Wapun Meadow To you, I gave everything I had and everything I didn't have

Set right after this thread.

He did not give up, his body would not allow it.

Alexander continued after @Reigi’s trail, counting on her pace being slowed by the child that was with her and hoping it would give him enough of time to catch up. He did not know why it was that he followed after her, why he wanted so desperately to bring her back home to him—had she not abandoned him, just as everyone else? She’d left him before and returned but, this time, it felt different. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, supported by Yakone’s presence with her, that had him believing this might be his last time seeing her—that she truly was becoming just the same as those before her.

Scarlett, Meldresi, Kendra—

—Annasiak.

An outline most familiar flitted into his line of sight, bringing the male to increase his speed, eager to close the distance between them. Yet, the closer he got, the more he slowed instead, weighed down by a mass so great whilst entirely invisible. A mass that won out in the end, forcing him to a stop as only a single word could drop from his mouth:

“Why?”

Annasiak was not running away this time.  Every time she had left before was directly after some kind of confrontation.  She had ran because she was scared, because she didn't want to be hurt anymore.  This was different.  This was a calculated choice.

She didn't want to leave without telling him, but she knew that if she had stopped to talk to him she would've faltered and crumbled.  She'd never leave.

It seemed as though she would not escape so freely.  And why should she?  Nothing in life had ever been easy for her.  Xan, she said so quietly the wind might've carried it away.  She bristled in fear.

What could she tell him?  Redleaf, she asserted, louder this time.  Indra.  One of her paws worked at the ground beneath her.  We will visit.  For baby.  The three of them would have parents; Reigi was still determined to be a good mother to her children.  But for all of them, it was best to live apart with two loving parents than together while one wasted away.

Even as she said his name, he did not run to her. He kept some distance between them, knowing better by now than to reach for someone that did not want him; he’d made the mistake time and time again already, he would not do so again. Though, there was a split second where he almost ran to her, whether it be from anger, sadness, or confusion, as Indra’s name left her mouth. How did the Redleaf girl play into this? How did she matter in his wife’s decision to leave him behind, when he’d risked the presence of some of his first pack mates for the girl he’d fallen for? He didn’t understand, he never would.

“I don’t want you to visit, I want you to stay,” he returned, glancing towards Yakone and then back to Anna. “Just stay.” Would it be so hard for her to do that? For her to stay with him, in their home, rather than leave to who knows where? All he wanted was for someone to stay, for someone to not look at him and so easily decide that they could leave at any point and it’d be fine—he wanted to matter more, just this once.

Her jaw tightened as his words settled in her chest.  She looked back to the child that had toddled after her — she had wanted them to stay together, with their father; she had wanted them to have a chance to live a normal life — and then back towards her estranged husband.  She scraped a paw over the earth before forcing her gaze to the ground.

Nallgivagit.  The corners of her lips pursed, and her ears flicked back.  Maybe one day they could try again, when she had found her peace and he had grown — when there was no Indra in the picture, no Laurel.  It was not fair to Reigi to confine herself to the valley and deal with the constant harassment while her husband stood aside and it was even more unfair for her children to have to bear witness to it.

It was better to have two parents who loved you separately than to watch them fail each other.  They'd had this discussion more than once.  Every time she left he had convinced her that things would get better and he would make them so — never once had anything changed.  Why should she believe him now?

Come visit.  Please.  Undersea.  North.  She was not sure how well Yakone would take the trip, and was not sure how far she would have to travel.  For them, she said, motioning at their daughter.

---

And then they probably had a really emotional conversation before Reigi and Yakone headed to Undersea.

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