Silver Creek O Captain! My Captain!

She was right, he knew much of the story. It was rather fortuitous for him that he had met Shreya when he had. She had told him the first part of the story, the part of Reek betraying Saena, of their journey here. It couldn't be avoided as to how Silver Creek had become Silver Creek. She had, as Spring rightly guessed, been the one to say she thought there might still be good within him. Laika had been next, and though he couldn't recall exactly how they'd gotten on the subject of Reek...something to do with protecting the borders, he had learned a little more there. Casmir had been the final piece, telling Heston that Reek had stolen his children. 

Other than a slight bit of guilt for being unaware at first of the situation with the girl's, Heston had managed to stay up to date with the news rather well for being new. That is what he had wanted though, he wanted to know things and to be involved. He wanted to show he cared for this pack, and that he was loyal to it. "I wanted to know the history of the pack I wanted to join, and then from that history came a seeming shared enemy." He knew he need not explain himself, but he wanted to. 

"It is simple bad luck that the information I know has to be so relevant to the current issue." He was content to know that he himself hadn't ever met Reek. He would have hated himself for allowing the brute close to the pack unknowingly. He tilted his head as she asked for his allowance, and he only smiled slightly and blinked as if to tell her that she needed no permission to ask. She asked his opinion, and he glanced away, thinking a moment.

"From what I have been told, I believe that Reek is...a wolf I would never wish to follow." His eyes flashed a moment, and he slowly pulled them back to Spring. They softened slightly as he gazed upon her face, and he glanced down. "Earlier betrayals aside, taking children from their home is...despicable. Even if they had wanted to go, as Casmir said Laurel did...she is a child." 

"She does not know what it means to say she wants to go." He looked to Spring, eyes questioning. "She doesn't know that he is the reason for himself not being in her life, does she? Of the betrayals and the threat to her and her mother?" There was no disapproval in his voice, just pure question. It made perfect sense to keep such darkness from a child. "To take children from their home is not a choice a good father would make, in my opinion. I have no children, so certainly I cannot be the greatest source...but I know that is true. To steal them from the wolves who raised them...that is pure cowardice." He raised his lip as he spoke the word, his distaste clear from tone and expression.

"The children do not know how they have hurt Casmir and Laika, or you." He said softly, meeting her gaze for a moment. "They are too young to understand truly. But Reek? He knew. He simply didn't care." He snorted, shaking his head. "Anyone who raised my children for me for my own stupidity would deserve my respect, for keeping my children alive. Especially with their mother gone too." It was selfishness, pure and simple, Heston thought. Reek had placed himself and his needs before the needs of the children.

"That is my opinion, harsh as it may seem. Reek bears great resemblance to a wolf who hurt me before, but his sins speak on their own." The anger glimmered in his eyes, bubbling. Perhaps the fire was fueled by past hurts, or perhaps he felt deeply for his new family. Deep in his heart a piece of him was frightened, frightened to be in this situation again with a new pack, frightened to lose them as he had lost his last. He covered this with anger, with rage.