Noctisardor Bypass Moving On Out?

@Mahler

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It had rained earlier in the day and the smell lingered in the air. It was pleasant and calming. Not only in smell but in temperature. Summer arrived not too long ago and with it the heat. Calcifer began to dread his large dark coat. It beaconed the sun's rays and held onto them even when he attempted to retreat into the shade. But today the clouds had blocked out the sun and brought a cooling wash of rain into the Bypass. Calcifer had spent the morning under shelter, but close to the entrance to feel the breeze and hear the relaxing sound.

Now that the rain had subsided he lifted his enlarged body and stretched. Taking his first steps out of the shelter he could feel the slight moisture remaining rush between his paw pads as he walked towards the river. He went to his usual spot and leaned down to get a drink, dipping his paws in as he did. It was a routine task, one that he had done many times and could easily do with his eyes closed. Very little was out of the ordinary except the occasional colorful pebble that found its way downstream. 

Today his eyes settled on one the color of cloudy white smoke. Yet looking at it, something didn't feel right.

calcifer had grown very large and tall to himself. mahler thought the boy might be matched to his own weight by now, and followed carefully along the young man's trail. 
with the advent of new children inside rivenwood, the gargoyle had turned his mind to roles for each to play. 
he had long suspected that calcifer might be rather bored; he had felt the same of astraeus. but the latter had already underwent a half-dozen expansive adventures. perhaps it would be best to offer the same to the other.
petrichor hanging in the air. the man stepped to the massive flank and smiled sidelong at his young charge. "are you content here, calcifer?"

The gargoyle's presence had been familiar to Cal his whole life. To a point where he could almost sense when he was near. A combination of scent, and subconscious awareness of the male's stride. His lack of introduction and subtle air of introspective thinking did not catch Cal by surprise and instead made him feel as though the one just over his shoulder could pear into thoughts. 

The word content hung in his mind. He searched for its exact meaning and struggled to find an answer. "I'm not sure that's the right word for it... content" he pondered. "Perhaps... complacent though I must confess that today I feel somewhat devoid."

He lifted his paw and gestured towards the smokey pebble his eyes continued to gaze at. "It makes me think of Marble. She would have liked that one. I was always her dutiful pebble porter at her and mother's side... Then yours. It's simply where I've always been" he trailed off saying.

mahler listened. calcifer spoke with the careful air of one far older than his age, and the shadowpriest saw the truth of his words. when had the boy ever been upon his own, without mother or sister or even mahler himself? 
"but it is not alvays vhere you must be," the older man rumbled after some seconds of quiet. "rivenvood vill be a place to vich you can return at any time, calcifer. but," and here a breath, and somehow the striking pain of a father opening the borders to a man whom had been his son, "perhaps the time has come for you to be only at your own side. for a time."
this time he put his lavender gaze upon the great boy; his heart held a summary sort of pain, but it was not well to stay where one was not content.

His present residence wasn't a result of where he felt he must be, but a sense that he was not meant to be anywhere else. Although at this present moment he felt no urge to stay, there was also nothing pulling him away. "Is it your desire Mahler... that I leave?" Calcifer asked.

He wasn't sure why, but he felt he could not make this decision on his own. Not act in favor of his own volition but for the sake of others. "I feel... empty. Or perhaps numb. There is nothing that pulls at me to wander or ankers me to stay, but this heavy weight pressing me in place. I feel... I should feel more, but can't push myself to. I..." he didn't know where to go, physically or with his words. He kept his gaze on the smoky stone forcefully visibly not wishing to look around.

mahler shook his head, settling upon his haunches. "not at all."
for a long moment he only feasted himself upon the sights that rivenwood provided, listening to calcifer's polite young voice explain the void inside the large young body.
"you are almost a year old," the gargoyle commented gently. "this is the time that young volves leave their home to seek their own vorld. to explore. to travel. consider that how are you feeling is only natural, and only timely."
he turned, setting soft lilac stone of his gaze on the boy. "it does not matter vhat i vant. it only matters vhat you vish, calcifer."
a pause. "perhaps by moving forvard you vill step over the obstacle that pulls upon your heart."

Calcifer was not going to get any help making his decision. Mahler was encouraging and comforting as ever, but he left it up to Cal to decide his fate. Where he wanted to go and what would come next in his life. Luckily the natural order of things and actions of others made the possibility of his leaving normal as Mahler described it. This did not need to be as big as this transaction was making it. At least that is what Calcifer played for himself in his head to continue.

"Right... this is... natural. It was bound to come at some point" Calcifer stated with a feigned humorous tone. "And I can decide to visit or return... or it's opposite." he trailed off looking finally to Mahler. He paused a moment looking into the face and eyes of his lifelong guardian before a look of certainty came across his face. "Thank you, Mahler. For looking after my family and me. I retain the name of a man I no longer remember and never knew... but... I hope I have been a good son for you." he stated with a slight smile upon his muzzle.

mahler could not think of where he might send calcifer, as he did not wish the boy to leave. imposing as the young wolf might be, there were dark things that did not need largesse to turn a sheltered mind. but it was for this reason he must allow calcifer to move out into this world unbiased, not as an ambassador for rivenwood.
the gargoyle's mouth twitched with a swift emotion.
"you have been as good a son as i could ever hope, calcifer," mahler said, harrumphing beyond the sudden tightening of his throat.

Let me know if any of the descriptions are inaccurate. :)

His smile trembled a bit and he could feel a strain in his chest. This was going to hurt, but hopefully a good type of hurt. An inevitable one. Mahler and Calcifer have always been close, but few would describe the pair as overly affectionate towards one another. But this seemed to be an appropriate exception. 

Calcifer turned to face Mahler and stepped forward to give the man a hug by resting his head on the back of the man's neck. He stayed there for a moment to remember it then spoke. "Thank you. Any final words of wisdom for me?" he said light-heartedly despite the situation.

<3

"have caution in all you do, calcifer," mahler said at once, solemn. young ones werw wont to trust more easily, but to be alone was to learn self-guarding. even with his great strength, calcifer was youthful and therefore would be naive.
care must be taken at all times.
"find your vay back to us, even to visit," he said next, a tightness to his throat as he returned the embrace.