Alonya was quiet. She normally tailed after her sister - her full sister, the one that took on traits of a hybrid and was treated like a princess. Alonya hunched her shoulders, looking out into the roguelands. She could just run - she was a cheetah, mostly, by blood. She took on way more of the cheetah compared to her sister.
She was like her mother. Someone who her father described as Strong. Her father wasn't strong though, not right now. Illness plagued his body, shook his entire frame when coughed. He was thin, physically weak. But, Alonya noted, his eyes were clear and bright. They shined with more determination than Alonya had ever seen, at least compared to anyone she knew.
Alonya didn't... Hate her home. She wasn't treated poorly, exactly. She was overlooked. A slave in a family of those who were held in high regards.
She wasn't the only slave, of course. There was Saren, her half brother, who was this amazing bright spot in everyone's lives. It hurt her heart when she would see a frown tug at the smile, like it was too heavy to keep up.
Alonya wondered if she could be strong like her mother - or father. Hell, even Saren was probably stronger than her. She snarled towards the border, wondering if she should run and find herself a better life. She had siblings everywhere - one of them would take her in, surely!
The thought of leaving, though, scared her. She wondered if she would miss this place, and the others here. Miss the sheltered life her father and sister provided her. Her shoulders hunched higher.
"Are you alright?" She heard a voice softly from her side. She flinched away from the noise before looking at the sorce of it. "You looked like you were thinking really hard, sweetheart."
Her father's voice was soft, not from the hoarse scratch of coughing, but with concern. Chozi sat by Alonya's side, frowing softly. It took hima moment, but he looked towards the direction his daughter had been looking and frowned.
Alonya didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what she could say, but she didn't have to. Chozi spoke again with her silence.
"If it's anything I could do, anything in my power. I just want all my children to be happy, Alonya. I wouldn't ever keep you here, if you would be happier somewhere else," Chozi said softly. His voice rasped a little at the end. Alonya couldn't tell if it was from choked back tears or a cough that he was suppressing.
Alonya finally turned to look at her father properly, looking into the pale blue eyes that she shared with him. She forced a lopsided smile. "I'm not sure what I want..." She said softly, uncertainty tainting her voice. "I want to stay, but I want to know what's out there..." She felt a longing for...
For something.
Something from far away? Something of her own? She didn't know, but she ached. She wasn't sure if her father would understand. Hell, she didn't understand it herself. She wondered if she could describe it but the words kept getting stuck on her tongue like she'd taken in a mouth full of mud.
Chozi was patient with his child, though. She wouldn't be the first one to leave, if thats what she decided. Chozi wouldn't stop him. Their half sister was the leader of the pride - sweet Aluvyon, who grew up surrounded by Leopards. She was the opposite in her ideals, unwilling to allow anyone to feel unwelcome, even the lowest of the slaves.
If they petitioned to leave, Alue would do what she could. She was a wonderful child, one that knew what she wanted and took it for herself as soon a she could
Chozi gave a soft sigh, pressing his forhead to Alonya's, smiling at his daughter. He had a distressed daughter to deal with now, he turned his thoughts away from Alue.
"Everything will be alright, no matter what you decide," Chozi said softly. "You're alright." Alonya nearly pitched forward, burrowing her head into the thick of her father's mane. She felt like sobbing, but any tears she had felt so far out of reach.
"I just feel so empty," She choked out, trying to bite them back before they could escape her mind. She trembled against Chozi's side, trying to gather herself back together. She felt like she was shaking apart.
Her father hummed softly, a comforting sound. She could only press closer to him and her shaking increased when Chozi wrapped one paw around her thin frame.
“Whatever it is, sweetheart, we’ll find it. I just want you to be happy,” Chozi said softly, trying to comfort his distressed child. He wasn’t quite sure what to do, he’d never had one of his children so distraught. He hated that she felt so at odds in her own skin.
He nuzzled the top of her head, concern filling his heart - his soul, even.
“I’ll bring you the world if that’s what takes for you to be happy,” Chozi hummed, trying to hold her through the shaking. Like the sheer force of his will would supress them. He wished he could pour whatever happiness he had into her at this moment. He nuzzled her forhead like he could do just that.
He wasn’t quite sure how long they stayed like that, but Alonya’s shaking eventually stopped, her breathing returning from the shaky half-sobs into something more regular. She hadn’t cried, but the well of emotion seemed to have just rattled from her bones, from her heart, and out with her breaths.
Chozi allowed Alonya to pull back away from him first, and she sniffled a little.
“We’ll find what you need, alright? Dream on it, sweet one, and I’ll do what I can.” Alonya gave her father a somewhat watery smile, nodding a little. She nuzzled her father one more time, the words weighing heavy on her, but not like a burden. Somewhat like a comfort, like she was a cub again and curled against his side.
Like safety, like home.
She smiled a small smile. “Thanks, dad,” she said softly.