Starting over never felt simple, and doing so while holding a child and with a heart still broken from being betrayed made things even tougher, But Elora had no other option. She left Raydar's group secretly during the night and walked for several days until her feet were bleeding and there was no food left.
The next group she came across was not big or very strong, but they let her stay,
They were in need of assistance, mostly cleaners, and she was good at scrubbing floors until they sparkled. The leader did not ask any questions, just nodded when she said she could work, and showed her to the servants' living area, That was good enough for her.
The room they gave her was small, but it had a bed and a window in it. Tarinne took the mattress in the corner and made herself comfortable there as if it were a fancy place and Elora saw that as a success.
The group's living area was more active than she thought, with people guarding it all day and night, and young ones running around on the training field right next to the servants' area. Most people did not talk to her directly, She was just the cleaner, another face that blended in, But no one said mean things to her, and nobody whispered when she walked by.
That was something new.
She cleaned kitchens in the mornings, helped with washing sheets and towels in the afternoons, and swept the shared rooms before nighttime. Her body ached again, always, but it felt different than before, There was no shame here, just hard work.
But while Elora was quiet and careful, Tarinne was the opposite of that.
The girl had become even more bold, She walked around freely, always wondering, always moving, always getting a little too close to the trouble she promised she didn't cause.
The first time Elora was called to the leader's office, it was because Tarinne had gone into the training area and copied the fighters' moves until one of them tripped, She laughed so hard that she fell down herself. The second time, she had gone into the storage room and changed the herbal labels into a "funny song," almost ruining the entire supply.
"She's determined," one of the fighters told Elora once, in a kind way.
"She's tiring," Elora mumbled back, while rubbing her head.
But no matter how much Tarinne pushed limits, there was always something special about her, something people didn't know how to deal with, Elora had started to notice it more, The way some of the higher-ranked wolves stared at her when she walked by, The way young ones followed her like she was already one of them.
Her daughter didn't know it, but she stood out from the rest.
And one afternoon, that difference became something bigger.
Tarinne came running into the servants' area, with wide eyes and out of breath, her dark curls bouncing behind her as she ran around the mop Elora was wringing out.
"Mom! I made a new friend today!"
Elora looked up from the bucket, not really paying attention, "That's good, honey."
"No, really, I'm serious," Tarinne said, almost jumping up and down, "He's a very good person, And also, he's tall and makes me laugh, Also, he mentioned he used to know you."
Elora stopped moving,
Her grip got tighter on the mop,
"He said that exactly?"
Tarinne smiled, "He mentioned he knew someone who reminds him of me from way back when, Isn't that such a strange thing?"
Elora felt pressure in her chest, but she made herself smile, "So, what is his name?"
"I don't remember," Tarinne said, as she pulled on her mother's arm, "But he mentioned he wants to meet you soon, Can I bring him to meet you tomorrow, please?"
Elora didn't say anything right away,
She just nodded slowly, with a bad feeling creeping into her chest like smoke.
Elora stayed awake all night long,
Every time she tried to sleep, her thoughts went back to Tarinne's words, "He used to know you," Those words kept repeating themselves, getting louder each time, until she couldn't think about anything else.
It couldn't really be him, That was impossible.
Raydar would definitely not be here, Not in this peaceful, hidden group, He was meant to be in places of power and leadership, not with regular workers and low-level wolves like her.
Still, by the time morning came, she felt nervous and on edge, She kept looking out the window, waiting for something to happen.
Tarinne, like always, had lots of energy, She came into the room as soon as they finished eating, smiling so wide.
"He's arrived!" she told her,
Elora didn't say anything for a moment, Her hands stopped as she was putting clothes in the basket, She made her voice sound calm, "Are you sure he is the same person you were talking about before?"
"Yes, I'm sure!" Tarinne said happily, "He mentioned he's been trying to find someone, but he didn't say who, Maybe that person is you?"
She felt sick to her stomach.
But, she went with her anyway.
They moved through the training grounds, with Tarinne skipping ahead a few steps, The sun was just starting to shine through the morning fog, and the fighters were already practicing in the distance, Elora looked down, while walking slowly.
Then Tarinne stopped near the edge of the open area, where a tall man was talking to one of the high level patrol officers, He was turned slightly to the side, so only part of him could be seen.
Elora gasped when he turned to face them,
Raydar.
Her world stopped,
He looked different now, Maybe a bit older, with lines around his eyes, But he still had that strong presence, the way he carried himself, the calm control he always had, His hair was shorter than she remembered, and he had a bit of stubble on his chin. He wasn't dressed like a leader today, but his power was still obvious.
Tarinne ran up and pulled on his sleeve, doing something only a child could get away with,
"She's here," she said happily, while pointing behind her, "That's my mom."
Raydar looked where she was pointing,
When his eyes met Elora's, something changed on his face, confusion, then something gentler, But he didn't recognize her.
He didn't know who she was,
Not yet.
Elora stayed still, she was hardly breathing, and her body was tense.
He walked closer, nodding to the fighter next to him before telling him to leave with a wave. Then it was just the three of them, her, Raydar, and the child that connected them in ways he clearly didn't get.
"You're her mother," he said quietly, looking right at her.
"Yes," Elora said, just as quietly,
He tilted his head, looking at her closely, "She looks like you."
"She looks like both of us," she said without thinking,
Raydar frowned, "Do I know you?"
"No," she said, her voice sounding plain.
But she could see it, he was unsure, He was trying to remember her, something about how she smelled was familiar, He didn't remember the connection they had, whatever was left of it, was hidden deep, it was Blocked off.
He reached down and put a hand gently on Tarinne's shoulder,
"She's special," he said softly, "She reminds me of someone."
"I know," Elora whispered,
Tarinne giggled between them, not knowing how serious the situation was,
"Can I stay with him for a bit?" she asked, bouncing excitedly, "He said he'd show me the warrior horses!"
Elora hesitated,
Raydar waited, not saying anything,
Finally, she nodded, "Stay close."
As her daughter ran off with him, laughing and happy, Elora stayed where she was.
She knew then what she hadn't wanted to believe,
They had found each other again,
And he had no idea who she was.