It was time to check on Enki. The young boy that had traded himself in exchange for the freedom of his littermates. An act that Medusa could respect. The youngest litter had never given her trouble, but also she had not really met them before. Enki was probably the first and only of the youngest litter she'd met so far, and for some reason, reminded her of Ghoul. How was it that some of Recluse's kids turned out like...well...not so cruel while the rest of them turned out to be the total opposite, like Misery? Medusa had enough sense to know they didn't learn the niceness from Recluse, that was for sure! She had always gone out of her way to treat Medusa like shit! But no more since Medusa had won the pack from her, and Recluse had gone into hiding ever since. Good! Medusa didn't know what she'd do if she saw her again, but she definitely wouldn't have nice things to say, that was for sure!

Slinking into the tar pits in search of Enki, Medusa was unaware of the fate that had befallen her arch-nemesis. She had been told by her companions that Enki was probably sad. Definitely not happy. After all, none of his littermates nor his mother were here. Though she didn't know how close the boy was to them all, Medusa wanted to check on him to at least see how he was doing. They would be spending a significant amount of time together for the next two years, after all.

speech

code by Cloudy; art by Cloudy

Mother is dead. That is all Enki can remember with clear and absolute certainty. Mother is dead and he had given himself to Medusa freely. Everything else is a haze to Enki as time seems to move without the boy noticing. The tar pits are familiar and he has decided to stuck close to them since he had learned of his mother’s passing. For a moment, he wonders how long it has been since the bird arrived to bring the horrible news. Had it been hours? Days? Months?

Time has become a foreign concept with little meaning to him now, his days boiling down to, waking up, eating, and sleeping. The boy pads slowly around a bubbling tar pit, baby blue eyes watching as a bubble slowly forms on the surface before popping. Enki turns his gaze to find the leader of Insomnia making her way toward him. Pulling to a stop, he waits for her approach while quietly and emotionlessly watching her. When she is close his dull, monotone voice offers, “Medusa. Did you need me?”

The shine of life has dulled and faded from his eyes, leaving them with a vacant, almost dead look.


"Enki Klein"

She doesn't know what Enki is going through, of course. She learned only recently from Widow that Recluse was maybe dead. But Widow didn't believe it, and Medusa was skeptical, too. But since Enki seemed...what was the word Umbra had said? Sincere, or something? She was sure she'd learn the truth from him. Sure, she could ask Ghoul too probably, but Ghoul was here willingly and hadn't seemed to pleased about his mothers abandonment. But she didn't know how close or not close Ghouls younger siblings were to her arch nemesis. As she approached, she caught the familiar monotonous tone she used to have when she was around his age. But she didn't know how he usually was before this, so she didn't think much of it. She wasn't aware of the changes he was going through, either. "Medusa wanted to check on Enki. Medusa has...heard things. But doesn't know if they are true. So she came to ask. Is it true?" Perhaps her question would be pretty vague to most, but something told her he'd know what she was asking about. "Medusa"

The boy waits for Medusa to approach and he actually attempts to offer her a smile. It is a ghost of an actual one, all wrong and more like a bad attempt at applying a memory to his lips than anything, but he tries. While he had willingly given up his freedom for those of his siblings, the pale pink boy is actually happy to be here. Or at least… he was until the news of his mother’s death shattered his fragile hold on reality. The woman’s words pull him from his internal musing and the boy slowly blinks as his mind begins to process what she is saying.

It takes him a few moments to piece together what she is asking and his gaze had become distant as he pulled inward to work out the meaning. Finally, his head lowers in a dip of agreement, his movements jerky and strange as if, he doesn’t know to move his own neck. With the dip of acknowledgement comes his dull, toneless voice, saying, “Recluse is dead. It is true. Galho, her bird, brought the news about…” his voice falls off as he attempts to remember how long it actually has been since the news had reached his ears. A day? Three? A week?

Time has become strange for Enki with days feeling years and hours disappearing without his notice. Pale eyes blink sluggishly, as his shoulders attempt a shrug that is weird and uncoordinated before admitting, “I don’t remember how long ago he came with the news.” With the news shared, he gazes dully at her, ready and willing to supply her any information that she wishes to know. The thought of lying to her never even entered the boy’s mind because that is not who he is. Or… it was before he lost himself.

It seems that somethings are harder to break than other as the goodness in Enki has yet to leave.


"Enki Klein"

She didn't know him well. But she knew that look. She had been there once upon a time while in Habari. When she thought she'd lost all hope after all her efforts had gone unnoticed. When she felt like her life was a waste when half of Habari made her feel like that. But she wouldn't do that to Enki. That look in his eyes and his demeanor was caused by something else, and it's in the way he acts now that she knows the truth before he confirms it. When he does say how he learned the news, she pursed her lips. Half of her was happy to hear that the news was true. She didn't like Recluse. Recluse hadn't liked her. But while it was good news for Medusa, meant it was bad news for Recluse's children. They were without a mother now, but then again...she couldn't say that Recluse should really be missed. After all, she had opted not to come for the children that Medusa had kept. For what reasons, she didn't know. And she'd probably never know or understand what the thought process was behind that. All she knew was that if her own pups were in that position, she'd be fighting tooth and nail for them come hell or high water. That feeling was heightened when she thought about the fact that nobody had ever been there for her ever since she was a pup barely able to feed herself. Still...she showed sympathy. While she despised Recluse, the kids didn't deserve the heartbreak that came with her passing. "Medusa is sorry to hear that," She says softly, sincerely. Though Enki was subjected to the Tar Pits and the others weren't, she had a heart still. She wouldn't keep him from the rest of his family when he was grieving. "Enki can go see his family if he wants...or stay here...it is his choice. Medusa does not know what it is like to be sad when she loses a parent - Medusa's dad was dead and her mom left her to die when she was a pup - but Enki is not alone." She tried to offer a small smile, but in his state, she knew it'd do little to ease any of his pain. "Medusa"