Loneliness

She’s lost in thought when the tapping of a claw against her door catches her attention, pulling her eyes away from the ocean to look over her shoulder. After cracking open the door, her father’s voice fills the room, and Clove can’t help the smile that curls her lips. She was feeling pretty somber before he arrived. “Tati!” She says, straightening up and motioning him inside with a wave of her paw. She’s excited to see him, warmth radiating from her beaming smile. “Yes, come in.” Inviting him in, she watches as he crosses her massive room, coming to join her on her balcony.

For a little while, they sit in silence- enjoying the marvel of the setting sun, as it morphed into twilight against a backdrop of celestial stars. The ocean seemed to glow at this time of day, shimmering in the distance, creating an ethereal gleam across the coastline. Clove loved it so much.

Even in silence, Clove feels more at home in her father’s presence. His familiar voice, comforting smell, and tender, fatherly gleam in his eyes. His presence is a steady anchor in her life, a source of strength and support that she admires and looks up to. So when he asks if everything is alright, Clove doesn’t hesitate to answer honestly. With a soft sigh, she looks out across the ocean again. “I’m alright,” She begins. “Just a little bored. Lonely.” He might have noticed her sitting alone in the library reading books, or rummaging through the gardens with an untrained eye. “Everyone is so busy now.” She was referring to her littermates, and most of all, her beloved sister Ember. Maybe even Akito too, who she hadn't seen in a while. “They all found their passions and are using them to contribute to the pack.” Another sigh. “But what about me?” Sure, she loved to hunt and explore, and Tati knew that. “I feel like…” She becomes somber in that moment. “Like I got left behind.” Talyssa and Ember leaving had been the catalyst. Now she felt very alone. "I do love to explore! And I love being a scout, promise.” She turns to him, trying to up her mood and remind him that she truly enjoys the role he chose for her. “I dunno. I don’t like leaving the castle by myself anymore. It’s too lonely out there. And with The Syndicate…” She didn’t know much about the pack her father deemed an enemy. Just that they were dangerous, and to avoid them. “I don’t want you to worry either.” Leaning into him, Clove rests her head on his taller shoulder.

"Clove Carpathius"