Frostfire Ridge Carrying the load, with wings that feel like stone

It's fine! :)

 

As the brutes faced each other, Tomkin knew he had messed up, and Siarut was angry. Yet it was good to see him, although he refrained from showing any affection. He also hid his lack of sleep well, standing tall, the only sign of it in his eyes. His eyes did not meet his brother's, not wanting him to see the tiredness. Thoughts about what to say or how to approach this swirled around in his head while his tongue remained still, confused by the thoughts. He had never ran from his mistakes, and he wasn't about to now. His mess, he had always managed to clean up somehow. Yet his brother reminded him of his father just then, and words had never worked on him either. A realization hit him, and he sat, dread yet almost acceptance in his voice tinged with regret.

 

I'm just like he said I was, aren't I? He didn't care if Sia heard the exhaustion in his voice, momentarily shocked by his revelation. His father was right about him. 'Unresponsible and unreliable mutt.' The words of the older wolf's voice rang in his head, and his shoulders drooped as he realized that his anger towards his father was unjustified. Looking up at his brother, his voice showed his true state as he spoke, regret now more apparent in his voice.

 

I shouldn't have took off. I left you and our sisters to carry the weight, and it should have been me. I'm...just like what father said.

 

His words came out halted, yet he managed to get them out, hating the feel of them on his tongue. But he believed it to be true, and he never shirked the truth, unlike duties apparently. I'm sorry. It doesn't mean much, but...I'm sorry, Siarut. The thing he feared most was the bond between them broken or hurt in any way, yet he might have done it already. He sat in silence, letting the words hang there, his shoulders drooping, as if they were too heavy for him right then.