Time had taken a painfully slow pace since the Perergine's confession of departure, the last goodbyes issued by those leaving and the meeting to re-establish order. Though everything seemed to have flowed smoothly in the end ( in the sense no one opposed to what the new leaders resolved); the silver rocket-boy could not get himself to react. Not only had her departure warped his ability to feel time but it had also damaged any responses he might've had.

After sitting with a sour pokerface during the last pack meeting, Finn had been wandering aimlessly through the Plateu. As the cool drizzle and ice peeble shower had passed, the platinum silhouette of a wolf continued to lurk around the darkest shadows.
With his head lowered and his tail hanging limply between his legs, Finn was unrecognizable.

So far not even one tear had been shed over his cheeks, the numb feeling that had flooded his body after her departure had prevented it -- his blood was intoxicated by a dense mixture of denial and shock; that sooner or later would leave him to face the blow of reality by himself.

Though he hated to admit it, he had been beat in his own game. It was usually him the one who stepped up and packed his bags, leaving a trail of devastation and sourness behind him. But not this time. Now it was him who had to bend down to pick up the pieces of his broken heart, cutting his palms with the shattered crystal pieces of the pedestal he had set her in.

She was unharmed.
While he was wriggling in the ground in agony.
Wow.
Now that the tables had turned on him, he could not help but feel the haunting feeling of guilt looming over his head.

A muffled groan bubbled from his chest as he prepared to settle down for the night. Despite having slept under the stars during his whole life (because of his irrational fear of enclosure), a strange desire to hide away underneath the ground throbbed at his sides. But not exactly to sleep.

Suddenly the soft chirp of a teenager reached his ears; he turned his head around, to meet the Plateu's star child with his olive eyes. Even if they had never exchanged a word, Finn knew very well who she was.

Is it so obvious something's botherin' me? he barked sourly, his lips curling in a weak attempt to shake off the bitterness in his mouth with a smile.

The male chuckled at her weird explanation of what he looked like. He didn't like looking like a whiny little bitch, but after what had happened that was all he had become. His olive eyes made contact with her own, they were strange --like her-- yet they were perfectly fitting for the rebellious teen.

For the first time since the meeting, he was able to shake aside the damp stormcloud over his head -- at least long enough to give the dark coated female a genuine smile. Though her offer came as unexpected, Finn didn't inmediately turn it down. He was not good when it came to talking about feelings; like many other guys he preferred to avoid the mushy talks that might bring his more sensitive side into the limelight.

He looked at her silently, considering whether of not it'd be good to do it. She might not even care -- she probably didn't really-- or she could probably end up giving some kind of advice. (which wouldn't be very deep considering she was just a teen, who had yet to experience the full impact of love).

Finally, the man decided to give it a shot.
If she went and told the whole world, then good for her -- he just wanted to get it off his chest really.
There's a certain someone, who left and took my heart with her.. and well yeah I kinda need it in order to avoid turning into sad goo he barked, not leaving he humor aside, even if it was a serious matter. He knew that she must've been feeling the same for her father, and suddenly wondered if he'd end up making her sad as well.

The man suddenly rose from his side and into a seating stance, though it was considerably late and he had been getting ready to call it a day, the sudden appeareance of the girl and her offer to listen made all desire to sleep slide from his chest.

His mouth curved into a smile as she continued to play along with the joke, giving him a witty medically correct response about the real function of his heart. He blew air out of his nose as he watched the youth with curious eyes. Where had she gotten her humor from? Last time he checked the quartet was filled with whiny-ass pups who all hated each other.

When Finn had just arrived to the Plateu the kids were beginning to break out of their shell, it hadn't been more than a couple of weeks after having settled that the heart wrenching news of the eldest's (coincidentially the very same girl standing in front of him) disappereance struck the Plateu. What had happened afterwards hadn't really been too clear for Finn. He had participated in the search parties of course but he had never really known how she appeared again. One day she was simply back.Don't get him wrong, it wasn't as if he didn't care. It was just that he had his head tangled around other things when that happened.

She didn't waste time to get to the point, inmidiately asking for the mystery lady's name and whereabouts to be revealed. He hesitated for a few seconds, the insecure guy in his interior warning him to be cautious.

He remained silent until a late introduction popped from her mouth, Yeah, I know who you are -- I'm Finn, he barked, answering her other questions before giving away the name of his beloved.

She went to the Caldera, and it's gonna sound weird but she looks just like me he barked with a feeble smile, describing her was surprisingly less painful than saying her name.

He would've expected the juvenile to figure out who he was talking about by now, but apparently the famous Plateu star child didn't have a clue. Finn huffed weakly at her little tease, not having the mood to even play along with the joke-- something he usually iniciated.

Then she topped it all off with the stinging question of 'why'. It seemed that lately that three lettered word was not only in repertoire but in everyone he came across with. He bit his lower lip and blew air out of his nostrils, preparing for the word-vomit to make a second appereance.

But suddenly, nothing.
I dunno he shrugged simply, not finding in his brain the ability to form a more structured response for Junior.

His eyes had gotten rid of their usual glistening, they were now dull and cold as the upcoming winter that had begun to show its face through the frigid winds and freezing nights. He looked at her with an empty expression as she simple blabbered to him her piece of mind on the subject.

He listened to her, though in the end he made no attempt to even accept or deny the strength of her arguments. She meant well, that he was sure of, but still her heartfelt speech didn't cause any effect on him. Maybe it was the numbness of denial what blinded him to the obvious path she tried to guide him towards , or maybe the simple fact that his heart was giving up.

She wouldn't come back.
If his rival had been another man, he wouldn't have wasted a second by her side, but the Caldera was different. She wouldn't trade the world or take anything for the Caldera, not even his world or his heart.

Okay. he answered simply, his eyes already trailing off from the juvenile's face and to the horizon, where she had last been seen.