Blacktail Deer Plateau Experiences

dauntless draws in a soft breath and lets it out in a softer sigh as pema responds favorably to his inquiry: that nothing is wrong. it offers mirza a swell of reassurance that blossoms briefly within his chest. he does not particularly fancy the idea of unfavorable news. pema's next words were not entirely unexpected — he has wondered when someone would check in on him regarding the burr matter — and yet her words still caused the relief that had been spreading through him to freeze into ice that pools in his stomach. dauntless makes a small noise of consideration in his throat; a contemplative hum. he tries not to spend every waking moment thinking about it, yet at the same time understands that he has to face it nevertheless. how was he meant to feel about finding nothing but blood and entrails of a boy he'd considered a friend? a friend that he'd been supposed to be protecting on their journey to escort him back to his home. he felt a lot of things. most of them suffocating and heavy with grief ...and the worst part he wasn't the one that'd been closest to burr.

there's a long moment of silence that proceeds dauntless's obvious deliberation on what he wishes to tell: her torn between the honest truth and the instinctual 'i'm fine mother' because he doesn't want pema to fuss and worry over him. eventually he speaks, "i feel guilty." in a quiet admittance; akin to a sinner confessing his sins to a holy mother at a cathedral, seeking to be absolved. "i feel responsible, however indirectly." dauntless grows quiet then, drawing his tongue over his jowls as his ears flutter back to rest at half mast atop his skull.