Broken Boulder may i first just say i'm sorry

He smiled at the answer and knew he hadn't messed up, that things were still as good as they had been yesterday and the day before. Ulf didn't pick up on the slight tremble through the muffling of his fur and the bliss in his mind.

Icy eyes opened back up at the question that was presented. He should have expected it but he didn't. For a few seconds, he fell silent, breathing shallow. Left behind, couldn't keep up. He finally answered in a whisper. Couldn't find them. There was a tightness in his chest at recalling it all. Perhaps his answers would be vague but Ulf could recall it all rather clearly. Did they miss him at all? No, they likely didn't but they likely missed having someone to push around. His jaw clenched together firmly to keep from making any noise or saying anything else.

Oh. Something ached fiercely in his chest to hear Ulf's simple, vague explanation; left behind. Abandoned. No doubt their experiences were different, but Alarian thought he could relate, in a way. He pulled back only for a moment, to meet the wolfdog's brilliant winter-blue eyes. Then, tentatively, he pressed his muzzle to his friend's cheek if he allowed it.
I'm sorry, He breathed, barely audible. I won't let that happen to you here. I promise.
For a moment, selfishly, bitterly, he wished someone had been there to tell him that when he needed to hear it. At least, he thought, he could offer it to Ulf.

Ulf met Alarian's gaze briefly worried that perhaps the wolf wouldn't like him so much anymore. That he might find him dumb for getting lost from his original group.

Yet the sour words he had expected to hear - or the rough snap of teeth he anticipated to meet his flesh - never came.

He took in a much-needed breath of air and had he not been on his back, it would have been obvious that a shiver ran down his spine at such comforting words. Ulf knew he shouldn't have doubted the kindness of Alarian. It hadn't faltered so far, why should it now? His eyes closed again as he leaned into Alarian's touch. No leaving, He murmured in return.

wanna wrap up here ? <3

He snuggled into the wolfdog wordlessly, finding comfort in their shared companionship. It wasn't often he slept outside his den, and he could not remember the last time he had slept so near another, but Alarian soon found himself drifting off. If Ulf had no objections, he was content to stay that way until the brightness of daylight finally forced him awake sometime later. By that time, he already had something in mind for the new day, knowing without a doubt he wanted to spend it with the wolfdog.