Broken Boulder and i haven't sold me

every word that ibis spoke pierced daggers into terance's heart. deeper and deeper they tore through flesh, until it went clean through him. he embraced her tightly, forelimbs wrapping around as she burried herself into his scarred chest. he wanted to sob-- all terance ever did was cry anyhow-- but at the sight of seabreeze, his expression, pained, sobered up. ibis pulled apart, looking at seabreeze and alarian, then looked back at him. she accused him, finally, of leaving. where did you go, daddy?

perhaps those were the magic words-- terance, for a moment, felt suffocated, like his lungs couldn't bare to take in any more air. when he caught himself, he released a shakey breath. "i never left you, ibis, i would never leave you," he told her softly, peering down at his sweet bird with a sad, forest gaze. it was your mother, who stole you away from me, your mother who tore this family apart for sake of her own well being. but terance did not say this, not in front of her now. "i am here now--" he looked up to seabreeze, trying hard not to accuse her of feeding their children lies. he left them? what had she told them? what did they think of him? "your mother took you here to keep you safe, there was a famine," he told her, but his gaze only flickered to ibis, looking back up to seabreeze again, "she kept you safe, but sunspire is moving, you would be safe in our new home."

he looked back down to his daughter, kissing her forehead. he spoke sweetly, and to his daughter, but he knew seabreeze was listening. she'd have the final say, she always had. she was just as cruel and selfish as the cerberus had been to him. he'd given all his love, all his loyalty, and they'd only stolen from him his sanity and healthy well-being. "you can come with me-- if your mother permits it. you are old enough now to travel with me." he waited for ibis' response, then looked up to his mate. ex, mate. "you all could..." he added, rather suddenly, ears flicking back.