Overture Downs You should go and love yourself*

His idle grooming continues. He is content to do so for as long as she will let him. She reciprocates, preening the shorter furs of his crown, which draws a soft, subtle croon from him, perhaps not even loud enough to touch her copper ear. But she pulls back to behold his face, reading the sorrow therein, and inquiring into his problems. He favors her with a small, warm smile, releasing his breath in a quiet sigh before he responds.

"I have become my pack's beta," he says, though this of course is not the news that burdens him. He swallows, his blue tongue poking out to lick at his lower lip. "I failed. Mordecai was attacked by a cougar. I was no where near to help him, he could have been killed. I should have patrolled better, known the cat was around, especially since I am an outrider too." Perhaps it sounds ridiculous to her ear, for his self-blame was irrational in many respects. His silver eyes avert from hers, casting his gaze toward the ground as his brows knot overhead of them.