Solitaire was a bit concerned over the expression on Tristan's face, and the words themselves didn't sound very good to him, either. It sounded like something bad had happened, and Solitaire didn't know if he was ready to hear it. Yet if he didn't hear it and deal with it now.. then when? It had to happen, and he knew that. He would accept that they had to have this talk, even if it was making him pretty nervous. He didn't realize had had started to hold his breath a little, only letting go when it was needed so he didn't suffocate, then starting right back up again with the process.

Seeing the deep breath taken by Tristan only deepened Solitaire's worry that this was not going to end well. He braced himself as Tristan started to speak, listening to what his brother had to say. It started off like any day might (certainly any day for him, if not for Tristan, since his brother was a pack wolf), but the words of Tristan being attacked made Solitaire uneasy, even though it was clear his brother had gotten away from it, and the only bad wound Tristan had right now was the one he'd just gotten. Still, Solitaire didn't like the idea of his brother being attacked by others.

Mother jumped in. This is where Solitaire went very still, starting to feel a sweep of cold going through him as he heard the rest of the story. There was no move at all from him with it all said, Solitaire's face was blank as in sunk in. Mother was dead, had been dead since Tristan was younger. Solitaire didn't know how to process it all, but he knew it hurt deeply. He'd never get to see mother again, never get to tell her all the things that he'd wanted to. That was a hard pill to swallow, and he felt like everything was falling away, like a static noise in his ears.

But Tristan's next words started to shake him from that, and Solitaire is left staring dully at Tristan and trying to sort out what to say. "You were young and didn't know how to fight properly. Mother knew what she was doing when she jumped in. She knew the risks, and she was willing to sacrifice for you. I don't hate you for that. Viora needs someone to lash out at from the trauma, because she obviously wasn't able to do much to the attacker either." It was quiet, and Solitaire still felt the shock of the information, but he wasn't going to hold what happened against Tristan. Solitaire had been through too much to not understand.

[ male ] [ six ] [ unmated ] [ imprint; striker ] [ glorall ]