Blood is Thicker
01-01-2022, 08:39 PM
Larisa watched as Manea stood, and had to crane her neck upwards to face her at full height. Larisa was quite short as far as her family was concerned, and her niece had grown to be quite tall. Although strength & size did not a leader make, it definitely made for an intimidating proposition, and Larisa could not help but step back slightly from Manea, if only to make it more comfortable to look up at her. She flicked her tail uncomfortably at Manea's pause, and for the first time it occurred to her that her request could be denied, and she could be turned away. For all that had happened, Larisa still assumed there would be a place for her on her return; although of course, times change and wolves change and leaving abruptly and without warning was not the best way of maintaining good faith with family.
Manea's reply came as a relief, however, and Larisa felt her body relax. Although she was hardly being welcomed back joyously and with open arms, she had her place and a home again, and she could not help but wag her tail at the thought. Everything else could come later. Larisa half listened to what Manea was saying regarding their plans, but at the mention of her children's names she perked her ears and tensed up. Although she had kept such things from her mind while she was gone, she could not help but wonder where they had gotten to while they had been separated. She had raised them to be ambitious and industrious, and although she was not maternal and nurturing with them, she was proud of them and expected big things. Larisa wondered if she would be pleased or disappointed on their reunion. However, before she could process her feelings of her children, Manea gave her news of her own. A niece and nephew.... Things had definitely changed since she had left, and she felt an uncharacteristic pang at the thought of all she had missed. Maybe these were the sorts of things you suddenly cared about in your later years. "Oh," she said dumbly, at all the news, but recovered herself to continue, "The family is growing then. This is good news, a chance to rebuild. I like forward to seeing them, and...all the others, too."
Larisa nodded at Manea's final remark. "Yes, I hope so," she said in response, but knew that just saying it did not mean anything. She knew she would have to prove herself to Manea, and to herself, that she could move on from the past and embrace her new role in the family. Maybe it would be easier said than done, maybe she would rise above, or maybe it would all end in disaster. Tearing herself away from these thoughts, she looked to the next steps. "When do you plan to move to the south? Is there some way I can help?" There - step one to reconciliation.
Manea's reply came as a relief, however, and Larisa felt her body relax. Although she was hardly being welcomed back joyously and with open arms, she had her place and a home again, and she could not help but wag her tail at the thought. Everything else could come later. Larisa half listened to what Manea was saying regarding their plans, but at the mention of her children's names she perked her ears and tensed up. Although she had kept such things from her mind while she was gone, she could not help but wonder where they had gotten to while they had been separated. She had raised them to be ambitious and industrious, and although she was not maternal and nurturing with them, she was proud of them and expected big things. Larisa wondered if she would be pleased or disappointed on their reunion. However, before she could process her feelings of her children, Manea gave her news of her own. A niece and nephew.... Things had definitely changed since she had left, and she felt an uncharacteristic pang at the thought of all she had missed. Maybe these were the sorts of things you suddenly cared about in your later years. "Oh," she said dumbly, at all the news, but recovered herself to continue, "The family is growing then. This is good news, a chance to rebuild. I like forward to seeing them, and...all the others, too."
Larisa nodded at Manea's final remark. "Yes, I hope so," she said in response, but knew that just saying it did not mean anything. She knew she would have to prove herself to Manea, and to herself, that she could move on from the past and embrace her new role in the family. Maybe it would be easier said than done, maybe she would rise above, or maybe it would all end in disaster. Tearing herself away from these thoughts, she looked to the next steps. "When do you plan to move to the south? Is there some way I can help?" There - step one to reconciliation.