70th of Searing, 113
He couldn't take it anymore. Arkash was afraid to sleep at night, not because he was in danger, but because Liu was. He'd discovered recently that she was working for some shifty organization under the cover of night, delivering packages for them and handling money. He'd seen her pay get cut more than once for arbitrary reasons, and even saw other people get aggressive with her. That being said, she gave out as good as she got, but it still put years on the young Rathari.
Why did he keep going out after her? Wouldn't it be easier to stay home and wait for her to return rather than put himself in situations he knew would frighten him? No. The thought that something might happen before next woke was far more frightening than the shadows on the streets, or the rude, loud customers.
But, it had taken its toll. The stress of imagining her ending up hurt or worse, it brought him to tears more than once while tended to the house. Cojack never woke to see it, thankfully, but crying alone was probably worse.
So, Arkash resolved to talk to her. He was going to try and convince her to stop with the late-night jobs. It wasn't going to be easy; he was in for an argument. Liu was awfully adamant and stubborn when it came to certain things, and Arkash had an inkling that her side job was one of them.
Regardless, Arkash had set the stew to boil a little higher off the hearth than he normally did so that it would take longer to cook. He dressed in all his furs and leather footwraps alike, then headed out the door while Cojack was asleep. Liu was getting off work soon, and he resolved to meet her on the way so that they could talk without risk of waking the sickly horse.
Searing was drawing to its end, and thus the days were getting colder. It still wasn't cold enough for Arkash to worry, but he couldn't be outside for the entire day, at least not without resting by a fire. He had enough time to talk, he was sure. He hoped.
It didn't take him much time to run into her; he knew the road to Outer Nivenhain pretty well with all the medicine they'd had to buy for Cojack. The wolf rubbed at her tired eyes while she walked, and Arkash came to a halt right before her. She carried on walking, apparently unaware of his presence. That was until he called a loud "Mom!" To steal her attention. The wolf startled and drew a sharp breath.
The moment her eyes fell upon him, she smiled a bit. "Oh Ark," hummed the wolf pleasantly, then abruptly dropped her face. "What's wrong? Is Cojack okay?" Why was something going wrong always her immediate concern? Perhaps he didn't come out to walk with her often enough?
"Nothing, he's fine. I just have to talk to you-," returned the komodo with his eyes settled on hers.
Liu watched him in a manner that made him nervous, as though she was inspecting him critically. Her tone even changed when she next spoke "well, what about?" He felt like a stranger as she clammed up, suddenly aloof in her mannerisms, gaze, and voice.
"I know about your night job," spoke Arkash, who maintained his gaze with the tall wolf despite her change in demeanor.
Liu didn't seem all that surprised, she didn't even flinch. "And what do you know, Ark?"
It didn't feel right; the way she spoke to him, watched him, and otherwise behaved in light of this. Her eyes were so discerning, cold, analytical. For a moment, he nearly forgot she was his mother, and the timid lizard tucked his head a little. "I know you're peddling contraband for some shady guys. Sometimes it's drugs, sometimes guns..." it was only then that Liu appeared surprised, shocked even. The look in her eyes put a little wind in Arkash's sails, and he pressed on. "I know they treat you badly, scam you, and say awful things to you. Your clients and your boss too. I've seen it happen."
"I know you have," returned Liu, who didn't look at him at that point. "You've been following me around for a little while, now." With that, she stepped past the lizard and drew him into a half-hug with one arm.
Arkash furrowed his brow as he was pulled against her. She had seen him? Why hadn't she stopped him?
"I just thought you were curious, attached to me by the hip like when you were younger. It's not like I caught you at a good time to send you home, either. I'd spot you while making the deal, or while getting my pay. But you saw a lot more than that, didn't you? You sneaky little lizard." Her tone assumed an audible smile while she held him, almost proud? Whatever she was feeling, she pet down his smooth head as she usually did.
Arkash was so confused. Shouldn't she have been angry? Why didn't she say anything sooner? "Mom..." He spoke out, then looked up at her while he clung to her hand.
Even so, she continued. "But you weren't just curious, were you? You knew exactly what was going on." her tone shifted again, and a sort of wistful frown claimed her lips. A forced smile lit her eyes when she next looked to the komodo dragon. "Cojack's right; you have grown up a lot. It's a little scary if I'm honest." She laughed a breath.
"Scary?" Quizzed Arkash, who wrapped his claws around her fuzzy hand.
"Well, yeah..." she started, then lifted her gaze to the streets. "I can't just... hide things from you anymore, you know? You have your own thoughts and feelings on things, and I can't really see through you anymore." Her thumb gently brushed along his scales. "I've known you since the day you hatched, and you've always been sorta easy to figure out; you're lazy when you're hungry or tired, you drool when you're scared, you wag your tail when you're happy..." She found herself smiling at the last one; it was a learned behavior, something he picked up from being with Liu, no doubt. "But you're your own person now. You said it yourself; you're not a pup anymore."
He couldn't relate to her thoughts and feelings; he wasn't a parent, after all. But he did recognize that he himself had developed and diverged from the same path as his parents. Perhaps that's what she meant by him becoming his own person? "And you said it yourself, I'm still your pup, right?"
Liu smiled widely at that, and her eyes shined with tears. "You always will be, don't be daft," was all she said and rubbed at his head again. Arkash found himself smiling too. He hadn't expected an exchange like that when he came to confront her about peddling drugs. "So, what about my side job did you wanna talk about?"
The hard part introduced itself, and Arkash exhaled deeply. "...I want you to stop, mom." A moments pause followed, and the wolf looked down at him with much the face he expected to see; sort-of uncertain, regretful. "It's dangerous, you know it is. And you knew me and Cojack wouldn't be happy about it. That's why you snuck out. Mom, I wasn't following you because I was curious, I couldn't- I can't sleep at night anymore knowing what you do. I'm so scared that you're gonna get hurt, that I'm gonna wake up and you'll be gone." Tears welled in his own eyes while he poured his heart out to the wolf, and he wrapped his arms around her as much as he could manage. "I can't do that, mom. I can't-" he choked, and whimpered pathetically against her.
Liu came to wrap her arms around the boy in turn, and whispered a quiet "shhhh," to calm him. It worked to some degree, but Arkash still sobbed into her fur. After a moment's pause, she sighed. "What am I gonna do with you, eh? The money's pretty good, Ark. We could be out of here real soon if I keep this up another season, but I see your point. I don't want you worried sick."
Arkash willed his head to look up at her while his eyes streamed tears, his nose trailed snot, and his lips dripped drool. He really did feel pathetic, and probably looked that way, too. The wolf smiled down at him, and brushed her paw over his head.
"Alright, stop it with those eyes, you. I'll let Dan know I'm out, we can figure out the rest with your father."
Arkash stared through the blur of his tears, then wiped his eyes, nose and lips into the furs of his arm. "Really?" He could scarcely believe it. She accepted so easily.
"Yeah, he's been ripping me off anyway. Dan, mind. Not your father." She ran a paw down the back of his head again, then gently patted his shoulder. "Come on, let's go home."
Arkash continued to stare as she pulled him along, then blinked. What just happened? Furthermore, what she said about Cojack. "Does dad know?" Asked the lizard, who picked up his own feet and began to walk properly at her side.
Liu laughed quietly, with a smile spreading her lips. "There's a lot about us you don't know Ark," spoke the wolf cryptically.
"Like what?" Perked the lizard.
Liu merely hummed while she thought, then pat his head again while she guided him along. "Another time, hun."
He couldn't take it anymore. Arkash was afraid to sleep at night, not because he was in danger, but because Liu was. He'd discovered recently that she was working for some shifty organization under the cover of night, delivering packages for them and handling money. He'd seen her pay get cut more than once for arbitrary reasons, and even saw other people get aggressive with her. That being said, she gave out as good as she got, but it still put years on the young Rathari.
Why did he keep going out after her? Wouldn't it be easier to stay home and wait for her to return rather than put himself in situations he knew would frighten him? No. The thought that something might happen before next woke was far more frightening than the shadows on the streets, or the rude, loud customers.
But, it had taken its toll. The stress of imagining her ending up hurt or worse, it brought him to tears more than once while tended to the house. Cojack never woke to see it, thankfully, but crying alone was probably worse.
So, Arkash resolved to talk to her. He was going to try and convince her to stop with the late-night jobs. It wasn't going to be easy; he was in for an argument. Liu was awfully adamant and stubborn when it came to certain things, and Arkash had an inkling that her side job was one of them.
Regardless, Arkash had set the stew to boil a little higher off the hearth than he normally did so that it would take longer to cook. He dressed in all his furs and leather footwraps alike, then headed out the door while Cojack was asleep. Liu was getting off work soon, and he resolved to meet her on the way so that they could talk without risk of waking the sickly horse.
Searing was drawing to its end, and thus the days were getting colder. It still wasn't cold enough for Arkash to worry, but he couldn't be outside for the entire day, at least not without resting by a fire. He had enough time to talk, he was sure. He hoped.
It didn't take him much time to run into her; he knew the road to Outer Nivenhain pretty well with all the medicine they'd had to buy for Cojack. The wolf rubbed at her tired eyes while she walked, and Arkash came to a halt right before her. She carried on walking, apparently unaware of his presence. That was until he called a loud "Mom!" To steal her attention. The wolf startled and drew a sharp breath.
The moment her eyes fell upon him, she smiled a bit. "Oh Ark," hummed the wolf pleasantly, then abruptly dropped her face. "What's wrong? Is Cojack okay?" Why was something going wrong always her immediate concern? Perhaps he didn't come out to walk with her often enough?
"Nothing, he's fine. I just have to talk to you-," returned the komodo with his eyes settled on hers.
Liu watched him in a manner that made him nervous, as though she was inspecting him critically. Her tone even changed when she next spoke "well, what about?" He felt like a stranger as she clammed up, suddenly aloof in her mannerisms, gaze, and voice.
"I know about your night job," spoke Arkash, who maintained his gaze with the tall wolf despite her change in demeanor.
Liu didn't seem all that surprised, she didn't even flinch. "And what do you know, Ark?"
It didn't feel right; the way she spoke to him, watched him, and otherwise behaved in light of this. Her eyes were so discerning, cold, analytical. For a moment, he nearly forgot she was his mother, and the timid lizard tucked his head a little. "I know you're peddling contraband for some shady guys. Sometimes it's drugs, sometimes guns..." it was only then that Liu appeared surprised, shocked even. The look in her eyes put a little wind in Arkash's sails, and he pressed on. "I know they treat you badly, scam you, and say awful things to you. Your clients and your boss too. I've seen it happen."
"I know you have," returned Liu, who didn't look at him at that point. "You've been following me around for a little while, now." With that, she stepped past the lizard and drew him into a half-hug with one arm.
Arkash furrowed his brow as he was pulled against her. She had seen him? Why hadn't she stopped him?
"I just thought you were curious, attached to me by the hip like when you were younger. It's not like I caught you at a good time to send you home, either. I'd spot you while making the deal, or while getting my pay. But you saw a lot more than that, didn't you? You sneaky little lizard." Her tone assumed an audible smile while she held him, almost proud? Whatever she was feeling, she pet down his smooth head as she usually did.
Arkash was so confused. Shouldn't she have been angry? Why didn't she say anything sooner? "Mom..." He spoke out, then looked up at her while he clung to her hand.
Even so, she continued. "But you weren't just curious, were you? You knew exactly what was going on." her tone shifted again, and a sort of wistful frown claimed her lips. A forced smile lit her eyes when she next looked to the komodo dragon. "Cojack's right; you have grown up a lot. It's a little scary if I'm honest." She laughed a breath.
"Scary?" Quizzed Arkash, who wrapped his claws around her fuzzy hand.
"Well, yeah..." she started, then lifted her gaze to the streets. "I can't just... hide things from you anymore, you know? You have your own thoughts and feelings on things, and I can't really see through you anymore." Her thumb gently brushed along his scales. "I've known you since the day you hatched, and you've always been sorta easy to figure out; you're lazy when you're hungry or tired, you drool when you're scared, you wag your tail when you're happy..." She found herself smiling at the last one; it was a learned behavior, something he picked up from being with Liu, no doubt. "But you're your own person now. You said it yourself; you're not a pup anymore."
He couldn't relate to her thoughts and feelings; he wasn't a parent, after all. But he did recognize that he himself had developed and diverged from the same path as his parents. Perhaps that's what she meant by him becoming his own person? "And you said it yourself, I'm still your pup, right?"
Liu smiled widely at that, and her eyes shined with tears. "You always will be, don't be daft," was all she said and rubbed at his head again. Arkash found himself smiling too. He hadn't expected an exchange like that when he came to confront her about peddling drugs. "So, what about my side job did you wanna talk about?"
The hard part introduced itself, and Arkash exhaled deeply. "...I want you to stop, mom." A moments pause followed, and the wolf looked down at him with much the face he expected to see; sort-of uncertain, regretful. "It's dangerous, you know it is. And you knew me and Cojack wouldn't be happy about it. That's why you snuck out. Mom, I wasn't following you because I was curious, I couldn't- I can't sleep at night anymore knowing what you do. I'm so scared that you're gonna get hurt, that I'm gonna wake up and you'll be gone." Tears welled in his own eyes while he poured his heart out to the wolf, and he wrapped his arms around her as much as he could manage. "I can't do that, mom. I can't-" he choked, and whimpered pathetically against her.
Liu came to wrap her arms around the boy in turn, and whispered a quiet "shhhh," to calm him. It worked to some degree, but Arkash still sobbed into her fur. After a moment's pause, she sighed. "What am I gonna do with you, eh? The money's pretty good, Ark. We could be out of here real soon if I keep this up another season, but I see your point. I don't want you worried sick."
Arkash willed his head to look up at her while his eyes streamed tears, his nose trailed snot, and his lips dripped drool. He really did feel pathetic, and probably looked that way, too. The wolf smiled down at him, and brushed her paw over his head.
"Alright, stop it with those eyes, you. I'll let Dan know I'm out, we can figure out the rest with your father."
Arkash stared through the blur of his tears, then wiped his eyes, nose and lips into the furs of his arm. "Really?" He could scarcely believe it. She accepted so easily.
"Yeah, he's been ripping me off anyway. Dan, mind. Not your father." She ran a paw down the back of his head again, then gently patted his shoulder. "Come on, let's go home."
Arkash continued to stare as she pulled him along, then blinked. What just happened? Furthermore, what she said about Cojack. "Does dad know?" Asked the lizard, who picked up his own feet and began to walk properly at her side.
Liu laughed quietly, with a smile spreading her lips. "There's a lot about us you don't know Ark," spoke the wolf cryptically.
"Like what?" Perked the lizard.
Liu merely hummed while she thought, then pat his head again while she guided him along. "Another time, hun."
