Blacktail Deer Plateau Atlas hands

Dante was not one who often craved contact, but he found himself to be greatly soothed by Osprey's presence.  Her gentle licks were well recieved, and for a moment he remained as he was, only moving when she asked what had transpired. He had half expected to be the one listening, though the question did not catch him by surprise.

He could have avoided the subject, and part of him wanted to. But the other part, the part that would win out today, knew that her opinion was one that carried heavy weight with him. They had talked many times about serious things, and always her insight made things clearer. He did pause though, uncertain of where and how to begin.

"Koda and Kesuk are gone," he said finally, his own voice quiet. "I confronted Koda a couple of days ago, and gave him a choice; to respect his packmates or to leave. He chose neither, and did not go quietly." His ears pinned back as he looked at the ground. He knew that, once he began the telling, the fact that the fight had not gone his way would become clear. He still carried himself with a heavy limp when walking more than a short distance, and his side was a mess despite Harlyn's good help. Smaller gouges scattered throughout were better hidden, thank the gods, by his thick pelt.

"He bested me, forced me into the dirts. By rights, had he wished it, he would be standing where I stand now. And I would be the one exiled." He might have stopped there, but he spoke now as though to himself, the question that had been burning him all these days since. "I thought maybe I could lead without being suited to battle, without needing to fight. That being able to deal with confict peacefully would be enough. But what right do I really have leading if I can't defend myself, and those who trust and follow me, when peace isn't an option?". He had not meant to unload so much on her all at once, but it was as though once he started he couldn't stop.