Blacktail Deer Plateau out of my mind

he felt a pang at her tale. he had noticed the absence of a matriarch in the morningside pack, but had said nothing of it, presuming grayday's mate--or mates, in this instance--was simply dead. to have left was unforgivable.

"i. . .i'm sorry, dawn," he responded, for once at a momentary loss for words. "no mother should leave their children." he paused for a moment, not knowing if he should continue. to open up old wounds was never a good idea, but he thought he must, in this scenario.

"my mother left me, too," aditya said, eyes closing in remembrance of that warm spring morning, the air heavy with the songs of birds and buzzing of insects. "i woke up one day and she was missing from the den. i never saw her again. if she was dead. . .i never found her body." he opened his eyes, looking at dawn. "i was weaned, old enough to care for myself. but that didn't make it any less painful."

and dawn, too, spoke of the uncertainty that had plagued him for so long. to not know your identity, your exact role, in the world was not a crime--far from it--but it was something to be bothered by. nevertheless, he pressed his muzzle against her shoulder in sympathy.

"dawn, i am older than you by more than a few seasons, and i still don't know what i want," he murmured, grinning against her pelt. he pulled back and gave her a kind look. "you know that you want to be a leader, someone to depend upon. that, i think, is enough."