Heron Lake Plateau Horns and halos.

That means so much, you have no idea <3

There, in Towhee's golden eyes, Whip could see the flicker of recognition turn tangibly solid. Whip could hardly discern whether this was a blessing or a curse. He'd abandoned them in a pivital moment -- walking out at the height of war. There was no greater dishonor than desertion. Yet, Whip never proclaimed to be an honorable man. He did what he had to, anything to survive. The lengths he went to were immeasurable, and in his wake, only discord and ruin followed. A guilty shadow weighed him down. Still, the ghosts of the past haunted his dreams.

Would she hold it against him should she know the secrets he kept? He wouldn't blame her if she did. They were family of course, but the binds of blood were only so thick. He only hoped that she saw a man before her, and not a monster.

"Good," he muttered then, pleased with her conviction. He clung to the last shreds of the Redhawk legacy like a life raft, begging, save me. It weren't so simple, nor would Whip admit such vulnerability, even to family. There was power in the illusion of strength. For a time, Whip had even believed the lie himself.

Still, she turned her questions inward. "I --" Whip started, casting empty silver eyes along the lake. He thought of all the things he wanted. Safety. Stability. A friend. All seemed so far away, even now. "I thought maybe I could come home."