Hushed Willows eat your heart out

She turned and stared at what was left of her poor decomposing boy; the head which she had left untouched, the face which had withered and petrified within the cave. Remnants of spinal chord spun out behind it, curving and delicate, but the rest of the child had been broken down and removed. He was in pieces. Octavia could still remember the taste of him on her tongue — what a horrible mother she was, what a monster. She knew that Tambourine would need the nutrients though. Instinct had ruled her in those desperate moments.

Instinct wanted to control her now, and she was mightily tempted, until a voice rose above her thoughts. She spun to face the stranger, equal parts relieved and mortified that someone had found her here and stopped her. The words themselves brought a pained twist to her features; like she was trying to smile, trying to play the part of hostess at some kind of funeral, and discovered it was much too hard. She couldn't fake her way through this interaction. The wolf wasn't even looking at her, though. Probably distracted by the bits and bobs of her first-born.

Maybe that was better. Thank you, she murmured piteously, and with a brief flick of her tongue across her lips, she tried to collect her thoughts and be more -- something. Entertaining? No. Friendly maybe, even if she felt like the living embodiment of death in this private moment. Kunik... Right? There was a myriad of beasts within the keep that Tavi only knew in passing, so it was entirely possible that she had used the wrong name.