I have time
#1
Set a day after Tayui meets Frodo. (WC: 1777)
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[/html]Tayui had not ventured this far west in months, perhaps in a year (or two?) even. She knew it was time to pay a visit to her son. She had tried the day before, but Frodo had said he was away, so she hoped he had returned. And after speaking with Frodo, she knew she had to find him. She owed him so much and she had much to tell him. She was’t sure if it had been the right thing to do – to leave him – but she had done it and now the deed was long done. She would have liked to stay in AniWaya where her family was, but she had needed to move on. Now that she’d moved on, she felt lost and the only place she really know of was AniWaya.

She wished that she might see her daughter too, but she didn’t know if Ocèane had been in AniWaya for some time. She had suspected that Claudius would still be there; he was a homebody and loyal to boot. Frodo and Anatole confirmed that he was still in the pack, which meant she would just have to catch him.

She trekked farther southwest, skirting the borders of AniWaya. She wanted to return to her den and sleep for a week, but she was no longer a member of the tribe and was not afforded such luxuries. When she was far enough south, she lifted his maw and howled for her son. She took a more feral approach and howled only to identify herself and her position. Although she could vocalize more in her howl, she intended this to be a private conversation between the two of them.

She had to wait a few minutes before she heard another howl, her son's voice, answer her call. Like her own, it held no words and was more canine than lupercine. This pleased her greatly.

He arrived some time later. She could not divine how long she had waited, but he had not seemed to hurry. Although he arrived on four legs, mimicking Tayui's own form, he might have come from the opposite end of the tribelands or perhaps, had things to attend to before he could take leave. He was free of her, his own wolf and his own man, so he need not answer to her with the fury of an owned slave. She was glad to see he had taken his time. She did not want to impose on him.

“Claudius,” she said. She could already feel a smile forming. This time, however, it was a real smile, full of warmth and happiness. She was so glad that her son was well and healthy. He even looked happier, and stronger, too. “I’m sorry I didn’t return sooner. I have much to tell you,” she added. She took a step closer, but Claudius retreated. He had some sort of fear (worry?) in his eyes. She didn’t know what.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. He shook his head.

“Yuh-you w-e-e-ere… gone… for so long,” he replied. “Do… you e-e-e-ven… know… what ha-a-a-ppened… here?” His eyes were dark and his head was bowed. Tayui was struck by how mature – no, how old he looked.

“What happened, my son?”

“Lots.”

“Tell me.”

“I ca-a-an’t… do ju-ust… that.” He looked away. Tayui took another step forward and reached out with her right foreleg.

“Please,” she asked. He looked as though he were gathering up his courage, but then he glanced away.

“Well, how is your sister? And Dawali?” she tried.

“Go-one,” he choked out. “Both of th-e-e-e-em. Betrayed,” he snarled. Surprised, Tayui took a step back. Claudius retreated further. “Ocè-a-a-a-ane was… he-e-ere… fo-o-r… a whi-ile… Da-wa-a-a-ali… returned… to the Grea-ea-eat-fuck-i-i-i-iing Tribe.” His stutter ruined the word, but the intent was still there.

“Why?”

Claudius watched his mother carefully. “You rea-ea-eally… don’t… know… do y-y-y-you?” He shook his head and then sneered. Tayui would have never thought her son capable of such a grotesque action. “A-a-a-aniw-a-a-a…ya… was… t-a-a-aken… over… by… someone… else. It is a long story,” he said. He watched her carefully.

“I have time,” she replied.

“V-v-v-v-e-ery… well… then,” he replied. “Ma-a-aska…” he began, and then took a deep breath. This would take far too long if he had to stutter his way through it. He imagined himself speaking with clarity. In his mind, he sounded perfect: “Maska Ahote. He came to AniWaya and told us we were wrong and that Dawali was the perfect imposter, that he assumed the role of Chief when it was another’s title to bear. He said he had been sent by Aachoo Achoo’s orders and that we were to see Maska as the leader – not the Chief, of course, but our leader nonetheless. He mocked us. He said we were weak. He brought his warriors and trained our members and then took us to war over a stupid, petty thing. He quarreled with Nayati and his mate, Liliana. He banished them when Liliana refused his orders and they fled – with their puppies. Since the puppies were the property of the tribe, Maska demanded them back. He didn’t care for their lives; just his ‘property.’ It was never about the tribe anyway. He took us to war against Crimson Dreams. I tried to sneak in and warn them, but they caught me, tied me up, and held me for days. Then I was traded back to AniWaya and had to live here while Maska hurt everyone I loved. I tried to fight them – Maska – and we were planning a revolt within our own tribe. But Maska took a packmember from Cour des Miracles and so they attacked us too. Then in a final battle, the two packs ganged up and destroyed us. They removed Maska and sent him and Dawali back to the tribe and put me as the go-between until we could restore some semblance of order. Ulilohi Ehn came from the Great Tribe and now leads us. But since then, she’s asked for my help.” He stopped and closed his eyes, suddenly tired from all the words. Words, words, WORDS. Tayui smiled in encouragement, but he couldn’t see any of it. Tayui shook her head and stepped closer, this time actually placing her one paw on top of his. Claudius opened his eyes to see his mother smiling.

“You did well,” she replied. Not only in the war, but in his speech, too. She’d heard his stutters, but he pushed through. Even though some words had broken down into sounds and noises, he had continued. She was so proud of him.

“A-a-a-and ho-o-ow would you-ou kno-ow?” he demanded. “You… aba-a-a-andoned… Ani-i-iWa-a-aya… when… N-Noir… died… You sta-a-a-ayed… here… a bit… but a-a-a-fter… she died… you weren’t… the sa-a-ame.”

“I know,” she replied. He jerked his head up in surprise.

“You know?” he shouted. “Do-o-o you-ou… kno-ow… ho-o-w… mu-uch… you hu-urt… me… then?” He was angry now, but no tears would come. He wouldn’t cry for Noir again.

“I know what I did was selfish. But you’ve become stronger, you’ve grown into your own wolf. You didn’t need me.”

“Bu-u-u-ut… I did! I wa-a-a-as… so… alone,” he said. Near the end, his words faded out and he trailed off. “I wa-a-as sick… for a long time after you-ou left. Oce came back… in the w-w-w-winter. You left in the summer. I hi-i-id in my d-d-d-en… from everyo-one… for… so-o-o lo-ong. I g-o-ot be-e-e-tter, because of me, because… you weren’t… there.”

“I know and I came back because I’ve been away for too long. Please, I’ve missed you,” she replied.

“I’ve… missed you too.” This time, it was Claudius who moved forward to embrace his mother. She nuzzled him in the cheek as she had when he had been a young pup. He laughed and then stepped back. “Wha-a-at ha-ave you been… doing… then?” he asked. At last, maybe, he was ready to know.

“Much the same,” she replied cheekily. She stepped back to give them some space to talk. “Overthrowing packs and becoming de-facto leaders and whatnot,” she added. She laughed, and so did Claudius. “Really, though, I went to Anathema like I said I did.” Claudius nodded. “I met a woman – who had helped in Noir’s death. It wasn’t just Haku. But she’s gone now. I spent months planning it, finding others to help me, and then took my cause to another pack. We invaded the borders, but I was cast out to sea. I washed up down the Bay of Fundy. A wolf in a new pack, Casa di Cavalieri, took me in. We had been members of the same pack in Jaded Shadows. He was just a pup then, but now he leads it – Jazper Rhiannon is his name. He gave me my life. After some time, I decided to come back here to see you.” She smiled.

“W-w-w-will you be… staying?” he asked

“No, I don’t think so. This is your home now. I’d only just intrude,” she replied.

“We-e-e-ell, you’re welcome… to… I mea-ean… I still l-l-love… you… and stuff,” he replied, grinning.

“And I love you, too – and stuff.”

“W-e-e-e-ll that’s good,” he replied. Still grinning.

“I’ll stay around the neutral areas. I think I just need to find where I belong.”

“I kn-o-ow. I’m lucky… that… I found AniWa-a-a-aya… is where… I belong.”

“You are—very lucky.” She found she was still smiling. “I’ll see you again, I hope. I—is there anyone else from our family left in AniWaya?”

“A-a-a-anatole,” he replied.

“Aurèle’s son?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “He-e-e-e joi-oined… some time… a-a-a-a-go… he’s a scout a-a-a-and a good… tribesmember.” Tayui tried not to show her disappointment. Although she was glad to hear that Claudius had family, it was her own daughter and other son she worried about. Anatole was born for survival, and even though she knew her children, too, could survive, she worried about them. She worried for Anatole, but he was of a different stock. He was Aurèle’s son and that made all the difference.

“And Ocèane?”

Claudius shook his head. “What a-a-a-about A-Attila?” Tayui too, shook her head in response. “O-oh,” he said.

“It’s all right. It’ll be nice to see Anatole again,” he said with a smile.

“Y-you’ll like him… I think. He's grown up,” he said. “Well, I-I sh-ou-ould… be… getting… back… le-e-e-t… me know... if you-ou’re… nearby… again… we st-i-ill… have mo-o-re to catch up on, especi-i-i-i-a-a-ally… si-ince… you left… a… lot… out of your st-t-t-tory,” he added. Tayui laughed. Guilty.

“Certainly,” she replied. She nuzzled him one last time and turned to leave. Claudius returned the nuzzle and then headed out: on his own path.[html]
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