Lone Star Mountain Pulse

Ashlar flinched as the man spoke, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene. It would haunt him afterward, and despite the unlikelihood, he would live with the what could have been done for as long as he lived. His first witnessed death and it had shattered the illusion that through healing he could always make a difference.

He didn't acknowledge the next words but they cut him deeply. Ashlar was somberly quiet as he helped the man, following directions and assisting with his tail slung low. He didn't deserve better than cold words. He'd failed.

When he was done he would do as the man said and depart, leaving him to his mourning without lingering. He would find a place of his own to hide away and break down, a place where he could pull himself together before he returned to the Rise. They wouldn't understand what happened here, Ashlar knew, but he would carry it with him regardless.