcast, but she could feel it towering overhead.  At one time she'd wanted to climb it, but now she would be fine never seeing it again.

It had taken a long time to get the motivation to turn around and go home, but even now that she was moving, Maia wanted nothing more than to just sink into the ground and disappear.  But no such luck.  Eyes down, completely oblivious, she walked into range of Wraen but completely failed to notice she was there.

I doubt that it happened right away - Wraen meeting Maia the moment her sister's name had crossed her mind. Perhaps putting an hour or some extra between them being on their own and then seeing each other would be more realistic. But, no matter, when it happened, it did in the end. 

Wraen did not have to be a psychic to understand that something was seriously wrong, when her eyes set on her sister's downtrodden form and when she sensed the general aura of utter sadness around her. Unlike the last time, when Maia had related her romantic struggles, this seemed to have cut her just as bad as the news of their parents' demise. 

Which made Wraen worried that something bad had happened to another family member. Terance? Sarah? Anyone else? "Hey," she called out to her sister, as she approached her. "What happened?"

Maia had cried herself out already to Illidan, a fact that would haunt her with worry later because wow, how lame was she? But right now, she felt pretty much nothing.  Well, nothing but tired.  She wanted to get home, curl up in a ball, and sleep for weeks.

Wraen's question didn't immediately register, but once it did, she looked up slowly.  Oh, wait, she was here.  Maia's eyes cleared a bit, but she looked back down.  Charon's dead, she replied, her tone somewhat flatter than normal.  It wasn't any problem telling Wraen right? Probably she'd be happy.

As soon as she thought that, she knew it was wrong.  Wraen would never be happy about something like that.  Still, she couldn't bring herself to look at her.  She just felt empty.

Charon might not have been Wraen's favourite person in the world, but she did not hate him or wish him bad. He was, who he was, she was, who she was, and they simply had not clicked. The only connection they had had was memory of Osprey and, unfortunately, it had not been enough for them to become friends. Whereas Maia had formed a friendly relationship right away.

Wraen had been suspicious about Charon's true intentions and in a way his passing had cleared one potential future problem off and away from the blackboard. But seeing Maia this shaken, made her realize that the attachment between the two had been both very sincere and deep. And while she was not exactly sorry for the Mountain king's demise (there is little you can do for the dead - they are gone and do not care), she was very sympathetic for Maia's grief.

She closed the distance between them, carressed the side of her face and rested her head against Maia's nape. There was nothing she could say that would make things better for her sister. Pain needed to be felt and she would be there to help her through.

Wraen didn't say anything, just came in straightaway for an embrace.  Maia accepted it gratefully and leaned into it, but she didn't have any more crying to do.  She was exhausted, both pysically and emotionally.  Tapped out.  She let the silence hang for a while before she pulled back.

I don't know how.  I didn't ask, she added softly, looking down.  Sorry I didn't come back.  She should have, but for some reason, she'd met Illidan instead.  It had helped, maybe?  Perhaps in a few days, when it wasn't so raw, she'd know for sure.

"We will figure this out," Wraen told Maia instead of the "everything will be alright". It had not been in so many occasions that the combination of the words had lost all meaning. She felt bad fo her sister, who had to go so much heartbreak this year. Losing family, losing friends, going through the first heartbreaks - she wished there was anything she could tell her that would make things easier for her, make her be that same cheerful and happy-go-lucky girl she had been, when she had first come here a year ago. Try as hard as she could, she had not been able to protect the beautiful flower from the first frosts of life.

"Let's go home," she finally told Maia and walked with her all the way back to Firebirds. Being a shoulder to cry on, when needed, being a quiet companion, when silence was the best remedy.