Blackfeather Woods You cannot let your parents anywhere near your real humiliations

Her gaze wavered from Xan to the children following his observation. "They are," Fond eyes watched their every intake of breath and every exhale before returning to her eldest son, and they hardened. She loved Xan truly, but, she had been hurt in a way he could not understand just yet. Yet, in the mere few words he spoke she knew he had not meant it, not in the way he said. Xan was sadistic since a child, but he was not cruel to the point he would cast his own siblings aside; as innocent as they were. The dark woman knew he would have a lot to say, so she accompanied him outside of the den where the little ones would not be disturbed; hoisting herself off the ground and out into the cool air of an autumn breeze. Winter would be with them soon, a season where those not built for life did not survive. Prey would become even more scarce, and with multiple mouths to feed, she spent most of her absent time filling the caches for the days to come. 

Yet for now, she focused on the present moment, giving her full attention to Alexander if not for a keen ear leaned towards the den. The woman lowered herself to the ground once more, "What would you like to tell me?" She would not pester him with questions, leaving him to decide what he would an would not tell her rather than feel obligated to give an answer he necessarily did not want to give. Eyes attent, she waited for a reason, any reason that would justify his words and his willingness to stay away.