Sunbeam Lair It feels good today

Ah, torment. It was a part of him now, but not permanent. It was like a wound desperate to heal, or some gooseweed stuck to his fur. In a way, being tormented was a part of who Noctura was, but he had been free of it when roaming alone, a recluse unable to cause harm to wolves unfortunate enough to step into his path. But he'd joined Ryūjin and now there were wolves around every corner — including those Alphas, that warrior pair who'd driven them from the Thunder Dome. Noctura had tasted the blood of both of them, and he had not meant to. Asterr had not bid he attack. He had been following a violent instinct and that was all. He had not yet been punished for this (either by himself or by Asterr), and this was why he was tormented.

The dragon's call sounded in his heart first — and then in his ears, Asterr's sweet howl filling the sunlit caves. He walked to her without thinking, of course, and when he saw his leader he said — beautiful stranger. He had called her that once, and so this was a melody of nostalgia in his cavern-deep voice, paired with the observation that they had not talked alone for a while.