Mount Everfall down in a hole, and I don't know if I can be saved

The girl was... intriguing. He hadn't thought so when he first noticed her, terrified as she had been. Slowly, though, Nathaniel was beginning to think this interaction wasn't a complete mistake.
The ex-soldier generally wasn't fond of company; more often than not it left him full of anger and regret. He didn't mind talking to Mona, though. The fiery-pelted girl was obviously young, but well-spoken— not unpleasant to converse with.
Hmm. Was the ex-soldier's only response to the information she gave about the pack. The pack that could have possibly been his father's, he reminded himself, and with that he stowed the information away.
Mona's question took him a bit off-guard; he hadn't considered such a thing. Did it matter anymore, what he wanted? He wanted Eirene back-- he wanted his children back. He wanted his life back. None of that could ever happen, though, and what did that leave him to want? What could he possibly want anymore from a world so obviously bent on taking back every gift it gave?

I haven't decided yet. The ex-soldier said, finally. But you have given me something to consider. Thank you, Mona.

After a few seconds of silence on his part, Nat's lack of familiarity with truly friendly conversation-- and his lingering curiosity-- broke through and forced him to tack on a request. Tell me of this King Elk.