For Lubomir. [WC: 732; WotD: contretemps]
Wandering again. Catharsis had been putting distance between herself and her siblings, and her new guardian. She wanted to trust them, really. But she seemed to be the only one on the right page here. Mama was coming back. She was. She had to be. Anyone who didn't believe that was crazy. Or stupid. Or lying to her. Whichever it was, she didn't want anything to do with it, and listening to the doubts of her siblings when she explained that Mama was bringing them a wondrous gift from far, far away and would have to go on a long, dangerous journey with many perils, perils that she did not want her children exposed to.. she didn't want to hear their doubts, or their amusement. Whenever she brought it up anywhere where someone might hear, they treated the entire situation as an annoying contretemps, something they would be embarrassed for others to hear. Maybe it was peer pressure. None of them wanted the other to know that they believed it. But Catharsis didn't like cowards like that. No sir.
Curled up at the foot of the Virgin Mary, which might have been amusing, had Catharsis known who the statue was of or why, the girl slept. Her eye was nearly healed, and a large scar showed. She'd noticed a blur to that side, difficulty focusing on anything, but she couldn't explain it. It was just terribly fuzzy. She laid her head on her paws, sighing softly as the rain fell. It had been snowing when she'd come here, but now it was just a downpour of rain, and she hated it. It was miserable, like her. Mama needed to hurry up with that gift, so she could prove them all wrong. This weather just wasn't meant for being away from the den. She curled up tightly, trying to warm herself against the rain. She should go back before it got too cold, before everyone worried. But she didn't want to listen to their negativity, and so she stayed, shivering, and tried to get some sleep. She didn't sleep much in the den. It was hard to sleep in the presence of cowards and traitors. She wanted to go find Mama. Maybe she could do that... follow her mother's trail and catch up with her.. it'd only been a couple days, she could probably find her..
Yes, that was what she would do! Just because Mama didn't want to bring all of them, didn't mean she didn't want Catharsis there. Her Mama loved her. Even though she'd hurt her eye, Mama still loved her little girl. Catharsis just knew it. If she caught up with her, she'd explain this whole silly thing, exactly the way Catharsis had, and her siblings would be proven wrong for good. Hooray, what a wonderful idea she had gotten! Looking up at the Virgin Mary, she grinned. "I'm going to find my Mama! Would you like to come?!" When the statue just stared, as it had been for longer than Catharsis could imagine, she took that to mean that the lady needed to stay. Why of course! This was the border between her land and another one. This lady probably kept the peace and made sure everyone was safe. "Ah, yes, you must guard these lands! I'm sorry you can't come, though. It will be a fabulous adventure." She pretended the statue had just wished her good luck and safe travels (perhaps, in her imaginative state, the thing truly had), and bowed slightly, awkwardly. "Thank you, madam! I will come back and tell you how it went! And you can meet my Mama! She is nice, you will like her a lot! Good bye now! Happy guarding, and do take care! See you when we return!" She called the words over her shoulder now, her journey begun.
She had planned to valiantly, like knights in Mama's stories... but she couldn't remember which way she'd come from, let alone which way she should go in order to find her mother or even pick up her scent. Maybe the statue lady knew. "Excuse me.. which way do I go, madam?" Looking around, it seemed that she and the Virgin agreed which way she should go, so with another bow, she was off and running, ready to find her mother and fix her family. She was running...
Right back into Dahlia.
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