Bearclaw Valley Sleep with one eye open, clutching your pillow tight

His heart beat rapidly, eyes still focused on her as the silence hung heavy between them. She began to pace and stomped her paw, the gesture making him flattens his ears back in fear that he had said something wrong. His eyes swam with concern,sadness,anger at what had been done to her as they met her own blackened tormented gaze and his mouth hung open with unspoken words. Then finally she began to speak and from the first sentence his heart tore itself apart with her. As she poured out her story to him he found himself struggling to swallow back a growl of outrage. Lonzo...the name would forever be stuck in his mind. This man had tricked and used a magnificent woman and reduced her to a broken thing who believed it all to be her fault. His body trembled with protective rage as he closed his mouth, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat. When she turned away from him he lifted a forepaw to go toward her but stopped again, not wanting to disturb her as she told him what was so obviously hard for her to get out.

When she told of her children his eyes filled with tears. He couldn't imagine watching his own offspring die without being able to help, the mere imagining of it brought pain surging through him like a tidal wave. As she finished up the story of her tormented past he found himself sinking onto the ground. The information swam through his mind making him feel sick. Not because of her, but because of what had been done to her. "You...You couldn't have known. Even I've fallen for lies...lies that ended badly. So badly. Tricksters...they have a way of doing such bad things and then twisting it so we believe it's our own fault. You were the victim." He croaked out, throat tightening with emotion as he looked at her. He felt his flanks heaving with the effort of withholding his tears. He didn't know what to say or do...all he knew was that he'd kill Lonzo whenever given the chance. 

After he spoke he stood up and slowly walked over to where she lay turned away from him. He sat down and then lowered himself to his sides pressed against hers. After a moment he lay his head across the back of her neck and sighed, his tears beginning to drip down onto her fur. No wonder she didn't trust him, it seemed everyone in her life had done nothing but hurt and break her spirit. He wished he could take away her pain, even temporarily so that she could have a moment of peace without fear. "You aren't to blame for any of this. Not even the best of mother's could have done anything for five newborns in winter. I won't let the alpha touch you, but I don't think he would anyway. I won't ever let Lonzo hurt you. I will never leave you Onyx Saefyn. And I promise you....I will end Lonzo even if it kills me. You will be freed from him once and for all and even then I will stay by your side." the words came out choked as he cried, unable to hide how utterly awful he felt for her. It was always one of his faults...or one of his strong suits if you chose to look at it like that, he was open about his emotions around those he cared for.