belladonna, in italian a beautiful lady; in english a deadly poison.

The blackened woman had not been there for the earthen lord to pass the details of her son's quest down to him, that blessing had gone to Ktulu. But the mares had agreed that Lakota would be there at the end of it, to proudly watch as the cub was bonded to their beloved child. Sharing of the parental duties, if you would. Not that anything could have separated her from the exuberant child on his victorious eve. She was filled with endless pride, a deep and burning fire of love that made her nearly as giddy as he was. He had fulfilled his quest in what seemed to be the blink of an eye, and while she was stained with the blackened blood of every life she'd ended, it did not keep her from loving him for his purely selfless soul. Honestly she wasn't quite sure where he'd gotten it from - perhaps herself, before love, life, and family had twisted her soul into something disfigured and ugly. Perhaps from her granddam, the same place she always suspected Hana to have gotten it from. Wherever it came from in his family tree, she didn't care. She loved him, she was so proud of him, and sometimes she wished she were a better mother - a better person - for him to properly look up to. He was too pure, but in that same way, he was a part of her. She had created him. And she would guard the purity of his light until her own flame flickered and died out. 

Her son chattered happily on throughout the journey, Aodaun brushing idly against the cub from his other side - flanked by two dangerous beasts, protected on as many sides as Lakota could guarantee. She commented happily throughout his chattering, though it wasn't exactly necessary with how naturally energetic and talkative her only son was. None of the names rang familiar to her, which caused a wave of bitterness to consume her momentarily. She hated her useless existence - she had been Chieftess once, head Medic as well. Yet where was she now? A rankless nobody, idling around in the Falls, waiting for her son to return from his wanderings to give her purpose once more. Waiting for Ktulu to return from her duties, ones Lakota once had. Ones she missed. 

But she did not ruin her beloved's day with her own self-hatred. This was going to be one of the most important moments of her son's existence - it would change his life for good, to have his soul intrinsically tied to another life. The bear would be more than a companion, or a slave to tote around. At least, to Lakota, Aodaun had always been so much more. A brother, a best friend,a guardian. Someone to love and be loved by. Lakota could only hope for a similar relationship to grow between her son and this bear that would soon join their odd little family. 

"You did perfectly, bambino. Il dio della terra will see your sincerity, my love." Perhaps she knew what fate awaited her in the future, the void she would leave in her son's life, for she found herself teaching him more and more of her mother tongue. Maybe she knew that she would leave this life, the last person capable of handing down such a gift to him. Hopefully it would leave him something to remember her by - snippets of phrases and sentences, no master of the language like she was, but enough to recall the tone of her voice or the shape of her smile. 

She waited patiently beside him, eyes soft and tongue quiet. She could not teach him how to pray, it was an act he had to figure out on his own. But she knew the God would come in time to visit them. 

Lakota