The idea of ever going back had begun to fade from the girl's mind. Ever since her expedition to search for flowers she had understood that the new ruled over the old. Days, weeks rather, had passed since they had arrived at the Glacier, and whether she liked it or not, this new place was home now.
There would be no more Bazi,no more mud-baths, and apparently no more afternoon explorations.
This was their reality now. And though Maera didn't really have a problem with the new place itself she wanted to know what was wrong with the place they had left behind. Because, there must've been something damaged there right? If not why did they seek this shiny brand new place if there wasn't anything wrong with the Creek?
When something was wrong, broken or bad, it was only natural to search for something better. So, what made this place better? So far she had not found anything spectacular about this place --in fact,if it were not for her magnificent dicovery, the Glacier as a whole would be dammed in her mind.
With the questions burning her alive, she slipped past the den's entrance like she had done so frequently over the past few days. Once outside she took a moment to look at her surroundings, she was not yet used to the imposing figures of the mountains that craddled them in, like a protecting belt around their home. Protection from what?, she didn't know. The scariest thing she had ever encountered was a shiny green beetle that threatened to eat her nose, and a thousand of red dots that set her fingers of fire; and though the peaks of the Glacier stood strong they had not managed to hold back the greatest danger of all. The monster that had taken her brother was still on the loose.
Even if Maera was no longer oblivious to the dangers outside, the thought of crosssing paths with the creatures that lurked in the shadows and those who soared through the clouds was inexistent in her innocent heart.
She missed Larus.
How could she not? He was her unconditional plush toy, the one that wiped away her tears when the nightmares struck. Now it was her turn to wipe his tears, wherever he was. With her mind set and her belly craving his touch, she began her little quest for answers with complete confidence that no harm would ever touch her.
Today she would get a taste of what was wrong with this place.
![[Image: girl_gang.png]](https://image.ibb.co/b82KNa/girl_gang.png)
Ever since Danica had taken to sleeping near the Sveijarn den, she had felt much better. At least if something occurred, she would be ready this time. It was too little too late for one of them, but three were left, and she would die before she let anything harm the remaining little ones. A protective streak she had never realized she had had arisen within the golden Warrior and it called for blood.
Tuwawi too had been keeping a close eye on her remaining children, which was why it surprised Danica when a small nose poked its way from the den, followed by the familiar from of Maera. Unabashedly Danica's favorite of the four, for she was the one whom the woman had spent the most time with. "Where are you going?" she muttered softly to herself, watching the little one like a hawk. She wasn't about to let her go off alone.
Getting to her paws, she began to trail the young girl, keeping to the side so as not to be detected. She did not want to make herself known just yet, for she didn't want the child to feel as though she had need to be afraid. She just wanted to be there should anything happen upon them.
and this takes place before tuwa leaves :'( / last happy thread for mae
With her meatball nose hovering over the ground and her tail whipping from side to side, Maera took off running like a hound that followed a trail. She had not idea where she would end up and honestly she did not care. Today she would expand her horizons, she would dive into uncharted lands of her map without even a compass in her hand.
That was how Sveijarn's were.
They didn't need directions, they were born with an leading arrow in their heart that came with no instruction manual but somehow always managed to point the right way. Except for Daddy. He should've come back by now -- with Larus obviously. Maybe he had gotten side tracked along the journey.
Maybe he had stopped to pick flowers to bring back for her.
Yeah, that was it.
Foolishly blinded by her innocence, Maera continued to trot along, her nose picking through every bush and rock in hopes to find her brother's paarticular fragance, But of course there was no luck. The smallest child's scent was far gone -- just like the light in her mother's eyes.
She had pretended not to have noticed but the dark circles weighing under her eyelids were impossible to miss. They messed with her mother's fiery complexion, making her for once look frail and vulnerable. It was scary and painful for the babe's heart to see that her own hero was now crying out for help.
That was one of the many things that had fueled her desire to end with the mystery once and for all. No one else would be taken from her family, loosing Daddy and Larus had been the last straw.
She'd get them back or she'd join them trying.
This thread is so sad but Mae is SO GREAT
If you want Mae to notice her, feel free ^^ she's just kinda chillin and watching
When she picked up speed, Danica matched her strides. It wasn't hard, for though she was growing quickly she was still a young one yet. Her energy seemed boundless but her leg length less so. She wondered briefly what had possessed the young girl to take off so suddenly, what mission she could possibly be on, but as she watched, Danica slowly got an idea. And that idea about broke even her heart.
The little girl who had so recently refused to join Danica in chasing down fairies was now taking off on a pursuit of something that, to Danica's mind, was becoming just as farfetched as time went on. She didn't know if the girl sought her brother, her father, or both, but no matter which she was not going to meet with any luck. Had it been any other child, Danica would have burst their bubble right then and there. Little ones could leave reality to a point, but there came a time when they needed to learn that life wasn't fair and the world wasn't always kind. Maera though... she knew her. And she'd grown rather fond of her with her optimism and spunk. She didn't wish to see that depart, not even if it was perhaps the right thing to do.
What a conundrum this was.
Life itself was a fantasy for Maera, not one where the hero always rose in triumph or where the picture perfect family stayed together -- it was missing the happy ending she longed for. But she still held the hope that it would arrive in time. It would come back, along with Larus and Daddy and the fairies her current vigilator had told her about not more that two weeks before.
Suddenly the girl's fuel ran out -- her legs wouldn't carry her any step further and her heart had gotten too heavy to lift alone. With a loud thump, the girl allowed her rear to fall onto the floor. Her hazel eyes traced the outlines of her toes, carefully jumping from one to another as her lungs expelled jagged breaths off her tiny body. She was still unaware she was being watched. If she had known perhaps she would've fallen to the ground much sooner, coiling up into the dirt knowing that Danica would come and provide the gentle touch she was so desperately seeking.
But she was alone -- as far as she knew.
So there was no use in letting out tears when there was no one to wipe them off her cheeks.
Walking over, she sat down next to the little girl, glancing down. She didn't know if it was right or not, but at this point, why not? It was one of the things her father had done for her, and for a time when she had been small and upset, it had helped. "Do you remember what I said about fairies? That they could play tricks, but also give gifts?" She asked suddenly, looking at the trees overhead. "I'm no expert, but seems to me , it couldn't hurt to ask. Besides that, fairies are exceptionally good listeners." Danica had poured her heart out to the trees on more than one occasion when small, and while she no longer believed in such things, a part of her wished she did.
Her stubby toes didn't bring the comfort she was seeking so she closed her eyes and simply sat there. Motionless like a statue that would forever be caught under the paining gloom of loneliness. A sniffle broke the deafening silence, just moments before the blonde female approached to be her saviour again -- this time not from fire ants but from the imminent threat of a broken heart.
The sound of her voice cut through the silence making the little girl jump in surprise and jerk her head to meet her. Then like a trigger had been pulled inside her eyes, the tears began to flow accompanied with sniffled and choked sobs. Crying with someone to hold you was somehow more comforting that spilling your tears alone.
She nodded slowly and watched the female through the tears, waiting to hear why the fairies were relevant now, when everything else had begun to lose meaning around her.
Danica's idea wasn't bad; it made the girl blink up at her with silent awe. Would the fairies listen to plea? Would they be moved by her sad prayer and take compassion of her; even if she had thought about eating them the first time she heard of them?
Truthfully, she didn't know, but she could hope.
With her little snout pointing to the sky, the fire-kissed girl allowed a pained lament to slip past her lips, "Faires, tell me where they are." she began, "Take me with them, with lawus and the cat" she whined, remebering the traumatic scene in her head, "and with daddy and the flowers" she finished, wishing with every fiber of her body to get the answers she seeked.
Even through death.
Perhaps one day Maera would think of her the same, should her family not return. That would be fine, for at least she would have the comfort now. Besides, say what you would about the golden warrior, but she was here. And that would count for something. It would have counted for something to Danica.
Leaning over, she touched her nose to the girl's side. "They are fickle creatures, but perhaps they will show favor" she said quietly. There was a sort of spell about them that she didn't want to break with too much chatter.
i absolutely love this thread and i ship mae & danica<3
An unbreakable silence fell upon the child for the next minutes, along with her plea her whole heart had escaped into the atmosphere. It was floating above the trees and weaving between the fairy-filled leaves of red that still hung to the trees and fading into the clouds above. During this time of reflection, Maera allowed her tiny frame to sink into Danica's arms.
The woman whispered some last words of comfort into her ear before the young Sveijarn finally allowed tears to roll down her cheek, drenching the adult's chest as she was buried against her. "T-thank you" she mumbled, pushing her muzzle deeper into Danica's craddling arms.
As Maera burrowed close Danica felt her chest tighten, and she looked down, feeling the damp of the small face pressed against her fur. Damn. She was definitely done for. If this was how Danica's father had felt then she didn't understand how her parents had done as they had. In that instant Danica would have torn apart anyone who tried anything with Mae while she was around.
Looking about, she lowered her muzzle and began slowly grooming the little one's pelt, not saying a word as she let loose her sorrows. Silent support and comfort of presence was what she sensed was needed here, a good thing since that was the form of assistance that Danica excelled most at. Talking and exercising tact, not so much. Luckily it was hard to offend the young for they rarely acted so foolishly as adults.