[Fawn]

Palequiver -

Palequiver’s muzzle was drawn, a thin line between trembling corners as if will itself could stop her from breaking apart before him. His cruelty echoed, the damage done.

Her heart strings, already frayed, tugged nonetheless when she heard that word: needed. By his own admission, Coldpaw needed her right now. Every instinct groomed by moons of devastation and loss screamed at her to discard his transgressions, then swoop to his side and collect him in a healing embrace—but she hesitated, the striking awareness that her behavior elicited this.

Coldpaw hadn’t needed her when he got stung.

Suddenly he did.

Palequiver course-corrected into restraint. A mother’s love, just out of grasp. “My dearie,” she spoke wistfully, “do not be so callous as to suggest I would wish death upon you when I do care with a depth rivaled by oceans. I merely long for your inclinations towards me to be less—hurtful.” Her voice may have broken over the word, but her gaze side-slid to him, waiting.

But her resolve and dedication to the role didn’t come anywhere close to Coldpaw’s, and within moments, she was fracturing. Her retreat was marked by old habits: turning towards him, eyes filled with worry. “Now, stop this petulance and let Mentor take care of you.”

@BEAR.