reif's head hurt. he didn't really know where to put himself, for one thing he was cold in the way a small body used to the easy privilege of having a warm body to use as a personal heater 24/7 was when suddenly without it. also, he was sorta hungry and yet he didn't want to be in that den right now. after the chaos that had intruded on their home reif had felt overly sensitive like the way a bruised area would hurt to apply pressure on some time after it was inflicted. excepttt, it was his head, and by that he meant inside his head. the little boy had wandered, a much easier thing to accomplish now that all the adults were so preoccupied with regaining the peace that they boasted so much. 

reif on the other hand, only cared about securing his own peace right now and had tottered on protestant paws until finally feeling somewhat satisfied with the quiet he found. finally he'd allow himself to simply flop, body laying itself across the soft grass as he inhaled- jaws opening into a little yawn halfway through. but now was not the time for sleeping, especially because the screams of the fight and the moment momma's body was torn open kept replaying in his little brain in HD quality, not a detail missed. and while he still couldn't truly comprehend what it was exactly that had happened, he knew well it wasn't good and it definitely wasn't fun to have to endure over and over again. 

with a miserable little noise of both frustration and upset, the little boy would start scratching at the ground subconsciously only to soon grow engrossed in the little patterns he created in the loose soil. after a while it was all he focused on, the memory falling quiet for the time being as he grew content to lie amongst the soft swishes of willow branches swaying in the breeze and create these little designs.

he had heard the wolf approach, ears twitching slightly at the chuff and then the soft words, masculine and familiar. nevertheless the boy didn't respond, not out of the bad of his heart or anything like that; he simply wasn't ready yet. so with his uncle watching not too far off, he'd continue to design and feel comforted at both the pressure it exerted on his paws and the ability to have something completely in his control. how these designs turned out were up to him, he could stop and start them at any given moment. it was strangely reassuring for the little boy, especially considering his inability to control pretty much anything else about him or his life. 

as this went on his pressure on the earth would increase, inscriptions growing deeper and rougher as emotions swirled uneasily in his gut. he didn't want to face them. this would continue on until his pad scraped along an unseen stone, small but deadly it seemed. he would've hardly even noticed the sting had it not been for the new crimson stain to accompany his creations and eyes would widen at the sight- memories crashing down all over again. he was frozen now, staring at the spot for a long few moments- mind spinning at a million miles a second before he'd look to cortez for the first time. the eyes that met his uncle's worried gaze seemed way too serious and old for their little childish vessel. the liquid, it had come from inside his momma and obviously it wasn't supposed to. "he not comin' back" are the hushed words to finally slip from his jaws in reference to his missing parent; he still couldn't fully understand what had happened but this much he'd grown certain of. for some reason, he had gone away and left them for good.