I suppose I might be willing to admit that what happened in regards to Calliel was perhaps not Devils finiest moment and indeed some part of myself is still rather…aggitated about it, after all, Calliel is MY blood, our blood and to sacrifice such a thing is not entirely desirable. Yet, maybe I simply am getting old, maybe some part of myself has become entirely soft, for surely I have never exactly been the poster boy for forgiveness despite the fact another part of myself is entirely willing to overlook Devils assult- if only because he had not been within his right mind when it occurred. Had he been….sane I may be inclined to turn from himself and yet his insanity within those moments in which I had pulled our grandchild out from beneath him was reason enough, I am sure, to promote some form of forgiveness. The manner in which he shifted further into the darkness, snorting as if my offer to return him to our home was some sort of pipe dream resulted in little more then a scowl from myself- one that clearly must have sent River fleeing, for the boy readily disappeared as the violet of my gaze returned to my companion. For half a moment I merely nodded, as if I agreed with his ridiculous proposal to continue to live in a hovel.

“Hmm, yes, you did mistakenly attack our grandchild during what I am going to refer to as some sort of senior seizure and really it was hardly your best moment. Yet I fail to see why that translates to you having outcast yourself to this….residence permanently.”

My distaste for it was surely entirely obvious, lips crinkling slightly in disdain as some sort of beetle feel from the wall and threatened to touch me with its legs, white form shifting into Devils own in that moment as if I half expected the large male to crush it with his already dirty feet. This is entirely unbecoming in every way. Honestly, if Devil intends to live here then he can completely forget about my visiting him like I used to, year after year beneath our tree in Paracon. Dirty Rock somehow does not seem to possess the same ring as Meeting Tree now does it? My gaze moved to drift to his own once more, his own golden eyes drifting once more back to the earth. This is….not the King I remember, not the wolf whom had walked beside me for so many years, whom I had hunted with, worked with, raised children and grandchildren and kingdoms with. For a moment something almost akin to agitation seemed to spark within my chest, lips pulling back in a momentary snarl that vibrated within that cave. Yes- I will snarl at you Devil, what are you going to do? Tackle me? We’ll both break a bloody hip if we do.

“I did not bow to you all those years ago because I believed you to be this…weak.”

All my life I have bowed to exactly one wolf and it was not a wolf whom cowered from himself within the shadows of the world’s ugliest rock garden, tail lashing in momentary agitation before I finally managed a snort of sorts, pushing such emotion aside for now, muzzle reaching to touch his own in a rare show of…affection for the brother I had always had within him.

“Accidents happen, Brother, Isola has forgiven you for it, the pack has moved past it. You hardly killed the girl. Come home. If not for your sons then……for me. I….well….I suppose I miss you- although if you ever mention my saying that again you will regret it entirely.”






h e y e l
The Original Angel