Redhawk Caldera time after time

He tried to remember what that part of his childhood had been like. Memories of the other children his age came back, and memories of his Blackthorn family. There, they slept for eternity, lovingly placed where their spirits might dance in the golden light. He liked Njord all the more in learning how captivated he had been by the Copse, and smiled gently. It would be good to have wolves return there, he thought. A good, safe place to raise children, and grow a family. 

Her invite made him feel a pang of regret. A fear lurking within his chest coiled more tightly around his heart, squeezing it until it pattered a little harder. "I'll, do my best," He said, his voice shaky. He could make her no promises, not when he wasn't even sure if he would wake the next time dawn broke. 

So soon, though, she rose to take her leave and he felt his heart sink. It felt abrupt to him- for her to come all this way to discuss only their children for a matter of minutes, and then depart. He tried to hold everything together, though tears pricked in the corners of his eyes. He didn't have the strength, now, to push himself up to sit to see her off. Wordlessly, he swallowed his breath, and gave her a smile and a nod. "You take care, Meerk." he said shakily, fighting to sound as earnest as possible. He curled up, and laid his head on the ground with a sigh. Truth be told, the visit had still worn him out, no matter how short it had been.

Regardless, he dwelled, and in the quiet of the den he found himself drifting into a slump. Sure, she had her own family and duties to return to, but he felt she'd come more out of obligation than anything. Now she could check off the box of 'thank Bronco for saving Seal's life' so that she could go back to her position and her family, guilt free. He felt slighted by the implication that he was an invalid, though it was blatantly true. He felt like a burden. He felt like a sick family member in hospital care, or an old relative in a nursing home, visited now and again out of obligation; always a short visit because there were other things that needed to be done- and so that when they left, they could sigh in relief, pat themselves on the back for being nice, and go about their day until the next time they felt they had to visit. 

When Bronte came back, he was in tears, but he couldn't quite explain why.