Ira had always fantasized himself as some kind of …not hero — not per say because he had long accepted the fact that he had too many unbecoming qualities to be a “hero” — as some tormented fallen angel or something that had some of the virtues still within him battling with the deadly sins that threatened to consume him and take absolute control. In his head the story he weaved was very dramatic and captivating and he, as it’s protagonist always got the girl. Story telling aside he had told Jinx once that he would stand and protect the weak, the young, the innocent, no matter how macabre or twisted he became. No matter how selfish, proud, or haughty. Ira, since he had realized his own curse had always believed it was better to be feared than loved because to love was to destroy, and to be loved was to be destroyed. It had been a hard lesson to learn and there had been only two exceptions he had allowed himself. Jinx and Bones, but the latter hadn’t been around in quite some time. It was easy to assume that, like all the rest, she had been effected by his curse, too; easy to let the curse take the heavy burden of accusation but …Ira didn’t know, and intended, with Jinx’s permission to make the trip to Swiftcurrent Creek in the hopes of salvaging whatever was left of his relationship if Bones was even interested anymore.
Sitri explained to Ira that he did not know what the word ‘justify’ meant and Ira sucked in a soft, thoughtful breath and let it out. “To justify something is to give it a reason, or an excuse. So, basically, what I was asking was: what did you tell yourself as you kidnapped the children for her to do with as she pleased? Was there any part of you that doubted it? Even a little? Thought it was wrong?” If there was it would be a lot more easier to explain ‘justify’ to Sitri by example but if he didn’t then …Ira’s break down would have to suffice. “So, let me get this straight,” Ira paused licking his lips. “You didn’t bother to fight for your freedom because it was all you knew? You didn’t once think ‘there’s something more’ to this life? You just…accepted it?” Ira believed firmly in making your own destiny though he wondered for a second what he would have done if he had been in Sitri’s position. Ira found that he could not because he had never known anything like that, and besides that Ira was too insolent. He couldn’t imagine himself ever being obedient and complacent because it just wasn’t in his DNA.
Ira snorted softly when Sitri complied and told Ira how he had met Jinx. Ironic because it was extremely similar to how Ira himself had came to know Jinx Kesuk. “Looks like we have that in common at least,” Ira murmured softly studying Sitri less harshly than he had before because …maybe Sitri understood. Maybe, somewhere, in some small way, they could understand one another. “I was just a child, barely three months old when I watched my entire pack get slaughtered. The elder escaped and brought me here, where he died and Jinx took me as her son.” Initially, she hadn’t. He had just been her ward and even now maybe he was exaggerating that but everyone thought they were mother and son and why not? Was there a reason to tell them any different? As it was, they could have easily passed as being blood related if for their pelt coloration alone; though their markings were different and of different colors (Tokio thinks Jinx has black toes; and Ira has dustings of silver on his spine).
