Blacktail Deer Plateau Beneath that girlish exterior lies a fascinating and complicated creature

The quip that followed his question and subsequent settling down was expected. Minori fully opening up on her own, though, was not. Corvus listened intently, disheartened to hear her voice the pain she felt. He was glad he understood now, despite the fact that knowing hurt him, as well. She hinted at the possibility of developing feelings past platonic and even admitted that she forwent joining another pack to instead track him all the way to his. He'd underestimated how strongly Minori felt about him, and perhaps he was doing the same with his own towards her―the foreign feelings only she elicited from him.

Corvus only spoke once absolutely sure she was finished. Minori... He murmured in a tone gentler than ever before in his calloused, hardened life. While opening up to others leaves one vulnerable to them, we are all social creatures to some degree. Would you rather be guaranteed a life of bitter solitude, or take a risk but be able to enjoy the company of others? The mercenary explained logically, for it was the only way he could think to quell her fears. His question was a rhetorical one, as surely she wasn't happy like this.

After a pause, he continued; perhaps using himself as an example would help. Seeing that she opened up so much to him, it only felt fair to do the same―and perhaps that would help Minori realize she could trust him. I never knew my father, and my mother died when I was a yearling. My brother and I had each other when we joined a band of mercenaries. However, in our final war, I lost him, too. Corvus stopped for a moment to swallow the lump forming in his throat. He fought to keep his tone even. After that war, the few of us that remained went our own ways. When I entered these wilds, I was completely alone. I had lost everyone and everything I have ever known. Up until that point, I took my relationships for granted. Don't do the same to yourself.

His voice was a whisper when he breathed, I cannot bear to watch.

When Corvus finished, his eyes stared into hers. The windows to his soul were filled with a breed of pain that eroded one's mind over time like water over a stone. It was a slow process; so slow one often didn't realize it was wearing away at them until they were left damaged beyond repair. That was the pain he was watching Minori set herself up for, and he would do everything in his power to stop her.