she watched. she watched intently. she had become fascinated by the unusual mannerisms of her mother; often, she'd find them passing by a familiar cove or crevice, a scented stone or hollow. they roamed and yet, they seldom got anywhere. yet, eto watched and she followed. ocassionally, she'd take it upon herself to slip away and fulfill some other desire and yet, she had become utterly fascinated by the unusual change that had befallen her mother. at times, she'd snuggle desperately into her mother for warmth and to feel the curve of her rib bones as they heaved beneath her mother's pale fur; other times, she would follow her mother's limp with utmost intrigue, her eyes low to the ground as she watched the way it failed to sustain weight. she failed to understand what had caused such a thing, unaware of her mother's past beyond the day she had opened her eyes to her. to eto, she hadn't a clue that anything besides her brother and father were missing. she hadn't a clue she had some far off home or siblings.

it hadn't changed despite the duration either; even now, eto loped alongside her mother with bounding, childish steps. she swerved and swayed, her lips pulled up into a delicate grin of amusement as they passed through the ceaceless sea of grey stone. even as they came to the darkness, she followed her mother without hesitation, her eyes bright and eager to learn of this new place. she simply grew closer to her mother, her sides pressed against her as they paced towards the waters; she only broke away once her mother entered, eto's voice cracking with a disatisfied huff as she took her place on the shore. her brother had no issue with finding his own amusement and yet, eto had fixated on her mother. she watched the way she submerged herself and the way her wet fur clung to her body. it showed her thin she had become and eto watched with great intrigue as each bone shifted; she had never felt closer to her mother before.

eventually, her mother dragged herself free from the water. as she began to pace, eto flopped onto her back, her paws dangling above her to the beat of her mother's restless pacing. her tail flopped idly in amusement, eyes fixated on ailith. she noticed the way the sound echoed - the methodical click of ailith's claws - and with a curious tilt of her head, eto released her own ominous howl. it echoed deep into the caverns, a low hum that she felt represented her mother best of all; confused and lost, and yet, always with that childish tone of amusement. how wrong it was to be amused by such a state and yet, she had never been taught anything else.