Haunting Memories

Walk | Talk | Think
 
Rune found as he walked that his gaze was drawn more and more to the boy's vibrant green eyes, so much like his mother's. Did he realize it, the resemblance there? He might have inherited his father's bright coat, might have taken after the man in every other respect, but the Guardian was certain that Maia was there in his eyes. He wished more than anything that she was there with him, that she could see for herself how her children were growing up, so she could put in her two cents when it game to their upbringing. Had she really given their father permission to take them away? Though he doubted it vehemently, refused to believe that there might have been some truth to the statement that had led to Amarant and Colten leaving Secretua, a part of him wondered and worried whether he might have had it wrong this whole time. 

"I see," he answered quietly, drawing himself back into the conversation with his nephew. The boys were not as close as he wished they were. He had hoped, at least, that being taken and then choosing to live in a place that was different and unpredictable would have driven them closer together, made them lean against one another rather than the wolves who shared their pack. Rune did not label a one of them trustworthy enough to hand the care of his nephews over to them, but the children had made their choice. But that in no means meant he needed to be happy about it, or the fact he could not influence that choice or the situation at all. 

His brow had dropped, his frown deepening, and as Colten questioned the state of Secretua he found himself unable to change his expression at all. He wanted to answer the kid truthfully - he was family; he could be trusted - but remembering where he came from, who he had chosen to align with in the end, Rune refrained from answering right away. What were the chances that everything he said about his pack would get brought back to the psychopathic leaders of Arcanum? For just the briefest of moments he questioned his blind faith in his nephew, glanced at the youth from the corner of his frosty blue eyes, but had to continue with it. He could not bring himself to alienate the boys simply because of his paranoia, and nor, did he hope, would they compromise their extended family's safety because of their pack. 

"Things have been well, for the most part," he answered at length, opting for honesty in the end, "though good help is hard to come by." He hated to think of how many wolves he had actually drawn into the pack over the last few months only to have them leave or disappear in the end. It was disconcerting, and made him rather reluctant to even try recruiting again. "But we do have a few who have stepped up and are trying to make a difference," he added, thinking of Akemi and his own daughter, both vying for Advisory positions, "I expect things will only get better." With his piece said, Rune turned his head to more pointedly glance at Colten, the question he longed to ask the most finally being given a voice. "And what of you? Have you been well?"