Bearclaw Valley ishkabibble

The response that was given was exactly what was to be expected from her aunt. The snort that had met her first few words was enough to send the young Redleaf into a fit of rage. She gritted her teeth together and swallowed her anger instead, focusing on the idea that she was up against a woman who thought this was a battle instead of an informative chat. When Indra did realize what was happening, it was likely to get worse.

Once her aunt had finished her wild rant and attempted guilt-trip, Piper breathed deep through her nostrils and fixed her family with a fiery stare. Her jaw clenched tightly and she found that it was much easier to ground herself than it had been before. For a moment, she darted her gaze to Tadec and then returned it to Indra with a small shrug of her shoulders.

“Okay, that was a fun guilt-trip and all, but you seem to think that this is a debate,” she began with a thoughtful frown that creased her youthful features. For a moment, Piper appeared years older than she was. It was the weight of losing someone close that had forced her to mature.

“It's not.”

Piper was firm, and her voice was level. There was nothing that would change her mind in this. “I'm not here asking your permission. I'm here to inform you of a decision that I have made and will follow through with, whether you like it or not,” she added on. The tone of her voice was matter-of-fact, and she made sure that she had enough space between herself and Indra to flee if things turned as sour as they had before.

“I will come back, but I'm tired of waiting for one of you to find something. I'm going to look for myself.” And that seemed to be the end of her explanation. The young Redleaf finally was able to exhale, and she felt the weight on her shoulders leave her frame. This was right; this was what she needed to do.