Tell Me a Story (Tagged)

[Rykett]

((So, this thread takes place the evening after the hunt. I was thinking Blaise could spend some time with the twins, so that their mother-daughter relationships don’t come from thin air. Now would also be a good time for Blaise to explain the pups’ origins. I was also thinking Amora could pop in after her travels and listen in on the explanation and spend some time with Blaise. Sound good with you guys? @pittypat Cinder @shiver))

Blaise:

Exhausted from the day’s hunt, Blaise returned to her den. Sticking her head in the den, her purple eyes rest on the two pups inside. ”Hello, you two,” she greeted softly and entered the den. The twin grey pups were not hers, but she loved them as if they were. Spenca and Lisanna looked enough like her that the rest of the pack probably thought that they were indeed Blaise’s. Blaise had decided not to say one way or another. The sharing of their true heritage should be for the pups to decide. Not that they could just yet. Blaise hadn’t disclosed the news to them, yet. Looking at them now, she realized they were old enough to take the information.

She reclined against the side of the den beside the sisters. ”You two have gotten big. It’s nearly time for you to start eating meat.”

[Cinder]

At the comforting sound of her mother's voice, Lis' head jolted up from Spenca's back. Her ears perked forward, and her smile was wide and giddy. She nipped her sister's ear and whispered, "Mom's back!" Her excitement was a little over the top, but she was happy to see another face. It was nice to explore and hang out with her twin, but Mom was always a sight for sore eyes.

She wiggled into a sitting position while trying to distinguish which limbs were hers in the mesh of gray fur. "I've caught mice while you were gone, ma. You should've seen!" Lisanna was usually calm, but nonetheless, she loved to make her adoptive mom proud. She was certain that Spenca felt the same way about the attention they had both wanted to receive.

[Deleted]

(I like this plan!)
Exspence:
Spence's head shot up from her sister's back as Lis' head shot up from her's. "Mom!" Scrambling and finding her own limbs, she ran up to her mother. "She did! It was so cool!" Her grey tail wagged wildly, and she jumped up on her hind legs. "Ma, look! No front paws!" She was smiling wildly, her ears up. Her half beige tail was dusting the ground. "Mom, did you catch anything? I wish Lis and I could hunt!" She fell on her back, but unfazed she rolled back to her paws.

"Hey Mom, could you tell us a story?" Spence cocked her head, settling down. Her purple eye followed Blaise as she moved, and Spence snuggled up next to her twin. Hoping their mother would tell them a story, and wondering what it might be about.

[Rykett]

Blaise:

Blaise couldn't help but smile at the pups' excitement. Puppies were such a wonder to Blaise. They came into the world, so tiny and helpless. Then they grew into such pure, innocent beings. Blaise wished that they could stay that way forever, innocent and excited for everything... but just like Blaise's previous litter, the secret behind their origin hung over these twins. Blaise pushed it to the back of her mind while the two identical girls shared their achievements.

"That's wonderful, Lisanna! I'd love to see you catch some for me." Blaise gave the pup a proud lick on her small forehead, ruffling the fur there. Spenca demanded her attention next. "Wow, Spenca! When did you learn to do that?" Spenca fell backwards, and Blaise shifted so she could help the pup up with a slight, worried intake of breath. But Spenca bounced back to her paws, almost immediately. She had a question about the day that day, "Yes, we caught a buck. We brought back plenty if food for the rest of the pack." Then in response to her other comment about hunting, "You'll be hunting eventually. Once you start, I'm sure you two will make an amazing hunting duo, the best in the valley, even!"

Then there was the story. Blaise knew what story she should tell. It wasn't the one she wanted to, though. 'I could never tell them. They'd never know. No, that was one of their mother's few requirements.' Blaise sighed, knowing that what the cost would be for this tale; a piece of the pups' innocence. Then she cleared her throat, "Once upon a time, there was an evil she-wolf. She was not as evil as some, but she lived in an evil pack with evil wolves. She took one of the males in the pack as her mate. They didn't love each other very much, but both wanted their names to be remembered through their pups. So together, they had a litter of three beautiful puppies. But, two of the puppies were much smaller and the mother knew that her mate would kill such small pups." Blaise paused, watching the twins' reactions. They might not have made the connection yet, but once she continued on and mentioned that the pups were twins, surely the girls would realize what the story meant.

[Cinder]

Lis found a giggle crawling up her throat the moment her mother gave her a lick, and only became more uncontrollable. Her sister flopped to the ground beside her. When she recovered, back onto her paws, Lis needed to lean on Spence's shoulder. She felt warm underneath the proud eyes of their mother. Her multi-colored eyes were bright with energy, as though they were not napping just minutes ago.

She settled down when a request for a story was apparent. Lisanna nestled her dove gray head between her paws, on the dusty floor. She was focused on every word that dripped from Blaise's mouth, but her eyebrows knitted together. It astounded her. Who could be that cruel to their pups?

[Deleted]

Amora was sorely disappointed she had not been present at the hunt. But she supposed she could save her amazing skills for a later date. Besides, she was not yet accustomed with her new leg. And stumbling on that during a hunt would've embarrassed her beyond comprehension. Amora knew she hadn't been around very often, nor very involved with the pack. But she was hoping to change that. But in order to get any sort of recognition, she needed to meet with her mother. Blaise, the Alphess of Secluded Sunrise. Maybe...maybe she could even forgive her for being weak...and mend her relationship. And indeed she was heading to her mother's den to meet with her now. 

Upon approaching the den, Amora overheard a few snippets of what was going on. Lisanna and Spenca were having a sort of story time with Blaise. But, upon further inspection this was no ordinary story. Amora had been skeptical about The twin's circumstance of birth for quite sometime, and now, she just might be getting some answers, and poor little Expense might as well. After all Blaise had not been working off the round belly of pregnancy, nor was she feeding them milk. At the time, Amora had thought that since she had been so incredibly absent from her family's life that she had missed the occurrence, but deep inside, she felt no blood bond towards the sisters, only the feeling packmates shared.

Amora yipped softly at the entrance, requesting access before, stepping in of her own accord, she didn't want to wait, for Blaise could not refuse her nor turn her away. "May I listen as well?"  She shot a knowing and only slightly judgmental glance at her mother, telling her she would not be leaving without answers.

@pittypat

[Deleted]

Exspence:
Spence perked up, and lay her head on her paws. Her floppy puppy ears up as far as they could, she didn't like how sad the story. "Mommy, why is this so sad?" She asked, purple-blue eyes imploring her adoptive mother's purple eyes. She curled her half beige tail over her paws, and she didn't want to hear the rest of this story. Spence hated sad stories.

They always ended in someone dying.

She didn't know her life was a sad story, and at the end many would die. Almost everyone she cared about but her. She would have to live with herself knowing she may have survived, but she had been dying inside from the day she was told.

Her brother and sister had simply put her on life support.

Then Amora walked in. Spence smiled at her, her big puppy eyes bright. "Amora! Sit next to me, sit next to me!" She smiled wide, her purple eye following her big sister. She loved Amora, even if she was a little annoying sometimes. She was no worse then Lis, and Spence loved Lis.

[Rykett]

Blaise:

The pups seemed discomforted with the direction that the tale was taking. Lisanna didn’t say anything, but her brow furrowed in concern. Spenca, however, spoke up in protest of the sadness in the story. Blaise wanted to comfort the pups. She needed to say something that would help them accept the sad parts of the story. Maybe she could make the realization that this was their origin story less harsh. ”Some stories have to be a little sad because life can be sad sometimes. You can’t have a happy ending without some trials to put you there.” Blaise smiled at the pups, hoping that she’d chosen the right words.

Amora’s soft bark came from outside the den. Blaise looked up to meet her first born’s gaze as she strolled into the den. Amora’s violet eyes sent a silent, but firm message. Amora had suspicions and she wanted her answer. Blaise supposed that Amora deserved almost as much right to know the twins’ origins as the twins, themselves. They were, after all, Amora’s adopted sisters. ”Of course,” Blaise said softly. Then she took a deep, relaxing breath in before continuing the story, ”The mother decided to take the two pups somewhere safe, where they’d be cared for and loved. So, she carried her two newborn daughters to a nearby neutral pack where she pleaded for the alphess to care for her pups as if they were her own. Of course, the alphess took the twins and did as their mother had requested. She loved them as if they were her own.” The story was all, but finished. Blaise guessed that they’d probably had put it all together by now. If not, Blaise would have to end with statement connecting the twins to the pups in her story.

[Cinder]

Lis pawed at her own face lightly when her twin had questioned how upsetting the story was. She understood that not everything went okay, but she definitely did not understand the cruelty of the situation. When Amora arrived, she lifted head and let her paw fall to the ground again. Her voice was thick with confusion and sadness."Hi, Amora. Momma's telling us a story about pups."

She silenced herself as soon as she heard her mother start to speak again. She was deep in thought as she listened, trying to piece together the puzzle that was laid out for them. Lis' face suddenly lit up and she figured it out, but her emotions came crashing right back down. She had figured it out. She stared at Blaise, one eye steady while the other seemed to stare through her.

"D-does that mean that we're not..."

[Deleted]

Amora sat beside Spenca, delivering a quick lick over the ears to Lisanna. She then settled down beside the two to listen to Blaise's 'story.' the tale was very plain and abrupt. Enough so, as Lis immediately picked up on the meaning. Amora wasn't really surprised that she shared no blood relation to the twins. She couldn't even imagine her mother getting lovey dovey with another male for multiple reasons. Number one, she was so very awkward. Number two, she didn't have time for a relationship, and number three, she didn't trust herself of other people. She was afraid of her hear breaking again. Amora refused to compare herself to her mother at a emotional level, but Blaises daughter was very much like her. She subconsciously refused to let wolves to close. She had friends and companions, but none so close as to be able to shatter her emotionally. 

Sensing the tension building, Amora placed a paw gently over Exspence's pack and a tail over Lis's. She didn't feel the need to speak up as of yet, the twins needed time to vent. She remebered when Blaise let Ruko and her know the secret of their father. It had either made or broke them. Or even both.

[Deleted]

Exspence:
Spence lowered her head, accepting her mother's explanation about sad stories. She still didn't like sad stories, but maybe this one would end happy?

Spence found her hopes realized. It was getting happier! Her eyes lit up, until she realized. Her face fell, her purple-blue eyes suddenly glinting with tears. This time, she was the quiet one. Tears trickled down her face as she realized, even as her big sis- No! Amora wasn't her big sister, Blaise wasn't even her mother! She had called her Mom from the first time she could remember, and it had all been a lie.. Spence started crying, silent. Shaking Amora's paw off her back, she ran outside, her little paws flying and half beige tail waving as her tears flew behind her. She was outright sobbing now, until she bonked into a tree. In her mad run, she had run into a tree not very far from the den.

Spence's eyes fluttered open, and she hoped it was just a dream. But she knew it hadn't, it hurt to much in her heart. She was sobbing again, curled into a ball.

[Rykett]

Blaise:

It seemed like deja vu as the twins absorbed the truth. One pup running off, away from the truth, the other just shocked. Ruko and Amora had first reacted similarly. There was even a supportive adult listening in. Last time that role was played by Foxtrot, this time, it was Amora, all grown up. This time was supposed to be different. After telling two pups their origins once before, shouldn’t she be better at breaking it to them softly? Blaise met Amora’s gaze, wondering if her mind was replaying the mirror of this situation as Blaise’s was. Maybe Amora, also being a veteran for this situation could help more than Foxtrot had.

Blaise stood, preparing to chase after Exspence, but she paused focusing on Lisanna. Last time, she’d chased Ruko the runaway, leaving Amora feeling like she was second best. The alphess sighed and addressed Lisanna, ”No, I’m not your biological mother, Lis, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you as if I was. Nothing will ever change that. Please understand how much I care about you.” Blaise paused, allowing the words to sink in and swallowing her nervousness. The truth had slowly eaten away at her son and made him a monster. She couldn’t let that happen to her daughters. ”Now, I’m going to grab your sister. You can’t run from the truth, but you might get hurt trying.”

Blaise stepped out of the den. She glanced around, worried that Spence had run too far. Maybe she’d run out of the territory or all the way to the White Wolves as Ruko had done. Of course, they’d been closer to the mighty goddesses’ abod back then, but all the same, Blaise wouldn’t be surprised, considering how this conversation was going so far. Thankfully, Spence was huddled at the base of a nearby tree. Sighing with relief, Blaise gently licked the pup’s fur and picked her up. With a firm, but gentle grip, she carried the pup back to the den. She set Spence beside her sister before crouching down to speak to them, ”Girls, I love you. No number of hard truths will stop me from loving. You can’t let your past define your future. I know this truth is hard to stomach, but if you accept it, you’ll begin to heal faster than if you try to fix it.” Those were words she wished she could’ve said to Ruko. Maybe that would’ve saved him.

((@pittypat))

[Cinder]

Lis set her head down on the floor and swiped her paws down from the front of her ears down to her nose. She didn't want to believe the fact that they weren't really related, but she knew deep down in her heart that Blaise had been the only mother they ever had and would still be their mom no matter what. She sniffled and watched her sister run away, but she stopped swiping at her face.

Instead she sat back up and turned to Amora and pressed her snout against her chest. Lisanna looked up at her and leaned into the wolfess with her smaller body. "You're still gonna be like my big sis, r-right 'Mora?" When she spoke, she still felt her voice quiver a little and tried to take deeper breaths.

[Deleted]

Amora watched everything unfold. Exspence ran from the truth, pushing her comforting paw off of her back and cried, scampering into the clearing. Fragile, pups were. Little Zamir, physically. Little Exspence, emotionally. But don't forget the strong one. Don't forget the one with the brave face. No, don't turn your gaze and shrug your shoulders. Don't think that they took it well and are fine. Cause they aren't. They will let it stir and boil inside; their thoughts becoming muddled, their emotions darkening. Love them, hold them, let them understand that it's okay. It's okay to feel. It's okay and even good to let it out. Amora was glad to see Blaise hadn't made the same mistake twice. Perhaps her mother was finally who she needed to be. Perhaps Amora was being too harsh on the Alphess. Perhaps Amora was ready to forgive and accept.

'You're still gonna be like my big sis, r-right 'Mora?'

"Of course. I'd never stop even if you wanted me to." Amora reassured Lisanna, leaning down to lick the tears from her cheeks. The shewolf looked up as Blaise brought Exspence back in. She'd talk with that one as soon as the other two left. Exspence needed to know that many lies were forged from love. It may be wrong, but for the right reasons. Exspence needed to learn to face her problems head-on. She needed to learn that running away only encouraged fear, desperation; and that those things breeded evil.

[Deleted]

Exspence:
Spenca just nodded numbly. "Why didn't she want me and Lis?" she sniffled. "What's wrong with us?"

She let herself be carried back to the den, and when she was set down she went strait for her twin. Burrowing her head in her sister's fur, she said softly, "At least I still have you and Mommy." Soon, she had lulled herself to sleep, thinking about the lie. Their real Mommy must have not loved her and Lis, but Mommy did. That was all that mattered. Amora was her big sister, Lis was her twin, and Mommy was Mommy. That, that was enough for the little pup. Sleepily, she opened her purple eye. "Mommy? Your still Mommy. I love you." She had been worried that Mommy might think that Spence didn't love her anymore. Then she looked at Amora. "And your still our big sis'."