Plans

speech

Novel’s acceptance of her affection lifted a great weight from her chest, to know that despite her own guilt Novel was willing to accept her back. Despite it all, they were still family and Canta was glad to know that wasn’t about to change; she had so little family left to cling to.

A small smile would acknowledge Mercury’s support and she nudged him ever so slightly.  Her speech would end and the woman would find his violet gaze meeting hers, she’d return his earlier nuzzle and look back towards their sisters. Despite her less than happy tale she glanced at her sister(s) and nephews with a brightness that hadn’t occupied her expression in a while. There was no judgement against them, not on her end. They had kids to look after and Canta knew well enough that her own sister was no fighter; Canta’s choice to battle had been so they didn’t have to.

Ara questioned their plan and Canta briefly wondered if Mercury wanted to field this question, she glanced at him again before speaking. He was free to jump in any time if he wanted. “It’s time to move on… We can’t keep lurking around and joining just…” She glanced away then, her gaze growing distant as if seeing something approaching from the horizon. “It wouldn’t feel right.” These lands were her home, and yet they couldn’t be home ever again. Jupiter had taken that from her and even with a new alpha…

Canta wondered if Novel could understand how she felt about this. She hadn’t lost just her family or home… she had been stripped of her own childhood, unable, unwilling to look back. Sometimes she wondered if Jupiter hadn’t killed her after all, she certainly felt like a different person. But then maybe she had always been on this path? Maybe Cherokee leaving had been the cataclysm that had marked the death of a softer, more optimistic Canta; in her stead she had been reborn as the hardened, pessimistic woman she was now.

“We’re going to find a new home, not a pack but maybe an island or… or something.” They weren’t exactly settled on this yet, one step at a time. “First though… uh…” She brought her gaze back to Mercury. This was his part and it would probably sound better coming from him than her anyways, after all he had his own mission.