Redhawk Caldera i've hoarded your name in my mouth for months

The guilt over his reaction the day they'd found Wildfire had abated some with time. He fell to his old habits of distraction to keep himself from dwelling too hard on things that were beyond his control. It had worked in Drageda while the first search party had been away, and it seemed to be doing the trick now. The unfortunate thing was his shame was not being replaced by something constructive this time, but by worry.

Wildfire had still not awoken. Artaax had lain beside her so many times, nuzzling her cheeks and whispering her name and she had remained mute in his presence but for the steady rise and fall of her sides. He was thankful for the fact that she was alive, but he too had thought she would be awake by now. He was getting more comfortable inside of the Caldera's borders, but still, he longed to return home with both parents alive and well at his side.

The boy had been dozing in the den when nomi's voice roused him. He glanced at Wildfire before he stood to slip outside. He blinked at the daylight and gave his coat a shake as he stepped into the sun, then reached to nudge the heda's chin. Curiosity morphed his expression into a thoughtful frown as he faced her, wondering what it was they needed to discuss. Fear began to pinch at his insides that this had something to do with Wildfire. Had something happened? Had Portia discovered something? His ears fell back as his imagination began to race with possibilities, all of them increasingly awful.