Bearclaw Valley b

The child’s thoughts mimicked his own: it was a cruel hand that she’d been dealt, worsened by those that should have cared for her. “I never understood why they were cruel to her,” he admitted. “But, where I come from, pelts as pale as ours are not unusual. Even those that are darker were never treated as anything less than family, though.” No matter the colour of their coats, each wolf connected by blood was family and deserved to be treated as such; to regard them as anything less was criminal, a mindset that had caused his detest for those he’d never met to grow and fester so long ago.

As she spoke, she pointed out things that he’d never truly put much thought into; the notion may have crossed his mind before, but nothing had ever come of it. “You may be right,” he responded. A lack of understanding was not unlikely, after all—although, a part of him hoped that, that hadn’t been the case. To think that something as simple as a lack of understanding had caused such pain, such a ripple effect, was just cruel.

Kove offered her a smile, which didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I think I will always carry the weight of our separation, anyways,” he told her. “Whether I am entirely to blame or not... it’s not easy to let go of something like that.” He’d convinced himself that it was his fault. For several years now, he’d viewed the failure of his marriage as a direct result of his impulsive actions; in some aspects of like, that had pushed him to better himself but, overall, it served more as an anchor than anything else. “But,” the man began again. “I’m glad you exist. Your mother has raised a fine, intelligent young lady.” She was capable of seeing things in a light that he could not. She rationalised and formed various possibilities, whereas he, being a stubborn old man, could only stick to a singular outcome. She saw beyond that, beyond what many children could, and established her thoughts in an impressive way. Desna, he imagined, had to be proud of the daughter she’d raised—he was certainly proud to know that he was the grandfather to such a bright mind.