A deep frown coated her face, and as if he'd ruined her, there was another downshift in her expression. His own lips compressed in a small frown as she told him her guilt, told him he didn't deserve it. Although he hadn't fully understood why she'd gotten angry at him, he also wasn't willing to let her say bad things about herself. You're not being stupid, he corrected, slowing his pace yet again to a halt. You're probably not wrong about your brother. I doubt he'll be pleased to have a haggard-looking guy like me wandering up and telling him 'oh by the way I have your daughter and she's fine also Takiyok is with us'. I'm a little afraid he won't even believe it, Taikon admitted. You felt something strong about it, and that tells me you're probably right, he said.
I want to pick the best shitty option we have. Do you really think me going now is the best? Or should we wait? It was a serious question. He had his logical, rational way of thinking about it, but he didn't know Siarut like Taki did. He leaned toward her, offering a soft, calm gaze. They were better together, and that meant they could make better decisions if they worked together, too.

Of course, he couldn't help but grin at her misguided but loving comment — by the time he got down to Easthollow, he would be a proper disaster. He had already lost a fair amount of weight between the journey from Sagtannet and now, having been shoving most of the food he came across toward Taki and Taktuq and eating whatever they didn't finish. It was unusual for him to put the needs of others before himself, as usually he did the opposite. These were special circumstances, however.
Taikon listened closely, picking out the nuances of the family, constructing a small, flimsy family tree in his mind. Valette, he said quietly to solidify the name. Then, Taki mentioned that the mother had died young, and this brought him great sadness as he thought of little Taktuq. The girl had already experienced a rough start. He wondered if they would be able to steer her in the right direction, or if they were in for hell when she reached adolescence. He figured a little of both was to be expected.
He stood before her, watching her think, tilting his head a little, wondering. He nodded when she said they should wait a week; the new perspective that it would help Taktuq get settled made sense to him. She needed stability. He also very much worried that Zephyr would just decide tomorrow that it wasn't worth keeping either of them around because he wanted the prince away. Even though the silver boy had promised to get them a guide should they wish to leave (or be willed out), there was just no good, safe place to go with a child in tow.
I... He looked at her then, having entirely let go of his earlier frustration. He smiled weakly. I will miss you. A lot. He reached out and touched her then, brushing his muzzle over the fur of her cheek. He had looked at her every day for many days, and he had yet to grow tired of her image.