Post by tanniyn on Aug 22, 2008 23:19:47 GMT -5
Characters:
Kein - juvenile male cougar (former Amaranth)
Maulisho - adult female cougar (former Amaranth)
Setting:
Isolated Oasis - Larkspur & Haze's packlands.
The sun is steadily falling, and Kein has just finally stood up, preparing to do... Well, something. The first order of business is to get a drink, so he approaches the edge of the oasis. He didn't lie down there earlier today, and it was too hot most of the day for him to want to move, so he did not rest in his usual area. As he walks towards the water, he keeps an eye out for anyone who is nearby. He is not the most social of animals, but he has gotten used to the very social wolves, and spending most of his days alone makes him more inclined to be social when the day cools slightly.
But it's not a wolf that follows the boy out to the oasis. It's his mother. She looks somewhat troubled--hardly unusual as of late--though it's more of a contemplative look rather than simply upset, anxious, or disturbed. "Kein," she calls out, padding quietly toward her son. "Are you up for talking for a bit?" Her question is punctuated by her arrival at the water's edge and subsequent drink. Nothing like quenching one's thirst before serious conversation. It'll most likely be Maulisho who does most of the talking, but she wants to keep it a two-way dialogue. If anything, it'll prove to her that Kein is at least somewhat interested in what she has to say.
Kein stops walking when he hears his mother's voice. He has gotten better about acting 'like himself' in the past couple weeks, at /trying/ to keep a light demeanor while interacting with the others in the area, but it is still going to take him some time to be perfectly comfortable with everyone again. Where there was once a time when he would have jumped at the chance to spend some time talking with his mother, at least once in a while, he remains calm, now, especially since the way she asks it doesn't give him hope that it will be a light-hearted conversation. All the same, he nods and says, "Okay." At least he doesn't sound horribly reluctant. After speaking, he takes a couple more steps to join his mother at the edge of the water, and lowers his head to take a drink before looking at her again.
There is really no easy way for her to begin speaking on this, but she knows it's long overdue for Kein to know. "It's about your father." The cougaress takes another quick drink--if nothing else, it will give Kein a second to prepare himself however he needs.. emotionally, mentally.. whatever. Or maybe it's herself that needs preparation? No. She's had enough time. Raising her head up, she ignores the little droplets of water still clinging to her chinfur as she gazes at her son. So soon to become an adolescent, and yet he still seems so amazingly young to her. Not for the first time Maulisho is struck with the bleak thought of whether or not Kein will grow up into a cougar like his father.
His father? Kein can be fairly certain she isn't talking about Kasim... Unless she is. Unless Kasim is really upset with him. It wouldn't surprise Kein, not really, but it does worry him, a little bit. All the same, he is old enough to understand why Kasim isn't his father, and what kind of experiences could lead Mom to have believed, for a long time, that all male cougars were bad. That, combined with the fact that she hasn't refered to Kasim as his father before, gives him doubt that she is referring to Kasim, so he tries to keep from showing his own concern. He just nods and sits so that he is facing her.
"Your father's name is Azriel." The name, even this long after everything that happened, still has a bitter and unpleasant taste in her mouth. She vividly remembers the first time that they met, and his friendly introduction had led her to believe that they could become close friends. "I met your father a long while ago. He was very charming, polite, confident... everything I hoped for in a friend." Maulisho sighs. "I was so wrong.. so /utterly/ wrong to think that." She had been a blind fool, to put it mildly. "He used my close friendship with Larkspur against me, to force me to submit to him." Her voice is beginning to get thick with emotion, as so many what-ifs come to mind. The situation has been replayed a thousand times after the fact, and she still wonders if she could have done differently. If she /should/ have done differently.
Kein keeps his eyes on his mom as she speaks. Being old enough to understand and being prepared to hear what his mother is saying are two entirely different things. It doesn't /surprise/ him that one of the bad cougars she told him about is his father... But he doesn't like hearing it. It makes him question, again, why his mom is willing to believe that he is good. It even makes /him/ question whether he is good, whether he is even capable of pretending to be good. After a moment, he lowers his head and says, "I'm sorry he did that to you, Mom." He isn't sure what else to say, but he isn't just filling up space with meaningless words. He /is/ sorry about what Azriel did to his mother, and that Azriel is his father, even without knowing anything but that Azriel hurt Mom.
Lowering her own head, Maulisho leans over to nuzzle against her son, and whispers, "He caused me more pain and sorrow than I could possibly describe, but he also taught me one of the most valuable things I've ever learned." The cougaress pulls her head back, giving Kein a warm and truly heartfelt smile. "Despite what Azriel did to me, despite the pain, and despite the sorrow, I have /you/ because of it." Good really /can/ come from evil! Maulisho leans back to give him another nuzzle, this time coupled with a soft purr. "I love you so much, Kein."
The most common manifestation of Kein's sorrow is how often tears sting at his eyes. This is one such time. He fights against letting them fall, keeping his head down. He does return the nuzzling, though. It's not accompanied by a purr, but it is plenty affectionate. "I love you too, Mom. More than anyone." More than Kasim and Pelutho, the only others he can claim to love. He is glad he at least has this to say, because he's still mostly at a loss for words.
She's not quite finished, but she does want to at least savor this moment before continuing with their conversation. Maulisho hears her purring grow slightly louder as she thinks about just how proud she is of her son. He might still be young, but he's already displaying many of the characteristics she'd always hoped her firstborn would have, whether male or female. "You know," she murmurs, "I used to think that there could never be a good male cougar. All I had ever known from males was heartache and pain. My sister's murder, what Azriel did to me, Ahiga's unfriendliness to me, LaVeaux's treachery, Velefar's torturing... even what Chesmu tried to do." She swallows hard, recalling just how close he got to accomplishing his goal. "It took a cougar like Kasim to show me that not all males were evil." She smiles again. "And believe it or not, it took /you/ to show me that /cougars/ are not good or evil... it's the choices that they make." Her voice remains steady, though her eyes soften. "When you and Nayeli had that fight, I began to worry that you were going to turn out like Azriel. You've shown me that despite a bad decision.. despite a bad action.. you have still shown yourself to be working toward becoming like Kasim." Another purr. "That makes me very proud to be your mother."
Kein still worries that he is going to turn out like Azriel, whether he intends to or not. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. But then, he didn't want to hurt anyone when he was trying to get back to Amaranth, and that didn't turn out well. Even so... What his mother says cheers him up. Not much, but some. Finally, he has a reason why Mom still loves him, one he can understand. Something he can work toward to make sure that she continues to be proud of him, because he knows that as long as she continues to believe in him, there is hope for him. "I still don't want to be like them, Mom. Ever." He told her that once before, and it remains why he second guesses everything he does, or at least everything he does that it even a little out of the ordinary.
"Think about your decisions, then. Think about what you're doing to others. Even what you say could be considered a decision." Maulisho's voice grows slightly firmer. "Think about what happened between you and Nayeli, and think about what you can do to fix the situation." There's no rebuke in her voice, yet somehow she seems almost chiding in her words. It's meant for encouragement, but Maulisho intentionally left it somewhat open-ended. It'll be up to Kein to figure out how best to mend his relationship with his former best friend.
"I can't." Kein is resigned to this. He has had enough time to think about it, and there is no sorrow in his tone. If, or when, they go back to Amaranth, he has no hope that Nayeli will forgive him, will be his friend again. He doesn't even know if Chandani will agree to be his friend again. "I just gotta try better in the future... An' I will." Maybe he can make a new friend. He doesn't know Nayeli's other siblings very well.
Maulisho tries not to let her dismay show. She's convinced beyond a doubt that Nayeli is simply waiting for Kein to return, apologize, and repair their friendship. But if Kein doesn't believe that possibility exists? Even worse than seeing her best friend leave would be to see her best friend return and simply not care about her anymore. As much as Maulisho would like to assist, she knows that this is something Kein will have to deal with in his own way. It's his friendship... or lack thereof. "It's your decision, Kein. Just.. remember what I've taught you about friendship." Maulisho swallows hard, pulling back away to look out into the distance. It truly is a beautiful evening, in more ways than one.
Kein would really love to return and resume the friendship he once had, but he knows what Nayeli expects of him, and... He hasn't lived up to those expectations. "She won't forgive me, Mom. I'll try, but... I don't expect her to forgive me." He just doesn't want Mom to get /her/ hopes up. He knows she liked his friendship with Nayeli, and he doesn't want her to be hurt or sore with him because he can't repair it.
"Whether she forgives you or not is up to her... I'm just more concerned that you at least put forth the effort." Maulisho smiles again. "Personally, I think she's going to be very excited to have you back." What would life have been like if /she/ had had a friend like Kein when /she/ was growing up? At that particular point in her life, just approaching adolescence, the only companion she had was hunger and the recurring nightmares.
"I will apologize." For what he said to her. For lying when he promised that he would return to them. And for his failure to protect Ruut'h. "And if she lets me, I'll try to make it up to her. But... I don't think she will." So it hurts to think and talk about, and as he again rests his head against his mother, he tries to put it from his mind again.
Maulisho drapes a paw over her son's back as she's always fond of doing, and replies in a soft murmur, "If you've apologized, that's the best you can do. You can't make Nayeli forgive you, and you can't make her be your friend again." Stating the obvious, but at least it reinforces an important truth. Her voice becomes a little more.. playful? Mischievous? "You'll find that the best friends are the ones you really fight hard for." Kasim.. Lupin.. Larkspur.. she's had several friends that she's had to really work hard in keeping a successful friendship, and she's completely convinced that Kein will see fruit if he applies himself diligently to restoring his friendship with Nayeli. Maybe not at first. But eventually.
Kein nods his head, then lies down beside her mother, not making any effort to move out from under her arm. After lying down, he says, "Maybe we should just stay here." Then Mom could stay with her friends, and they wouldn't have to deal with Chesmu, and... Well, he /is/ certain that Nayeli has given up on him, so that's one fewer reason to go back. It's terribly hot here, and he has to sleep in the same area every night, but at least he's no longer quite so uncomfortable around the wolves.
The cougaress lifts an eyebrow, tilting her head to gaze curiously at her son. "Stay here? I'm surprised to here you say that; as best as I remember, you've been wanting to go back to Amaranth ever since we started out." She shrugs slightly. "I wouldn't mind staying here, honestly, but... Kasim and I talked about this not too long ago, and we've both agreed that we need to return to Amaranth." She pauses for a moment, then says firmly, "Chesmu /must/ be dealt with. It would be a dishonor to our tribemates to allow him to continue as Chieftain without confronting him about his terrible deeds." Her seriousness melts away into a definite and very mischievous grin. "Don't worry.. we can always come here to visit every once in a while if you /really/ miss the wolves /that/ much."
Kein won't miss the wolves at all, not even the ones that have been nice to him. He knows Mom might, though. But if they're adamant on returning to Amaranth... Well, he won't complain. Not at all. "I /do/ miss home... And Nayeli, and Chandani..." Just because he doesn't think they'll forgive him doesn't mean he doesn't miss them. "And I don't wanna let Chesmu hurt anyone else." So, yeah. He wants to go home. He's just willing to accept not going home, even if it does mean staying with the wolves.
It's a more serious smile this time, though both warm and reassuring. "We'll be leaving here in the next few days, once all the preparations have been made. The specific details will be kept somewhat hidden, due to not wanting to worry Kein--or Pelutho, for that matter. "In the meantime, the best thing you can do for your family is to get as rested as possible, as the return journey will take a lot of energy. I know it was difficult for you to make it all the way over here, and it'll be difficult going back as well." She gives him another nuzzle. "We'll make it, though... and deal with whatever needs to be dealt with back home." Home. Not just Amaranth lands, but /home/. Where they /really/ belong.
Kein can remember how long getting here took, and how hungry and tired he was for much of it. He can also remember his trouble finding the way back home on his own, how long he and Ruut'h walked before, and after, meeting that wolf. The trip back with Mom and Kasim ought to be easier. Mom will no longer be running for fear of her safety and the safety of her children, which means they'll have time to hunt if they all get hungry, and... Well, Kein has grown in the months they have been here. So has Pelutho. It might be faster going back than it was coming here, even if they aren't in a hurry. "I want to help." He isn't just talking about helping out by not wearing himself out in the next few days, but... He won't elaborate unless she asks.
"You've already been a big help--you've been supportive, listening, and loyal to our family. Kasim and I couldn't ask anything more out of you." That is most definitely a proud, motherly smile on her muzzle, and the look in her eyes leaves no doubt as to what she's feeling right now for her son. "Like I said, the biggest thing you can do to help now is simply to prepare for the journey. Rest, and collect your thoughts. Help your brother as well, if he needs." She pauses for a moment. "I think he'll be fine, but..." She sincerely hopes so.
But now that Pelutho knows why they're here, he might be afraid of going back. Kein gives a little nod. "I will, Mom." Which means that anything he could have possibly done tonight is now off limits, if he is just supposed to be resting and thinking. He can deal with that, though. He'll just go find Pelutho and spend some time talking to his brother until he drifts off.
Maulisho smiles. "That's my boy." She looks as though she's about to get up, but suddenly changes her mind and asks, "By the way, do you have any questions about what I've told you? About Azriel, and... all of that? Anything you want to ask or say?" There's nothing remotely hostile in her voice, nothing that would hint at a desire for Kein /not/ to ask anything. She really wants him to have a peace of mind about this, and not to let it bother him.
Kein has already turned his mind to how to spend the rest of his night when Mom suddenly speaks again. Does he have any questions? Well, he hasn't had a lot of time to think about what he has been told on his own, like he prefers to, just yet, but... "Does Pelutho know?" More importantly, does Mom want Pelutho to know? He figures she can address that if it's a concern of hers, which is why that isn't the actual question he asks.
The cougaress hesitates, barely, but shakes her head. "Not yet. He needs to know, and /will/ know, but... not just yet." She grimaces, black lips compressing into a thin line. "I just don't feel that he's quite ready yet to hear the explanation. It won't be long, but.. not just yet." There's a subtle note of command in her voice, and the implication should be fairly obvious. Don't tell your brother.
Kein nods again, just slightly, at what Mom says. It doesn't surprise him, but he is glad he asked, because if there was one thing he was going to talk with his brother about, it was probably that. Now, he'll just keep it to himself, and Mom won't be upset. "Where is he?" And LaVeaux, and Velefar, and the others, but mostly Azriel. It seems like an important thing to know.
As much as she earnestly wishes she could answer that question with a definitive place or location, the cougaress has to shrug. "I honestly don't know, and that bothers me. I.. don't think he would ever come near now that he'd have to deal with Kasim as well as me, but.. I just don't know." She does her best not to show any fear--and in all actuality she really doesn't feel that much. Azriel has thankfully become more of an old, painful memory as the days and weeks and months have passed by, and the possibility of him still being a threat has seemed to diminish in the passing of time.
Kein is silent for a moment, just thinking about this. Finally, he nods. As long as Azriel remains away from them, then... Well, it doesn't matter that Azriel is his father. It doesn't change who Kein is, and it doesn't matter that Pelutho doesn't know that somewhere there is a bad cougar who is their father. "I don't have anything else to ask. And I won't say anything to Pel."
Maulisho nods, leans forward, and gives Kein a motherly lick across the top of his headfur. "I don't want you to ever think for a moment that somehow you're less of a son because your father is evil, or that because you were the result of.. him forcing himself on me." Licklick. "You mean so much to me. And to Kasim." She smiles and draws back, looking him in the eyes. "I don't know about you, but I could do with a nice, long nap right now." Yawn.
Kein doesn't say anything in response to her final statement about Azriel. That's something he'll have to work through on his own, and he will... And there's a good chance he'll come to a conclusion no different than what Mom just told him. Though he has spent most of the day napping because of the heat, if it means a chance to lie down with his mother for a little while, without having to talk about uncomfortable things, then he can pretend that he is honestly interested in napping. With another nod, he lies down, where he is.
Kein - juvenile male cougar (former Amaranth)
Maulisho - adult female cougar (former Amaranth)
Setting:
Isolated Oasis - Larkspur & Haze's packlands.
The sun is steadily falling, and Kein has just finally stood up, preparing to do... Well, something. The first order of business is to get a drink, so he approaches the edge of the oasis. He didn't lie down there earlier today, and it was too hot most of the day for him to want to move, so he did not rest in his usual area. As he walks towards the water, he keeps an eye out for anyone who is nearby. He is not the most social of animals, but he has gotten used to the very social wolves, and spending most of his days alone makes him more inclined to be social when the day cools slightly.
But it's not a wolf that follows the boy out to the oasis. It's his mother. She looks somewhat troubled--hardly unusual as of late--though it's more of a contemplative look rather than simply upset, anxious, or disturbed. "Kein," she calls out, padding quietly toward her son. "Are you up for talking for a bit?" Her question is punctuated by her arrival at the water's edge and subsequent drink. Nothing like quenching one's thirst before serious conversation. It'll most likely be Maulisho who does most of the talking, but she wants to keep it a two-way dialogue. If anything, it'll prove to her that Kein is at least somewhat interested in what she has to say.
Kein stops walking when he hears his mother's voice. He has gotten better about acting 'like himself' in the past couple weeks, at /trying/ to keep a light demeanor while interacting with the others in the area, but it is still going to take him some time to be perfectly comfortable with everyone again. Where there was once a time when he would have jumped at the chance to spend some time talking with his mother, at least once in a while, he remains calm, now, especially since the way she asks it doesn't give him hope that it will be a light-hearted conversation. All the same, he nods and says, "Okay." At least he doesn't sound horribly reluctant. After speaking, he takes a couple more steps to join his mother at the edge of the water, and lowers his head to take a drink before looking at her again.
There is really no easy way for her to begin speaking on this, but she knows it's long overdue for Kein to know. "It's about your father." The cougaress takes another quick drink--if nothing else, it will give Kein a second to prepare himself however he needs.. emotionally, mentally.. whatever. Or maybe it's herself that needs preparation? No. She's had enough time. Raising her head up, she ignores the little droplets of water still clinging to her chinfur as she gazes at her son. So soon to become an adolescent, and yet he still seems so amazingly young to her. Not for the first time Maulisho is struck with the bleak thought of whether or not Kein will grow up into a cougar like his father.
His father? Kein can be fairly certain she isn't talking about Kasim... Unless she is. Unless Kasim is really upset with him. It wouldn't surprise Kein, not really, but it does worry him, a little bit. All the same, he is old enough to understand why Kasim isn't his father, and what kind of experiences could lead Mom to have believed, for a long time, that all male cougars were bad. That, combined with the fact that she hasn't refered to Kasim as his father before, gives him doubt that she is referring to Kasim, so he tries to keep from showing his own concern. He just nods and sits so that he is facing her.
"Your father's name is Azriel." The name, even this long after everything that happened, still has a bitter and unpleasant taste in her mouth. She vividly remembers the first time that they met, and his friendly introduction had led her to believe that they could become close friends. "I met your father a long while ago. He was very charming, polite, confident... everything I hoped for in a friend." Maulisho sighs. "I was so wrong.. so /utterly/ wrong to think that." She had been a blind fool, to put it mildly. "He used my close friendship with Larkspur against me, to force me to submit to him." Her voice is beginning to get thick with emotion, as so many what-ifs come to mind. The situation has been replayed a thousand times after the fact, and she still wonders if she could have done differently. If she /should/ have done differently.
Kein keeps his eyes on his mom as she speaks. Being old enough to understand and being prepared to hear what his mother is saying are two entirely different things. It doesn't /surprise/ him that one of the bad cougars she told him about is his father... But he doesn't like hearing it. It makes him question, again, why his mom is willing to believe that he is good. It even makes /him/ question whether he is good, whether he is even capable of pretending to be good. After a moment, he lowers his head and says, "I'm sorry he did that to you, Mom." He isn't sure what else to say, but he isn't just filling up space with meaningless words. He /is/ sorry about what Azriel did to his mother, and that Azriel is his father, even without knowing anything but that Azriel hurt Mom.
Lowering her own head, Maulisho leans over to nuzzle against her son, and whispers, "He caused me more pain and sorrow than I could possibly describe, but he also taught me one of the most valuable things I've ever learned." The cougaress pulls her head back, giving Kein a warm and truly heartfelt smile. "Despite what Azriel did to me, despite the pain, and despite the sorrow, I have /you/ because of it." Good really /can/ come from evil! Maulisho leans back to give him another nuzzle, this time coupled with a soft purr. "I love you so much, Kein."
The most common manifestation of Kein's sorrow is how often tears sting at his eyes. This is one such time. He fights against letting them fall, keeping his head down. He does return the nuzzling, though. It's not accompanied by a purr, but it is plenty affectionate. "I love you too, Mom. More than anyone." More than Kasim and Pelutho, the only others he can claim to love. He is glad he at least has this to say, because he's still mostly at a loss for words.
She's not quite finished, but she does want to at least savor this moment before continuing with their conversation. Maulisho hears her purring grow slightly louder as she thinks about just how proud she is of her son. He might still be young, but he's already displaying many of the characteristics she'd always hoped her firstborn would have, whether male or female. "You know," she murmurs, "I used to think that there could never be a good male cougar. All I had ever known from males was heartache and pain. My sister's murder, what Azriel did to me, Ahiga's unfriendliness to me, LaVeaux's treachery, Velefar's torturing... even what Chesmu tried to do." She swallows hard, recalling just how close he got to accomplishing his goal. "It took a cougar like Kasim to show me that not all males were evil." She smiles again. "And believe it or not, it took /you/ to show me that /cougars/ are not good or evil... it's the choices that they make." Her voice remains steady, though her eyes soften. "When you and Nayeli had that fight, I began to worry that you were going to turn out like Azriel. You've shown me that despite a bad decision.. despite a bad action.. you have still shown yourself to be working toward becoming like Kasim." Another purr. "That makes me very proud to be your mother."
Kein still worries that he is going to turn out like Azriel, whether he intends to or not. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. But then, he didn't want to hurt anyone when he was trying to get back to Amaranth, and that didn't turn out well. Even so... What his mother says cheers him up. Not much, but some. Finally, he has a reason why Mom still loves him, one he can understand. Something he can work toward to make sure that she continues to be proud of him, because he knows that as long as she continues to believe in him, there is hope for him. "I still don't want to be like them, Mom. Ever." He told her that once before, and it remains why he second guesses everything he does, or at least everything he does that it even a little out of the ordinary.
"Think about your decisions, then. Think about what you're doing to others. Even what you say could be considered a decision." Maulisho's voice grows slightly firmer. "Think about what happened between you and Nayeli, and think about what you can do to fix the situation." There's no rebuke in her voice, yet somehow she seems almost chiding in her words. It's meant for encouragement, but Maulisho intentionally left it somewhat open-ended. It'll be up to Kein to figure out how best to mend his relationship with his former best friend.
"I can't." Kein is resigned to this. He has had enough time to think about it, and there is no sorrow in his tone. If, or when, they go back to Amaranth, he has no hope that Nayeli will forgive him, will be his friend again. He doesn't even know if Chandani will agree to be his friend again. "I just gotta try better in the future... An' I will." Maybe he can make a new friend. He doesn't know Nayeli's other siblings very well.
Maulisho tries not to let her dismay show. She's convinced beyond a doubt that Nayeli is simply waiting for Kein to return, apologize, and repair their friendship. But if Kein doesn't believe that possibility exists? Even worse than seeing her best friend leave would be to see her best friend return and simply not care about her anymore. As much as Maulisho would like to assist, she knows that this is something Kein will have to deal with in his own way. It's his friendship... or lack thereof. "It's your decision, Kein. Just.. remember what I've taught you about friendship." Maulisho swallows hard, pulling back away to look out into the distance. It truly is a beautiful evening, in more ways than one.
Kein would really love to return and resume the friendship he once had, but he knows what Nayeli expects of him, and... He hasn't lived up to those expectations. "She won't forgive me, Mom. I'll try, but... I don't expect her to forgive me." He just doesn't want Mom to get /her/ hopes up. He knows she liked his friendship with Nayeli, and he doesn't want her to be hurt or sore with him because he can't repair it.
"Whether she forgives you or not is up to her... I'm just more concerned that you at least put forth the effort." Maulisho smiles again. "Personally, I think she's going to be very excited to have you back." What would life have been like if /she/ had had a friend like Kein when /she/ was growing up? At that particular point in her life, just approaching adolescence, the only companion she had was hunger and the recurring nightmares.
"I will apologize." For what he said to her. For lying when he promised that he would return to them. And for his failure to protect Ruut'h. "And if she lets me, I'll try to make it up to her. But... I don't think she will." So it hurts to think and talk about, and as he again rests his head against his mother, he tries to put it from his mind again.
Maulisho drapes a paw over her son's back as she's always fond of doing, and replies in a soft murmur, "If you've apologized, that's the best you can do. You can't make Nayeli forgive you, and you can't make her be your friend again." Stating the obvious, but at least it reinforces an important truth. Her voice becomes a little more.. playful? Mischievous? "You'll find that the best friends are the ones you really fight hard for." Kasim.. Lupin.. Larkspur.. she's had several friends that she's had to really work hard in keeping a successful friendship, and she's completely convinced that Kein will see fruit if he applies himself diligently to restoring his friendship with Nayeli. Maybe not at first. But eventually.
Kein nods his head, then lies down beside her mother, not making any effort to move out from under her arm. After lying down, he says, "Maybe we should just stay here." Then Mom could stay with her friends, and they wouldn't have to deal with Chesmu, and... Well, he /is/ certain that Nayeli has given up on him, so that's one fewer reason to go back. It's terribly hot here, and he has to sleep in the same area every night, but at least he's no longer quite so uncomfortable around the wolves.
The cougaress lifts an eyebrow, tilting her head to gaze curiously at her son. "Stay here? I'm surprised to here you say that; as best as I remember, you've been wanting to go back to Amaranth ever since we started out." She shrugs slightly. "I wouldn't mind staying here, honestly, but... Kasim and I talked about this not too long ago, and we've both agreed that we need to return to Amaranth." She pauses for a moment, then says firmly, "Chesmu /must/ be dealt with. It would be a dishonor to our tribemates to allow him to continue as Chieftain without confronting him about his terrible deeds." Her seriousness melts away into a definite and very mischievous grin. "Don't worry.. we can always come here to visit every once in a while if you /really/ miss the wolves /that/ much."
Kein won't miss the wolves at all, not even the ones that have been nice to him. He knows Mom might, though. But if they're adamant on returning to Amaranth... Well, he won't complain. Not at all. "I /do/ miss home... And Nayeli, and Chandani..." Just because he doesn't think they'll forgive him doesn't mean he doesn't miss them. "And I don't wanna let Chesmu hurt anyone else." So, yeah. He wants to go home. He's just willing to accept not going home, even if it does mean staying with the wolves.
It's a more serious smile this time, though both warm and reassuring. "We'll be leaving here in the next few days, once all the preparations have been made. The specific details will be kept somewhat hidden, due to not wanting to worry Kein--or Pelutho, for that matter. "In the meantime, the best thing you can do for your family is to get as rested as possible, as the return journey will take a lot of energy. I know it was difficult for you to make it all the way over here, and it'll be difficult going back as well." She gives him another nuzzle. "We'll make it, though... and deal with whatever needs to be dealt with back home." Home. Not just Amaranth lands, but /home/. Where they /really/ belong.
Kein can remember how long getting here took, and how hungry and tired he was for much of it. He can also remember his trouble finding the way back home on his own, how long he and Ruut'h walked before, and after, meeting that wolf. The trip back with Mom and Kasim ought to be easier. Mom will no longer be running for fear of her safety and the safety of her children, which means they'll have time to hunt if they all get hungry, and... Well, Kein has grown in the months they have been here. So has Pelutho. It might be faster going back than it was coming here, even if they aren't in a hurry. "I want to help." He isn't just talking about helping out by not wearing himself out in the next few days, but... He won't elaborate unless she asks.
"You've already been a big help--you've been supportive, listening, and loyal to our family. Kasim and I couldn't ask anything more out of you." That is most definitely a proud, motherly smile on her muzzle, and the look in her eyes leaves no doubt as to what she's feeling right now for her son. "Like I said, the biggest thing you can do to help now is simply to prepare for the journey. Rest, and collect your thoughts. Help your brother as well, if he needs." She pauses for a moment. "I think he'll be fine, but..." She sincerely hopes so.
But now that Pelutho knows why they're here, he might be afraid of going back. Kein gives a little nod. "I will, Mom." Which means that anything he could have possibly done tonight is now off limits, if he is just supposed to be resting and thinking. He can deal with that, though. He'll just go find Pelutho and spend some time talking to his brother until he drifts off.
Maulisho smiles. "That's my boy." She looks as though she's about to get up, but suddenly changes her mind and asks, "By the way, do you have any questions about what I've told you? About Azriel, and... all of that? Anything you want to ask or say?" There's nothing remotely hostile in her voice, nothing that would hint at a desire for Kein /not/ to ask anything. She really wants him to have a peace of mind about this, and not to let it bother him.
Kein has already turned his mind to how to spend the rest of his night when Mom suddenly speaks again. Does he have any questions? Well, he hasn't had a lot of time to think about what he has been told on his own, like he prefers to, just yet, but... "Does Pelutho know?" More importantly, does Mom want Pelutho to know? He figures she can address that if it's a concern of hers, which is why that isn't the actual question he asks.
The cougaress hesitates, barely, but shakes her head. "Not yet. He needs to know, and /will/ know, but... not just yet." She grimaces, black lips compressing into a thin line. "I just don't feel that he's quite ready yet to hear the explanation. It won't be long, but.. not just yet." There's a subtle note of command in her voice, and the implication should be fairly obvious. Don't tell your brother.
Kein nods again, just slightly, at what Mom says. It doesn't surprise him, but he is glad he asked, because if there was one thing he was going to talk with his brother about, it was probably that. Now, he'll just keep it to himself, and Mom won't be upset. "Where is he?" And LaVeaux, and Velefar, and the others, but mostly Azriel. It seems like an important thing to know.
As much as she earnestly wishes she could answer that question with a definitive place or location, the cougaress has to shrug. "I honestly don't know, and that bothers me. I.. don't think he would ever come near now that he'd have to deal with Kasim as well as me, but.. I just don't know." She does her best not to show any fear--and in all actuality she really doesn't feel that much. Azriel has thankfully become more of an old, painful memory as the days and weeks and months have passed by, and the possibility of him still being a threat has seemed to diminish in the passing of time.
Kein is silent for a moment, just thinking about this. Finally, he nods. As long as Azriel remains away from them, then... Well, it doesn't matter that Azriel is his father. It doesn't change who Kein is, and it doesn't matter that Pelutho doesn't know that somewhere there is a bad cougar who is their father. "I don't have anything else to ask. And I won't say anything to Pel."
Maulisho nods, leans forward, and gives Kein a motherly lick across the top of his headfur. "I don't want you to ever think for a moment that somehow you're less of a son because your father is evil, or that because you were the result of.. him forcing himself on me." Licklick. "You mean so much to me. And to Kasim." She smiles and draws back, looking him in the eyes. "I don't know about you, but I could do with a nice, long nap right now." Yawn.
Kein doesn't say anything in response to her final statement about Azriel. That's something he'll have to work through on his own, and he will... And there's a good chance he'll come to a conclusion no different than what Mom just told him. Though he has spent most of the day napping because of the heat, if it means a chance to lie down with his mother for a little while, without having to talk about uncomfortable things, then he can pretend that he is honestly interested in napping. With another nod, he lies down, where he is.