Bitterroot Valley you hit me yesterday because i made you cry

so deeply snared by the onslaught of memories skimming past his terse gaze like a manic slide show, reif failed to notice the withering of his newfound company. failed to notice that his chilled demeanour had reached icy claws forth to tear through the radiant joy of the fellow willow born boy. all he could see was mama's....atwood.....sundance...and dappled light prancing daintily along his paws as the willows hummed merry symphonies above. he too seemed to shrivel up a bit as rapid blinking tore him free from the treacherous reverie and back to the real world...the sights he'd marvelled at only moments ago suddenly dull and muted after what his mind had portrayed to him. 

eyes snatch at the pallid creature when he speaks, voice too dropping so that it was but a wisp of mist slithering across to his crouched figure. he swallowed hastily, pushing frail limbs to lift his body to a stand...he now recalled his own mission to their former home, yet unlike valiant he hadn't succeeded in such a journey. he'd kept walking, like a mere flea clambering up the mountains and back down until the air grew sharper and crueler with its icy talons; the mountains but a leering row of teeth to his back. but he'd just kept going until the teekons themselves were a blur in the distance. oh gods. 

that faraway look had casted veils over that sage glance until a question was tumbled his way and he jolted a little, mind returning to the present once again with graceless regret. he frowned a little, how was he doing? "fine..i guess?" it's posed as a question, head tipping to the side a little. what was he supposed to say? he most definitely wasn't fantastic or jumping for joy but he obviously wasn't dying...such a pointless question. no, that was unfair; that question was kind. it was...what was it, it was considerate. he should, ask how valiant was too right? wrinkling his nose a little in concentration, he asked quietly "and how have you been doing?" he caught his gaze for only a moment to pose that question before blinking away again. 

there was another question that he did want to ask, could feel the pressure of it lodged in his throat but...the idea of summoning it was choking. he had to know though, just in case...licking at his lips he whispered, voice just audible enough to reach the other boy with the breeze's aid "i don't suppose you caught any signs of..olive or seabreeze? sundance or atwood? i...i haven't seen them in a long...long time..." he studied his paws with intense concentration then as if the way the blades of grass shielded them despite how many of their kin lay crushed beneath them was the most fascinating thing in the world. he hadn't let himself think of his family at all, it had been easier that way..to just block their memories out. but now...he felt things, these clamouring emotions. and they were terrifying.