⊱ ─── ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ ─── ⊰⊱ ─── ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ ─── ⊰ A cold and rainy leaf-fall's day was just about right to put anyone's mood down into a blend of melancholy and pure silence, as the pitter patter of falling rain surrounded the dark endless woods. Forever constant it seemed, as mud splashed beneath the paws of every woodland creature who desperately sought some shelter. Even the birds of the sky had abandoned their usual happy hymns and nestled high up within the trees. In one of those same trees, sitting there on a sturdy branch was the tall figure of Wisteria. Whose solemn violet eyes observed the chaos down below without much of a reaction, perhaps only a twitch of her whiskers or a simple flick of her ribbon-tied tail. She found their reactions to the rain to be interesting and yet confusing as a few mice huddled down together beneath a bush, while a family of geese quickly waddled over to an open space beneath a large tree and disappeared inside; their loud calls echoing beyond the entrance. How could nature be so trusting? To be so full of life, despite the torrent of rain that was surrounding them? Even the nearby foxes decided to abandon their would-be prey of rabbits, in order to seek their own form of shelter nearby, letting them live to see another day. The loner couldn't quite understand it, as she slowly began to reflect on the moments of her own family and the lengths that she would go to in order to protect them. She wouldn't let anyone insult them nor let any harm befall them. This premise she built upon herself, ever since she first learned of her mother's betrayal against her and sister. How could she just abandon them and never even say goodbye? To endow them with parting gifts as if it made everything magically "alright"? The thought always confused and angered Wisteria to the point where tears would sprout at the edges of her eyes and her claws would curl into the surface of the ground. But…she couldn't deny the obvious fact that faced her, even now as she sat there on that hollowed branch with rain droplets dripping down from the sheltered leaves above. The decorated ribbons and carnations that were adorned upon her from head to tail, like a princess of a far away kingdom. Accessories that were gifted to her by her mother, the same ones she never dared take off...in fear of not only herself, but the questions she would one day come to ask herself. Why not simply take them off when they came from the /one/ feline that she despised the most? Why not? Why not? WHY NOT?! “Because I can’t!” She suddenly screamed into the depths of the surrounding woods, her sharp voice echoing farther and farther like ripples across a lake. Even the small creatures below seemed terrified of her loud and sudden presence. Despite how much she hated her mother, a part of her couldn’t let go of that piece of her that still somehow loved her in its own strange way. But…why? What was she so afraid of? How could she love someone she never even met and only caused so much present heartache? ‘Because I’m afraid…afraid of who I’ll become,’ Wisteria suddenly realized with agony as her long claws curled into the branch. Her whole image or persona was to be beautiful and perfect–inside and out–no matter who came across her, even with her usual snappy and straightforward attitude. If her mother wasn’t perfect…then she /had/ to be. She couldn’t let her confidence crack. She couldn’t let others see her flaws, her imperfections, her failures. She was meant to be strong, courageous, and uplifting. The one who was ready to take on the world and be there for others at a moment’s notice! But beneath all of those layers, who was she truly? Who could she lean on when she needed support or just to simply enjoy their comforting presence? Her mind began to replay the moments of her life and the many felines whom she came across. Hearth. Prince. Blockedsun. Cradlecherish. Redemption. Starling. And many more. Her family and friends. Felines that she came to trust in one way or another and would instantly be there for them if trouble came. But would they be there for her?
She stiffened at the lingering question and sat there in silence for a long few moments, before beginning to wipe away the bubbling tears at the edges of her eyes with a paw while chuckling quietly to herself. Coming to quickly realize how silly that question really was. Of course they would…if she was more open and honest about her feelings, fears, and perhaps even hopes with them. Perhaps that was where she was the most selfish in her own way–taking care of others without a moment of hesitation, while ignoring her own self in the long run. Hiding behind her graceful facade to ultimately bury the true self that lay far beneath. To protect her inner self with layers and layers of invisible thorns, where no one could reach. But what if she didn’t need those thorns anymore? What if she just…let…it…go? To become someone that wasn’t afraid anymore nor need to have a facade everywhere she went? The thought was freeing to Wisteria as a small smile slowly appeared across her tear streaked face. She didn’t need to be perfect. She just needed to be herself. Flaws and all. Perhaps… the thorns will slowly wither away with time, like petals in the wind. There wasn’t a need to fear in becoming like her mother anymore…but instead in hopes of becoming someone better. Someone brighter. Someone new. This change in thinking was enough for the cream colored molly to begin to see the beauty in the nature that surrounded her. Despite the pouring rain, there was still life that roamed about and the sun would always continue to shine behind the clouds. Just as suddenly, Wisteria’s front paws began to move on their own, as she began to untie the maroon-colored ribbon from the top of her head and into her paws, letting her long head fur swoop down in graceful waves. Then, she began to quickly tie the ribbon onto the same branch that she was sitting on, making sure that it couldn’t slip off. Once she was satisfied with her work, the cream colored loner promptly made her way down the tree and landed on the leaf littered ground, smiling a bit brighter to herself than she had before. The past was gone but the future was surely ahead...she wouldn’t need to take a look back. ⊱ ─── ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ ─── ⊰⊱ ─── ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ ─── ⊰
