Coming Home

*Ashtoreth* · 10-28-2014, 02:48 PM

Walk | Talk | Think

Joy filled her heart to hear her daughter call along with her, knowing in that moment that the girl who looked so much like her was still supportive and understanding of her mother's choices. She tended to be so much more difficult to read than her brother, always wide-eyed and nervous and shrinking as if to make herself appear even smaller than she was, that she hardly saw anything but anxiety from the girl. In this small way, even if Vaishya did not realize it, Ashtoreth could see that she had not lost her daughter as she had feared. Her dear child was still with her and had not given up her at all.

With a smiling glance at both of her children, the grey hunter silenced her call and waited patiently for those within the Willows who would come for her, unsure which of them would show themselves first but still eager to see them all. Far too much time had passed since she had been among them, she could not quite put into words just how excited she was to finally be home. And thankfully her wait was short. Through the moving branches she could see a dark shape approaching, smiling friendly with a smaller white figure trailing closely in her wake. Immediately Ashtoreth's smile widened and her tail took to wagging, recognizing the woman almost instantly. Imena did have her family after all!

The woman greeted her with the expected warmth the grey wolf had been anticipating, and she answered in kind. "Way too long," she agreed with something almost like a chuckle, unsure when she had last felt so happy and content. "I'm so glad to be back. This," she added hastily, shifting to gesture with her muzzle toward her son, "is Cador. And this is Vaishya." Another gesture followed as she introduced her daughter. "They were barely getting out of the den when Valhalla was lost. I don't think anyone really got to see them when they were little," she stated with a sad smile.

Reminded of those times, of the two that she had lost since then, Ash desperately tried to change the subject and was helped by the arrival of two more. Another pup came to join the one already nestled close beside its mother, and Surreal strode forward as well. Spying the daughter of Erani, Ashtoreth was surprised to see how much she had grown, how mature she looked. But there was still that pup-like quality to her, and it showed as she came forward to immediately embrace the hunter. Ash returned the affection with a little surprise though she really should have expected no less from Erani's child. Their whole family was all warm and friendly and supportive of one another; it was practically to be expected.

"You too, Surreal," Ashtoreth answered, once again smiling at the girl as she finally drew back. Just for a second her expression started to fall as Surreal asked about the journey she had been on since leaving Valhalla, the weighty tale not one easily told without dredging up feelings and thoughts and losses that she was still learning to live with. Forcing out a little chuckle, one that surely sounded more anxious and evasive than she wanted it to, she tiptoed around answering. "Maybe later, if that's alright. I'd like to settle down first. And I'm sure the kids would too," she added with glances at the both of them. Eventually she would need to tell the tale of her losses, but not here, not yet. She needed to prepare herself for it first.

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