When his mother's arms encircled his thick, coarse-furred neck, Oak felt undeserving and his muscles tensed against her touch. He didn't move away, too pleased by the warmth her expression of affection gave him. He craved it so deeply, even though he was no longer a small boy. Nothing quite compared to the comfort he felt when his mother held him like that. Oak relished the embrace and was soothed by it, but at the same time he felt that it belonged to Cypress, and his face was blank and empty until her arms relinquished him. As she pulled away, he sighed softly and allowed a small smile to creep across his lips.
She spoke of their growth and Oak wondered what it felt like to see himself and his brothers through her eyes. He couldn't imagine it, and perhaps the unnamed emotion in his mother's face when she looked at each of them was something he wasn't meant to understand, yet. He tilted his gaze toward Cypress, who had greeted him in a small tone. It was proof that Oak had upset his brother by coming, and he regretted it even more deeply after hearing his brother's voice. I wanted to say hello. was all he could think to say, knowing that no words could dismiss his interruption.
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