For whatever reason, an unconscious shadowing or grasping of something familiar, they'd stayed together. On one hand, Seneca was absolutely thrilled in finding a travel companion in Abyss. Who seemed to be tolerating the attempted too-close-for-comfort approaches, tongue out and crazed multi-coloured eyes.

Though today wasn't the day to bother Abyss with hygiene, as they perched by a small trickle of a stream. Feet in, then moving their wolf-fingers through their long dark hair. Pushing water through to get any muck away and cut frizz down.

Welp, there wasn't much to be done today before they head back out. In some random direction yet to be chosen, but Seneca had a goooood feeling about right here. "I wanna stay here, a little longer." They'd say too loudly in the direction they'd last seen their Brother... He wouldn't need to be all that close to hear their loud as hell sibling.

And since they'd be staying a bit, Seneca busied with tidying their little campsite. Using large leaves to brush any rubble away, gasp in delight at the finding of small herbs. Shooting down to press heir belly to the earth, large eyes looking over the sprouts. These used to grow in Saboro, right by the vine bridges their Aunt had constructed. Mhmm, had to be the same.

That was when a rustle came from behind, Seneca whirled around looking stunned. "David, there are muffins on the counter." A whisper that made no sense, but oh the smell was so good and sweet.

---

After the news given by her red hawk sister, Oriana started to feel a bit more comforted by the circumstance that was her home. Crenate and Bane, the leaders of Saboro— two unlikely brothers who decided to step up where their sisters and mothers seemed to fall short.

They hadn’t even tried to find her.

Leaving behind Sabora started to come with the breathing clarity of the unpolluted air of the no-man’s land she continued to wander through. It was amazing the unity the land had, the unknown foreign middle ground as she saw it— the once forbidden middle ground. As the sun continued to fall and rise again each morning it reminded her that fear was just a tool used to control.

After seeing Artemisia again, she concluded she never wanted Saboro to control her again.

Saboro didn’t seem to let go so easily, however.

The nearby rustling caused the mother’s stride to slow, the distant muffled voices sounded young. More children alone? Oriana decided to investigate, but with the proper amount of caution. She could smell the moisture of the nearby river, some words became more coherent as she approached. Things started to become more familiar, causing a mixed reaction of anxiety and concern as the gap between her and the young voices became smaller.

Eventually she was so close that there was no hiding now, and the random chirp that followed from the bushes she brushed against clarified it for her— there was only one creature she knew who spoke in such oddities.

“David, there are muffins on the counter."

Oriana could only see them for the time being now. She knew they weren’t violent, and Oriana took this as an advantage as she quickly and quietly approached her child, glancing around and pretending as if they hadn’t just been reunited after months of unknown separation. Oriana didn't want to deal with the repercussions of an emotionally unstable child lashing out at her for leaving her— instead, she glazed over it and played pretend. Perfect.

“Shh, shh, who else is with you my darling?” Oriana stood beside and partially over her groomed baby, knowing there were others around but not being able to determine who else. Oriana continued to play distressed mother for as long as it suited the situation, for the moment being glad that the abandoned child she found was a passive one; albeit, a little strange, but hopefully not ready to use those sharp youthful fangs on their seemingly doting mother.

“Why are you here, are you safe? Are there any bad people with you?”

---

The Brother had not returned to their side when they called out to him, eyes seeking the dark pelted sibling as Seneca returned to the herbs. The two that had been bound together, despite their indifference.

Warm suddenly loomed overhead, wide eyes shot upward with their chin as their long long tail tucked. Reaching well up their belly and tickling their neck. It suddenly began to wag slightly against their belly, leaning upward into the grooming of the Mother not so long lost.

“Shh, shh, who else is with you my darling? Why are you here, are you safe? Are there any bad people with you?”

A small whimper, Seneca got up quickly wandering a few steps to peer into the brush where Abyss had gone. Would he be back soon? Gaze moved back to Oriana, where Seneca tucked himself if she would allow it. "Abyss." Came to answer the first question, the second, they hesitated with their heavy eyes watching Oriana.

"Saboro has the bad people," a sudden whisper, eyes sharpening with pain of betrayal. Squeezing shut to try and block out the memories of Enys being slaughtered, of Crenate letting it all happen. Traitor. Dad was a traitor. They all were. Eyes shot open again, painful and sad "Y-you left us there Mum. They got Enys."

---

Much like she’d hoped, her adopted youth clung back to her in a soothingly, scary way all in one swoop. It wasn’t as though her affections were fake, but she couldn’t bare reliving another painful reunion with the scattered children she’d left behind. Perhaps she should be fortunate for all the ones she’s found so far have been alive.

"Abyss."

Oriana’s expression changed, certainly that was the last name she’d expected to hear. Her angry, feisty child who was a shocking resemblance to her father. “Abyss?” She murmured, a bit perplexed as she expected to hear the name of Hodge, maybe even Enys before she heard his name. Oriana adjusted her position, stepping aside and around Seneca towards the bushes. “Abyss, come out.” She spoke firmly, locking her attention to the bushes with fierce perception, not thinking for a moment her absence didn’t warrant a more hostile greeting from him than Seneca had given her.

"Saboro has the bad people,"

Their mother almost wanted to laugh; of course they did. But she had far less of an understanding to her child’s context having been separated for months. Only when she turned her head, straining her sight from the corners of her eyes to see Seneca did she feel the depth of their worries, their betrayal. “Tell me—” She started, hoping Seneca would continue or Abyss may finally intervene.

"Y-you left us there Mum. They got Enys."

Completely sidestepping the ever-lasting jab of betrayal, Oriana turned her head completely to Seneca now, risking a surprise attack from her hidden son to fully comprehend what Seneca was saying. She felt a strange, deep brewing within her at the last three words they spoke. Oriana moved back to stand in front of her child, looming over him with a depth of aggression they’d likely never seen before.

“Tell me everything.”

---

Her familiar scent cloaked them, Seneca's curled head tilting upward, and they shuffled to tuck against the golden queen of thorns. Abyss didn't appear to their Mother's calls, either a distance away... Or watching the scene unfold from nearby.

Oriana had spent her life in Saboro, deep in the heart of politics. Seneca hadn't, they'd turned their head away from it all, buried in their innocent youth until they'd been forced to face life wasn't so simple. Their gaze shifting as Oriana moved and loomed over them “Tell me everything.” They recoiled back, large ears pinning back.

Shoulders hunched, Seneca leaning away from their Mother with eyes wide, lips flicking between bearing their thick teeth and lowering. "Th-there was so much happening." Sputtered, eyes sharpening as they stared at her "There was a meeting, the Elites were lookin' for anyone, they were squabbling over power. So were my siblings who were meant to succeed."

Seneca got to their feet, beginning to pace and shiver "Enys... Always the sharped tongued... Dad... Told Nero to rip his tongue out." Head snapped to Oriana, crazed and angry expression boiling in their face. Leg shuddered with rage and grief they hadn't experienced yet "Everyone jumped him, obeying their false Sabora Bane and Dad. I covered Hodge's eyes.

“We’ve been betrayed! You will all die too! THEY NEVER LOVED US.” Seneca swallowed hard, remembering Enys' roar of fury, his own teeth snapping his tongue off. It was as if Seneca could still feel their siblings blood of their feet as he bled out, they wanted to hurl. "Enys bit his own tongue off... He bled to death... Because of Crenate, Nero, Bane..." ... Because of you screamed as they focused on Oriana.

Yet it wasn't, she hadn't done this, but she hadn't prevented it. Seneca felt lost suddenly, on edge. How could they forgive her for leaving Enys to die, for leaving them all in the hands of the crooked hierarchy of Saboro? Surely she knew on some level they would never accept the Fledglings, that they would die without her protection.

"I ran."

They held their ground, tall ears still pinned under their curls, tail twisted under their body and trashing under them. The anger boiling off them, anxiety matching the emotion to leave Seneca feeling incredibly unstable. Make it better, make it right. Isn't that what Mom's were for?