The Heartwood do you remember, how it felt when we were young

hydra moved on, stalking close to their brother.

arcturus remained rooted to the spot.

he could not bring the full of his burning gaze upon revui. it had been seven months since he had seen his brother. seven months since he had run a hunt alongside him. seven months since he had confided in the titan's coarse fur the hopes of his future, his fears.

seven long, lonely months - without parents or network. his only savior hydra.

and revui had gone, at the moment arcturus needed him most.

no, he could not bring himself to forgive his brother. no explanation was enough. arcturus was not strong enough, at this time in his life, to overlook these things. all he saw, plain as day, was the ugly, hurting scar revui had left in his wake.

his gaze hardened. an intrepid eye would see the cold glitter of unshed, bitter tears rimming his stare. so revui had chased a beast. so revui had been scared. big fucking whoop. arcturus had to navigate some of the worst things of his life without revui: things no child should have to shoulder alone! the death of his parents, the famine thereafter. raising kids that weren't even his own. navigating the minefield of diplomacy. growing.

it was as if a harrow had been pulled over arcturus' life and reamed everything within it - sparing none save hydra.

and thank god for hydra -- the brother revui had never been (lauren would like to note that this was hard to write, and feels very sorry that arcturus is being so emotional). and dirge, too. neither of them had shared a womb with arcturus, but it appeared their fealty was stronger than any bond made in motherblood.

so he had been captured for trespassing. and tormented, and hurt. arcturus refused to feel sorry for revui -- bitterly, he denied his brother that shred of compassion that he deserved. it served him right, he figured, for saying "fuck all" to the spear.

and now he was free, haunting the lowlands like some backwoods devil? when the mouth of the spear loomed within vision, serving as constant reminder for all revui had turned his back upon? arcturus said nothing, but his face spoke it all: bull

fucking

shit.