ooc: I blabbered a lot. I was at 470-something words and wanted to hit 500. LOL (508 words)
Liam listened to Amaranth speak, his bi-colored eyes filling with hate towards Aniwaya, if only for a moment. Seconds later they were cold; emotionless again.
Yes, Liam was a Catori but Zafier had been one first, and now the older man was lying crumpled and lifeless under a pile of dirt, his niece and nephew mourning him. Liam didn't say anything though, merely nodding. He was glad that Mara wasn't making a big deal out of him fighting. He had half-expected his family to glare at him in fury, telling him that he was too young or too vulnerable – that he was forever forbidden to do anything anymore. But then again he sure hadn't expected one of his own family members to die fighting. For now Zafier Catori was the one that truly mattered, not Liam. Unlike his brave, brute of an Uncle, Liam was very well alive. The thought brought yet another pang of hurt in his chest. His heart was aching with sadness, although his face remained expressionless. This really sucked. Why his Uncle? Why now? Why like this?
At least Jiva and the pups were all fine. Liam wondered about Niro and if 'Mara had any news on her mate. “Good. That's good.” was all he could muster though, not wanting to make Amaranth worry if she didn't know where Niro was or whether or not he was safe. Who else had died fighting today? Liam knew Robin was safe – or she had been when they'd parted ways not too long ago – but what about her family? The storyteller and the knight? What about her brother Linden or her sister Felicity? Liam was worrying about so many people, yet to be honest he only new a few of them well. The stress of everything was really taking its tole on the young Catori wolf and he just wanted it all to end.
Liam hated to admit it, but his sister was right. What could he have done? He felt like arguing though, a bitterness inside of him wanting to get out. “You never know. It would have been an extra pair of hands. I could have tried to save him.” Even if that meant Liam dying in his Uncle's place? Liam wasn't sure what to think. He had never been close to his mother's brother. Would he have truly given his life in order to save Zafier or was it just the guilt plaguing him now? He sighed, his hand moving down to touch the dirt on top of Zafier's grave. “At least he died a hero. We'll always remember him that way.” It was the only thing he could say now. Everything other word, every other thought... everything else imaginable made him hurt.
Liam just wanted the day to end. He wanted to go sleep for days without being bothered. He wanted to wake up with the innocence of a pup again. The innocence he had lost today. He just wanted to pretend none of this had happened.
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