ALWAYS SAID HOW YOU LOVED DOGS ☆ leaving

[wormwood.]

Moth was gone. Feza was gone. Poetking was gone. Vathmos was gone. Those were only some of the more recent and big names, however. Beyond that, the list just went on and on, full of faces that Aurum had once loved, and ended up losing. At this point, Tanglewood, although still his home, didn't feel the same. All of the old faces he had come to cherish and enjoy being around had passed, left with only a shell. That wasn't to say that the newcomers weren't good, but they weren't his family. Ultimately the angel had fallen in love with Tanglewood because it had provided him with a sense of family that he had never thought he would have. After a horrible childhood full of betrayal and abuse, he had figured his life would be nothing but pain and protecting others to get nothing in return. Tanglewood had changed his entire perspective on life, showing him that it could actually be something positive. He had met so many dear friends that had come to make up the found family around him, and for a while it had felt as though things would really be okay. He had thought life was finally perfect, with his position within the group where he got to help so many, and meet so many more.

However, it hadn't been destined to last. The first death he had seen within Tanglewood had been Arrow, only days after he had first shown up on the border shouting for Poet. Unfortunately, it was far from the last. It hurt to see faces come and go, sure, but at least if someone disappeared, there was still a chance that they were out there, living freely. When he saw them die before his very eyes... well, he supposed there was still a chance that they could come back, but one couldn't count on that. If he spent every day hoping that those who had died would just rise from the dead like Leroy had, he probably would've gone completely crazy. No, instead he just... had to grieve. Move on. Believe that they had gone on to some better place, where they would be happy. That had worked for him, at least for a while. He was never really healthy after he lost someone, especially given his tendency to overwork himself, but at least he wasn't dying. At least he wasn't staring up at the ceiling every day struggling to get out of bed, trying to figure out why any of it mattered now that someone he loved was gone. At least, that was how it had been. Before Moth had died.

His adoptive sister had meant the world to him, and when he had seen that building come crashing down on top of her... it had felt like his entire world came crashing down with it. The days right afterwards had been the hardest, when it felt like his lungs couldn't unclench, and his stomach couldn't stop twisting into painful knots. He had thought after that first hurdle it would be... easier. It wasn't. It only got worse and worse with every day that passed, with the interactions of others grating on his nerves and making him even more tense and upset. Passing through the still mostly wrecked town every day only made him clench his jaw in an effort to not cry, his paws wanting to carry him as far away from Tanglewood as angelically possible. He couldn't be here anymore. It was too much. He needed to get away, and he had the perfect place to go. After all, he had already been in a dual membership with the smaller group. Hopefully their moors and manor would clear his mind, and clear his heart as well.

It hadn't been hard, asking Roy to come with him. After all, his son didn't meant to be separated from him, and he certainly didn't want to be separated from Roy. Besides, the coati was still too weak to travel and do well on his own, so he only thought it was right to go along with his father when he left. After that was taken care of, Aurum spent hours packing away most of his home, stowing away his personal items and getting rid of anything he couldn't afford to keep. Seeing all the memories hurt, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as trying to stay after all that had happened. Overall, the process was faster than he had thought, and once everything was packed away, he took his paper and pen, carefully moving the writing utensil with his maw. He knew his goodbye note wouldn't be the prettiest thing in the world, but it didn't need to be. All it needed to do was communicate that he was gone, and he wasn't planning on coming back any time soon.

He left his home in the early morning that day, before most everyone was up. Roy was silently along for the ride, watching as Aurum carefully slipped his bag around his waist, a little hum leaving his throat. Once he had everything, he stuck his note up on one of the front posts of his deck, clear and out there for anyone to see it. Giving one last longing glance to what had once been his beloved home, the soon to be former proxy just... sighed. This was no longer the place for him. Truly, he didn't see how it was a place for anyone after all that had happened. With one last heavy exhale of air, Aurum just draped a wing on top of Roy gently, leading the coati away from and off of the territory. Their silent forms were soon just dots on the horizon, moving away from Tanglewood as the notice blew softly in the wind. Written in simple, blocky letters, it stated precisely,

[i]"Tanglewood.

I'm sorry to have to do this to all of you, but I can't stay here anymore. There's too many bad memories and too much pain associated with this place for me to remain within this swamp. Within my post. This may seem sudden, but I can't be the proxy of Tanglewood any longer. I can't be a Tangler any longer, if I'm being honest. Things have changed too much, and everywhere I look, I see her face... I wish it could be different, but if it could be,I wouldn't be writing this to you now.

I'm sorry,
Aurum."

[ASVINI]

There was a pain in her chest. Besides the literal one, of course.

A different kind of pain. A stilling pain, one the made Asvini lose her breath and her eyes stare straight ahead. The scent of Aurum and Roy was thin. Gone. The note said so. Walking out this far was hard enough, but seeing the things gone inside the house and the utter absence of her father, mother? It was.. terrible. To say the least. And, for once, Asvini was stumped. Why would Aurum just leave her here? In an empty home, alone? Asvini slowly sat down beside that front post, leaning up against it weakly.

She was in no state to be left alone. Tanglewood was shattered- the death of Moth alone was enough to have everyone down. Asvini, personally, didn't know her. But she knew Moth's children. Who wouldn't after seeing the exchange between MAMA and Moth. But now? It was silent. It had torn the best thing from her- family. The wind the gently blew made her ears twitch, the child's eyes staring straight ahead. Her ears flattened, refusing to cry. No, she wouldn't be weak. Showing weakness now would mean she would certainly perish, led into the same trap as all the others.

She didn't bother to look up, to read the note. She knew that her father was gone, selfishly torn into the early morning and abandoning his child. She knew that much, her body aching, struggling to breath. But she wouldn't ever stop fighting. Her eyes opened again, a set anger in them.

"speech"

[glow=black,2,300]BREAK THE SILENCE; DAMN THE DARK[/glow]

[toboggan]

From Leroy's experiences, children oft slept through the early morning. It was weird. They were such light sleepers at the beginning of nightfall, and typically woke up at the slightest noise to either wail their guts out or shit. However, during the time of day where the sun was only beginning to rise, waking up was like the last thing that kids wanted to do. Hence the surprise he felt coming across the wee Asvini at the present hour. She looked like she'd been stricken with with grief or shock (Leroy didn't know his emotions), and blustering in the soft morning wind near her figure was a note of sorts, which may have been the source of her strife.

"Hey, little one," he says, cautiously approaching her small frame, "d'you mind readin' what's on that there letter? I can't fuckin' read."

[ASVINI]

The leader. Her eyes shifted towards him, her tail twitching behind her. The piebald stared at him. She slowly opened her jaw, worked it for a moment, then snapped it close. She was going to prompt a greeting, but it seemed today wasn't a good day for the child. Seemed? It was almost.. jarring how bad it was. Asvini gathered herself for a moment, before shifting to the side, her splinted body leaning weakly on her good legs and reading aloud.

When she finished repeating the message to Leroy, her eyes dropped to the ground, then away, stiffling a noise, a cry. Instead she spoke, critically, her voice woven in so many patterns and depths it was hard to pick just grief from it. "He abandoned me because someone else died." Slowly, she picked herself up, gritting her teeth in what pain came over her, trying to wobble her way back inside the now-empty house.

"speech"

[glow=black,2,300]BREAK THE SILENCE; DAMN THE DARK[/glow]