Hushed Willows [YULE] What's this? What's this? There's something very wrong

<3 For now, he will let her run - thought I'd love for Merrit to meet Brilliance again!

This is not how he intends his apology to go, and the stranger's reaction stings him - but there is nothing he can do. He can't cry out for her to stop - he isn't supposed to be here - and even if he could, she kicks into the darkness before a word can touch his thoughts.

As fast as she came, she is gone, and he is left to frown at the slightest space she once filled.

He takes a step to follow, because something about her disturbs him, and he knows what. From the buckle of her body to the quickness of her flight, she reminds him of Keen - but he is redirected by the sound of Ira's voice, and reluctantly, he turns away, and toward his friend instead.

Merrit doesn't need to look back through the willows to know what Ira means. He has seen the meaning himself - but he finds himself stealing another glance - and then, he turns away.

He nods and pulls away from where the willows sigh. The festivities still swell with laughter and mirth, yet Merrit finds them cold against the yuletide air. Somewhere between the trees, his mother weaves with Greyback, and everything is cold - and he wills himself to walk away with his friend, silent, until the willows are far behind them, and the moon stretches shadows across the snow-covered ground.

Finally, he speaks.

"Mother loves him, doesn't she?"

He pauses.

"Why didn't she tell me?"

To this point, Merrit thought that wolves only hid when they were afraid. It's what he's seen in Keen. But now he wonders if wolves also hide when what they do is too shameful to bring to the light - and his bones settle like ice while his words tumble forth. "Did she love him like that when dad was still here? Is that why dad left us?" Was he why dad left.