Bearclaw Valley I’m your toy, I’m your toy, I’m your toy

Though harsh, there was truth to her words—Xan would much rather have his friend, though it was not because he liked her more; he didn’t understand emotions, his own or others, enough to even realise that he was slowly being lured in by Reigi. And although he trusted Indra just as much as he did her, he was still hesitant with the former; he believed himself to be capable of hurting her without even trying, whereas, with the mute girl, he did not feel that to be possible. Reigi could fight, she could get her point across with ease, and each time he thought of her he imagined her in battle, standing her own—but when it came to Indra, he saw the opposite. She was someone that he felt he needed to take extra time to protect, for the sole purpose of ensuring he did not lose her.

But by being so withdrawn, perhaps he was instead pushing her away.

“That’s not true,” he argued. “Do you want that then? Want me?” He doubted there to be any chance of a yes coming from her mouth. She’d never shown any interest in him, never acted as if his attention was something she wanted—not until recently, which he accused her heat of. “You don’t—I know you don’t,” he continued. “So why does it matter that I didn’t give you what you don’t even want?” It confused him and was, in all seriousness, hurting his brain. It made him decide that, when next year rolled around, he would stick to the border like glue; that way he could keep out any stray males but, hopefully, without getting himself dragged into another mess all over again.

As she dismissed herself, he felt conflicted over whether or not he should follow. Wasn’t that what had started this whole ordeal? Because he hadn’t followed her? In another attempt to right things, he made to pursue her, saying, “Don’t go, Indra.”