The Sentinels Bravery only means something to those afraid of death.

He hoped it was enough, because it was all he could offer, and was surprised that Raleska reached out to him with an apology of her own. The shock heightened when she carried on to share what had become of the dreaded Rusalka, though none more so than what he felt with news of her mother's demise.

Blackhead was gone, and it was about damn time.

Something jubilant swelled in his chest, some small sense of accomplishment despite the more peaceful nature of the coywolf's death that he assumed - considering Ephraim had apparently located her body. Dacio gritted his teeth, however, unwilling to celebrate as he detected the sorrow to Raleska's voice. He wondered if she and her kin felt this way back when news reached them that Heda had fallen, and did not doubt for a second that they did.

There would be no remorse for Caiaphas' passing, not from Dacio. Her death would serve only as a salve to the still-raw emotional wound she'd inflicted on hI'm all that time ago.

The boy blinked toward her once more, grey-green eyes searching the vivid yellow of her own. Dacio tried to hold her gaze, tried to read her mind and reach her thoughts, unearth what it might be that she would wish for him to say.

If only. He was fucking tired of if only.

So he said nothing. Instead he opted to scoot closer, exhale in a strained whine that hinted at sympathy, and found some small courage to outstretch his muzzle toward her in an offering of comfort.