Eva was determined now that she would, soon, leave the group that she had joined. She was so certain of it that she was already preparing Aynashi for her inevitable departure, planting little ideas in the female cheetahs head so she would not be quite as shocked when it came time for Eva to make tracks. She was sure that the cheetah hadn't even noticed yet, but Nyata and L'aiime had. Nyata, thankfully, respected the leopardess' decision enough not to question her on it.
L'aiime was not so inclined.
The golden eagle followed the young leopard as she split from the group, going off on a walk in the falling darkness with the simple words 'I need to clear my head'. Nyata had kept Aynashi from following, mostly out of concern for the young cheetah's safety rather than respecting Eva's privacy. Ning had, of course, stayed with Nyata. L'aiime hadn't even pretended not to follow. Instead, she flew directly above Eva, completely silent, until they reached the nearby watering hole that they were staying near.
"You're leaving, aren't you?" The bird demanded, and Eva sighed.
"I think I have to," Eva pointed out, and L'aiime bristled.
"No you don't, you don't have to leave at all! It's not like we are chasing you out, or we're forcing you to leave. You are always welcome here!"
Eva quietened the bird by gently placing a paw atop the grounded bird's head, brushing her feathers with a gentle paw that should - had it not been for emotional attachments - have crushed the gentle creature beneath it. Rather, it stroked, trying to soothe.
"I know you're not kicking me out, L'aiime," Eva assured. "I think I have to leave because of me."
L'aiime narrowed her eyes. "Does this have something to do with that couple we met?"
Eva rolled her eyes, and shrugged. "Maybe. A little, but not really. They just told me what I already knew. I can't stay 'comfortable' for the rest of my life. I'll die of boredom. I need to push the limits, see where life takes me. I can't stay here and just...survive, I want to live." She smiled at the bird. "Do you understand?"
The avian looked frustrated but nodded, and the pair sat in silence for a few moments, though L'aiime was clearly still annoyed.
It was, perhaps, the absolute worst time for the pale stranger to approach them for a second time. The leopard, pale white and speckled with light colours, appraoched with a broad smile and a friendly greeting.
"Hello old friends! We meet again!" He was without his companion this time, but he seemed just as cheerful as he had been the day they had met him. Unfortunately for him, L'aiime was not in the same cheerful mood.
"You!" She shrieked in annoyance, fluttering to the sky and appearing right in his face, a look of motherly disapproval surrounding her entire face. "You! You put these ideas in her head! If she gets hurt, it will be on your head."
Dysi flinched backwards, eyes wide and mouth open. "I... uh... have I missed something?"
Eva flushed in embarrassment and tried to pull the eagle back away from him by her tail feathers but L'aiime resisted. "She's just be dramatic! Sorry! It's not your fault at all!"
"Yes it is, don't lie to him. He and his companion put ideas of needing to be lonely in your head and now you're leaving us!" L'aiime protested but allowed Eva to pull her away from the male's face, resisting the urge to scratch him in annoyance. However, her talons were very sharp and that would be cruel. He had not done enough to warrant her wrath... just yet. If Eva got hurt because of his ideas, then she would unleash her full fury on him.
She might be a small avian, but if one of her chicks (and Eva was an adopted chick now) was hurt, she would claw and gouge with the best warriors.
Dysi was looking confused but a look of realisation was slowly dawning on his face. "Is this about what Ghasia said of her son?" He asked, suspicious that perhaps the female took her words out of context. "Ghasia was concerned about Ashki because he has never really experienced life outside of family, my dear. Considering that you are on your own - despite your group of travel companions - I doubt that concern could be applied to you." He watched her carefully. "It is fine if you want to explore, but don't' forgo friendships simply to prove a point. Life is not a checklist, you don't have to be lonely to cross it off your list. Live it how you want to live it, whether that is with companions or on an adventure on your own."
Eva stared down at her paws, silent.
L'aiime frowned at the male leopard. "Stop putting ideas in her head!"
Dysi grinned, and ducked his head, apologetic. "I'm sorry my dear, but she is young. There are a million ideas in her head and, while you can provide guidance, there is nothing to stop a stubborn youth from deciding exactly how she wants to decide. All you can do is let her be." He understood L'aiime's concerns, he had them of his own children, but he had learnt to let them go, else they would not live life to its fullest.
"How do I know what I should do?" Eva spoke up, drawing both leopard and avian's attention.
"It's not what you should do-" Dysi started, but L'aiime interrupted.
"It's what you want to do, Eva," she continued, landing on Eva's back and grooming some fur. "There are no shoulds in life, only wants and needs."
"What if I want to leave?" Eva asked, cautiously, and sounding mildly afraid of the answer. L'aiime flinched but hid the movement from the young leopard.
"Then we won't stop you," the gold bird said softly. "But know you are always, always welcome to come home." Home. Eva hadn't thought of home for a while, content with her 'new family' but somehow anxious to keep moving. She was her father's daughter, after all, it seemed.
Dysi watched the duo, smiling slightly and feeling a little like he was intruding. "There is no time limit to this," he pointed out. "A week, a month, a year, you can travel as long as you want, as long as your paws are itchy. It doesn't have to be a forever thing." It certainly hadn't been for him. He had thought that he would never settle, but he had settled with his mate, and while his paws itched and he traveled some, he was a different leopard than he had been years ago. He was content with one place, as long as that one place had Maleficar in it.
Eva nodded, understanding what Dysi was getting it. "I suppose I already travel with you guys anyway," she noted. Nyata kept the group moving, afraid that if they stayed still too long, set up a home, they would be more vulnerable to attacks. As the only 'muscle' behind the group, Nyata was often afraid that she would not be enough for the group, and so took extra precuations. They didn't travel far, but Eva couldn't remember a time where they had stayed more than two nights in a location since she had joined the group.
"You can travel with us," L'aiime encouraged. "We won't cramp your style, and you can wander how you like. Just...it'd be safer for you, and for us, and you can be as lonely as you like - but still have us here to soothe that loneliness."
Eva had to admit, it sounded very tempting. She glanced at the avian, and smiled. "Ok."
It took L'aiime a moment to process what the leopardess said, but when she did, she fluttered in excitement, squawking a noise of pure delight. "You won't regret it, Eva dear!" She assured her, and Dysi grinned off to the side, happy for a happy ending to the saga.
Also, he couldn't deny also that he was relieved that he wasn't going to get his eyes gouged out by a protective mamabird for convincing her offspring to leave the nest.
Another good deed!
- fin -
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