[b]Conflict arises! Stay tuned everyone.[/b] [b]Also a shoutout to my friend Shattered Mind who helped me move my butt along in this chapter. Read his story here: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/125837360/0/0[/b] [b]TheLordOfWar832's character is in this chapter[/b] [b]Chapter 32: I'll Explain[/b] [i]"Bolt?"[/i] The second Vala stepped into their home grounds she was greeted with the sight of her son's back to her. When he turned around, her heart immediately squeezed in worry and pain at the tears in his eyes. But before she could ask what was wrong Bolt turned away and ran from her. "Bolt!?" Her instincts kicked in and she began to give chase. [i]What's wrong? My little boy what happened?[/i] Two strong arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes looked up to see Mirak behind her with a look that told her to stop what she was doing. Vala did the opposite. "Let me go! He needs me!!" Struggling in his grip, she tried to get out and run after her son. Mirak was stronger though and easily kept her back. "Let. Me. GO!!" [i]He needs me. He's all alone. He'll get hurt out there.[/i] "Let him go, Vala." Had she heard right? Looking up to Mirak, she was met with cold brown eyes. "He does not belong here. He's a [i]Fallen.[/i]" Anger suddenly filled her veins and a buzzing began in her mind. Throwing her head back, she was glad that she heard a sickening crack and Mirak shouting in surprise. His grip lessened, Vala taking that chance to push out of his arms and turn around to face her old friend. He was holding his nose as blood poured out in rivulets down his face. Holding his now broken nose, he quickly snapped it back into back with a grimace. She nodded once she though he was fine. Vala then broke it again with a kick to the face. Mirak fell the the ground, clutching his face in pain. "How dare you." Mirak looked up to say something but her boot kept his face down. "How dare you say something like that to me. He is my son, my little boy and you have the [i]gall[/i] to say that to me?" "It's the truth, Vala. It's-" his words were cut short when he felt pressure on his head. "Bolt is not an '[i]it'[/i]" she bit out, "and what truth, Mirak? You know nothing." She waited for any response from the other Hunter but finding none she removed her boot. Mirak got up and turned away to fix his nose once again as she tapped her foot to try and calm herself down. It didn't work. "What did you say to him?" She demanded with a scowl. "Mirak, what did you say to him?" Mirak seemed to not hear her or pretended to not be listening. Taking off her helmet, Vala asked him again, more anger than concern in her voice. She was ready to hit Mirak over the head with the helmet but he held up his hand to stop her, "Wait, Vala, I can explain." She held her helmet raised in her hand as she waited, barely concealing her anger as her patience waned. "Vala please-ow!" She stopped him before he could say anymore, whacking him on the head with her head gear. [i]"Don't you 'Vala please' me."[/i] she seethed, [i]"You are going to tell me what you told my son. Right. Now."[/i] When no answer came, she held up her head gear warningly. For a few minutes she waited, her anger spiking and ready to explode on the male Hunter in front of her. When none came, she growled and turned around. [i]If you're not going to tell me then I'm finding my son. I'll deal with you later.[/i] She took a few steps forward before he had finally decided that he was going to talk. [i]"I did it because I was jealous!"[/i] he shouted behind her back. Vala jumped at his voice, almost dropping her helmet as she faced him once again. [i]Jealous? Why would you be jealous?[/i] "I did it...because I was jealous of Bolt." Mirak ground out, looking as if the answer pained him. He rubbed at his face miserably and the look made her anger temper down a bit. Walking back to him, she gently cupped his face in her hands, removing any dirt and grass on his skin. Though her anger was still there, she nodded for him to continue. "I realize that you have someone you care deeply about other than me or Andal and it [i]hurts,[/i] Vala. It makes me sad to be end. We've all been affected. Everyone drifted apart after his death and the only ones to try and patch things up disappeared. I felt like a I was losing you too. It makes my heart hurt knowing you were here all along, raising something all by yourself." All her anger vanished when Mirak began to cry once more. [i]Everyone is crying today.[/i] She even felt the telltale sting of tears but she held them back. Instead, she wiped at his eyes he continued to cry. He shuddered under her touch, as if he was cherishing the last few moments with her. She wasn't going to disappear. Shushing him gently, she crooned and held him as he wept like a small child. Well, she had to stand on her toes seeing as he was much taller than her. Vala knew she was a sucker for crying people. Mirak included. "I never meant to say any mean things I swear. I just wanted to see if he was true to his word. I never meant to take it that far. I'm so sorry, Vala. I'm so-" She placed a finger against his lips, stopping him from saying anymore. Instead she stood there as he explained what exactly made Bolt run in the first place. After he explained everything, Vala hit him upside the head with her helmet once more. "Mirak, I know you mean good things but my son is a different subject altogether." Vala gently said, flicking him on the forehead, "Bolt is the sweetest, most considerate boy I have ever got to raise. And if you're going to apologize then say it to Bolt. He's very tender about himself being a Fallen. Now let's go. We have to find him before he runs into trouble." Wiping his face, Mirak placed his helmet back on his head and nodded. Vala nodded as well and they took off towards the direction she had last seen her son flee to. "I promise to make it up to him." Vala looked to Mirak as they raced through the jungle ground. "Damn right you will." He was far from forgiven but she settled for his attempt to mend things. For now at least. Her main concern was finding her son before anything bad happened to him.