Soft Paws, Sharp Claws (Early April 3010) - [Open]
May 7, 2018 6:53:35 GMT -5
Post by Devona on May 7, 2018 6:53:35 GMT -5
Ellette had zipped off, but Devona was a keen tracker. Devona could see the top of her daughter’s fire-red hair over the field, and followed with a keen eye the swishing and parting of the stalks as the corn bowed to show the woman precisely where her daughter was darting. First one way, then another, a shift there must have been, for she heard next a roar of a bear cub, and then moments later Ellette’s head bobbed back into view.
“Ellette,” her mother hummed, voice like the drawl of the bees that made the Beornings their honey, yet loud and as bold as a battering ram.
The rustling stopped, and a pair of light yes and small nose poked over the cornfield. “Mama Bear?” She asked. Her brow was furrowed in concern.
“Please don’t play in the corn, honey—someone works very hard to make sure it grows and doesn’t get trampled by little cubs.” Devona stood still at the side of the field, long shadow casting over the gold and green crop of the clan’s work. She made no move to go fetch Ellette; Devona knew she would not need to.
Slowly, the young girl emerged and Devona peered down at her with a small smile on her lips. “I was just protecting it. I was doing my patrols,” the little girl half whined. She looked over her shoulder, spying the now unprotected corn stalks and sighed.
“Hm. And the clan is safer for it. Come on, now. It’s time for supper,” Devona reached, her long arm easily setting upon her daughter’s red, curly head and lightly prodding her back toward the small village behind.
Ellette sighed, though plodded along with heavy steps at her mother’s side. Devona looked upon her for a moment fondly, allowing her smirk to widen to a size that was perhaps unparentlike, though swallowed the motion before her daughter could notice. The cub was a spark, it was certain; a blessing unto her home, to help shine light where, perhaps, the world had been dark.
They walked, listening to the sound of the bees as they swept from flower to flower, collecting their last nectar for the evening. Ellette frowned faintly as the village came into view ahead, and sighed heavily as the low sound of the clan’s village began to meet them as well.
“And what’s that sound, honey?” Devona asked, trying to keep her voice blithe as she made the inquiry.
“I don’t want to go home,” Ellette grumbled, looking upward to her with eyes that looked nearly the same as Devona’s own reflection.
“I know, honey,” the woman murmured, a hand brushing gentle fingertips across the girl’s shoulders. For a moment, even Devona’s light flickered. They took a few steps in silence. “Raedan isn’t here to replace your Papa Bear, you know,” Devona finally offered.
The girl frowned harder and looked up, puffing as if her cub hackles were raised and bothered. “Then why’s he in our house?” She asked, young tone sharp.
“Oh, Ellette,” Devona sighed. “I know this is confusing.” She had been so young when Banan had died; Devona often wondered what of her father she truly remembered, or if it was merely Raedan’s differences to the clan that made her embarrassed. “You might understand better when you’re older, honey.”
More silence.
“Are you patrolling tonight?” The girl asked.
“I am,” Devona answered. There was no hint of inflection other than observation and assurance, though perhaps the woman sensed her daughter did not wish her to go. “Can you do me a favor, cub?” She asked.
Ellette looked up, nodding her red hair in a swish over her shoulders.
“Be kind to Raedan tonight. Please don’t run off,” Devona offered, her voice low, brow lifted pointedly. “I will be home in the morning, and I will find out if you escaped.” Raedan would be frantic, like he always was when the girl disappeared. Bear cubs were faster and hardier, it seemed, than the woodsman was able to boast for himself.
Ellette sighed. “Yes, Mama Bear,” she offered, the sound almost grudging.
“Good girl,” Devona smiled. She bent and kissed the girl’s round cheek. “Now head home, please.”
“Be careful, Mama Bear!” Ellette chimed, throwing her arms around her mother’s neck and kissing her cheek in return. “Soft paws—”
“Sharp claws,” Devona finished with a grin. “I love you. I will see you in the morning.”
The small cub flit off, the fading sunlight turning her hair to fire. Devona stood and watched for a time, though she could not linger forever. Once more the woman turned, making for the trees of the Vales, and without another backward glance, shifted.
With mighty steps, the large, brown bear disappeared into the trees.
“Ellette,” her mother hummed, voice like the drawl of the bees that made the Beornings their honey, yet loud and as bold as a battering ram.
The rustling stopped, and a pair of light yes and small nose poked over the cornfield. “Mama Bear?” She asked. Her brow was furrowed in concern.
“Please don’t play in the corn, honey—someone works very hard to make sure it grows and doesn’t get trampled by little cubs.” Devona stood still at the side of the field, long shadow casting over the gold and green crop of the clan’s work. She made no move to go fetch Ellette; Devona knew she would not need to.
Slowly, the young girl emerged and Devona peered down at her with a small smile on her lips. “I was just protecting it. I was doing my patrols,” the little girl half whined. She looked over her shoulder, spying the now unprotected corn stalks and sighed.
“Hm. And the clan is safer for it. Come on, now. It’s time for supper,” Devona reached, her long arm easily setting upon her daughter’s red, curly head and lightly prodding her back toward the small village behind.
Ellette sighed, though plodded along with heavy steps at her mother’s side. Devona looked upon her for a moment fondly, allowing her smirk to widen to a size that was perhaps unparentlike, though swallowed the motion before her daughter could notice. The cub was a spark, it was certain; a blessing unto her home, to help shine light where, perhaps, the world had been dark.
They walked, listening to the sound of the bees as they swept from flower to flower, collecting their last nectar for the evening. Ellette frowned faintly as the village came into view ahead, and sighed heavily as the low sound of the clan’s village began to meet them as well.
“And what’s that sound, honey?” Devona asked, trying to keep her voice blithe as she made the inquiry.
“I don’t want to go home,” Ellette grumbled, looking upward to her with eyes that looked nearly the same as Devona’s own reflection.
“I know, honey,” the woman murmured, a hand brushing gentle fingertips across the girl’s shoulders. For a moment, even Devona’s light flickered. They took a few steps in silence. “Raedan isn’t here to replace your Papa Bear, you know,” Devona finally offered.
The girl frowned harder and looked up, puffing as if her cub hackles were raised and bothered. “Then why’s he in our house?” She asked, young tone sharp.
“Oh, Ellette,” Devona sighed. “I know this is confusing.” She had been so young when Banan had died; Devona often wondered what of her father she truly remembered, or if it was merely Raedan’s differences to the clan that made her embarrassed. “You might understand better when you’re older, honey.”
More silence.
“Are you patrolling tonight?” The girl asked.
“I am,” Devona answered. There was no hint of inflection other than observation and assurance, though perhaps the woman sensed her daughter did not wish her to go. “Can you do me a favor, cub?” She asked.
Ellette looked up, nodding her red hair in a swish over her shoulders.
“Be kind to Raedan tonight. Please don’t run off,” Devona offered, her voice low, brow lifted pointedly. “I will be home in the morning, and I will find out if you escaped.” Raedan would be frantic, like he always was when the girl disappeared. Bear cubs were faster and hardier, it seemed, than the woodsman was able to boast for himself.
Ellette sighed. “Yes, Mama Bear,” she offered, the sound almost grudging.
“Good girl,” Devona smiled. She bent and kissed the girl’s round cheek. “Now head home, please.”
“Be careful, Mama Bear!” Ellette chimed, throwing her arms around her mother’s neck and kissing her cheek in return. “Soft paws—”
“Sharp claws,” Devona finished with a grin. “I love you. I will see you in the morning.”
The small cub flit off, the fading sunlight turning her hair to fire. Devona stood and watched for a time, though she could not linger forever. Once more the woman turned, making for the trees of the Vales, and without another backward glance, shifted.
With mighty steps, the large, brown bear disappeared into the trees.