Lone Star Mountain you make my heart spin sorrow into silk

she starts a little at the compliment, pleased surprise guttering within bashful eyes as she regards him closely. she couldn't find it in herself to really agree with him, she should've waited even just a moment later before tearing away from the scattered debris. if she hadn't buckled under the fear, tried to outrun the snarling pain, she might've realised that she had not been the only one to survive the mountain's rage. this whole time she could've been with her family..yet then again, the fractures running between the tonrar's appeared deeper than falling rock at this stage and it was with a sinking feeling that she recalled the fact that not one of her relatives remained together. but west thought she was strong, did he mean it? she had to tear away from the touch of his dawn kissed eyes as warmth stirred deep within her being. it came accompanied with oddly unbidden embarrassment and awkwardness as she focused hard on the feat being performed before them. not wanting to leave him hanging after such an admittance but also intimidated by the strange feeling it had evoked, she simply let a boisterous smirk fall easily upon her slender snout and trilled "are you suggesting, west tyree, that i don't look strong?" it was easier to look upon him again now that banter had been introduced but her eyes still softened as she added quietly "but..thank you, it's all i want to be" it was true, having grown up with ridiculously good morals to the point of not wanting to kill prey just because they were lesser; her biggest fear had been to not be strong, that her kindness would deem her weak. 

west had given her a compliment that meant more to her than he could ever know, for it meant that she had succeeded in her biggest goal...even if it didn't seem so to her. 

as he glanced off, so did she so that the two lingered side by side; the sun casting fiery rays over ruffled pelts whilst the wind whistled and giggled with coy tugs to their fur. the growing intensity of the light filtering across the land as the sun grew in dominance with her claw towards the sky left eyes watering but she remained fixated determinedly on the bleeding sky. anxiety swaggered throughout her and she feared it would grow so lurid in nature that it'd shine right through her and banish any ideas of bravery as she waited for him to speak in regards to the word vomit she'd spat upon him. a minute nod was granted at his assurance, tense muscles relaxing only slightly as she remained fixated on the ethereal theatrics in the skies. silence dragged again as the steady croon of prowling winds was all to whisk about her ears and she was left worrying at the shortness of his answer, wondering if it truly was 'fine'. but then he spoke again and she quite quickly wished he hadn't as she bristled like a startled house cat. 

ears slicked back against her head as fiery eyes snapped to her earthen friend, jaw clenching. "don't say that" she'd retort sharply, instinctive defense flaring up for the man she'd looked up to her entire life. yet it's only mere seconds after the outburst that the shining blade in those eyes grows dull as she blinks off to the side, self-reproach flickering to life as she focused on her paws. it wasn't his fault he'd been trying to support her...the guilt pressed harder as she glared at the ground, what sanctimony to think she can talk about someone in such a manner and grow so ruffled if someone agreed. swallowing thickly she mumbled "i'm sorry i..." she forced eyes back to the boy's, silently pleading that hurt or disgust wouldn't linger there. "it's weird to me, i loved- i love him you don't understand he's the best papa ever. he's always been so brave and kind but...that's why i'm so confused, he wouldn't do that...but apparently he has and-" and exasperated sigh is huffed forth as she simply shrugs and adds diffidently "still i shouldn't have snapped like that i am really sorry" a hopeful, timid smile is added at the end, hoping it'd be returned and that the blunder could be left behind.

she thought a little ruefully about clay, not sure what to offer on that front. had clay really been kidnapped? he hadn't seemed like a prisoner, especially not by nightwalker terms...memories of the groans and hisses lurking through the forest from that stinking pit made her stomach roll and some sort of ghost pain seemed to spike cruelly from the ugly scars sitting smugly upon her flank. she may have escaped them but vengeance had made sure to make his mark, an enternal reminder of his rotting kingdom. "the wolves that had...taken clay" she made the quick decision to keep her doubts about clay's 'kidnapping' to herself for now, not wanting to interfere with family affairs, especially if she was wrong with her misgivings. "the ones he mentioned before and i told you about the first time we met...the nightwalkers, if you ever see one of them west turn the other way. you'll be able to recognise them because they reek of death. luckily they live quite far from you's, on the other side of these mountains right across the flatlands in the darkest, most dense forest you'll ever see. they're cruel and horrible" the gaze to blink off in the opposite direction to their home as if she could see the dark stain upon the earth writhed with tenebrous memories stirring within. 

heaving a sigh as she glared stubbornly back to the spectacular view, she focused hard on the beauty spread out before her. evil existed and leered in the shadows everywhere you went but...one could never lose hope when the earth offered these displays day by day to remind them that there was always good, always beauty and love if you knew where to find it. eyes narrowed with brazen determination as she pulled herself taller, tipped her chin and glanced back to the boy; flecks of the burning sun seeming to glow within her mismatched gaze as she stated with unshakable certainty "i want to be something someday west tyree, wolves like the nightwalkers...i want my name to be as formidable as theirs but i want them to fear me, all wolves that dance around cruelty like it's a joke, i want them to fear my people's wrath, whoever that may be" she's flushed with wondrous determination as she glances back to the claws of burning light fighting back the sneering shadows. they only ever triumphed when the light was absent, call her cocky but she wanted to be the sun, to burn the darkness that threatened others.