and if there's life after that, i'll love you then

If she'd known he had not wept for her, and that he so quickly sought to find comfort in the embrace of another wolfess, Paarthurnax would not have felt such great pity for him. Oblivious to his feelings toward her now that she'd thrust a metaphorical barrier between then, the crimson Frostfur could do nothing but stare with wide-eyed concern at the sterling brute who'd once been her lover, and resist the overwhelming urge to stride forth and offer support for the pain she'd put him through.

Alas, she could not. She knew now what Shadow was capable of, and the vivid memory of Enya and her pitifully submissive, almost begging attitude fleetingly crossed her wary mind. Paar whined softly when her former partner straightened himself and turned his once proud crown her way, sparking alarm within her as she noticed the wet glisten of scarlet that marred the entire left portion of his face. Unsure if he'd gotten himself into a brawl for whatever reason or if he'd sought to mutilate himself to draw her attention to him, the russet she-wolf pressed her velvet ears back and frowned sadly at the male she'd abandoned.

He breathed her name and went on to add that he hoped the Creek and its wolves were treating her well, but Paarthurnax did not respond with words. She simply stared at Shadow with a glassy gaze, until at last he offered apology. "I am sorry," as they both should be. For believing that they had been a compatible pair, and leading each other into a false sense of comfort. "I should have told you," she managed, looking away and down at her paws, unwilling to brave another step for fear that her emotion might bring her to her knees before him. "But I did not know how."