Kintla Flatlands look and see her eyes, they glow

"sunspire relocated-- it was why i came from behind. i was following the bears trail and just happened to hear your call," he explained, wondering what might had happened if he had not been looking for the bear. if hydra would have just gone home. would she have searched for him? he could not say. he doubted it, somehow, but somewhere deep in his heart-- a place he tried to suppress, knowing now that it only ever caused pain-- he would have liked to hope she would've. if it had been him, he would have searched for her. "we live southeast of there now. i lead lost creek hollow. phoenix is fine, she is weak but healing. i don't believe it is her intention to stay, she'll return to the plateau when she is stronger." 

terance had never seen hydra tongue-tied. it was true, she typically was so eloquent and well-spoken. as often as terance tripped over his own thoughts and feelings and words, hydra spoke clearly and fluently-- and she always knew how to communicate how she felt. what she meant. there was surprise that registered in terance's face, first in his brows, which knitted and unknitted once, and then in his jaw, which parted gently as she faltered over his words. he meant to say something, but just as terance always did, he struggled to put together a thought, and so they closed, and he merely watched as she started again.

she was wrong, in some aspect. terance truly believed that the pack belonged to rannoch. belonged to liffey, in that manner. of course, it was rannoch before all, and he and liffey had many a difference that caused him to place his own judgement before hers, at least. liffey had some sway, because she had sway on rannoch, who had sway on terance. but, in some manner, hydra was right. it need not be that way. 

terance was silent, his green gaze searching the face of the woman who had caused him a great deal of heartache. unlike with seabreeze, his hurt with hydra had been entirely his doing. there were underlying causes, he'd always feel his actions and feelings were valid, but his suffering had ultimately been his own. 

what was she asking him? terance could not decide. he wondered how far she meant to go by offering this. to clear their name? to be passive with one another? to be allied? and in what context-- was this forever? was this just to take down titmouse? and what did this mean for him and her? for terance and hydra? 

he couldn't help it. terance was so broken, so reluctant to trust again, to let anyone else in or back in. he'd hardened himself over the last few weeks. to be this way meant he would survive, because he could not continue on as he was. he was reluctant to believe what she was saying, but terance had never known hydra to lie to him. it was half their tension, she was brutally honest and he was brutally sensitive. and so she'd hurt him, and he'd held it against her. perhaps he'd matured out of trauma. it would seem that the walls he'd built had a window, that allowed him to see clearly. not on all things, because he'd still held dearly to him the suffering others had caused him, with contempt and confusion-- but for the first time in his life, terance understood why hydra had been so upset, so angry, so unwilling to forgive when he'd left.

afraid that this was wrong. that this would hurt him again, terance was reluctant to speak. he'd built this wall mere weeks ago. he'd promised himself he'd lock the door. but terance loved hydra, in a different way than he'd loved lyra and seabreeze. rannoch was his best friend, but hydra was his better half. as much as he wanted to shut down his feelings, as he'd done so well with, he couldn't help but feel hopeful. 

so, his chin raised and he spoke. "i hurt you," he began gently, "i hurt moonspear. i was selfish, and i left, and i left with a wolf who openly spoke ill about you and your families name. not to me, but you told me she did. and i left anyway." his crown dipped down slightly. "it was stupid, and selfish, and i should have had better judgement. but i didn't." though he wanted to make an excuse-- blame lyra, blame rannoch, blame his mental health, he didn't. he blamed himself. he'd spent his whole life blaming others openly, and himself in private. cursing himself and damning himself for all the horrid things he'd ever done. it was time he owned up to it. out loud, to the right wolves. terance could only hope it was the right time. and with a flick of his ears, terance said, "moonspear will not be known as an enemy by any wolf in the hollow. i will make sure of it." 

word by word, stone by stone, a small section of the wall tumbled. 

"and i'd like to ask your forgiveness, though i'm not sure i deserve it."