Recluse Ithuriel-Klein It was time to really approach her aunt, the former empresses' children were old enough now to seek out proper training and frankly, Recluse, Habari needed them to be getting training but her aunt, well maybe her aunt needed something else. They hadn't had a proper talk since she'd returned from the Hallows, Recluse had hoped maybe her aunt just needed time to recover by herself but Recluse still couldn't help but feel... Hurt, she knew deep down she'd only really taken in Deathbelle because it had been convenient for Venom to get rid of her but keep her close with her cousin, but some part of Recluse still viewed the woman as the only mother figure she had. Sure they were not close like she was with her own children but she'd still turned to the woman when she'd been at her lowest when her half-siblings had been on the way and Recluse had lost sight of her path... And it hurt to think her aunt hadn't been able to come to her when she'd been at her lowest. Recluse sighed, settling herself beneath the branches of one of the redbud trees, tipping her head back to look up at the night sky. In the end, all she wanted was to do right by her aunt, the once empress, and if that meant letting her go somewhere where others could help her she would not keep the woman. But she would make her aunt start looking out for herself first. With her head already tipped back, Recluse let loose a call for her aunt, it was a gentle summons, not urgent but clear. "Speech"

Art by Sirinsong

Maybe Deathbelle realized that Recluse was a valid pillar to lean on when she reached her limit and descended into chaos. In the once Empress’s mind the woman was still the young she wolf grasping her power for the first time. Not because she hadn’t grown and developed, but because Belle was still her aunt. She couldn’t drop her baggage at Recluse’s feet, she didn’t deserve something like that. Recluse was a life saver in many ways, even if she didn’t have her paws directly within Deathbelle’s mental struggle. She was a connection to the past, a vivid reminder of a time she lived before Boreas, before the Empire, a time that was starkly similar to the life she lived now but so much different.

Recluse kept the Klein spirit alive, and at least part of the once Empress was sustained by that fact alone. Much of her life was dimmed so the bright places looked more important than they were before. She should have shown her niece more appreciation, but it was guilt and regret that could be added to an infinite list of mistakes. When the woman her thoughts lingered on called out for her, Deathbelle wouldn’t hesitate to heed her call.

The future was not a pleasant subject, but she had been avoiding talking about it for long enough. She could only float along like this for so long before a decision needed to be made either way. ”Recluse,” Belle greeted softly with a dip of her head as she approached. Recluse never asked her for much, she did her duties and trained when asked. But her light had obviously been extinguished. ”Good evening.”

Recluse Ithuriel-Klein Her aunt would arrive soon enough, she was looking mostly alright but there was a clear lack of life to her movement as if all of her confidence had been sucked out. "Aunt Deathbelle." She returned her aunt's greeting, then gestured to the space next to her with a forepaw. "Join me." It wasn't really a question, still she would wait until the older woman was well and truly settled before she'd speak first. There was two things Recluse wanted to really get to the heart of, the first would hopefully ease them into the second and so that was where she would start. "Abaven has approached us." She started simply enough, their neighbours had been quiet enough before this moment. "It seems they wish to start a school of sorts, they wished to introduce themselves and their mission. I have some doubts but I would be naive to deny there are currently things Habari cannot provide our youth. I plan to speak to our yearlings and give them the option to study in Abaven for some time, mine and yours." He looked at her aunt, searching out her gaze. They may have been niece and aunt but Recluse was a child no longer, a mother, she could understand now the fear of letting her eldest children fly away from home and hoped at the very least she could reassure her aunt if she shared those same anxieties. "Provided you have no objections." In only a few months time her cousins would be full adults of their own and if they wished to fly the coop Recluse would not be inclined to stop them, but for now she could respect her aunt's continued authority as their mother, even if they were old enough to begin making their own choices. "Speech"

Art by Sirinsong