Sleepy Fox Hollow as i went down in the river to pray

set September 3, early afternoon

She took her time with the kids, knowing that a trek across the mountains could be difficult for their still-developing bodies and for her twisted leg as well. Slowly, they ascended the mountains, traveling over the night and resting intermittently, and then descended again into a valley that seemed. . .well, not familiar. But the peak that loomed above it to the north. . .

I think that's the place where I was given this, Maegi told @Anansi and @Sakhmet, turning her face to show them her mouth's ragged side. They were burrowed down to sleep, now; Maegi, for her part, was exhausted. When I was a pup, not too much older than you are right now, I was looking for my brothers when I was kidnapped. Taken up to a mountain and tortured. The man who did this to me—he's a wicked beast. I hope he's dead.

I hope you never come across him. But that went without saying, and she didn't even want to voice the possibility, anyway. So we'll avoid that peak, she said decidedly, gritting her teeth, and head that way instead. She canted her head more off to the west, lips pulling tight in a contemplative frown.

She had no way of knowing if Sobek had gone this way or that. She had yet to pick up his scent. But whatever she did, she would not return to Shadow Mountain. . .and she certainly wouldn't subject her children to that hell on earth.

The child had been content to nestle into the plush of Maegi's fur for the afternoon, exhausted with their trek so far. It had not been easy to make but they had made it this far. She was determined to return home with something. Her brother ideally, but perhaps knowledge or more tales than one could count. Speaking of which...

Slicked back ears perked forward as their mother began to share a tale of her own. The one about what had done to her face. Admittedly, it had not been something the child had thought much of this far into her existence. She had seen it as long as she had vision. It did not seem out of place or shock her the way it might others. But there was a spine tingling story behind it.

Kidnapped. Tortured.

Why did he do it? She asked softly, looking up to Maegi. Some part of her could fathom doing something just for the sake of doing it but...to do something so outright cruel and damaging she couldn't grasp.

Sakhmet's question drew her gaze back to the pups, and she shook her head ruefully. I don't know, she said, sounding uncharacteristically apprehensive. To answer a question like that would require delving deep into her torturer's soul. . .which wasn't something she wanted to entertain. Nor was it something she'd necessarily want to expose her children to.

They were Blackfeather. . .but they were still young. Gods, let them enjoy their youth! She would keep them innocent for as long as she possibly could. 

I think he just liked to hurt others for no reason, Maegi continued, shrugging. Like I said, he was very wicked. There are wolves like that out there—all you can do is protect those you love from falling into their trap.

Who had been there for her? Moonshadow, who rescued her (albeit a little too late to avoid injury, but she was still grateful to the woman). Indra, who helped her. Coelacanth, Venninne, Moorhen. . .her surrogate mothers on the island, who gave her a new life. All of these, she held in high esteem.

She hoped to be there in similar fashion for her trio, no matter what tribulations they may endure.

The journey was incredibly taxing for Anansi, who was quickly coming to terms with the fact that his slim, frail body wasn't yet suited for long-distance travel. If Maegi was exhausted, then Anansi was debilitated by the miles they had put under their paws, and while Sakhmet and Maegi conversed, he licked his sore paws and wrestled with the aches of his body and the straining of his lungs. He listened, but he could not speak for a long time.

Like his sister, Anansi could not grasp the notion of doing something violent and damaging for the sake of it. He could understand doing something potentially cruel, not because he was cruel himself, but because even at his young age, he was intrigued by the possibility of convincing others to do what he wanted them to do. Fear was one way to accomplish that.

But to Anansi, utilizing fear to gain compliance was a coward's way. He said as much when he wrinkled his dark nose and deemed the wicked wolf, coward.

Anansi had a rather proper response to give and despite the seriousness of the conversation, she could not halt the cracking of a toothy grin given to his word. The smile was quickly hidden as she aimed to bury deeper into the pile of her family's pale fur. We'll protect you. She rumbled carefully as her pale eyes tried to find her brother's face, hoping he would agree with her words. They were still young, but her mother had said to protect the ones you love! Surely there was no age limit on that. Anansi's right though. Her words were punctuated by a yawn, a sleepiness slipping into her voice. Coward.

She nodded firmly at Anansi's verdict, proud of her son to come to that conclusion. Yes, he was, she responded. And then Sakhmet piped up, and Maegi felt her heart grow many times larger, a warmth spreading through her. Of course, she purred, drawing closer still to the children. I have all the faith in the world in you both.

And Sobek. But that went without saying; his presence was felt here, too, even if it wasn't tangible.

He was a coward, Maegi continued, seizing on the earlier point made. Probably still is, if he's alive. You can't hurt those that are vulnerable. . .you can't hurt others for doing nothing wrong. The only time you should hurt others is if they've hurt you first, or someone you love. Or if you feel like you or your family are in danger.

That was the old Blackfeather's biggest misstep—unwarranted cruelty. Her father, her brother, and gods knew who else had taken part. She'd make sure, even if it killed her, that they'd never slip back into those bad habits. Wolfskull's walls would never know the echoes of screams again; her children would not become the monsters their ancestors had been.

You should never hurt others for no reason was a good life lesson to live by, and one that Anansi agreed with. At the same time, he had reason to believe that sometimes, psychological warfare was necessary to maintain order. Did that count as hurting someone for no reason? Even if they didn't know you were hurting them? He would probably try to reason that it didn't count, but surely ena and Sakhmet would feel differently.

So he sought another angle with which to approach his query, one that was perhaps softer in nature than simply saying, can't we just trick everyone into thinking we're the best? He didn't think it was cowardly the way utilizing fear was cowardly, but no one ever said he wasn't a hypocrite. What if the danger comes from within your family, or from those who serve your family, or someone you love? What if they don't hurt you first but you think they could?

It was no great secret, at least among his family, that Anansi thought better of Melonii than others.

short post to wrap/archive since it's been a month since last reply!

That's a good question, Maegi murmured, giving Anansi a solemn nod. Hadn't Damien, a Melonii, become one of her greatest foes? But there was family, and there was family. I don't think you should hurt anyone unless there's a serious threat. Unless you know they're dangerous. Especially if they're family.

Mou. He'd posed a grave threat to the woods' very existence, and yet, she'd gone out of her way to protect him. There were exceptions to every rule—but that was a concept that was difficult to explain to children.

For now, she'd keep it simple. You'll never escape hurting others, she said, gazing between the two pups. But as long as you do it for the right reasons, to protect your loved ones, it's not so bad. It doesn't make you a bad soul. At least, that was what she told herself so she could sleep at night. But, truly, she believed it.

Let's get some sleep, she suggested softly, and the trio (hopefully) drifted off into dreamland. Except Maegi's sleep was dreamless, nothing but shadows and void. Until Sobek was safe, reveries would escape her.