Blacktail Deer Plateau I'm feelin' like a summerbreeze

The Blackfoot watched her eat the berries, allowing a small smile at the joke Minori offered. She could not say why the Epsilon's smile fell but her own weaknesses came to the forefront of her mind. She found her dark gaze drawn downwards to examine the mangled leg Kelina had left her with. 

She listened with perked ears as Minori spoke of being taken from her home. A concerned frown wrinkled her face but she remained silent, wondering what Minori meant. Her gaze was again drawn to her leg as the Masuyo directed the conversation towards it. 

A small part of her was embarrassed that Minori had seen her leg, the healer usually tried to ignore that her leg was so damaged. It was easier that way. Yet, she couldn't spend her whole life worrying that someone might see her leg. 

"That's alright. Plenty of people think that," she smiled lightly, thinking back on the Gamma from Sunspire. 

It was significantly harder to lead as a cripple than to simpley be a subordinate. No one would blink if she held a lower tier rank, she had skills that were useful as a healer and hunter. But proving that she was worthy of following as a leader? That required proving that she was strong enough to shoulder not only derision, pain, and the loss of limb - she'd had to shove all that somewhere hidden deep inside of her and learn to walk again anyways. Even on days that she wanted to ball up on the ground and quit, on days when she felt useless, she had to suck it up anyways and keep going or risk losing the respect of those around her. 

Liri thought it a worthy price for the life she had found. 

"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me,"  she said genuinely, feeling a prickling sensation in her eyes indicative of tears. She blinked them back, feeling silly.