Blacktail Deer Plateau One

He listened as she described what it was like, his stomach twisting in sharp regret for her. He would not show sympathy, and would abide by her wishes, because in truth he would want the same. The fire had marked them both, but her scars were undoubtedly worse. It made sense now, why she'd snapped at him when they first met. She hadn't recognized him then.

He leaned down and pressed his head to her shoulder, a gesture of solidarity and the only one of comfort he would give. She didn't need pity or sorrow since it was obvious she had come to terms with it. He would do the same in deference. "Not a word." He promised.

Then he stepped back and smiled once more, a bit tentatively, as he offered a suggestion. "You may want to consider telling Lasher or Blue, though." He wondered if he should explain why, for this news he really didn't want getting out until the time was right. "It's my turn, I think, to ask you to keep a secret for a bit." A slight laugh came behind that statement, for this secret was of an entirely different kind. Some might think it bad, but he found it delightfully freeing. "I am stepping down. Lasher has accepted this and agreed to step forward instead." Perhaps he had had more to say than he thought, when she asked what had happened while she was gone. Yet most of it, in fairness, had yet to actually occur.