Northstar Vale There’s So[M]ething Going on and It’s Happening Now

this bout to get messed up tags just for shit talking reference tagging as mature for the body and death descriptions have some optional music while im here

It had been over a week since her mother left for a trip. Hotaru hadn't been entirely sure why she was just told it was important though she wished Reiko could be here now. The young princess had never been away from her mom for long periods of time and now that her dad was back she just wanted her family to be together. Takeshi probably missed her too, after all, he had been gone for a while then shortly after returning she had to leave? That wasn't fair!

The days had passed fast and with the extra free time, Hotaru had taken to exploring more of the territory day by day. There was so much to see and the amount of neat little hideaway areas she had found was more than pleasing, not that she really had a reason to hide away and she'd rather share it with her family... @Sumi was usually the one dragging her around, but it seems that she had gotten a headstart today without her. @Haruki had also vanished, likely for his own adventure to present when bedtime came around. That meant it was up to Hotaru to entertain herself today!

The pale girl traveled casually, sniffing at various flowers and plants along her path. The rain had finally lifted or at least temporarily, but it had brought an abundance of growth to the vale over the past weeks. Unfortunately, her pleasant little walk was about to haunt her maybe for the rest of her life. The abundance of green soon faded as the ground grew muddy, a rancid and metallic scent filled her nose and brought the girl to a halt. It was a huge change compared to the flowers and ferns she had previously been enamored with and because of that, a nagging curiosity drew her near.

Slow and careful paws carried the girl closer despite the ominous chill that ran down her spine. Something felt wrong, though she wasn't sure what it was. It was almost as if a fight or flight chord had been struck within her soul and the feeling only solidified as something white caught her eye amongst the mud. The feeling grew suffocating, though Hotaru still wasn't sure why what it was or what made her heart stop with dread. The smell grew worse as she approached, splotches of white and darkened red maybe even black peeked through the loose ground.

The girl thought she could make out what looked to be a paw, but that only puzzled her more. Wolves don't sleep underground, not like this. What kind of stranger had decided to sleep here? The only way to find out would be to wake them up, so naturally, she pawed at the mud scraping chunks and globs away from the sleeping form. Each scoop out unveiled a new wave of stench until finally, she found the body's face. For a moment Hotaru found herself rooted to her spot, a million thoughts racing through her mind as she tried to process just what she had stumbled upon.

In the ground laid her mother, eyes glazed over and stiff as her body began the process of decomposing. Her thoughts rushed to save her innocence insisting she was only sleeping, but she was far to wise now to deny it. Reiko's throat was opened, caked blood covering her fur as her head laid at an unnatural angle. She knew what death looked like. She had seen it in the small prey she was given daily. It felt like a dream, no a nightmare, something too horrible to be true as she took a step back in horror and finally, the smell and churning in her stomach caused her to retch up her insides.

By the time she had finished, she burned from the inside out, her mind just as fuzzy as her body. She wasn't sure when she had started crying but now her vision only contained blurred colors of the world around her. Quiet sobs found a voice as the Princess fell onto her rear and raised her head to the heavens to wail. The girl had done a lot of crying during her time alive, but no moment compared to this. This was a pain unlike any other she had felt, a tightness gripped her chest as she struggled to breathe through the sobs. Did @Takeshi know? Did he know mom wasn't coming back? That she had been here all along? 

anyone welcome here to hear her loud ass crying

Her mind had been in a permanent fog, her emotions slowly leaching away from the once vibrant flower as the days pushed on. Maybe the only reason she was still alive was hope, maybe she was just imagining the world around her. A sigh escaped the woman as the months grew long and lonely, she had been happy that her husband was still alive and yet now dread filled her head. It had been a month, maybe more, since she had heard word about him. Had she dreamed that up? Everyday she watched their child growl, his baby blue eyes no longer there but replaced with a resemblance of what they would darken into. A perfect mix, a beautiful dual color. One eye was her color and the other his, no doubting that he was her husband's now.

He was a strong child, definitely Yuudai's and yet he had never seen the man's face. It was his nudging now that caused her mind to remove its self from her dreams, her worry of her lover and also the woman she loved that had been missing for some time. 

it was then she heard the wailing, shouting at her child to not rush forward and play knight but he was already gone from her side. Though she was too skinny for her own good, she raced to meet the boy and now wailing girl. She should have shielded them both at what sue saw but instead she was frozen to the spot. 

Oh no.

No, no, no, no.

This could not be happening, she could not be gone too.

tears began to slip from her eyes as she looked at the rotting frame of the woman she loved, the sickening smile at her throat. Her beautiful blue eyes clouded over, still open but the expression was gone. Only then did she move, moving her body between the children and the body. "Hotaru..." Her voice cracked as she spoke the girl's name, wettingher lips to clear up her voice. "Little one, I need you to go with your.. to go with Kazuhiko.." she looked to her child who was also crying, they both didn't need to be hear any longer. 

It was then that anger began to lick at her heart, her mind turning at the marks her husband kept inflicting on her. Something in her mind blamed him, who else could have done this?

His mother had been in a daze for as long as he could remember, his only comfort was when she finally roamed outside the den and let him follow. It could feel that there was something broken inside her but there were so many things that he didn't know what one thing could fix it. His father was absent, no matter how much she talked about him @Yuudai was not in his life. The only thing he knew for certain was that one of his eyes was from him. His mother loved the empress but she was with another, constantly hurt by her husband in a different way than how his mother was hurt by his father.

The child shook his head as she moved a little ahead of his listless mother, his nose working as a scent invaded his nostrils. Foul and unwelcome, he looked to his mother but she was in her own little world until they both heard the crying. Wailing, loud and sorrow filled. Without permission the boy ran ahead, wanting to help the girl it was coming from but stopped for a small moment to take in the state of the Empress. Her mother.

Oh hell.

Swallowing hard to keep the bike from rising, he turned from the sight. He moved him closer to the pale beauty and gave her shoulder a nuzzle, if he allowed her he would curl around her smaller form. A small lick to her cheek to remove tears that were never ending, his own eyes watered as he finally heard his mother's voice. She said to go with him but where would he take her, to her father? Oh, he thought his wife was missing didn't he? He looked at the girl amd gave a sad smile, his ears falling when he caught a glimpse of Reiko between her legs.

What was going to happen now?

She never heard the approaching paw steps as a boy rushed to her side quickly followed by a woman. For a moment she thought the woman who moved in front of her was her mom, vision still too blurred to make out the details of her face. It was only her voice that gave her away, she knew her name, but it wasn't Reiko.

The boy curled around her, his tongue pressed to her cheek in an attempt to rid the cursed water that streamed from her eyes with no end. It was a nice gesture, but she felt all too numb to it. She didn't want this boy's kindness, she wanted her mom's. She wanted to be held close as Reiko sang her lullabies and taught her of the stars.

As things would be, Hiromi's words practically went in one ear then out the other. Something about going? She wasn't sure she could move let alone walk. Her body grew heavy with grief strong enough to permanently affix her to the ground where she sat. The Princess opened her mouth, perhaps to speak, though all that came out was something garbled with another wail, MauhHHHHHMEHHH!!!

Lilitu had just been drifting off into a nap when the wail ripped open the edge of her dreams. It was a terrible sound, the most awful thing she'd ever heard, and she startled upright, bristling. Her initial thought was to hide from the racket, but curiosity got the best of her. It always did.

Oh, but how she would regret this small voyage.

It was Hotaru's cries that summoned her, and the smell that rose up to meet Lilitu upon arrival was horrendous. She gagged, craned her neck around the gathered wolves, and then gasped.

The mean woman. Bloodied and still, decaying in the earth.

She turned to her friend. 'Mama,' she was sobbing. And piercing through even her utter dislike of the woman who had scorned her so was a deep-seated heartache for Hotaru. To see such a sweet girl so sad. . .

Shhh, she murmured, seeking to soothe. Also to quiet the noise, which was hurting her ears, but that was very much a secondary mission. She drew close to the pale children, eyes soft but confused.

Takeshi was awakened that morning by a somewhat distant, loud wail. 

Well shit. That couldn't be good. 

The emperor was making his way to the source of the sound as soon as he could, but the path felt sickeningly too familiar as he came closer. No... anything but this. 

There just ahead, a small congregation huddled around something he couldn't quite make out yet, but he knew the spot- knew exactly what sight would be there to greet him. 

A week among the worms- he didn't want to look. Didn't want to. 

But he had to. He had to. He knew his reaction had to be prime genuine, even if there was already Hiromi there, who could certainly see right through him.

And so Takeshi made his way forward, What's goi- -ng on? He had meant to finish naturally, but he caught sight of her face- rotted skin sinking in, eyes looking sickly glazed. Without any intention of acting, the emperor gagged and immediately vomited. 

That was umpleasant, but back to acting. What the- what the HELL is THAT!! He shouted, staggering backward.

R-Reiko?!?

The child would not move, instead her cries grew worse and seemed to draw a crowd. First it was another child of her dearly departed friend, the child moved closer to birth her sister and Kazuhiko who was actually their brother. Not a single child knew this connection and since Reiko had not wanted to tell them, she would respect her wishes unless it was necessary. 

she moved again, trying to shield the children but then he came. A man that she despised and knew his true self, he was the one that had "killed" her husband and now he had to have done this. He tried to play and because of the children she held back her teeth but she could not stop the growl that fell from her lips as she faced him. 

"You know what it is, don't play that game around me." Her words her harsh but her tone remained calm for the children, "Care to help me take the children away from her.. they dont need to see this." what you have done to their mother, that is what she wanted to say but they were traumatized enough.

He had ignored the grown ups as they stoke about something, he was instead focused on the girl and her painful crying. He closed at her as she pushed closer, moving his larger body around hers just as another girl showed up. Again he cooed a soft sound, something that tried to sooth as he fought his own tears.

"Lilitu.." she spoke in a painful voice in hopes her name could help snap Hotaru back to not crying.

At last her screams had summoned more than the boy and his mother. Lilitu neared trying to quiet her as well, though luckily for all the wolves around Hotaru let her voice fall, instead turning her focus to her choaked breathing thanks to the tears and snot that ran oh so gracefully down her face. A pain had rooted itself deep within her chest as her bones shook before stumbling to her friend to bury her face along her side.

Takeshi was quick to follow after, her own reaction mirrored in her father as he spilled his insides before looking appalled. The words shared between the adults had slipped into a dull buzz as well. She wasn't sure why Hiromi thought they were playing a game. This wasn't a game, it wasn't fun. She hurt. Though physically she was fine, it felt as if her body was shutting down as the roots of grief spread through her limbs.