Whitebark Stream all advice is autobiographical

❝ it's one of my theories that when people give you advice, they're really just talking to themselves in the past. ❞

— austin kleon, steal like an artist

 

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lanawyn stayed with her brother and soothed him until she felt she could safely depart, leaving the small white girl to watch after him.  she didn't know her all that well but she knew that alarian loved her, and that was enough.  it would do.

she strode quickly through the territory with one destination in mind: that brown-faced girl who had eyes for her brother's beau.  not that she had any desire to insert herself into that mess, oh no.  but she did have some advice.

it was not hard to find the young woman, and with a stern tone lanawyn commanded, @Xahi.  follow me, please.  and promptly.

 

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The hollow-eyed girl was an absolute mess. Her mind was in tangles, deep rotted knots attempting to untie and eventually breaking. She had no idea what to do. What the hell had happened? Everything had been going so well, the young, spirited girl was fairing wonderfully in this new pack, and everything had broken in an instant. She was not a malicious person, not even a vengeful or violent one, but something from within had exploded. Something from within had begun eating away at her, to the point where she was a hollow little shell of the elegnat figure she represented, her mind curled into a ball somewhere in that skull of hers. So, when she was commanded by Lanawyn, the sister of Alarian, she had not even hesitated, had not even taken a second to think about where she was moving, just instinctually, blindly followed her.

lanawyn observed the way the young woman shrunk in on herself, but did not even offer up hesitation or defense.  it meant that she felt bad, and the anger could be subsided, dealt with on her own later.

yet still she had words to ground the young girl, and she started with them promptly, once they were alone.

you will sit down and you will be quiet, but most of all you will listen to me.  her voice was gentle, yet commanding, and she paced incessantly before her.

i understand you are upset, and i understand that you regret what you have done.  i will not chastise you for this.

i will start by telling you a story.  alarian and i grew up together.  we were never close, but he is my brother.  i love him.  when we were younger we lost our pa, he was killed.  and with how it went, we might as well have lost our mother too with how she fared.

alarian left.  everyone left.  and eventually, i did too.  i hated him for a while.  and then it blew over into an indifference.

and when he found me?  i didn't know how to feel.  i was cold, and i was lonely.  but he was still my brother, and i still loved him.

not everyone gets the second chance that we do, xahi.  so hear me when i tell you that you cannot act like this.  those are a child's actions.  just because you don't agree with what he did does not excuse the severity of your actions, whether or not you would have drawn blood against your own packmate.  against my brother.

you do not have to forgive him.  but you do have to contain yourself.  have i been heard?

As she followed the other woman, Xahi trailed her gaze along the ground, and though she did not know it, a little part of her was softly peeping,“but where are we going?” When the pallid girl finally reached the point that Lanawyn stopped, she sat down, as commanded, and a little part of her sparked. 
     That stern and gentle tone was one she was familiar with, it sounded as though it had spilled directly from her mother’s lips. With tears eyes, the girl bit her tongue, slowly looking up at Lanawyn. However, when the woman began to speak, her tears faded, and realization flooded over her. She was not being reprimanded or scolded, but taught... Well, at least by Lanawyn.
     Although the girl had been lost in her mind for a second, she jumped back to reality visibly, her eyes blinking and her maw parting. “Of course. Th-thank you.” Her deep voice shook the slightest when she spoke, something that had been happening much to often lately. Of course...it was possibly for the best. Xahi, although wise, was young, and she did not have to be perfect.
     Once more, the girl repeated her words, this time, unwavering.
                                         “Thank you.”

don't mention it, she said casually.  she wasn't sure where she could go from here. just do your best to make it right, okay?  it wasn't mean but it was urgent.  lanawyn couldn't handle this for everyone.

or maybe she could.. she just didn't want to shoulder the responsibility.  oops.

i'll be here if you need me.