Ghost Lion Crag Puck-wudj-ininee

Really? Wraen was a bit surprised to hear that Charon did not hate her or anyone, because a lot of past events spoke against that. The way he had almost ripped Liffey apart or how he had threatened to shred her and any Sunspire wolf apart. Or Hydra's lies to Terance, the unjustness of which still sparked anger inside her, whenever she thought about it. 

And all of this, because they - she and the rest - had not cared enough about Moonspear wolves. Their happiness was of more value than the others. A year ago Wraen would have angrily and passionately defended herself and her friends from these accusations, said all she thought about the self-centered wolf before her. Said, perhaps, more things that weren't true, but would hurt very much. 

At the same time she could sympathize with Charon, because the last season had not been easy on her. She had hardly seen her niece and nephew, she had never got to know Olive's children, never properly been there to see Liffnochs grow up. All she could recall was being constantly on the move, working, hunting, sleeping and having very little happiness with all of that. Perhaps, it had been just as difficult for her former alpha too. 

Suddenly she felt sorry for him, because with all the flaws that he would never admit he had, Charon was still a human (in a figurative sense). He could get hurt and feel just as deeply as anyone of them. If Wraen had never understood, why Osprey had been friends with him in the first place, then now it dawned upon her that in a true friendship you do not pick out the characteristics that you like and try to subdue the rest in that person. You take them whole, you value them, for what they are and come to terms with the fact that you cannot change them. 

He expected an apology and he would never accept that they had had their rights to go and leave as well. If she told that she understood, that it had been very difficult for her as well, he would see it as a justified punishment. It was a wasted effort upon him to convince him otherwise. Wraen's righteous side rebelled against the words that were already on the tip of her tongue, but she knew that she had to better than that.

After all a "sorry" had never hurt anyone and she did not have to go as far as to admit that she was guilty of everything she was accused of. Another thing about friends and relationships - you have a right to set boundaries. "I am sorry for hurting you," she said, sincerely. And then with a whimsical smile and a quirked eyebrow she added: "Though bogey-man, in my humble opinion, is not the worst creature of darkness to be called after. A snot-troll would have been a lot more insulting." 

At that moment without her knowing she was Osprey through and through, true to the very core.