Duskfire Glacier Oh, how they tear at you now

The silence in the night was not broken as they walked, and he was not sure what to expect. Would she give a simple or vague answer? His ears twitched towards her, his muscles subconsciously tensed as he watched the thin female and waited.

A sound of her breath, and the words started off as a trickle, quiet enough he moved slightly closer, his eyes resting on her as she spoke. Maybe it had made her self conscious for her head bobbed downward, her face partially hidden from him. Tilting his head slightly, the question of why she would try to hide her scars from him crossed his mind, but he stayed quiet as he listened.

Hearing Sia as gentle and kind made him wonder if she had caught him in one of his odd moods, his brother being straightforward and blunt most of the time. It was almost a surprise to him as he listened to her talk about him, thinking she had read him wrong unless his brother had softened between the time they had left and now. A pang of guilt shot through him entwined with sadness as he thought about their relationship. It was his fault, and he had done nothing to fix it as of yet. What was he waiting for? Shaking his head slightly, his spring green gaze went back to the female, his gaze almost intense. The mention of Taki's warning made his ears perk up a bit more, a subtle raise of his head the only other indication that thoughts were starting to echo in his mind.

Takiyok and aggression not usually in the same sentence, he wondered what had set her off. Protective of her family, he knew she was blunt, but she wasn't usually aggressive unless provoked. Had she felt threatened by her? It didn't seem likely. The thought that her worth was tied to her usefulness wasn't surprising. Sia especially was duty oriented, and with his strict adherence to pack rules and his expectance of others to hold up their end without any praise for doing their job, it wasn't surprising that she felt that way.

A pause of her soft voice knocked him out of his thoughts and back to her, and he glanced at the white scarred ghost. Seeing her sneer, the weight of her next words hit home, him almost feeling the intensity of how deep her feelings ran. As she stopped, so did he, his heavy paws stopping a few feet from hers as he turned his whole body towards her. Her eyes held no judgement, yet he felt that there should have been. He agreed with her statement, nodding his head slightly, a thoughtful look on his face.

She turned and started through the trees, and his body followed, different emotions trickling through him. His tail swayed only to the rhythm of his large body, this conversation one no tail wagging should occur in his eyes. The sound of her laugh almost spit out the emotion of being trapped, and he knew the feeling all too well, a rare prick of empathy touching him. Pricking up his ears at the confrontation, the answer that his brother gave to her was one he expected. 

Unconsciously, anger shot in him at the mention of even her accusing his brother of lying, loyalty to his family still one of the strongest feelings he had. Huffing softly, his head came up, his eyes sharp on hers, demanding an explanation. It didn't take long, the primary trickle of words having become a river now. His anger calmed as she explained, and he looked at it the way he usually did, through thought and logic. He saw how she had thought that way and found himself agreeing with her question aimed at no one in particular, his muscles relaxing a bit, his head coming down to rest in a normal stance.

The next few sentences hit closer to home than he wanted to admit, and he instinctively shielded his emotions. Withdrawing in his case came after the nightmares, yet he sympathized with her, a slight shiver going up his spine at the memories of the nightmare he had earlier that night and ones that had haunted his steps on the peak. He didn't like the sound of mushrooms, stiffening slightly at the confession, yet her voice was almost hollow, and her words after that confession calmed him more. 

'This is my home.' The four words seemed to linger in his mind after she said it, their eyes locking as they stopped under the red hued moon. The restlessness he had felt earlier had completely vanished, replaced with tangled calm and feelings he had yet to investigate and straighten out. His outspoken nature was quieted, words that he could and would have said earlier in her ramble still and resting on his tongue. Maybe it was the fact that he still felt he owed his family. Maybe the guilt of not being there for them caused the words he spoke next, yet he did not believe it was the case. No matter what it was, he opened his mouth and they came, his deep voice floating quietly in the midnight silence, surprising even himself at the emotion that seemed to show itself around this wolfess. No one should feel the way you do. Everyone should feel welcome in the pack. He went quiet for only a moment before continuing. I'm glad you stayed despite your feelings. I'll help you in any way I can, whether it's with the mushrooms or nightmares. Locking eyes with her, his gaze was direct, showing his concern and determination, his sureness of his next words steady and unwavering. You need someone. Everyone needs someone to help. I had a whole family that would have helped me if I would have just asked. Uki, promise me that if you need help, you come to me. I won't promise I will have all the answers, but I will try. I know about nightmares. I know about wanting to withdraw. If you don't open up to anyone else, I'm here. You understand? He didn't move a muscle, wanting to make sure she understood his words as the silence grew again.