Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2015 13:53:05 GMT -5
When she woke, he was gone.
Her daughters still slept soundly in the darkness before the break of day. The boy had vanished in the night. The young male’s scent meandered away, further from the safety of the familial den. She followed his trail as the eastern sky faded from black to vibrant shades of scarlet and orange, beyond their den and into the depths of the jungle. Soon, the trail was lost in the mud. After a brief final look, Athena returned, alone. She only hoped that the boy had not suffered. She told her daughters that he was gone, offering no other explanation for the boy’s sudden disappearance.
Days later, Athena had carried on life with a sense of normalcy. Now, it was as if he had never been born at all, nameless and fated to fade into distant memories as his sisters grew up without him. Perhaps it was better this way, she tried to convince herself, but still a vague sense of guilt gnawed away at her conscience at the knowledge that he was undoubtedly dead by now.
The family had outgrown their earthen den. It was time to bring the pups to meet their pack. She would not be able to care for them on her own soon, and it was safer to remain close to the others in her pack, who she had seen only briefly in the months since her litter’s birth. She was proud of her daughters. If not for the absence of the boy child, Athena would fit the picture of a caring, doting mother. Lethe was a spitfire, full of energy and vitality that Athena cherished. Tempest, in spite of her name, was a sweet pup. Perhaps, Athena thought in hindsight, a gentler name would have been more appropriate. Willow was the smallest of the litter, with legs that did not seem to fit the rest of her growing physique, and a cheerful personality.
Her girls were two months old, big enough to follow behind as Athena followed a worn path through the verdant jungle. The sun was still climbing toward its zenith. A pair of ravens circled in the firmament above – unusual, Athena observed, for the jungle was home to a vast range of colorful birds. The dark ravens seemed out of place amongst the towering trees, calling out to each other in the voice of their ancestors. The symbol was ominous – once, her long-departed mentor had explained the ebony birds as an unlucky omen, but the gray femme said nothing, paws moving more swiftly over the earth floor. The silvery fae cast her gaze behind her shoulder to see that the trio of feminine pups were still there. ”We will be there soon, girls. Stay close.”
She was certain the others were aware of the girls’ birth, but Athena had not yet properly introduced the pups to anyone except Jaienyx, whose attitude toward pups seemed to be one of tolerance instead of true affection - though she suspected her golden friend felt some sense of fondness for her little girls. ”There will be more pups to play with,” she remarked, voice unwavering. Valeria had given birth to two daughters and two sons, though Athena had not seen the alpha’s children yet. As far as she knew, Valeria had no intention of giving up her own brutish offspring. Athena was uncertain how to feel about that, thoughts of her own lost son threatening to resurface. Valeria was the alpha, and she was only a healer with no one to save. She kept her mind from wandering to the unpleasant, intent on her surroundings as she continued onward.
Her daughters still slept soundly in the darkness before the break of day. The boy had vanished in the night. The young male’s scent meandered away, further from the safety of the familial den. She followed his trail as the eastern sky faded from black to vibrant shades of scarlet and orange, beyond their den and into the depths of the jungle. Soon, the trail was lost in the mud. After a brief final look, Athena returned, alone. She only hoped that the boy had not suffered. She told her daughters that he was gone, offering no other explanation for the boy’s sudden disappearance.
Days later, Athena had carried on life with a sense of normalcy. Now, it was as if he had never been born at all, nameless and fated to fade into distant memories as his sisters grew up without him. Perhaps it was better this way, she tried to convince herself, but still a vague sense of guilt gnawed away at her conscience at the knowledge that he was undoubtedly dead by now.
The family had outgrown their earthen den. It was time to bring the pups to meet their pack. She would not be able to care for them on her own soon, and it was safer to remain close to the others in her pack, who she had seen only briefly in the months since her litter’s birth. She was proud of her daughters. If not for the absence of the boy child, Athena would fit the picture of a caring, doting mother. Lethe was a spitfire, full of energy and vitality that Athena cherished. Tempest, in spite of her name, was a sweet pup. Perhaps, Athena thought in hindsight, a gentler name would have been more appropriate. Willow was the smallest of the litter, with legs that did not seem to fit the rest of her growing physique, and a cheerful personality.
Her girls were two months old, big enough to follow behind as Athena followed a worn path through the verdant jungle. The sun was still climbing toward its zenith. A pair of ravens circled in the firmament above – unusual, Athena observed, for the jungle was home to a vast range of colorful birds. The dark ravens seemed out of place amongst the towering trees, calling out to each other in the voice of their ancestors. The symbol was ominous – once, her long-departed mentor had explained the ebony birds as an unlucky omen, but the gray femme said nothing, paws moving more swiftly over the earth floor. The silvery fae cast her gaze behind her shoulder to see that the trio of feminine pups were still there. ”We will be there soon, girls. Stay close.”
She was certain the others were aware of the girls’ birth, but Athena had not yet properly introduced the pups to anyone except Jaienyx, whose attitude toward pups seemed to be one of tolerance instead of true affection - though she suspected her golden friend felt some sense of fondness for her little girls. ”There will be more pups to play with,” she remarked, voice unwavering. Valeria had given birth to two daughters and two sons, though Athena had not seen the alpha’s children yet. As far as she knew, Valeria had no intention of giving up her own brutish offspring. Athena was uncertain how to feel about that, thoughts of her own lost son threatening to resurface. Valeria was the alpha, and she was only a healer with no one to save. She kept her mind from wandering to the unpleasant, intent on her surroundings as she continued onward.
words: 613
tags: @santhenatempest + Lethe + Valyn
ooc: this will be the pups' first time meeting the rest of Valyn!
