Dragoncrest Cliffs i just wish you could feel what you say

dalia had gotten lost. it was an honest mistake-- honestly. she'd been looking for more glass for her collection, the shiny pieces oh so wonderful and awesome. and you'd think that following along the beach would be an easy task, but apparently not. dalia had ducked into the woods nearby for cover after a particularly hot day, and to find fresh water, and then had gotten herself all mixed up direction wise. it'd taken her a while to find her footing, and by then she'd been gone from the territory for weeks. 

she needed to go home, and so she did, but dalia had made up her mind along her travels. how had she never been so far from the cliffs? well, she had, of course, but never this far. and especially not after that horrid man who maimed her mothers foot. dalia had never seen such beauty in her life, which was ridiculous, as she thought the cliffs to be the most beautiful thing in the world. she would return home, say farewell to her mother and father and baby siblings... 

and then leave.

dalia arrived anxiously at the borders she knew so well, and called for the family that she loved so dearly.

@Dio @Dacio @Sequoia (and opalia but i won't double tag :p)

Worry had come creeping in some time after Dalia did not come home. He didn't know how much was justified, or how soon he really should be worrying since she could have easily been waylaid by some route out there. He knew it happened, and while it was still mild weather it was probably the best time to be out before winter set in before much longer--while things were peaceful, despite this strange period of (uneasy on his behalf) resettling after so many of their own had left the cliffs and the puppies old enough to not need constant attentions too.

But, her call brought him out promptly and he was relieved to hear her voice. When he came loping into view, the dull ache permeating his shoulder be damned, he went right to her side. "Dalia!" he whuffed, glad to see her as he slowed up. His nose set to working overtime, and he tried to suss out any signs of strife just in case. "What happened? I was getting worried," he admitted, and really hoped nothing bad could follow before he tried to lick a greeting across her cheek.

"daddy!" her tail wagged as her father game into view, and she pressed herself against him as he moved to kiss her cheek. when she pulled away, her expression faltered, her ears splaying. "i just got lost, i'm not as good a steltrona as i imagined i could be," she admitted bashfully, but that wasn't what tugged down so gently at the corners of her mouth, "but, it got me thinking... and i think i need to leave drageda. there is more for me, somewhere else, where i can find what i'm really good at and.. who i really am. besides just... the wocha's daughter and a carbon copy of my mother." 

her gaze dropped, briefly, but she remembered herself and looked back up to dio with wide eyes, her brows turned up. what would he say? "and i know what it means, i know drageda law." would he think she was stupid? surely, any wolf that left such protected walls would think she was stupid.

The sound of his sister's voice lifted Dacio's charcoal ears, which were thrust forward to listen eagerly. He pulled himself upright with an excitedly sweeping tail and, unable to contain a series of happy yips for his mother, the boy scampered from Hougeda to rush ahead and greet his elder sibling.

"Lia!" Dacio cried out as he thundered onto the scene to find their father already present, and made to swing around the two adults in a loose ring before scrabbling to Dalia's side. He thrust his forehead against her slender forelimb in an affectionate shove before rearing up in attempt to lick at her chin - entirely unaware of the solemn announcement she made prior to his arrival.

i'm gonna be lazy and drag opalia in via his posts so feel free to ref her if you want

More than content to sweep her up in all the fondest greetings, he knew that was the easy part. It was her words after that--leave Drageda--which did splay out his ears, him wondering where this came from exactly.

Even as Dacio arrived all full of happy hellos for his older sister, trailed a bit by a more reserved Opalia who seemed glad to see her too, he toiled through processing this, let alone how to respond. He had long since coped with Sirio's abandonment, even before he had finally gotten out of their sight for good. This came in a far different way, one he hadn't been ready for today. "You're sure..?" he asked just to confirm it while looking entirely torn, though sorrowful most of all--and even if she knew what it meant among Drageda standards to leave them?

But. She was grown now, free to her own wills and her own fresh start should she desire one. The world was a wide one.. he knew, he had seen a piece of it once himself too. He couldn't chain her to these cliffs, no matter her upbringing or whatever blood tie she had to him and the younger ones. Already she had been an invaluable help to raising them... and to leave now? Dio didn't understand why, entirely, though her mind certainly seemed made up.

dacio barreled in, along with opalia, and dalia regarded them sweetly-- but it was so bittersweet. she accepted his embrace with a few kisses to the head and some nuzzles, and then the same to opalia. she heard her fathers words, holding them tightly as she pulled away from her kid siblings to see her father. "i'm positive, daddy," she said, sadly but still sounding pretty set, "i know i can't come back but... when i figure out where i'm going i'll send someone to drageda so you'll know where i am." 

her gaze flickered down to dacio and opalia, briefly, wondering if they understood. she would say goodbye to them, at least.

Dalia moved in to embrace him warmly, and Dacio leaned into her affections. Too caught up in the precious moment of reuniting with his eldest sister, he barely acknowledged the arrival of a litter-mate. His tongue slipped from between his dark lips to lap at the ashen yearling's cheeks as she pulled the two youngsters in close to litter their heads with nuzzles and kisses.

Then she released them, and turned to look upon their golden sire. Dacio's tongue lolled cheerfully over his lower jaw and his tail swung merrily at his hocks, but the movement stilled upon noting Dio's expression - followed by the announcement of his sister's knowledge that she could not return. Pastel eyes blinked up at the silver she-wolf, glimmering with hurt and confusion, and his over-sized charcoal ears slid back against his crown.

"You're leaving?" Dacio blurted uncharacteristically, for it was not in the child's nature to speak out as the adults discussed among themselves. He made to exchange a frantic glance with Opalia, then looked up at their father with the silent request that he take control and make her realise that everything she needed was right there before her eyes.

Dalia confirmed her intentions, though it didn't make him feel any better, or worse about it just yet--his expression said little, besides concern. Seeing her littermate off had been worlds different, as had been the circumstances and even the bonds forged between him and the rest of the family. Dio understood why he would turn his back on them and leave Drageda behind.. he had never fit well among them anyway.

This.. he could feel it all slipping through his grasp far too quickly and as his head whirled, he licked the backs of his teeth. Dacio caught a small glance, and he swallowed--throat dry, uneasy, as the boy questioned this. Opalia was suspiciously quiet and Dio sighed, then nodded. As much as he didn't like it, and didn't want to see her go off to the wilderness alone, unguarded... it was only the nature of it, sometimes, true--wolves dispersed often, all over the wilds and beyond. But he still felt blindsided by this.

Very much had changed here and a lot more would change in the weeks to come, but picturing it all going on without her here too made his stomach ache. He still did not understand entirely and fought the urge to resist this, but he did not have a good cause to rally against her.. not one that wouldn't hurt her just as much; he wasn't here to stifle her and clip her wings she'd hardly begun to use. "Why now?" Though he hated to, he had to ask.. even if an answer, if she even had one to give, wouldn't change anything. What did she need that wasn't here? What here had failed her, somehow? "Please be safe," he said, and yes, he did hope to hear she was well when she was settled.. or whatever it was that awaited her beyond here, with whatever she could do to let them know--because what if her paws took her far? "We'll miss you," felt like the understatement it was,

dalia's expression fell, but her gaze held her fathers the best she could. she couldn't be a coward, not now. "i don't know if there will ever be a good time for it," she said gently, stepping forward into her fathers embrace. she loved her family so much, she wished she didn't have to go. but something inside her was telling her she had to. and dalia had never done anything but listen to others-- it was about time she started listening to herself. 

she pulled apart from dio and looked to dacio, who had spoken up. her gaze flickered to opalia, briefly, and then back to dacio. "i am," she said softly, using her nose to touch the boys cheek, "but i love you, and i will visit you. you have to stay and take care of our mother, okay? she's gonna need help with the garden... both of you." her gaze again fell to opalia, and then to dio.

"i'll miss you too-- so much, i just... i have to," she said, brows knitting together, "i will be safe, i promise."

Dalia's gaze met with his, and he was sure that he felt his heart sink in that moment. There was an unmistakeable glint of sorrow in his sister's mismatches eyes and, already knowing the answer, he stifled a whine of despair to inhale deep in attempt to brace himself against the growing strain of his emotions. "But..." he was about to counter, but chose to hold his voice instead. Glancing away, he felt Dalia step forward to reach out to him and for the first time in his life, rejected her with a single step backward.

He backed away, large ears pricked forward to listen for the slew of nonsense about loving them, but leaving them anyway. Anger bubbled in the boy's chest, searing hot in his throat as it overpowered the intial surprise and sadness he felt. A rumbling growl thrummed deep in his chest, but he gritted his teeth and glowered down at his own paws as Dalia urged him to stay and take care of their mother.

Dacio wanted nothing more than to run away and seethe in private, maybe even cry without the judgement of his sisters. He wanted to bite back at Dalia, remind her that taking care of one another was their collective job as a family, not his sole responsibility. He wanted to demand that their father put a stop to this ridiculous, willing decision to become Branwoda. 

He wanted to hate her for choosing to splinter them and as he rose his narrowed green eyes to look upon his sister for what could be the last time, Dacio knew that he could not. Grief and confusion flooded him once again and, afraid to appear weak before his family, he turned away and fled without another word.

To any explanation at all, it was all the same. He just.. any justification or assurances or anything helped, but deep down, this was how it was and this was not within his jurisdiction to argue. Keeping her here, especially knowing this? It would only ruin everything far worse than this, and not when there was life beyond these Drageda shores. He knew, and had seen it plenty of times before, in himself, in others. Even Drageda had not been the first time he had been home once too.

But desperately, he wanted to believe this was the right decision for her and keep doubt away. He needed to believe and with a resigned sigh, watched Dacio leave. A small yip and a rustle of paws suggested the lurking Opalia went after him, so the pale Drakru turned to her once again. Now alone, and though it pained him, he concluded his farewells as much as he could hope to; it still didn't seem like enough.

He'd send her off best he could. Always.. if not here beneath the banner of any pack, he would be her father, and she would be his first daughter from what had become so meaningful. Somehow perhaps he could find a way even through this.. but largely, he knew this would stretch their bond thin. He would just believe, he supposed.

The world had more for her. 

my last here