Larksong Grotto With apple blossom in her hair

skipped Indra. i know we changed the rules of the posting but i wanted to comment on it just so it was there. (:

She took more steps forward, trying to make her way towards Reek. He needed to stop. He couldn't do this. These children were broken enough, he was breaking them more and more. Let them stay somewhere-- don't pull them back and forth. But then Laurel spoke, if not directly to her, and she paused and turned to stare at the brown devil of a child. 

"I don't love you," she repeated bluntly, "You're not my kid, and neither is Indra. I'm not your mom, and I'll never be your mom, so suck it up. If you're going to making this decision you gotta make it yourself based on your parents, not me-- because you don't matter to me. You matter to Reek, and these people." She looked to the strangers, afraid one would come after her now. She moved closer to Reek, soon at his side, her gaze never leaving the wolves on the other side of the border. She nosed her husbands cheek softly, tail low. 

She wanted to tell them they couldn't fight over the kids-- that this was their choice. She didn't know how old they were, didn't really care either, but wasn't it their decision by now? They formed coherent thoughts and all that jazz... this was a decision they could make, wasn't it? But she feared for her life. And though she didn't want the kids growing inside her, if she died they would die as well-- and that would break Reek's heart. She couldn't risk his happiness, she just couldn't. Especially not if the kids ended up going with the strangers.

"Reek," she muttered, "You're hurting them." Her gaze fell to Indra, cowering on the ground, and then Laurel, who was bargaining for happiness. She stared at the Cardinal before her gaze fell again to the wolves outside the border, at this point uncertain why she'd come.