The Sunspire I will never cry at night again

Per mutual agreement the thread has been forward-dated and editted accordingly to 8th - 9th October.

@Maia 

It was evening, when Wraen returned from a quick patrol around the borders. With a rabbit in her jaws she was walking to the den-site, where Maia spent most of her days now. With adults away someone needed to look after the kids. And though none of them were babies now and could deal with themselves pretty much on their own, Wraen imagined that keeping them entertained and herding them around could be exhausting. 

That's the reason behind the gift. And - oh - also the fact that her sister never turned down a solid meal and... though "little" did not apply to Maia anymore, since she was taller and bulkier than her older sibling, Wraen felt that she should still take care of her. The other reason - she had to somehow prepare her sister for the unpleasant talk that was to come. And danger of choking aside, person with a full-mouth was a better listener and could not interrupt or protest too much. 

Coming nearer to the rendezvous site, she began to listen more keenly, to find out the location of the little group and what were they doing.

The kids were doin whatever kids do, and Maia was doin her best to keep after them.  It was stressful as heck, of course.... just the leadership's kids, no big deal.  Yeahhhh.

But She was enjoying it too! Chasing after, playing with them, showing them cool things.  They were pretty great.  There was a little bit of bitterness in the back of her mind; her own niece and nephew could have been a part of this too.  But it couldn't discolor her appreciation of Liffey and Rannoch's pups.

She was basking in the shade when Wraen arrived, watching the kids as they played not too far away.  They could basically do their own thing, and she didn't hound them to stick around, but she made sure she pretty well knew where they were as she could.  Imagine if she lost one of them? She'd have to change her name, leave town, yikes.

"Hey!"  Maia grinned at her sister, tail thumping. "Please tell me that's for me! I'm starving."

"You always are," Wraen replied, when she had put the rabbit down and stepped aside to let Maia gobble it down. "I thought that after all of this baby-sitting you might need to refuel your energy reserves," she sat down, looked her sibling up and down, then briefly turned her head to see, where were the kids and what were they doing, and then focused at her younger sister again. 

"So, how many toes did the little monsters chew off today?" she asked.

Wraen wasn't wrong.  She tucked in almost immediately, then paused, indicating Wraen was more than welcome to share if she wanted.  She wasn't so hungry that she was gonna be rude, after all.  "Just a couple," she joked back, "before I started teachin them the legs are a better target."  All in all she was quite enjoying her stint at babysitting, though it was way more work than she was used to, and sometimes she still woke up dreading chasing the little things around.

"Definitely worse things than playin with kids all day though! I played 'witch in the swamp' with them yesterday, but it's less fun on a mountain." Another plus to their hopefully new home.  The game wasn't complicated - Maia pretended to be an evil witch, set to trap the pups, and they had to escape.  But you could hardly get a place less swamp-like than the Sunspire.  Except maybe the beach.

"I give you credit for trying it at all," Wraen replied, laughing, because truly Sunspire was the least suitable place for that game. Maia had had to be very creative to play this with the pups. "But I suggest you try "higher than the ground" next time. You remember - a regular game of tag, but once you jump onto something that stands higher than the ground, you are immune. With all these rocks around - my guess that you should give a try," there weren't that many "higher than the ground" items here, but if Maia took the little fellows further up, all of them would have plenty of chances to meet their inner "mountain goats".

"I wanted to talk with you about something very important," she said after a thoughtful pause, searching for the right words. "I made a decision not to follow Sunspire wolves to their new home at Lost Creek Hollow. I have spoken with Terance already and we have parted on mutually good terms," she explained, though she did not know for sure, how would her brother feel tomorrow or day after that, though he had a more forgiving nature than Wraen. 

"The thing is... this season, this whole madness with puppies and depletion of resources, and leading and... well, basically everything in the last six months has burned me out. I have not been really happy for a very long time either and I really do not want to go on like this," she went on, deciding not to mention that she and Terance would also be better individuals, if they did not live together anymore. 

"I am not asking you to get up and leave with me and - frankly speaking - I think that you will be safer if you stay with Terance and the rest during the winter... but I just wanted to let you know of my decision," she fell silent and looked at her sister, waiting for her response.

had a min pre work!

"Oooooh that's a good idea!"  How hadn't she thought of that game?! It hadn't been one of her favorites because honestly it involves balance and she didn't have a ton of that.  But falling off was sometimes half the fun!  Rannoch's kids would probably love that.  "If you want maybe we could both play sometime!"  It was fun to throw another adult into games, first because it gave Maia someone to joke with, and second because it gave a second set of eyes to watch for escapees. 

Or... not.  Maia definitely couldn't have guessed what Wraen would spring on her next, and she froze, listening with growing disbelief.

well, trying to listen.  It went a little fuzzy after she realized 'not to follow' actually meant 'leaving the pack'.

"Uh, how about, like, no?"  She responded, her voice lifting a bit at the end with disbelief.  "Why? Is it someone here? Who do I need to beat down, cuz you know I'll do it."  If Wraen was unhappy it was probably because some other wolf was makin her that way and this pack (maia specifically) needed her sister more than she needed some lame other.

Also also how could Terance be ok with this?

"I wish, Maia, this was that simple," Wraen replied with a sympathetic smile, moved by her sister's readiness to beat any meanie, who would have upset her older sister. "This is something that I have had coming for a long time. I just do not want to live my life for everyone else and have nothing of it myself," she clarified. 

"You do not have to like it, but this won't change my decision. This is for the better not only for me, but also for Terance," she said.

"You're being serious."  Of course she was.  But Maia still had to repeat it herself because she def hadn't expected this!

Ok.  Ok ok.  Was this a thing she needed to do by herself? She hadn't said it, but Maia still couldn't shake that feeling of annoying tailing sibling.    She was obviously going to have to make a choice here - she could stay with Terance, or she could go.  Leaving her big brother was going to be hard, and her stomach dropped at the thought of it.  But letting Wraen leave her behind seemed undoable.

"Can I come?" She asked, trying and only half succeeding at keeping the pleading from her tone.  "I like it here, but... Terance is so sad, and he's got other things, and everyone else just... yeah."  She'd made some friends.  Coelho, and Hyacinth, and maybe kinda Cass and Pyro.  But none of them were close to what her sister was to her.  Only Terance.... which was not going to be a fun talk.  Oh boy.

Wraen had not intended to have anyone from the current group tagging along her - she felt bad enough for taking leave before the harshest season of the year had begun. Anyone else choosing to join her would seem like stealing valuable assets away from Rannoch and Terance. And she did not want that. 

"Maia, this is not a decision you should make lightly. Winter is on our heels and wilderness can be a very challenging and at times dangerous place to live at," she replied, though moved for the second time in this conversation about her sister's willingness to exchange safety and friends to months of solitude with only her sister for company. 

"I am not saying "no", but I suggest you sleep on it and think it through thoroughly. I do not want you to regret anything or have bitter disappointment later. I do not want any harm to come your way. After all... what's best for me might not be the best thing for you," she finished.

She was sure, and she knew she wouldn't be changing her mind.  If her sister was leaving, she was following, not only because of Wraen but also because the idea was irresistible.  Maia settled easily enough, true, but there was always a part of her that would love seeing new places.  

"When are you goin?" She asked, recalling now that she'd said she wouldn't be moving with them.  So before that.  "I... I mean, I helped find the new place, so it would be kinda cool to help take everyone there."  She wrinkled her muzzle, thinking.  "Maybe we could, I dunno, meet up after? When I don't change my mind."  Because she wasn't gonna, and she said this with a little grin.  One that faded a bit, though, when she thought again of her brother.  It would give her time to figure out what to say there too.

"I will stay behind, when the folk decide on the moving day and go," Wraen explained, "and if you really haven't changed your mind by then, I will stay here for few days waiting, before moving on to the plains below." She did not yet know, how she felt about having a companion out in the wilds, when she had initially planned to go solo. She worried for her sister and how she would fare without the help and support from the more experienced members of Sunspire. But on the other hand... maybe she should stop seeing Maia as a baby and accept that she could make decisions on her own. In the end - regardless of what happened - this would be a valuable life experience for both of them. "Think about it and then tell Terance," she said. "Let's go and see, what those rascals are up to," she changed the subject, getting to her feet and looking over to, where Rannoch's offspring were playing around.

Last one from me. We can have a new one, where they meet up, if you wish.

sounds good!! I'll start one up!

Maia nodded, suddenly nervous, though still excited.  Was Wraen sure she was ok with her coming? Maia could be a big help, she knew she could, and no one should travel alone.  So it would be way better.  Right?

Grateful for the distraction, she latched onto the change in subject, pushing thoughts of leaving aside.  She would eventually procrastinate a little too long in the telling, but she honestly planned to at the moment.  "Let's go!"  Couldnt let the hellions run rampant too long.