Swiftcurrent Creek when you’re down, when you fall

The battle he half-expects never comes, and Zephyr finds himself speechless for a moment. He deflates quickly, too shocked by how easily the boy — Phillip — had accepted his assertion to hold onto any of his negative feelings. He swallows again, ears lifting slowly from where they'd been pressed against his skull since the beginning of their interaction.
Phillip's next words draw a shy smile from him, and he suddenly feels encouraged by the other boy's apparent nervousness. I could get you some food, He tells him, tail swaying slightly at the thought of bringing Phillip back to the forest with him. At um — my pack. It's nearby. It feels weird to call it his pack, but he doesn't want to explain why, so he ignores the feeling. Instead he gazes expectantly at Phillip, expression softer now than it had been before their awkward introduction.