Redtail Rise other loves, other vices

he remembered how she'd come onto him in the maplewood, during the storm; her dark pelt plastered up against his. her voice was changed, deeper and richer, but it was still the same girl, deep down. her words broke him down; he felt like rocks from a cliff, a landslide into the sea. aditya swallowed, giving her the faintest of smiles.

"you don't have to go," he tried one last time, looking at her with eyes of soft, molten gold. "you can stay, if you want. it's only about what you want. . .but i want you to stay." please, stay. it would break him a little inside, if she left him now--even with the promise that she would one day return.

aditya felt as if he would fail the family, if he let her go. he could stop her, he supposed. even though he was bigger, he held an air of quiet authority from his promotion; he could demand she stay. he would let everyone down, if she slipped away. he would let himself down. he would be letting her down, too, ultimately.

but he couldn't. he couldn't make her stay. he had tried to do the same with dawn, and then it all had fallen apart. just as grayday had forewarned.