Luneshale Pass Paws Up, Square Up, Baby Let's go

something -- hurt or otherwise -- darts across the shardglass green of her gaze like a wounded animal.

soto softens his shoulders, single eye taking on a liquid aspect. 

herself. a warrior and protector. a fine one she would be, but in soto exists an emotion not easily named. she was daughter of his enemy, survivor of people who'd killed his blood; yet never once did he gaze upon her and see foe. 

in so many painful ways, she reminds him of his daughter-- she always had. what khusobek and muat riya interpreted as predatory interest had been a grieving father's heartsickness for his lost daughter. simply being in safiya's presence had begun to knit together a wound soto feared would never close. 

he had not known that peril could come from within; where he'd failed noemi, he vows he will not do for safiya. 

tú ya eres tú. noemi's solemn face flickers before his vision. de futuro.. it comes fast. te mostraré cómo protegerte. so you will never suffer as i have suffered.