Gentle Mother

Rhythm called her child, and she was one of the few wolves in her lives that still could. Her Auntie had earned that right, and would never lose it. She was Rhythm’s child, in heart if not in blood. She clung to the older woman as she spoke of her sadness. She breathed in the frail scent of her, felt the age in her coat. Her Auntie had always been a gentle, vibrant presence in her life. Why did she have to go and get so old? Many wolves didn’t live past their tenth year, and Rhythm was now eleven, and many of those years had not been kind to her.

Shaye took a shuddered breath, and allowed Rhythm to pull away a little when she wished to. “He did, he.. Needed a little talking down that day.” she admitted, remembering how he had wished to storm Legion and fight for his mother. It was the gentle reminder that Rhythm had only just left one prison, that had kept him from doing do.

“He’s doing alright, and maybe he’ll understand one day” like she had. She only hoped he came to that realization before Rhythm.. Passed. Even the thought hurt, and she didn’t want to think what poor Rhyme would be like if he realised what he had let himself lose, only after she was gone.

What Shaye would give to see her mother, one last time.

She swiped away tears she hadn’t realised had been there, and cleared her throat. “I ah, actually came here because of Feather” she explained, as the little blue tree swallow fluttered down and landed gently on Rhythm’s forehead. “My life is a little too exciting for her, and I was wondering if you would want to watch over her?” she asked her Auntie.