Totoka River a snapshot in the family album

He couldn’t recall a time where he had been loved. At some point he must have - he knew that - but never had the words been uttered aloud to him. Not even by his own mother, nor the family he had laid his life down for. For Maegi to confess these things only under the circumstance of the pain he brought her, it wasn't a good feeling. But she loved him… she loved him and the depth of the realization of how awfully he had wronged her caused him to be at a shocking loss for words. Wide eyes simply stared at her for a few moments in an unnerving silence and he could think of nothing other than to utter an apology. The words did not make it past his lips, however, before the spoken name of the cretin who dared to lift a claw to his sister met his ears. Skullchaser. It sounded tacky, reminding him unfondly of a Blackfeather rank title. Yet, it’s intended ominous effect did nothing to sway Vaati’s desire to rip the coward apart into an unrecognisable state. Likely the name was a moniker, but even that could be traced back to its owner with due diligence. And malicious determination was something Vaati held in vast quantities, both to his own demise and others. He nods in acceptance of the task; he would do more than just bring her its tongue.

“Come with me,” It felt wrong to leave her again. That was a guilt he could not carry with him, not after everything that had been said. To run the risk of surrendering her to the fate of the wilds without his protection seemed like the most foolish thing he could do. She really was the last thing he had left and if he thought for a second that she too would be lost to him, he had to treat it as a certainty. “I won’t lose you again.”