Neverwinter Forest there was a thousand storms in his eyes

Getting tired; time for my post quality to tank!

For a long moment, Cypress was utterly silent, digesting all that Kjalarr had told him. He was dimly grateful for the berserker’s reassurance, and his tail wriggled feebly upon the earth at the gentle nudge to his cheek. “I guess you’re right,” he said finally, drawing a deep breath that still quivered at the edges. He blew it out in a sigh too heavy for his young shoulders. “I’ll try to remember,” he offered, though he couldn’t make any concrete promises regarding Rannoch. There was too much history between the boys for Cypress to easily accept that he was not responsible for the turquoise-eyed wayfarer. “Kjalarr,” he said hesitantly, his tall ears slicking back against his skull with a timorous air, “I’m still Cypress — I’m always going to be, probably — but we’re family now, and — I mean, you and me, we’re brothers — so will you give me a name like yours?” He peered hopefully up at the Caribbean-eyed alpha, utterly comfortable with their relationship. Kjalarr was old enough that he was in no position to replace Rannoch, but he had made a concerted effort not to replace Scimitar either. “It’s just,” he said, his voice husky with emotion, “I feel so lonely. I don’t want to make Allure sadder, and Shrike isn’t my family like you are, and I don’t want to — I don’t want to be around my cousins, or Aunt Kaskara. Do you think my Uncle Kieran is — is dead? Like Mama and Paw?” He shook his head, dismissing the thought, and soldiered on. “I don’t understand what the language is that your name is made of but — but if there’s room for me…” He didn’t really know what he was trying to say. Something about Kjalarr’s pregnant mate made Cypress uneasy, but he was too shell-shocked to really articulate it. “I mean — having you around makes me feel less like I’m all alone,” he said in a very small voice. “So I wanted a name like yours, so everyone would know we were brothers. If that’s okay.” Nervously he licked his lips.