you thought you'd never shed a tear?

[Kaena Lykoi]

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mall-caps;">In Character     The hybrid allowed herself to fall into Rachias' arms, trying to soak up all the love and affection she could before it was gone again. In a few short minutes, Kaena inwardly tried to make up for twenty-odd months of absence, the long time away in which her tiny child had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. There was tension, there was lurking anger—but all of it had been put away for now, and Kaena was too happy to bury them for the moment, leaving the hard times until later. They'd be worse, but for now, the Lykoi matron would not have this perfect moment spoiled by wretchedness. Rachias spoke, and they pulled apart, and almost immediately the elder hybrid regretted it; she wanted to clutch ahold of her daughter and never let her go again. She held her composure, instead again looking over her flesh and blood in amazement, memorizing every tiny detail of her.    Rachias thanked her, which surprised the coyote. Instead of verbally responding, a small smile spread across her face, and she merely nuzzled her daughter's shoulder again, rubbing the side of her muzzle against her tawny fur. She thought of Gabriel again, and wished he would have addended his thoughts on her life status—perhaps instead of simply "she's probably dead" he might have added "but if she's not, she'll be back again someday." Such was the story of Kaena's life—she'd wandered far and wide until just before her second birthday, when she found Zarah on the beach that night and they began the Inferni legacy together. After that, there was nowhere else—this was home. Regardless of what drove or drew her away, she always returned. He had to have known that; that thought had to have crossed his mind. But perhaps her golden son did not wish to instill a false hope in his siblings—then again, Gabriel had always seemed to resent Astaroth's children for some inexplicable reason. Perhaps he did the same with her youngest children for having had to raise them in her absence.    The thought dampened her spirits, but she listened to Rachias, Arhkam's name catching her full attention. She spoke of him as though he still lived, and a part of Kaena that had been frozen in fear since she had walked up to Inferni's borders and smelled it lacking Laruku's children melted, beating again for the first time in a few weeks. She knew Andre was dead—there was no saving him, but Arkham and Rachias might still be salvaged from the wreckage she'd left in her wake. Kaena was happy to hear her children keeping communication so well, though even from Rachias' revelation about her children, she could not infer the true reason why. Elated, the hybrid's eyes widened, and she smiled a broad grin, one that seemed almost comical on her scarred face. "You have children?" she marveled. Naturally, the hybrid was extremely pleased to learn her brood had ever-increased, her heart swelling with pride. Rachias had spoken of Arkham, howver, and that set an entirely different train of thought out of her mouth, slowly; her voice wavered slightly, and she stalled once. "If... if Arhkam will come..." she started, unable to finish the thought. The alternative to Arkham not coming was too terrible to speak; that meant that her son would never forgive her.    Her daughter's next words brought a cloud of confusion over Kaena's roan-dashed face. Perhaps her earlier suspicion was correct, and Gabriel indeed held resent for his siblings? The hybrid mirrored Rachi's frown, and she shook her head firmly. "No matter what's happened between you two, he can't refuse you," the ashen canine said. "I won't allow that." Though Kaena's voice held nothing but confidence, in her heart she doubted if she could make Gabriel do anything he didn't want to, if she ever could. He held the reigns of Inferni now, and she was one among its ranks, sworn to follow his word. It didn't mean she couldn't challenge his law, though—and no matter who ruled Inferni, she was still his mother. Kaena could see no good reason as to why Gabriel might cast Rachias off—only two of the Lykoi had ever betrayed their kind badly enough to warrant a banishment or worse. One beneath Kaena, and one beneath Gabriel. Rachias knew damn well who'd been expelled from their wake during Gabriel's reign, and he had received the ultimate punishment for continued crimes against the blood. Vitium still walked the earth, though if he had been any other member of Inferni, Kaena certainly would have killed him outright on that beach. Only Viti's heritage kept him breathing.

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