WC: 400+
Conor did not question her again, and it seemed that unlike Emwe, he had chosen to believe her. His silver-washed-amethyst gaze seemed distant as he pondered the facts, and then discomfort as he compared their stories. Finally his small voice admitted what she had dreaded all along, sympathy swelling irresistibly within her breast. He was so young, would he ever recover? Would Haku Soul ever stop? Hot frustrated tears rushed to her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, not wanting to upset the youth further.
How much of it had been a self-fulfilling prophecy? How many of Haku's packmates and relatives openly suspected him of abuse, when in the beginning there had been none? If she hadn't returned, it might not have been as bad for the boys. How many accusations and admonishments had their sire shouldered before something in him needed a release, and what better way to lash out than to prove them all right? Coli felt sick, remembering intimately how her father snapped sometimes. She did not fully understand the machinations of his fragmented mind, but she remembered well enough how he worked; aloof and cold for as long as he could pretend, and then without warning, the angry violent side would take control. That was how she remembered it. That was what had convinced her to make Cercelee leave them, but she had naively believed that it would be alright for her to stay behind. Even now it was hard to explain why.
There was nothing much she could say to the boy, her brother, but share his secret. An icy fire burned inside of her, twisting her gut, making her palms clammy. She wanted to protect him so badly. She was an adult now. She was supposed to look after those younger than her. But Haku made her feel as small and helpless as Conor, and without any closure from him, she could not advance past her own abuse. A soft whine caught in her throat as well, curling her fluffy tail around the gentle pup as he pressed against her. She felt guilty for scaring him earlier, guilty that she could not take his pain away. She could merely offer him this, a temporary reprieve. Sanctuary. And he could learn not to be like her - because once fear ruled over other emotions, it was hard to take back the reins, regardless of age or experience. He would need to muster up his own courage if he did not want to grow up into a pitiable creature like his sister. He could learn from her mistakes. That was the best she had to offer.