Redhawk Caldera out of feathers out of bones.

As the story began to unfold, Elwood listened. Slowly, so slowly, he began to fit the pieces together. Colt -- Finley's brother, Tiarnach. Hawkin, her mate. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but was unable to prevent his lips from twisting into a scowl as she detailed Hawkin's issues and treatment of her. His toes clenched, claws digging into the dirt and newborn greenery as he set his jaw, determined to hear her out before digesting it all.

The more he heard, the less he liked this Hawkin character. But when she concluded, her voice was so soft he could barely hear it, and he could feel the tremor of her body against his. She didn't meet his gaze; instead, she stared out unseeingly at the landscape. Elwood took a deep breath, then exhaled audibly. Finley felt responsible for Hawkin's death, and suddenly her obstinacy and reluctance made sense.

Elwood remained silent for a long few moments, processing everything he had just learned. In spite of the guilt that Finley felt, it was clear that Hawkin hadn't died at her hand -- she hadn't pushed him into the icy water. She had walked away from a potentially dangerous situation, and what had happened to him had been his own fault. He chewed the inside of his lip as he considered what to say; she had just entrusted him with a piece of her heart, and in spite of the grim future that they faced, he loved her all the more for it.

"Thank you for sharing that with me," he whispered, nudging gently behind her ear. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that. It's not your fault..." His voice trailed off, and he was quiet for a beat. Then, in a tone stronger than he had been able to muster since they started talking, he added, "I love you."