What The Moon Hides, Family Ties The McCoires

16th July

Meyra closed her eyes, the fresh forest air flooding her senses, obliterating everything else for a moment. She welcomed the various earthy scents of the surrounding nature, letting the sound of cascading water running down the hills soothe her heart, like a natural balm bringing her back to the awareness of the moment, grounding her. She tried to let her senses take the helm, freeing herself from the complex knot that her thoughts had become. The only certainty that had dawned on her was that, after all, pursuing the truth should never be a regret to carry with her. But there was so much more to discover, so much more behind everything she had never even considered during all the times she had questioned the past she had never known. After all, Moray hadn't rejected her, never even abandoned her... he didn't have another family, he hadn't run away... after all, he had stayed. Stayed far away, yes, where he knew he could protect her and her mother. It hadn't been a lack of love that had separated them, however strange and perhaps inconceivable that might seem to many, it had been exactly the opposite reasoning. Meyra understood why it had taken thirteen years for her to see her father for the first time, because, certainly, her younger self would have reached a completely different conclusion after all she had found out during that day.

Nothing is simple. That had been the greatest truth she had discovered during the lunch she had shared moments before with Moray at the inn and the long conversation that had taken place after in that room. Her mother and Lewis had left them alone, giving them the space they needed to get to know each other without hers and Lewis’ presence intervening. Meyra knew that the decision had cost her mother dearly. She had seen it in her dark eyes, how they looked at her with sad acceptance, how they betrayed her words of encouragement. Harumi had never spoken ill of her father, never painted him as a villain in a story told with a distorted narrative. But Meyra always knew there was a deep hurt there, a plea for silence on the subject. Until then, Meyra had respected this request, until she herself uncovered part of the path that had led her there, to the Full Moon Sanctuary. “Mochizuki…” She whispered.

The conversation with her father was serene. He, contrary to what she had imagined, was a calm and patient person. She didn't know why she had imagined him as someone a little colder, more distant... perhaps her mind had confused and associated the distance in steps with the immeasurable distance in the heart. Or perhaps it was easier to accept his absence, creating the image of someone she wouldn't ever miss. But throughout the meal and the words they shared, he slowly put her at ease to ask her questions, and even the most difficult ones, he answered with tranquility and understanding. He wanted her to question him, he wanted her to understand, and more importantly, in his words, he wanted her to one day be able to forgive him. To this question, Meyra was still unable to answer. In all honesty, she didn't even feel angry enough to understand what he wanted her to forgive. There had never been room in her for anger, resentment, or even a feeling of abandonment...because in her life she had always had a father, in her memories there had never been a day when she had felt less loved or cherished. So...Moray's existence had always added to her life, even in his absence, it had never taken anything away from her.

"Meyra Lancaster-McCoire..." Mey murmured softly as she opened her green eyes, as green as the leaves that swayed high in the canopy of the large, ancient trees around her. It didn't sound so bad...did it? Her father had called her that...she hadn't had the courage to contradict him. Perhaps...perhaps accepting who she was wouldn't hurt anyone. There was a reason why her identity had been hidden, even from the official records. The same reason why her mother had abandoned that place, the same reason why her father had stayed away from both of them. It had been just another way to keep her safe...and it worked...for at least ten years. But what now? Now that she was there, now that she belonged to that place so intrinsically...did it make sense to continue living in a way that was hidden? Did she really think that her father deserved that? That she wanted it this way? Questions with answers she still couldn't find. Another day…a clear day…

And there…there they were again...those exciting sounds that could be heard in the distance. But now they were a mixture of yowls and yips, of someone… or rather…somethings running back and forth, and the constant splashing of water that distinguished itself from the sound of the river flowing naturally down the mountain. Mey decided to follow those sounds that spread joy through the forest. Something told her that she knew exactly who she would find down there. There was something too familiar in the tone of those sounds. And the presence of Lewis...of her uncle Lewis, was possibly a great clue that revealed her premonition as almost certain.

So Mey descended the remaining steps of the large stone staircase that led to the inn and, instead of following the path she had taken to the Sanctuary with her mother, she went in the opposite direction, following the natural course of the river. At that hour, the sun was already low, its rays giving the forest a golden aura, and the sky was painted in various warm tones that could be glimpsed through the branches of the tall pines and oaks. As the sounds drew closer, her hunch finally transformed into certainty. Beside one of the lakes formed between waterfalls and the winding river, Meyra found two white wolves, whom she had encountered many times before during full moon nights. This time they were accompanied by a fox and another wolf. The fox seemed even more cunning than a normal fox, and the wolf... well... that red wolf was HUGE! Meyra approached without making much of a fuss, but a smile lit up her face, "I knew I could smell wet dog from miles away!"

@Colin McCoire | @Cursa McCoire | @Lily Isobel McCoire