Redhawk Caldera "So speak out loud of the things that you are proud of."

<3 Weejay will be going to Frosthawks for a while to adventure with Aengus. Family and friends can assume she comes to visit @Eljay and @Maia once a month. Thank you everyone who has threaded with Weej these past few months, and I hope to bring her back soon. Feel free to tuck in one reply, I will archive in a week or so. <3

Ever since Weejay's last visit to Frosthawks, she'd found herself feeling a pull to return. It started benignly enough, a tiny itch in the small of her back she just couldn't reach. Any time she got the impulse to return, she was flushed with guilt -- she'd be leaving Eljay and Maia and even if it wasn't permanent, it still felt she'd be betraying them by spending time somewhere else.

Weejay remembered her conversation with her father a few months back, about the duty to oneself, and how you shouldn't put your happiness aside. She was nearing two years of age, and she had never left her home formally. She thought of @Meerkat, of @Bronco -- wolves her age or less who had traveled many more miles.

Once that idea was planted that she should go, Weejay found it very hard to weed out. All of it came to a head one day when she came across the duo-scent of Eljay and Maia. They were at last pursuing their own happiness, and Weejay felt they deserved nothing less - but it didn't make her feel any better. She still felt stuck in a rut, she still felt like she wasn't growing. Maybe, while her daddy had Maia close, she could take a journey for a little while. Weejay didn't want to be gone forever, but she wanted something new. She wanted to be well traveled and worldly like @Wraen had been, she wanted to grow to be confident in herself no matter what like Towhee, and she wanted to someday, have a family like Niamh and @Phox. If she stayed rooted to the same spot for her entire life, how would she get the experience and perspective of her elders?

Weejay broke the news to Eljay and Maia that morning. She was going to spend some time with Aengus at Frosthawks, and maybe travel a little if the weather cooperated. In the spring she would return. She was genuinely apologetic, and when she left her daddy for the first time she nearly burst into tears. However awful she felt, she reminded herself that this little pilgrimage was for her -- Daddy would be okay with Maia, and she would visit once a month.

Setting out from the Caldera, Weejay gradually felt the heaviness that had settled in her soul the last few weeks take flight. Maybe this was the right thing to do -- all she knew was that the road ahead was bright and undiscovered, and she could not wait to see @Aengus again.

Maia would miss Weejay immensely while she was gone, but she was silently thrilled that Eljay's daughter would be spending some time away.  She would never be bothered by her presence here or her closeness with her dad, of course!! But the fact that she'd asked, and that she felt like she could leave, meant that she was definitely doing this for herself.  Maia couldn't wait to hear about it when she visited in a few weeks!

Maia said her goodbyes before, wanting to give Weejay and Eljay some time in private.  She'd given her only two requests... to tell everyone hello for her and to have a good time.  She hoped that some time away allowed her to grow in ways she might not have been able to staying here.

She was waiting for Eljay when he returned (if we want a thread >>) and would stick around a while before she headed back to the forest.  She didn't know firsthand how hard it was for him, but it wasn't hard to imagine.  Just like with Jupiter... the want to protect them warred with her own love of freedom and travel, and it was a new struggle that she both loved and hated.

When Weejay said that she wanted to leave, Eljay couldn't quite hide his sadness. He tried his best to swallow it, though, so that she wouldn't be burdened by his feelings in her decision. He didn't want to chase Weejay away like he had Elfie, and he definitely didn't want Weejay to stay here because she thought she needed to take care of her father. When Maia had said her good-byes Eljay and Weejay were left alone, and it was even harder not to let his sadness shine through.

Eljay said that he would miss Weejay a lot, and she in turn probably promised she'd visit lots. Eljay nuzzled her cheek lovingly and said that he hoped she would be safe wherever she went. With a twisted feeling in his gut Eljay returned to Maia and they waved Weejay good-bye. It felt so definitive for her to leave home, even though he knew it wouldn't be forever.