Heron Lake Plateau Eat your potatoes

She listened to him, interrupting only to ask for clarification on who Panza was -- Qui confirmed it was his brother -- and the more he spoke, the more Raven began to understand why he had so many issues related to his background. His parents sounded totally bonkers. Who abandoned their kids to fighting and death? Who totally turned their back on their children with little regard for whether they lived or died? Raven couldn't even wrap her head around such madness. There was nothing in this world that she wouldn't do to protect her children from harm. The thought of sending them off to fight someone else's meaningless battle was just incomprehensible.

She leaned forward and nuzzled her mate's cheek, appreciating the glimpse he'd given her into the past life he worked so hard to keep firmly stuffed away in a closet with all the rest of his skeletons. "Thank you," she said softly, looking into his eyes as she kissed his chin. "For helping me understand you better." She leaned back, thoughtful, and added, "The good thing about it is that you know your parents were crazy. You know that what they did was wrong and cruel. And that's why I don't think you'll ever repeat their mistakes. You know better."