Blacktail Deer Plateau Hide Away

Nanook kept her eyes trained steadily on the ground and drew in a ragged breath to keep herself from sniffling. Her sister had seen her tears, and a strange feeling overwhelmed her irritation and fear, something she hadn't felt since she'd tucked against their mother when she was still a child, innocent to the world. The stir came to rest in her chest and slowed her pounding heart and heaving lungs. Nanook lifted a paw to her face and drew it over the bridge of her muzzle as she glanced up again and tried to blink away the blur that masked Desna from clarity of sight. She had drawn closer, and for once Nanook felt no urge to shrink away.

A frown came over Nanook's face when Desna agreed with her, when she spoke of her own abandonment. No - that wasn't what was supposed to happen. Between the two of them, Desna deserved to be with others. So when she spoke of looking for someone to stay with, Nanook shook her head. "I can't." And the fear swelled again, biting away the small peace that had tried to fill her icy chest. "I'll hurt them. I always do." Her voice weakened, but her gaze remained on Desna, for her thoughts fixed only on her as she spoke. "I always do."