Ravensblood Forest i've melted icecaps with my bones

Once she’d tended to Verx and had staved the infection as best as she could, the herbalist had let him know precisely where she’d be should her warrior need her — and then she’d gone, leaving him to finish what greens he could ruminate over, as they’d surely resist the contamination from within. Aurëwen still couldn’t place her mood, and perhaps she wouldn’t for days, weeks to come, but she would be found knelt at a little stream, washing away herbal remnants from her paws, her maw.

So when the true Sanguinus first spoke, her head canted dove-like in his direction; at once, she wanted to rush to him and embrace him and tell him all that’d happened since his vanishment. She hoped it’d been to gather one of her children, that day she’d gone to actually protect them... but then, maybe not. What almost left her parted lips was, Surprised anyone wants to be in my company, at this point.

But she’d been selfish enough, even in the name of necessity, hadn’t she? Aure couldn’t possibly say that. She couldn’t... make this about her, right?

There came the quiet sigh of indecision; of company that she was both undeserving and hesitant to have, and she turned from the red-ruffed champion, taking further interest in ridding the loam from her paws.

“Because of their unwavering position, I left Diaspora after challenging its general and their ludicrous views, and did not tell ze children until just after. I did not think. I went to drive my desecrator off before he could reach us, rather than staying, hiding ze children, or telling you all what was to happen. I did not think.” And then her voice became a pathetic croak, at a moment where she was truly quivering and vulnerable and didn’t deserve to be, because she did not think.

Aurëwen snarled at her reflection, miraculously trembling in the stream’s current, withdrawing her forepaws with little frustrated flicks to dry them. “My children distrust me. As does their father. I have said my sorrys — but how can I fix ze family I’ve broken?” A hot film of tears veiled her eyes in gauzy guilt, and she bowed her head from his sights. I am no amazing mother, much less a mother. I deserve none of them. Not even the one who’d guarded them.