Hard Choices (Open)

[Tala]

NOTE: Tala will be leaving Kairos to go to Eden. This thread is for anyone who wishes to see her off, especially her babies! <3

She was scared, that was an understatement. She wasn't sure what to fully expect out there, it had been so long since she set paw off the island, her leash used to be so short but now she could move about. Things had improved for her but that hollow feeling was getting harder to shake off. Her children had grown further from her, some even disappeared to some unknown place causing her an aching worry. Soon she would be forgotten once again as they fully involved themselves in their own lives, just as they should. The masked girl didn't begrudge the move, it was a mothers burden to bear.

Staring long fully across the waters, Tala took a deep shaking breath. Tears welled in her eyes from fear and sadness, as she imagined swimming over to the other side. It was no ones fault she was leaving, Tyohon was being a kind Emperor according to Kairos standards and Messoria was a dark angel to her. But Tala still felt the pull to leave, find maybe something to make her happy again. Her children were her world, she didn't want them to think she abandoned them like their father had done. What could she even say to convince them she just needed to do this? Losing both parents so quickly would be hard. Maybe she should stay....

Doubt filled her mind. She may never be allowed to see them again. Once she left there may be a permanent exile laced upon her that would mean her death should she try to see them again. Her heart clenched in her chest at the thought, was she making the right choice? The thought swirled around and around, baiting her to just turn and leave, forget this foolish venture and be content with the lot she had in life.

But.......

What if she could be happy out there? She would always have part of her here. As much as she dreaded punishment, her heart made it's home here in its own small way. Yet she could find a real haven for a gentle soul like her. The possibility was tantalizing, so tempting that she dipped her paw in the water. The rush of cold sung her blood to life only to be enveloped with the familiar cloak of fear. 

What to do?

[Typhon]

The swim, as always, was long and boring, but Typhon managed to occupy his mind despite the lack of stimulation provided by the sea. Traveling from Acerbus back to In'amos was one of his very favorite treks, as the island was his true home. Goliath may have claimed more land before Typhon had any control, but the vastly different terrain simply did not feel like it was his, even though he had spent much of the past few weeks marking the borders and becoming familiar with it, and the various wolves he met upon his land. A few had joined, and a few had not, but they had all been unique and these were the thoughts he used to make the swim enjoyable.

In no time at all his massive paws were covered in wet sand, and he shook his pelt free of the salty water before stepping fully onto the beach. The air smelled of the sea, and Typhon took a deep breath to welcome himself home. As he did, a vague female scent drifted into his brain, and he turned, looking in the direction it hailed from. Tala, the young female he had seen around, was near, and though he had spoken to her only briefly, he felt the need to go to her. Something pulled him down the beach, and it was only a few moments before she came into view, setting a single paw in the ebbing water he had just returned from.

Still scraggly and damp from said swim, the emperor approached the lone female with a small smile. "Going for a swim? It's awfully cold yet," he said pleasantly, before his face fell at the expression she held, the dampness of her eyes. Frowning lightly, the young male stopped a short distance away, fully ready to respect the need for distance if the female voiced it. He might be the leader of Kairos, but that did not mean he needed to be the way Goliath had been; each pack member deserved some respect.

"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly, ignoring the cold wind that laced through the bits of his skin exposed to the air. Winter was fading into a warm spring, and though he would have liked to dry off, there was no reason to be rude and ignore Tala as he did so.

Words || 397
Tags || Tala
Notes || Whoo. (:

[Tala]

Staring out into the void, Tala wrestled with herself. This was foolhardy she should give up and turn back, she hadn't even left Ina'mos since she became Kairos, what if the world changed to an even more bitter place? 

A voice from behind her caused her to jump and flash a look of shock towards the Emperor himself. She hadn't really spent much time around Typhon especially since he had risen to rule the pack when his father left, mint green eyes riveted to his face. He knows...She told herself, she was doomed now. Yet, even in her panicked state of mind the masked female could register the emotion on his face. There wasn't anger..yet.

Bowing to her leader, Tala could feel her body betray her as she began to tremble. "Lord Typhon." She whispered, hoping he would show her a touch of favor since she willingly recognized him as her superior. Then he asked of everything is alright and she froze. Surely he would see her leaving as the greatest insult. Yet she could not find it in herself to lie. Tears of combined fear and sadness threatened to run down her face taking every shred of self control she had to not allow them to fall. "I beg of you to not hold my children responsible for my actions, sir." The near mute female knew she would have to speak as much as she could as quickly as she could manage, that in itself would be difficult without taking into account what she would have to say. If this was her last day of life, she wanted to be sure her five children wouldn't suffer. 

"I'm scared." Another whisper that she couldn't hold in. In her mind she scolded herself for being weak, but it was who she was made to be. Even with the relative peace she had since Datura had left, Tala was too broken to just suddenly heal and become a confident female. Too many years of abuse from too many wolves. Maybe she would always be broken, but that was why she had thought of this plan to leave. To find out.

367
Typhon
Shes a mess..needless to say

[Typhon]

When she jumped at his approach, Typhon felt a sting of guilt for having frightened her. It was telling, however, that she was so touchy, and he cocked his head slightly to the side, wondering what it was that had made her so sensitive. She greeted him warmly, if a little formally, and he nodded in response, though he did not speak any more. She was quiet for a time, not answering his question, but she clearly had something heavy weighing on her mind. When Tala spoke again, he was confused greatly by her words.

Don't hold her children responsible? For what? he thought silently, his frown growing and his brows furrowing as he took a tentative step forward, then another, to close the distance between them and create a less awkward environment. Tala was tense, on edge, and trembling as though he had threatened to kill her. What was going on? The need to comfort the female took hold, but Typhon held back, for he did not know Tala well enough for the motion to be familiar. She was not Datura, and he needed to make sure she was comfortable.

"Tala. Take a deep breath, and relax," he said softly to her, hoping the calming nature of his tender voice would cut through some of her anxiety, to help her speak. Under he breath she spoke of being afraid, and Typhon had a sinking feeling that she was afraid of him, though the reason was emphatically unclear to him. In a few seconds he began searching through his brain, hoping to find some way of understanding, before a small voice creeped into his brain and whispered as quietly as she had. She plans to abandon Kairos. She wishes to leave.

The words caused Ty to freeze, his whole body stiffening slightly as a roiling of different feelings came over him. At first, anger, for the sting of his parents' departure was still fresh enough to burn. After that came the horrible sadness that always accompanied his fury, the grief that clung to his skin as tightly as his damp fur. Confusion rolled in right on grief's tail, a million questions flooding his mind and clouding his vision. But the emotion that he settled on, the one that caused his body to relax, was understanding. His glazed-over eyes cleared in an instant, and he settled his body down in the sand, sitting at first, then setting himself all the way down upon his chest, massive paws stretched out before him, nearly touching the edges of Tala's fur.

"You are unhappy here," he said at last, turning to look out at the sea that he had only moments ago climbed out of. "You feel held back, and you wish to go. To find a new opportunity, to meet new wolves... to start over." As Ty spoke, his own words seemed to cut into him, ripping open his mental and physical wounds as he struggled to remain calm and composed. For a few moments, he cursed his father for passing on whatever mental ailment he had, though it was clear to Typhon that Goliath suffered far more from it than he did--at least for now. Perhaps that would change when he was no longer a youth.

A deep sigh shifted the sand before him, and Typhon turned his massive head back to the dainty female, a small, lopsided smile on his face. "Your children will be safe. And I will not stop you," came his final thought, though the pity in his eyes was not only for Tala, but also for Kairos. How many wolves would leave before Ty was able to fully take control? Would Kairos suffer in the absence of so many, or would it flourish before him? Had others already left without his knowledge? There were so many questions, and the young wolf made up his mind to seek out Sabaoth before the night fell in order to calm his worried mind.

Words || 680
Tags || Tala
Notes || Poor baby Tala aww

[Tala]

Her life hung in the balance of what he decided to do with her. She was frozen in fear although she had no real reason to be so scared of Typhon, he had never harmed her. But with his position came great responsibility and if he saw her leaving as some insult, it was over. But instead of chastisement and threats, he told her to breathe and relax. She looked at him, surprised by what she heard. In fact, she wasn't even sure she heard him right to begin with.

It was then she saw the light dim in his eyes, did he take this personally? Of course it could be easy to see it like that, she supposed. after all, he was relatively new to being in control of such a vast empire. This wasn't about his rule, really she hadn't considered him much in her decision other than her blind fear of what he may do should he get angry. What could she say to let him know that she was confident he would do well?

Before she could do anything, he laid out her own line of reasoning at her feet. She wanted to start over. Tears of relief spilled from her eyes as he promised they would be kept safe. "Thank you, Lord Typhon." Her voice shaky but relieved to hear what he vowed. Yet she couldn't leave him just yet, even as he gave her leave to swim out into the waters. He was still young with a lot to carry and for the most part it was a burden only he could carry on his own. Minty green eyes looked straight at his, "You will keep this legacy strong, Typhon. My actions are no reflection on you. For you are a fit ruler for Kairos."

Did her words mean anything to him? She didn't know. They barely knew each other even if she did see him grow up from that fumbling ball of fur he once was. Now she wished it was different, that she could come up with something fitting to say. Maybe even offer a comforting gesture. But she wasnt one for giving pep talks to kings. Instead she relied only on what she could convey with her eyes. There were hard choices to be made.

Typhon

[Typhon]

Typhon listened quietly to Tala, feeling worse for her as tears began to spill out of her unique eyes. She was overflowing with emotions, and his words had broken a piece of her--perhaps for the better, but he could not be sure. The female had thanked him, but it did not mean that she was referring to anything but his promise not to harm her children. How could he do that, simply because she was unhappy with her life on Ina'mos? It was unthinkable, and he was shocked that she would worry about it.

Then again, Goliath had been the type. His father would likely have gone or sent someone to kill her instead of her children, but in lieu of one body he might take another if he felt so inclined. The male had been ruthless, and it had helped keep Kairos in line. Ty hoped to do the same with a much softer paw, but it had not been long enough since he came into power for him to notice if it was working. Clearly something was wrong, if wolves kept leaving, but he could not find the problem by himself.

He needed help, and standing here saying goodbye to a female he hardly knew would solve none of his problems. While she complimented him, Typhon stood again, though he gave her as warm and genuine a smile as he could when she finished speaking. "I appreciate your words, Tala, truly. I doubt that you are right, but I have done my best and will continue. If you ever wish to return to Kairos, you will be welcomed without question." His voice was heavy with sadness but bright enough to convey his sincerity, and he dipped his massive head in a low bow to her.

"I wish you luck on your journey. I would see you off, but I have matters to attend. Take as much time as you need to prepare before your swim, and please take care," he added when he rose again, large paws already beginning to carry him away from the edge of the water. His pace, though slow and steady while he was in view of her, increased gradually when he got out of sight and turned into a swift dash once he was deep within the confines of the island, the only release he knew of to keep him calm as he struggled in his mind. Sabaoth would know what to do, and became his next priority.

Words || 421
Tags || Tala
Notes || It seemed appropriate for Ty to leave, hope you don't mind!< 3

[Tala]

She didn't even know what to say. He kindly extended an invitation to return should she wish and that made her heart swell. He would be a fair ruler, she was sure of it even if he lacked the confidence now. He would grow into a strong leader his father would be proud of even if they had such different ways of ruling. Wishing she had something to convince him of that, she could only look at him with a soft expression. 

Soon he bid her farewell and luck that she find what she was looking for. "I hope the same for you." She whispered quietly, sincerely. Watching him walk away was sad but she felt a rare moment of confidence that she was sent off with a blessing and a place to return to if she failed. Her children would be safe, that mattered the world to her. 

Looking out over the waters she stepped in as bravely as she could. It would be a long trip but she should be fine to swim the distance. After all she was hunter and had a sturdy although small build. Shivering with the cold, she pressed forward. If she didn't go now her resolve may falter once again and she may very well never be able to leave Kairos. Locking herself in her own prison build by her mind was never something she wished for. She needed to prove she could do this. To herself if no one else.

Paddling with her strong limbs, she focused on her destination. The main island of Anikira that she had not seen in over a year. How had it changed? She couldn't help but wonder. After all there were rumors that new land had come up from the sea itself and a icy wasteland crashed into the island to make it even larger. What else? She would know soon enough.

OOC: Farewell Kairos