Hawk:Headed to The Mall
Three days ago Danni had left the Gaian's to lead a group of children into the City. When the messenger from the Eco Tribe known as Tanemahuta, or more commonly as the Huta Tribe, arrived, Hawk had welcomed him, talking of news from their area. They were more secluded than the Gaian's, and had no contact with the city, much less other Tribes. Hawk had worked hard to establish relationships with other Eco Tribes, even when Amber was their sole and only leader, it had been Hawk who had traveled around making trades and associations, negotiating relationships with other Tribes. It was true they had more contact now with the City than they had when he'd begun, and this had caused strife, even small inter-tribal wars, but he had pressed on. His Tribe was a good Tribe, and when Amber had left them to go help her City, leaving Hawk in charge, he had learned what the Tribe meant to him exactly.
Hawk had always taken responsibility seriously, from the year in Junior High when he'd been put in charge of the school store, to the day his parents had both finally passed on and he'd been left to care for his little brother, Rook, he'd become serious and determined to do right. Now he was the great leader of one of the greatest Eco Tribes in the area, one that had connections to the city that no other Tribe seemed brave enough to establish. It was with great reluctancy that he'd agreed to their messengers in the City, Lion and Owl and Sunshine, kids still attached to the Eco lifestyle but who yearned for greater things. He didn't pay much attention to Owl or Sunshine when they were in the camp, and he hadn't seen much of Lion since that day he'd left either. Hawk still believed the city kept you in it's grasp, sucking the life from you, your soul, to the point that you were no longer you but some lifeform living on the edge of existance. Trudy had the most vocal opposition to this way of thinking, often pointing out that if it wasn't for the City kids, the Chosen and the Techno's would still be running around, and that the chaos had even spread here to their secluded camp before they had taken them down. Hawk did feel appreciative of the City kids, the Mall Rats of course most of all, and he knew there would always be kids who desired that life to theirs, but that didn't make him feel at all comfortable about the soul sucking City.
Hawk didn't understand his attraction to Trudy, sure she was pretty, gorgeous actually, and he had seen her rehabilitate, even working with her in the end of her original stay to help her pull out of what the Chosen had done to her. It scared him, that one person, or a group of people, could do that to another person, but she'd been willing to move past it, and he saw her as a very strong person, inside and out. He'd also grown closer to her child, Brady, his Little Bird, she was rambunctious and happy, and she'd grown into a sassy little girl, but her smile could cheer even the saddest heart, Hawk was sure of this. And he missed them, the both of them. Trudy was more than just some rehabilitation project to him now, she was special, he loved her, he'd grown closer to her, fonder of her. But she was a City girl, she came and stayed with the Eco's when it wasn't safe for her in the City, and she'd leave again to be with her Mall Rats as soon as she felt safe again. It tore at his heart everytime she packed up and took Brady back with her to the City.
It hurt so much, in fact, that he'd picked a fight with her the last time, he wasn't even sure why now, out of love, out of hurt, here he'd thought she might have the same feelings he had, that she'd want to do a joining ceremony, a handfasting, with him, he'd almost gotten round to asking her, and then she sprung the news on him, she was leaving. Then she'd come back, and left again, and he'd lost it, fighting, screaming, anger, and the birds in the forest surrounding them had voiced their opposition of the raucous upset, a couple of Eco's had even come to see what the noise was about. Trudy had left angry, and Hawk had sulked in his hut for days, performing only the barest minimum of duties of a Tribal Leader, yelling at his closest helpers, having to apologize later. It had been ugly, and when Amber and Danni had arrived with Pride he'd questioned them, demanding information about Trudy, only, they had none.
Amber had left soon after, and Danni had been a great addition, learning medicine, and he'd lost himself in helping to teach her things she'd need to know, as well as spending time with his old friend Pride. Before Amber had left, a note had arrived at camp, one for Pride and Amber, from Salene, and it had left Pride in a sour mood. After Amber had left, Hawk tried comforting his friend as best he could, talking about their crazy City women, it had felt good to find solace in a fellow Eco. Pride had taken it quite hard, however, and Hawk found out later that he'd broken up with Salene in order for her to be with the true love of her life, or what Pride assumed was her love, and Hawk had tried to talk him out of it, to convince him to go back to the Mall Rats when his leg was healed, to fight for love, but Pride had passed it off, saying it was too late and that she was lost to the other man now.
Hawk had continued to help Danni to learn what she'd come to learn, and when the Huta Tribe had come looking for an escort, Danni had stepped forward to help out, wanting to return home. Hawk had mulled over what to say in his letter to Trudy all night, he'd seen in himself what he was trying to get Pride to see, and his ego had broken. He just wanted to be with her, he knew this rift would continue to be there forever as long as she wanted to live in the City and he needed to be an Eco, but his heart would forever beat her name. He missed Little Bird as well, the closest thing he had to a daughter, and his sad heart often yearned for her bright sunshine smile. He'd penned his love letter without a moments hesitation, sealing it and giving it to Danni before she left, a silent thanks for her agreeing to take it.
As soon as she'd left, however, Hawk had been at an unrest. Pride's leg had healed well, he was walking on it with the help of a staff, and when he'd told Hawk he was leaving to find a different Eco Tribe, they'd fought long and hard. How could he abandon them?! Pride said they were too connected to the city, he couldn't bear to get word back from the City, if it came from Salene he'd hurt to remember their love, and if it didn't come from her, he'd hurt more, he couldn't bear the thought. Angry words had been exchanged over a few nights time, and one morning Hawk had awoken to find Pride gone, packed his things and left the camp. Sending scouts out to search for him, as he did still have a healing broken leg that needed tending, had resulted in news that was devastating. Hawk had to continue to believe that Pride was alive, but the evidence pointed to a much more dire result, his foot trail ending at the edge of a steep cliff that plummeted into a deep canyon. No body had been found, or could be seen, but no other foot trail was found either, and since Hawk was sure he had not flown across the canyon, it was with a heavy heart that he felt he should return to the Mall to bring them the news.
What would he say? Who would he tell? Amber for sure, he supposed Salene if Amber thought it was a good idea, the one called May? The Tribe, Pride may have never joined as a Mall Rat, but Hawk knew he was accepted as one, a brethren, and he could not send a simple messenger to deliver such news. No, he knew that he himself must go, and he knew he had to see his Trudy and Little Bird, it had been far too long.
Hawk had packed light, he only intended to stay a night, spend a day with Little Bird and Trudy and then head home again, his Tribe was left in the hands of the very capable Grey Owl, and they would do just fine without their leader for a few days, but he did not wish to stay longer than a day at the Mall, he knew it would only end in heartache when Trudy would not return to camp with him and he had to leave. He'd traveled all day already, keeping a leisurely pace, and he estimated that he was now more than halfway there, it was getting late and the moon, the light that led his heart to his lovely one, was high in the sky, shining down on him as he traveled out of the woods and into the fields. He'd soon enough be at The Mall, he hoped he didn't arrive so late that everyone was asleep, but he knew he could crawl into bed with Trudy and explain everything tomorrow. The thought of holding her in his arms once again as he fell into a sleep gave him the stamina he'd need to get there, just a little bit longer.
Hawk had always taken responsibility seriously, from the year in Junior High when he'd been put in charge of the school store, to the day his parents had both finally passed on and he'd been left to care for his little brother, Rook, he'd become serious and determined to do right. Now he was the great leader of one of the greatest Eco Tribes in the area, one that had connections to the city that no other Tribe seemed brave enough to establish. It was with great reluctancy that he'd agreed to their messengers in the City, Lion and Owl and Sunshine, kids still attached to the Eco lifestyle but who yearned for greater things. He didn't pay much attention to Owl or Sunshine when they were in the camp, and he hadn't seen much of Lion since that day he'd left either. Hawk still believed the city kept you in it's grasp, sucking the life from you, your soul, to the point that you were no longer you but some lifeform living on the edge of existance. Trudy had the most vocal opposition to this way of thinking, often pointing out that if it wasn't for the City kids, the Chosen and the Techno's would still be running around, and that the chaos had even spread here to their secluded camp before they had taken them down. Hawk did feel appreciative of the City kids, the Mall Rats of course most of all, and he knew there would always be kids who desired that life to theirs, but that didn't make him feel at all comfortable about the soul sucking City.
Hawk didn't understand his attraction to Trudy, sure she was pretty, gorgeous actually, and he had seen her rehabilitate, even working with her in the end of her original stay to help her pull out of what the Chosen had done to her. It scared him, that one person, or a group of people, could do that to another person, but she'd been willing to move past it, and he saw her as a very strong person, inside and out. He'd also grown closer to her child, Brady, his Little Bird, she was rambunctious and happy, and she'd grown into a sassy little girl, but her smile could cheer even the saddest heart, Hawk was sure of this. And he missed them, the both of them. Trudy was more than just some rehabilitation project to him now, she was special, he loved her, he'd grown closer to her, fonder of her. But she was a City girl, she came and stayed with the Eco's when it wasn't safe for her in the City, and she'd leave again to be with her Mall Rats as soon as she felt safe again. It tore at his heart everytime she packed up and took Brady back with her to the City.
It hurt so much, in fact, that he'd picked a fight with her the last time, he wasn't even sure why now, out of love, out of hurt, here he'd thought she might have the same feelings he had, that she'd want to do a joining ceremony, a handfasting, with him, he'd almost gotten round to asking her, and then she sprung the news on him, she was leaving. Then she'd come back, and left again, and he'd lost it, fighting, screaming, anger, and the birds in the forest surrounding them had voiced their opposition of the raucous upset, a couple of Eco's had even come to see what the noise was about. Trudy had left angry, and Hawk had sulked in his hut for days, performing only the barest minimum of duties of a Tribal Leader, yelling at his closest helpers, having to apologize later. It had been ugly, and when Amber and Danni had arrived with Pride he'd questioned them, demanding information about Trudy, only, they had none.
Amber had left soon after, and Danni had been a great addition, learning medicine, and he'd lost himself in helping to teach her things she'd need to know, as well as spending time with his old friend Pride. Before Amber had left, a note had arrived at camp, one for Pride and Amber, from Salene, and it had left Pride in a sour mood. After Amber had left, Hawk tried comforting his friend as best he could, talking about their crazy City women, it had felt good to find solace in a fellow Eco. Pride had taken it quite hard, however, and Hawk found out later that he'd broken up with Salene in order for her to be with the true love of her life, or what Pride assumed was her love, and Hawk had tried to talk him out of it, to convince him to go back to the Mall Rats when his leg was healed, to fight for love, but Pride had passed it off, saying it was too late and that she was lost to the other man now.
Hawk had continued to help Danni to learn what she'd come to learn, and when the Huta Tribe had come looking for an escort, Danni had stepped forward to help out, wanting to return home. Hawk had mulled over what to say in his letter to Trudy all night, he'd seen in himself what he was trying to get Pride to see, and his ego had broken. He just wanted to be with her, he knew this rift would continue to be there forever as long as she wanted to live in the City and he needed to be an Eco, but his heart would forever beat her name. He missed Little Bird as well, the closest thing he had to a daughter, and his sad heart often yearned for her bright sunshine smile. He'd penned his love letter without a moments hesitation, sealing it and giving it to Danni before she left, a silent thanks for her agreeing to take it.
As soon as she'd left, however, Hawk had been at an unrest. Pride's leg had healed well, he was walking on it with the help of a staff, and when he'd told Hawk he was leaving to find a different Eco Tribe, they'd fought long and hard. How could he abandon them?! Pride said they were too connected to the city, he couldn't bear to get word back from the City, if it came from Salene he'd hurt to remember their love, and if it didn't come from her, he'd hurt more, he couldn't bear the thought. Angry words had been exchanged over a few nights time, and one morning Hawk had awoken to find Pride gone, packed his things and left the camp. Sending scouts out to search for him, as he did still have a healing broken leg that needed tending, had resulted in news that was devastating. Hawk had to continue to believe that Pride was alive, but the evidence pointed to a much more dire result, his foot trail ending at the edge of a steep cliff that plummeted into a deep canyon. No body had been found, or could be seen, but no other foot trail was found either, and since Hawk was sure he had not flown across the canyon, it was with a heavy heart that he felt he should return to the Mall to bring them the news.
What would he say? Who would he tell? Amber for sure, he supposed Salene if Amber thought it was a good idea, the one called May? The Tribe, Pride may have never joined as a Mall Rat, but Hawk knew he was accepted as one, a brethren, and he could not send a simple messenger to deliver such news. No, he knew that he himself must go, and he knew he had to see his Trudy and Little Bird, it had been far too long.
Hawk had packed light, he only intended to stay a night, spend a day with Little Bird and Trudy and then head home again, his Tribe was left in the hands of the very capable Grey Owl, and they would do just fine without their leader for a few days, but he did not wish to stay longer than a day at the Mall, he knew it would only end in heartache when Trudy would not return to camp with him and he had to leave. He'd traveled all day already, keeping a leisurely pace, and he estimated that he was now more than halfway there, it was getting late and the moon, the light that led his heart to his lovely one, was high in the sky, shining down on him as he traveled out of the woods and into the fields. He'd soon enough be at The Mall, he hoped he didn't arrive so late that everyone was asleep, but he knew he could crawl into bed with Trudy and explain everything tomorrow. The thought of holding her in his arms once again as he fell into a sleep gave him the stamina he'd need to get there, just a little bit longer.