Out For A Stroll [Caelia]

The shimmering Spirit walked beside Caelia as the young Adravendi girl spoke, one ear tipping toward the girl as she admitted the truth about the trip to the Battlefield. A soft ‘Hmph’ of amusement escaped her at the observation and she admitted, “I should have done more than giving you a look, and as soon as I found the scents leaving the territory. What I should have done was place all four of you, perhaps with the exception of Viviane, into the rank of Delinquent. However, in the case of Artur, I doubt it would do any good, and only foster resentment.”

Her eyes turned to lock on Caelia’s gaze as her stride paused. “There is a delicate balance, one I admit I haven’t entirely mastered as yet, where a leader must decide how much to intercede on a parent’s discipline. As a leader, I should have gone with my own pack laws. However, your mother was dying, and I was deeply reluctant to cause any upset or friction. I also was unsure if she would take offense if I stepped in and punished her children.”

She started forward slowly, muzzle tipping to the sky, eyes searching the clouds as she said, slowly, “My father has always spoken of being a leader as… wearing many masks. Your close family knows the true face beneath the mask. But you must also wear the mask of the leader, who works for the pack’s best interest. He has had to wear the mask of the Law in the past, and in dealing with family. Our cousin Acapella disappeared once, long ago, without speaking to him or aunt Faite. When she returned, she was placed in the rank of Punished.”

A slow shake of the head followed her words as she continued, “It’s not pleasant to punish one’s own family. But in the best interests of the pack, it is sometimes necessary. Even if it means banishment. Acapella was banished, a while after the Raid by Talis, because she chose to engage a known enemy who was only just barely south of the Plains’ wall, and instead of howling to alert the pack that there was a suspicious wolf around, she spoke to him, freely, and too openly about who was or was not in Celestial. Father was more merciful than he might have been in other circumstances. She was already fully blinded by the very male she spoke to. He banished her, but sent his companions to ensure she would be safe and fed until she settled into a new place.”

She cocked her head slightly in thought and hummed softly with a sigh, “I suppose the moral to that short tale, is to be firm, but be merciful and compassionate where you can. 'A king who is feared is no king at all’." There is a balance that must be found between too harsh, and too soft, as well…"

Her head turned back to the front, in time to see Aelloshir pouncing, rather ridiculously, for a vole in the grass, rump high, tail lashing. From the growling he was doing, she deciphered something about "-little prick just bit my toe and I am going to kill it so bloody hard-"

A brief cough escaped the Spirit and she lifted a paw, hiding the smile that had twitched onto her features. The levity eased some of the weight to the conversation.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think