Bearclaw Valley black holes cover up my eyes

tags for reference but are more than welcome to join too <3

news of @Cole and @Winslet's union had spread across the valley, eventually reaching the bitter ears of nephele who did her best to avoid both. the former due to the unbridled betrayal and hurt she felt, and the latter to avoid any awkward or fake interactions of feigned happiness.

no, she did not want to see the happy couple. did not want to wish them joy and a long life together. did not want to even share the same breath as them.

her heart was bruised, and she felt a fool for it.

she'd not even known of them, of them together. he'd never mentioned winslet's name to her before. did his new wife know? did she know of the time nephele had spent laying against her husband's side? of the kiss they'd shared? or had he played them both, blinding two women with pretty words and gentle caresses to their cheeks?

did she ever really know the man at all?

it mattered not, he'd made his choice, and nephele was not it. idiot — why had she thought she would have been the only one he was looking at?

but...but! he'd asked her to risk it. he had asked her! and all for what? to tear her heart from her chest and use it as a toy?

rage, upset, heartache and misery tormented the stormcloud. she thought she'd had a chance —

and she was a fool. a fool for thinking that when she had listened to cole's heartbeat, that it had been beating for her.