There was silence in the room for a few heartbeats before Starlight spoke up. "Why does your mother do that to you?" she asked, face twisted with sympathy.
"I don't know," Lucky whimpered. "I never did anything bad to her! I...I..." Tears slid down his cheeks and a sob escaped him.
Liberty always felt uncomfortable around animals who were crying or injured or sick, so this wasn't her idea of a good time. She gritted her teeth. The poor guy has an abusive mother, she told herself. You gotta stick around for him.
"We won't take you back to your mother," Sun promised.
"You won't?" Lucky murmured.
"Of course not," Diamond spoke up with a growl. "I would never hand a child over to an abusive parent."
"We'll keep you here," Creature agreed with a nod. "You'll get to stay with the young."
"What's the young?" Lucky asked.
"Animals around your age," Ekaj replied.
"Will they hurt me?" Lucky murmured as Starlight picked him up by his scruff.
"No, they're nice," Starlight insisted.
"Lucky, you'll stay there at the young den," Sun said. "But Liberty." She looked at her. "You'll be Lucky's main caretaker."
Liberty wanted to recoil at the idea but kept herself from doing so. "No, no," she insisted. "I'm not good with young." And I don't like being around them, no matter what their backstory, she thought.
"There's a rule," Sun insisted. "If you find a life, you're responsible for that life."
"What if I don't want to be?" Liberty growled, but it came out more harsh than she had intended.
"You are, and that's final," growled Diamond.
Liberty locked eyes with her grandmother and bit back a growl but said nothing more. She knew where that strictness came from; raising two pups like Rusty and Dust could really change your personality, for better or for worse.
"Fine," Liberty muttered.
"What?" Lucky said confusedly.
"Liberty here is going to take care of you," said Creature, giving Liberty a look.
"Really?" said Lucky eagerly.
"Yeah," Liberty muttered.
"Like a new mom?" Lucky asked.
Liberty stiffened at the word "mom". The thought of any animal ever calling her "mom" caused her a lot of discomfort and made her feel awkward. In fact, being a mother was one of the last things she wanted to do. She'd heard - and on one occasion seen - animals give birth. It did not look like a walk through the field. Plus, afterwards Liberty would have to put up with all the squealing and questions being shot at her every day. The thought annoyed her.
"...Not exactly," Liberty said hesitantly.
"We'll all be your new family," spoke up Starlight, obviously sensing Liberty's discomfort. "We'll be nice to you and treat you well. You'll never have to go back to your mother again."
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Lucky squealed, running up to Liberty and hugging her paw. Liberty stood there awkwardly before gently pushing the kitten off.
"Uh, right. Let's take you to Airia. She'll also be looking after you," Liberty said, picking Lucky up by the scruff.
"The young den isn't far from here," Ekaj promised, and the three of them left the den.
Once a while away from the elders, Starlight spoke up. "You seemed happy to take up on that offer," Starlight chuckled.
"Didn't have much of a choice, did I?" Liberty said through Lucky's fur.
"Will I make any friends?" spoke up Lucky, obviously not understanding the current conversation.
"I bet you will," Starlight smiled. "You're so adorable, the others will love you."
They made it to the young den, where Rhonda was chasing Okerro around, and Alista and Cloudie were keeping their distance. By the looks of things, they were playing another game of tag.
Airia was laying down with her head on her paws watching them, but lifted her head up upon Liberty, Starlight and Ekaj's entrance. "What do you need?" she asked in a tired voice.
As Liberty set Lucky down Starlight explained to Airia what was going on, occasionally having to speak up because of the loud noises the young were making, clearly not interested in the newcomer. Starlight told Airia about how Lucky had an abusive mother and where he was found, and how he ended up in the elders' den, and that Liberty would be his caretaker, which made Liberty start to mutter words that she became relieved Airia couldn't hear.
"Poor thing!" cried Airia at the end of the story, approaching Lucky.
"You have...wings?" Lucky said in disbelief, looking up at Airia in awe.
"Hey, I do too," insisted Okerro, spreading his small black wings. "She's my mom."
Lucky lost a bit of his content look on his face at the word "mom", but Airia spoke again. "What's your name, dear?"
"Lucky," he murmured.
"Who're you?" asked Alista as she approached.
Cloudie came up to Lucky also. "He smells of outsider."
"What's up with your eyes?" Lucky frowned, looking at Cloudie.
"How rude," scoffed Alista. "She's blind, you dumb-tail, meaning she can't see."
Lucky recoiled slightly. "Be nice,"Airia scolded.
"Hi Lucky!" Rhonda exclaimed. "I'm Rhonda!"
"Hi," Lucky returned.
"Why are you here though?" Alista demanded.
"I...I..." Lucky hesitated.
"He doesn't have to say if he doesn't want to," Airia insisted, glaring at Alista. "And you need to be nicer. Lucky will need time to settle in and you're not helping."
"'Settle in'?" Alista, Rhonda and Cloudie echoed simultaneously.
"Yep. Lucky's gonna live here now," Starlight said.
"Is he going to stay tiny like that?" Alista asked, sizing Lucky up. "Because he's really short."
"Are you gonna stay your height?" Ekaj retorted.
"Alista, you're not being very nice right now," Airia pointed out. "Another rude remark out of your mouth and I'll give you vole for dinner."
"Blech! I hate vole!" Alista yelped.
"Then don't be so mean," Rhonda insisted.
"You can play with us if you want Lucky," Cloudie insisted. "Do you know how to play 'tag'?"
"No," Lucky shook his head.
"You mean you didn't play tag with your littermates?" Cloudie said with a tilted head.
Lucky stiffened but didn't seem to know how to reply. "They...I..."
"Look, Lucky's not comfortable talking about his family. So don't keep asking," Airia insisted.
"Why?" asked Rhonda immediately.
"Yeah! What happened?" Alista demanded.
"I wanna know!" Rhonda exclaimed.
"Yeah, tell us, Lucky!" Alista added.
"Quiet!" Airia snapped. "What part of 'don't keep asking' do you two not understand? Honestly, you two are such troublemakers..."
"I am not!" Rhonda protested. "Alista gets into more trouble than me!"
"No I don't!" Alista yelled.
"This is why I'm not gonna be a mother," Liberty hissed to Starlight.
Starlight merely chuckled. "I think it's amusing."
"I think it's annoying," Liberty shot back.
"Alright, quiet, quiet!" Airia exclaimed, making everyone fall silent. "Cloudie, explain tag to Lucky and then you all play. And Alista, Rhonda, do not cause any trouble for Lucky."
"We weren't!" Alista and Rhonda protested.
"And Lucky, dear, if you have any trouble, please tell me," Airia insisted, turning to look at the kitten.
Lucky just nodded, and then Airia turned to Starlight, Liberty and Ekaj. "You three are free to go."
"See? The young are annoying and ungrateful," Liberty muttered as the three walked down the hallway.
"You need to quit being like that," Ekaj insisted. "I'm sure you were like that when you were little."
"I wasn't," Liberty snapped. She and Ekaj had been in the same den as young for a very short amount of time, but Ekaj had then become an apprentice. In her pup-hood days, Liberty never recalled acting like the young that were in there now. "The only young in there I think is okay is Okerro."
"You two are a lot alike. Both rather silent," Ekaj chuckled.
"You know what's weird?" Starlight spoke up. "Here we are, two apprentices and a full Bender - and one, the apprentices are older, and two the apprentices are taller."
"Why'd you bring that up?" Liberty asked.
"It was just...strange to me," Starlight shrugged.
"Yeah. We have been training longer," pointed out Ekaj.
Liberty felt a bit embarrassed that it seemed the attention was now focused on her. "I'm sorry for apparently being so good that I graduated early," she growled.
"Aren't you humble," Ekaj snickered.
Liberty shot the wolf-dog a glare before turning to look forward as she walked again.
Just then, Malroy came around the corner, halting before he could run into the three. "Oh. Hi," he greeted them. "'Ey Starlight," he nodded at her.
"Hi," Starlight replied shyly, and Liberty recalled that Starlight had a crush on Malroy. Oh, Lifebreeze... she thought.
"What have you been doing?" Malroy asked.
"Taking a newcomer to the young den. A kitten named Lucky," Starlight explained with a slight smile.
"You'll have to take me to show him sometime," Malroy suggested.
"Yeah, sure," Starlight said, beaming.
Liberty cleared her throat rather loudly. "Malroy, did you need something, or are you just here to waste time by talking?"
"Oh. I'm sorry, your full Bender-ness," Malroy snickered, making annoyance prick at Liberty's pelt. "But Ekaj, mom suggested we go hunting. She says the prey pile is low, and she wants us to pitch in and help."
"Okay," Ekaj nodded. He turned to Starlight and Liberty. "Wanna come with us?"
"Yeah," answered Starlight immediately.
Liberty just sighed. "Sure, why not."
"And hey, we do have a full Bender to lead us," Malroy chuckled.
"Doesn't this need to be checked in with...uh...Ash, first?" Starlight asked hesitantly.
"Mom told me Ash already said it was okay," Malroy said with a smile. "Let's go, then."
Author's Note:
I pulled off an all-nighter last night with my friend. It seemed like a good idea around 2:00 AM, but I now regret it. :/
Ship, ship, ships everywhere in this chapter~ ;)
Also, I brought back an old story blog, go check it out.
Liberty always felt uncomfortable around animals who were crying or injured or sick, so this wasn't her idea of a good time. She gritted her teeth. The poor guy has an abusive mother, she told herself. You gotta stick around for him.
"We won't take you back to your mother," Sun promised.
"You won't?" Lucky murmured.
"Of course not," Diamond spoke up with a growl. "I would never hand a child over to an abusive parent."
"We'll keep you here," Creature agreed with a nod. "You'll get to stay with the young."
"What's the young?" Lucky asked.
"Animals around your age," Ekaj replied.
"Will they hurt me?" Lucky murmured as Starlight picked him up by his scruff.
"No, they're nice," Starlight insisted.
"Lucky, you'll stay there at the young den," Sun said. "But Liberty." She looked at her. "You'll be Lucky's main caretaker."
Liberty wanted to recoil at the idea but kept herself from doing so. "No, no," she insisted. "I'm not good with young." And I don't like being around them, no matter what their backstory, she thought.
"There's a rule," Sun insisted. "If you find a life, you're responsible for that life."
"What if I don't want to be?" Liberty growled, but it came out more harsh than she had intended.
"You are, and that's final," growled Diamond.
Liberty locked eyes with her grandmother and bit back a growl but said nothing more. She knew where that strictness came from; raising two pups like Rusty and Dust could really change your personality, for better or for worse.
"Fine," Liberty muttered.
"What?" Lucky said confusedly.
"Liberty here is going to take care of you," said Creature, giving Liberty a look.
"Really?" said Lucky eagerly.
"Yeah," Liberty muttered.
"Like a new mom?" Lucky asked.
Liberty stiffened at the word "mom". The thought of any animal ever calling her "mom" caused her a lot of discomfort and made her feel awkward. In fact, being a mother was one of the last things she wanted to do. She'd heard - and on one occasion seen - animals give birth. It did not look like a walk through the field. Plus, afterwards Liberty would have to put up with all the squealing and questions being shot at her every day. The thought annoyed her.
"...Not exactly," Liberty said hesitantly.
"We'll all be your new family," spoke up Starlight, obviously sensing Liberty's discomfort. "We'll be nice to you and treat you well. You'll never have to go back to your mother again."
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Lucky squealed, running up to Liberty and hugging her paw. Liberty stood there awkwardly before gently pushing the kitten off.
"Uh, right. Let's take you to Airia. She'll also be looking after you," Liberty said, picking Lucky up by the scruff.
"The young den isn't far from here," Ekaj promised, and the three of them left the den.
Once a while away from the elders, Starlight spoke up. "You seemed happy to take up on that offer," Starlight chuckled.
"Didn't have much of a choice, did I?" Liberty said through Lucky's fur.
"Will I make any friends?" spoke up Lucky, obviously not understanding the current conversation.
"I bet you will," Starlight smiled. "You're so adorable, the others will love you."
They made it to the young den, where Rhonda was chasing Okerro around, and Alista and Cloudie were keeping their distance. By the looks of things, they were playing another game of tag.
Airia was laying down with her head on her paws watching them, but lifted her head up upon Liberty, Starlight and Ekaj's entrance. "What do you need?" she asked in a tired voice.
As Liberty set Lucky down Starlight explained to Airia what was going on, occasionally having to speak up because of the loud noises the young were making, clearly not interested in the newcomer. Starlight told Airia about how Lucky had an abusive mother and where he was found, and how he ended up in the elders' den, and that Liberty would be his caretaker, which made Liberty start to mutter words that she became relieved Airia couldn't hear.
"Poor thing!" cried Airia at the end of the story, approaching Lucky.
"You have...wings?" Lucky said in disbelief, looking up at Airia in awe.
"Hey, I do too," insisted Okerro, spreading his small black wings. "She's my mom."
Lucky lost a bit of his content look on his face at the word "mom", but Airia spoke again. "What's your name, dear?"
"Lucky," he murmured.
"Who're you?" asked Alista as she approached.
Cloudie came up to Lucky also. "He smells of outsider."
"What's up with your eyes?" Lucky frowned, looking at Cloudie.
"How rude," scoffed Alista. "She's blind, you dumb-tail, meaning she can't see."
Lucky recoiled slightly. "Be nice,"Airia scolded.
"Hi Lucky!" Rhonda exclaimed. "I'm Rhonda!"
"Hi," Lucky returned.
"Why are you here though?" Alista demanded.
"I...I..." Lucky hesitated.
"He doesn't have to say if he doesn't want to," Airia insisted, glaring at Alista. "And you need to be nicer. Lucky will need time to settle in and you're not helping."
"'Settle in'?" Alista, Rhonda and Cloudie echoed simultaneously.
"Yep. Lucky's gonna live here now," Starlight said.
"Is he going to stay tiny like that?" Alista asked, sizing Lucky up. "Because he's really short."
"Are you gonna stay your height?" Ekaj retorted.
"Alista, you're not being very nice right now," Airia pointed out. "Another rude remark out of your mouth and I'll give you vole for dinner."
"Blech! I hate vole!" Alista yelped.
"Then don't be so mean," Rhonda insisted.
"You can play with us if you want Lucky," Cloudie insisted. "Do you know how to play 'tag'?"
"No," Lucky shook his head.
"You mean you didn't play tag with your littermates?" Cloudie said with a tilted head.
Lucky stiffened but didn't seem to know how to reply. "They...I..."
"Look, Lucky's not comfortable talking about his family. So don't keep asking," Airia insisted.
"Why?" asked Rhonda immediately.
"Yeah! What happened?" Alista demanded.
"I wanna know!" Rhonda exclaimed.
"Yeah, tell us, Lucky!" Alista added.
"Quiet!" Airia snapped. "What part of 'don't keep asking' do you two not understand? Honestly, you two are such troublemakers..."
"I am not!" Rhonda protested. "Alista gets into more trouble than me!"
"No I don't!" Alista yelled.
"This is why I'm not gonna be a mother," Liberty hissed to Starlight.
Starlight merely chuckled. "I think it's amusing."
"I think it's annoying," Liberty shot back.
"Alright, quiet, quiet!" Airia exclaimed, making everyone fall silent. "Cloudie, explain tag to Lucky and then you all play. And Alista, Rhonda, do not cause any trouble for Lucky."
"We weren't!" Alista and Rhonda protested.
"And Lucky, dear, if you have any trouble, please tell me," Airia insisted, turning to look at the kitten.
Lucky just nodded, and then Airia turned to Starlight, Liberty and Ekaj. "You three are free to go."
"See? The young are annoying and ungrateful," Liberty muttered as the three walked down the hallway.
"You need to quit being like that," Ekaj insisted. "I'm sure you were like that when you were little."
"I wasn't," Liberty snapped. She and Ekaj had been in the same den as young for a very short amount of time, but Ekaj had then become an apprentice. In her pup-hood days, Liberty never recalled acting like the young that were in there now. "The only young in there I think is okay is Okerro."
"You two are a lot alike. Both rather silent," Ekaj chuckled.
"You know what's weird?" Starlight spoke up. "Here we are, two apprentices and a full Bender - and one, the apprentices are older, and two the apprentices are taller."
"Why'd you bring that up?" Liberty asked.
"It was just...strange to me," Starlight shrugged.
"Yeah. We have been training longer," pointed out Ekaj.
Liberty felt a bit embarrassed that it seemed the attention was now focused on her. "I'm sorry for apparently being so good that I graduated early," she growled.
"Aren't you humble," Ekaj snickered.
Liberty shot the wolf-dog a glare before turning to look forward as she walked again.
Just then, Malroy came around the corner, halting before he could run into the three. "Oh. Hi," he greeted them. "'Ey Starlight," he nodded at her.
"Hi," Starlight replied shyly, and Liberty recalled that Starlight had a crush on Malroy. Oh, Lifebreeze... she thought.
"What have you been doing?" Malroy asked.
"Taking a newcomer to the young den. A kitten named Lucky," Starlight explained with a slight smile.
"You'll have to take me to show him sometime," Malroy suggested.
"Yeah, sure," Starlight said, beaming.
Liberty cleared her throat rather loudly. "Malroy, did you need something, or are you just here to waste time by talking?"
"Oh. I'm sorry, your full Bender-ness," Malroy snickered, making annoyance prick at Liberty's pelt. "But Ekaj, mom suggested we go hunting. She says the prey pile is low, and she wants us to pitch in and help."
"Okay," Ekaj nodded. He turned to Starlight and Liberty. "Wanna come with us?"
"Yeah," answered Starlight immediately.
Liberty just sighed. "Sure, why not."
"And hey, we do have a full Bender to lead us," Malroy chuckled.
"Doesn't this need to be checked in with...uh...Ash, first?" Starlight asked hesitantly.
"Mom told me Ash already said it was okay," Malroy said with a smile. "Let's go, then."
Author's Note:
I pulled off an all-nighter last night with my friend. It seemed like a good idea around 2:00 AM, but I now regret it. :/
Ship, ship, ships everywhere in this chapter~ ;)
Also, I brought back an old story blog, go check it out.
there are a bunch of ships of the sea of ships and the ships have a model ship that holds a tiny ship
ReplyDeleteI finally caught up on the book. It took forever to read the first book and eleven chapters, but it was workt it!!! :D
ReplyDeleteUh, GS, I need a little, no, big help.
ReplyDeleteHow do I return comments to the posts? I have no idea why they disappeared off my Wolf Destinies site.