Broken Boulder and i haven't sold me

too many things happened. when moments ago ibis was almost ready to come home with him, she was now glaring at him as if it was him that was the bad guy-- as if it was him who had left-- him who had torn their once precious family apart. his jaws parted slightly as he held the horrible gaze that his daughter shot at him. his vision blurred at tears stung at the corners of his eyes, and he blinked rapidly, head falling to his chest as he attempted to compose himself. 

he took a few shallow breathes, and within a few heartbeats he was staring back at seabreeze. his throat burned. it was so tight and hot that he could hardly find a voice within him to speak to her again. this was her fault, she had done this. if only his daughter hadn't turned his poor heart to stone, terance might have asked to stay the night.

"i don't think it's a good idea," he replied quietly, raspy, through the dryness that plagued his throat. he looked to seabreeze, feeling so broken he couldn't even keep his ears up-- they pressed to his skull. even as ibis began to grow tired of her own tantrum, terance knew it would hurt too much to stay, even if she had calmed.

his gaze fell quickly through each of his family, and taking a final rest on seabreeze. "i'll be back in a moon, i love you all," he said gently, beginning to turn to go, his paws feeling both like lead weights and water. 

"i'm sorry," he added, pausing before he would take his leave, gaze resting on the ground before him, "that i couldn't be enough for you." he'd wanted to stay and talk to seabreeze separately. he wanted to apologize for how he handled her leave-- among other things-- but this was too much for him. he didn't want to stay anymore. he wanted to go back home.