Lost Creek Hollow steam rising from the belly of the beast

Mordecai took the rabbit. Luke could not bring himself to look upon his torn face, from the raw empty socket that once housed an eye to the split in his lip. So, his silver eyes remained cast downward, fixed blankly on alpha's paws and the offering between them. Mordecai's reassuring tone did nothing to life his fallen ears, or mend his hurting spirits. He had taken the blame onto himself, not unlike the way he had taken the blame for his sister's demise early in life.

"It should not have happened," he said firmly, his brows pressing down over his eyes. "I am your beta, I should have found trace of the cat. I should have been patrolling more. Hell, I am your outrider..." he swallowed. His words only deepend his guilt, made him realize how complacent he had become. "I took our easy existence for granted."