Prodigal
There was movement in the frozen brush before she could even finish howling. The fear of unknown danger jumped inside of here. Here was familiar but it was always where she had been imprisoned. This was a place that held wolves she loved and hated and if she were to be taken by an enemy, there would be no fight in her to escape.
When a face finally appeared Azalea gasped. In her surprise she took a step back, right paw touching the ground and her weight falling onto it. She winced, leg jumping away from the cursed ground once more. She had been taken care of in her absence by a kind stranger... but they were no healer and the only thing Azalea knew to do was to keep the limb in line so that it could mend itself without being warped.
Before her was her daughter, Sarka. The dainty girl dropped to the ground and crawled forward. Azalea's ears pulled back and her head lowered to try and show the forever timid child that she meant no harm. Her leg pulsed, aching from the weight she had put on it.
"Sarka, my child, I need you to tell me: Who is in charge?" She looked her child in the eyes and hoped to get a vocal answer. She had always hoped that Sarka would grow out of her mute ways.
A warmth grew inside of her, dulling the ache, as she remembered the pup that had been her silent shadow. If one was here, were the others? "I'm sorry I was gone, darling. I'm so sorry." She felt fragile to apologize but it was needed. Not for the first time she owed her children an apology for abandoning them. Once by choice, this time by the crumbling rocks of the cliffside where a rabbit had outsmarted her. |