Nova Peak I've been gettin' lost in translation
948 Posts
Ooc — Hela
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#1
All Welcome 
She returned from her hunt, rabbit dangling from her jaws as she crossed over the borders of Sagtannet. The moon was a sliver in the night sky, offering only a hint of light in the darkness that hugged the mountain. It didn't matter, though, she knew this place as well as she did when she ruled over the glacier. The thought brought back painful memories, and she just let them filter through her mind; it seemed everything had painful memories attached these days, so there was no point in trying to avoid them anymore. She was in a perpetual state of discontent anyway, so why bother. 

Taki made her way up a worn path that lead her high up into the peak, settling down on a cliff that looked down over the territory. It reminded her too much of the glacier and her family. She sighed and got to work on her meal, picking at it absently as she thought about the days when she actually had a purpose in life. She felt guilty when she had those kinds of thoughts because she knew she had purpose in being a mother, and she loved Stag more than anyone, but knowing that didn't seem to keep the negativity away. 

Now she was just wallowing. Pathetic. She shook out her coat and began to eat.
Inuttuk
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#2
PPing with permission -- set after this, which was forward-dated to have occurred not long before this thread

No, Ego refused when @Stag had asked him “do you want to howl for her?” as they stood side-by-side upon the threshold of Sagtannet’s mountain keep. And I do not want you to either. Let us surprise her.

(Whether freely or with great reluctance,) Stag led his umbral brother up Nova Peak, their long, matching strides carrying them in swift progress. In the dark, however, if one were to catch their silhouettes, it was easy to tell which of them belonged here; Which of them relied on the other. The preceding Sandraudiga, a silverwhite stallion, moved through the shadows and along natural footpaths with a particular certainty of his surroundings, while his brother, the follower, glanced to and fro in the manner of a disturbed tourist.

He couldn’t help but judge the lonely crag—compare it to the range he felt required to love.

This place was no bountiful Sunspires, but it had its own charms. Charms that Ego was content to ignore for now, as his mounting anticipation began to require nearly every bit of his focus. As a distraction, he talked strategy to Stag, trying to come up with good introduction lines, but the effort was lost as time passed. Because now, they were on a clear trail of hers, winding up, up, up to the spire’s breast. He knew he would see her any second now—as they rounded the rock face leading out onto the ridge Takiyok had taken as a dinner perch.

The brothers paused before their reveal, exchanging glances. Ego swallowed hard, his flaxen eyes uncertain, and gave Stag a firm nod. Ready. The eldest padded forward and drew the unsuspecting mother’s attention. “Mom, I brought you something,” he said, motioning behind her, which urged the lastborn forward. Though the baby steps he took were barely perceptible.

Mother? His tail wagged tentatively.
948 Posts
Ooc — Hela
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#3
WB!! <3


The only thing that could lighten her sour mood was the sound of her son's voice from behind her. It seemed he had come with a gift, too, although she would have settled for just his company to remind her of why she was here. A loving smile curved her lips as she turned to Stag—a smile that faltered the second her eyes found the second wolf, hesitantly moving closer. 

She would have known him even before he called her mother. He looked so different now, and was much larger, but still she knew him. But how? How was he here after all this time? She stared at him, incredulous and frozen in place as her mind tried to process that her youngest was standing before her. Then her disbelief morphed into staggering relief. Taki stood and jumped down in one fluid movement, her meal long forgotten as it slid off the edge of the boulder. 

She came to stand in front of her last-born son, looking him over and committing his features to memory as if he might vanish before her eyes. Ego? she whispered, before thrusting herself forward to embrace him. I wasn't sure I would ever see you again, she forced out before tightening her jaw against the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes. She moved back only far enough to look at him, her own gaze shimmering with unshed tears. Where have you been?
Inuttuk
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#4
Ego could feel his heartbeat up in his throat, constricting his airway with every resounding thump. His mouth felt as if it were full of sand, and his skin prickled warmly. He wanted to pant, but could not muster the breath; capable only of staring as his mother turned to descend her rocky perch.

And like watching a glittering armored Valkyrie, dismounting her Pegasus, the son stood in awe of her natural strength and regality. He could not remember seeing a creature as beautiful, or as noble, even in her surprise, and he could not help the whine that escaped him when she said his name.

Mother, he breathed into her nape as they embraced. This is more than I ever could have hoped for. Having spent more of his life without her than he had with her at this point, due to his own cowardice, Ego had long ago stopped imagining this reunion, making the moment all the sweeter, as it stood untainted by imagination. Running into Stag had been more fortuitous than he felt he deserved, and he glanced at his sidelined brother, passing him an appreciative grin.

As Takiyok pulled away, Ego hovered close, his tail waving fiercely as he gave the fierce she-wolf a once over. The wolf that rescued me thought I belonged to a different Sandraudiga clan, and I wound up in the care of Father’s sister, Aunt Martyr. Her pack is just south of the Sunspires. The last thing he wanted was to think about the events that had separated them, but he supposed it couldn’t be helped. I left them as soon as I could hunt well enough, though. I have mostly been on my own since… Not that he looked it. As a matter of fact, for a vagabond he looked plenty healthy. The lone life seemed to suit him fine.

I do not intend to join Sagtannet, he babbled on, before she could ask. But, I do want to stay close. I want to be a part of your life, and I want you near until I can bring Diaspora back.
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#5
She was relieved he had been rescued, but it hurt to know that he had been so close this whole time, and she had never found him. All that time she would never get back. He was an adult now, and she had nothing to do with the shaping of his character or his sense of right and wrong. She felt like it was her fault—if she had only searched harder, maybe she would have found him. 

And when he informed her that he had been on his own for a while, she looked him over, inspecting him as a worried mother. She saw she had no reason to be worried for him, though, and she wasn't surprised. You look good—strong, she told him fondly. She was proud and not in the least bit surprised. Mostly, she was just happy to have him back. 

She was disappointed he wouldn't be staying in Sagtannet, but she kept the feeling to herself. He had gotten by this long on his own, so she hardly had any say in what he did or where he stayed. He wanted to stay close, and that was all that mattered. His plans were to restore Diaspora; his ambition was palpable. Concern hardened her expression, though. I understand, she told him first. That is an ambitious plan, but do not sacrifice your life for it. Like his father. I want you to be happy.  She wanted him to have everything, as she did all her children. But it was impossible to control their lives now that they were all adults, not always for lack of trying, though.
Inuttuk
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