[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[So, Moro's calmed down significantly since the arrival of the Kin'Corans. There was a bit of tension at first, with the arrival of new Lucetians, but she soon recognized their arrival pattern and left them be.

As their arrivals slowed down, Moro began to interact again. Namely, by dragging fallen wood from deep in the forest and leaving it by the village edge - something that she's done before. She's also bringing out branches of trees that have acorns and seeds still growing on them - hint hint, so to speak. She's got several other small things, such as various wild fruits and a few plants she recognized as edible thanks to San's diet before.

Moro herself will be approachable, not snarling or growling at all, and almost (aaaalmost) looking apologetic for her extreme behavior. Almost.]

Comments

[tsuntrader]

You're contradicting yourself.

[biteoffherhead]

I'm what?

[tsuntrader]

You just said it yourself. You have a purpose, and that purpose is to live.

Can't you just do that? Believe in that? That you can just live?

[biteoffherhead]

You have that purpose. Because the Forest Spirit had nothing larger in mind for you. I can believe in that.

[tsuntrader]

I wish that was true. [That would be so nice. He's trying to do that in Luceti, but...]

[biteoffherhead]

You humans have delusions of grandeur. It simply comes from you being too smart for your own good. You think you can compete with and compare to gods.

Though it pains me to admit as much, you humans have learned to compete. With no born purpose, you all struggle to find something to do with yourselves. You fight for glory and recognition, be it from the gods, other humans, or yourselves. You all make yourselves out to be more important than anything else in this world - even that which you deem more important than a human life is something that does not threaten your pitiful species. With this attitude, you have given yourselves strength, and you cull nature, with reckless abandon and selfish intent.

There will come a day where you humans will find no further use of me. And that will be the day that you kill me.

[tsuntrader]

[Alright, about half of that is true. Another chunk of it is true for specific people. But that's not entirely accurate.

...But that doesn't matter. That last part is the important.]

There's no way that's gonna happen.

[biteoffherhead]

It will. And even you could play a hand in it.

[tsuntrader]

Stop it.

[That is likely the first and last time he will try to tell a god what to do, but he just can't handle hearing that. It's not true. It's not true and the thought of it makes his stomach churn. The distress is obviously written all over his face, but he desperately tries to conceal it with some sort of annoyed or angry disposition.]

[biteoffherhead]

Does that upset you? Knowing that you could change your mind, someday, and kill me?

It does not upset me. If you did it, it would seem fine to me.

[tsuntrader]

Stop it. [He clenches his fists and starts to tense up. Stop it, Moro. Stop it. Stop it stop it stop it-]

[biteoffherhead]

[Does it hurt, Silver? Is it painful when she looks at you fondly, and speaks with a quiet, gentle, nigh on motherly tone?]

Be wary, then, when you deal the death blow: even cut off, a wolf's head will still bite.

[tsuntrader]

[That's it. He ducks his head down so his hair can make some attempt at covering his face, as if that will magically make everything else about this situation go away.

And he stands there. The fear and helplessness and general feel of being small overwhelms him.

He doesn't want to see her hurt. He doesn't want to see her in pain. He doesn't want to see her killed, of all things. Ever. Just let her leave before he has to see that. He doesn't want to see anything like that.

Especially not because of him.]

[biteoffherhead]

...You forget, that I am meant to be dead, regardless. That the Malnosso defied the Forest Spirit's will, and forced me back to life.

[tsuntrader]

That doesn't mean that I'm gonna kill you. [His voice cracks. He tries to pretend that it didn't.]

[biteoffherhead]

Gentle boy.

[tsuntrader]

Fine, I'm gentle. [Whatever. He'd still never kill her. It's just not going to happen.]

[biteoffherhead]

That is not what I taught you to be, child. You are more than that. You could be a mighty predator, that can use his fangs.

It will be the right thing to do, when those fangs are turned against me.

[tsuntrader]

[...No. He doesn't want to hear it. He wouldn't hurt someone he cared about, let alone kill them.

But he won't argue. What he says won't change Moro's mind. What he says won't lessen the impact or gravity of her words.

He just has to accept it.]

[biteoffherhead]

You are submitting to me, for once. You always challenged me.

[tsuntrader]

What's the point? I won't change your mind. [...No. It's an absolute. It's too black and white. It's naive thinking. One day he'll have to hurt his own family. He has no room to delude himself into believing that.

But why Moro? Why is she so fixated on it?]

[biteoffherhead]

I was rather content with you fighting back. It showed me good pack behavior, on your part.

The residents here, they all cow to me immediately, bowing in reverence or begging forgiveness or to be spared my fangs. You are both stupid and brave to challenge me as any wolf cub would do.

[tsuntrader]

...I have respect. I don't have fear. [Right now, he has fear. Not of her, but of what could happen.

But is she comparing him to...?]

[biteoffherhead]

[To a fellow wolf god, yes.]

Your respect comes from understanding. There were once several humans that had that same respect! Their time has come and gone, in this place. Where once I had many who looked upon me and could understand my wills, I have only one, who stands before me now.

[tsuntrader]

[That... Wait. That can't be right.]

I always question you about your [beliefs-] "truths". How am I the only one? How aren't there people that show that respect better than I do?

[...] What were those other people like?