The silence was painfully long, and strangely quieter than usual. Even the faintest of sounds her ears could pick up, like her own heavy breaths. Forcing a gulp down her throat, she studied her mother's features, seeing that the woman was indeed deep in thought. What was going through that head of hers? Was she actually considering accepting her leave? The girl had been expecting a straight-out no, though perhaps there still was a faint glimmer of hope.
She barely caught onto her mother's feather-like words when she finally spoke, stating that she was a bit surprised. Of course she would be; it wasn't every day her children asked to leave the pack. Pushing those thoughts aside in case she drifted away from her mother's words, she continued to listen in anticipation. So it seemed the rainbow-pelted woman was torn between two sides, though explained that it would be selfish of her to say no. Disbelief flashed in the girl's crimson gaze. How was that selfish? She was just doing to the motherly thing to do! In fact, it was Zeph who was selfish for deciding to leave her family to be with a mere friend in a pack who knows where.
Her confusion only intensified when the woman nuzzled her shoulder, telling her to visit occasionally and that she would be missed. Wait...what? Was she going? For all this time she had thought it was a no, or at least an undecided decision...but a yes? Really? Was it that easy? "So is that a yes?" she asked breathlessly with widened, exhilarated eyes, meeting her mother's teary gaze. That look on her mother's features dug past her cold exterior and hit her feelings like an arrow, making her throat dry once again. Liquid began to prick at the corner of her eyes. Great, she grumbled to herself. She didn't think this would be an emotional time, especially on her own part.
