Blackfeather Woods gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit

Sobek did not understand. He could not fathom what it meant to be unwanted; his mother had always been loving to him, desirous of his safety and his company, and that of his siblings. He had no memory of his birth mother Parvati; but even she had wanted him for a time, at least until her sickness had taken hold, at least until Maegi's own sickness had done away with her. They were wanted. In hearing that his beloved mother had lived through a hardship he clustered against her, looking evermore like a pile of red fungus sprouting from the bony protrusion of her side; but he was there, close, warm, the weight of his thin body proving he was real while the flicking of his tongue - his serpentine kisses - proved his love as best he could manage.

And still he listened to the take of Maegi and Cassiopeia. It was not as detailed as some of Ena's stories, but it was still deeply appreciated, and he appeared to deeply feel the significance of it; staring at the dirt with wide eyes, his ears slicked back, he was silent — but in truth, deep down he felt nothing. It was only a story. Sobek could not be expected to fully grasp the experience of it as he had nothing to compare it to, not really.

Fierce but kind, brave, loving... Maegi was commending her friend, but the words did not tug at Sobek's attention. He smelled salt; he looked up and saw the glimmering of silver against his beloved's cheeks and hoisted himself up, planting a paw against her shoulder, reaching with his snaggletoothed snout to sniff at the tears running down her gaunt cheeks. He licked at them - they were sweet.