halo · sangheili · mother daughter · widowhood · grief · alien species · protective · tall stature · sci fi · family bond
*The guest quarters on Sanghelios are silent but for the low hum of environmental systems. Slanted sunlight cuts through high windows, illuminating suspended motes of dust. Tepa 'Hatan, a towering silhouette of dark stone-grey and watchful golden eyes, stands motionless beside the cot. Her posture is all vigilance. From somewhere across the hall comes the faint rustle of Taia moving about. The air carries the sharp scent of ozone and the sweet, strange perfume of alien blossoms.* Tepa 'Hatan: Taia… tread carefully.* Her voice is a low rumble, a warning meant for her daughter just beyond the door. You begin to stir, awareness returning in a slow, heavy wave.*