[ P ] Whimsical Nature

Luca ⚜ fritz

It had been a long while since he was last here. A lush and dangerous forest surrounded him. Pines, cedars, thick brambles and roses to catch the inattentive. It made no such luck nibbling on his fur, but it's allure certainly caught his attention. He enjoyed the privacy of the forest, the lack of attention there was here. The life and excitement tended to fall closer to the larger establishments and places of study, and while he loved both of his mothers, there was far too much to process there. He found rather quickly that being studious was not a forte of his. That inheritance was best left to his sisters- whatever they were doing. Like a thought, he was in and around, but never permanently sitting places. For weeks he'd stay within the Highlands, brandishing whatever joy he could, and then he would migrate somewhere else. There'd be months in between his visits home, something he was sure bothered his family. Whenever they named their ire with his whimsical nature, he stayed for awhile and then disappeared when he felt the mood shift. As soon as the snare was lifted he was off on his adventure again, never to be seen for weeks. His mind shifted, his thoughts drifting into a curious form. What if he were to drop by again? It had certainly been awhile, though he did not recall the specifics of when. Too long, he would be told, though the comment hardly bothered him. Writing was never mentioned, he wasn't particularly big on letters. It's only fair you bother to let them know you're still around, at least, he thought. words"

The young femme moved quietly through the forest, eyes searching for prey. It seemed she was always hungry now, and she was not too plump yet to hunt for… yet.

These days, Willow had to be extra careful. Always a free sprint at heart, she knew those days had now been interrupted by violence and the conflict of Rionnach. Perhaps things would never be the same, she would never go back to Melrose… The thought of raising her impending children there was heartbreaking. At least Gallagher was nearby.

Getting caught would be disastrous — for herself and her family and her unborn litter. She was only now beginning to show. Suddenly, she was aware of another’s presence, and she held her breath nervously. But this was no stranger in the distance.

”Luca?” Green eyes squinted as if she was seeing a mirage, or a ghost — how long had it been? Many months had passed, and if not for his familiar tan and black pelt, she might not have recognized him at all from a distance. Once she was certain it was he errant brother, she burst into astonished, joyful tears. Emotions were a bit more intense lately, given her condition, but she was so genuinely happy to see her only brother again. ”It is you!”

Both of the Fritz youths looked a bit older than the last time they had seen each other, and Willow now had a rounding belly. In addition to being a bit more… rotund than previously, her right ear was now tattered at the tip, something she had acquired during the protests. Perhaps Luca had heard about the protests, his sister’s role in it, the prison escape…

Willow believed that Luca had come for a purposes after all, their parents knew she had gone north to escape being found and thrown right back into the dungeon. She knew it wouldn’t matter if she was pregnant. Her voice was shaky with emotion as she walked closer to her only brother. ”You got — my messages? I sent ravens all over looking — looking for you …”

Luca ⚜ fritz

"Luca!" He hadn't expected to hear her voice. A sharp excitement stopped his movement swiftly, and his head spun around to match the familiar voice to the proper sister. His eyes were wide with surprise, and that surprise was the only thing keeping him from his usual smile. Once she had accepted it to being him, she burst into tears. Immediately, he began to close himself off and wall whatever emotions he had behind a curtain. He didn't do well when his sisters began to cry. "It is you!" She exclaimed and closed the gap between them. When she got closer, he began to notice more details about her. Still the same sweet Willow, but her ear was torn and her belly much more round. Luca thought it would be awkward to mention the weight gain, he didn't want to think about the consequence of what that change meant, so he ignored it and look towards her tattered ear. He never got the opportunity to ask, she continued still in her glee, ”You got — my messages? I sent ravens all over looking — looking for you …” He received no such message, and he had to suddenly decide whether he would admit the truth and state he never got it, or pretend he did and play along with whatever she expected him to. His head rose, he smiled, but opted not to lie this time. Willow," he greeted, notably without so much as a tear which would likely break her a bit, "It is good to see you, too." And then a genuine smile followed, but he did not go for a hug like he normally would. Concern marred his expression more than anything. It's only when he debated seeing his kin that they showed up, almost like the thought summoned them to existence. He was not quite ready for this meeting. But, he was thankful for it. Fate would push that need for him, he didn't have to worry on the stress of it anymore. "You'll have to forgive me, I received no word you were looking for me." Part of the problem was, he didn't enjoy birds. But he made no comment on that to her, "What happened to your ear?" He nodded lightly, hoping to avoid whatever news she had. Maybe she would forget, and this meeting would be brief. Considering her excitement, he doubted that possibility. "words"

H

er brother looked quickly to find Willow standing there, in the flesh. His garnet eyes were wide with shock, and while he didn’t smile, Willow’s expression remained joyful despite the tears that ran down her tawny cheek, tail set to wagging in her excitement. He acknowledged her simply, and he smiled, finally, but he made no motions to come nearer to her.

However, Willow’s exuberance seemed to fade with his words as he admitted he had never been at the Rookery, had never received any message asking him to come to the Highlands. He was simply… there. And it had nothing to do with her. ”Oh.” It was mere coincidence, not an act of intention, or concern, or love. Her smile melted into a frown, and her tail ceased to wag.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR EAR?" Willow stared at her sibling for a silent second. So he had not been home – though this was unsurprising. News of the protest had not found him, wherever it was Luca had been whilst he was away. ”It’s – sort of a long story,” she started with reluctance. ”There was a protest in the Mainlands, against Adamh. I wanted to – to see how it went –”

”And I fought. I tried to protect others from the guards. It only sort of worked,” she said sadly, gaze averting to her front paws as fresh tears began to well in her eyes. "But I went to the dungeons for a while. Mama and Mum got me out, but it wasn't entirely legal."

She added in hushed tones, "I can't go back to Haven, Luca."


@Luca

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck