It didn’t seem that Ame had changed much since the last time Halcyon had seen him. The tri-colored boy was still just as soft spoken and timid as he was when he saved the russet pup last winter. Hal couldn’t help but smile more at this. He was glad that his friend was still the same. He mentioned his mother and how worried she had been when the loner had left Diveen. He winced slightly and gave a weak smirk. ”Tell her I’m sorry. I didn’t want to stay longer than I was welcome and I certainly didn’t want to mooch off of your parent’s.” Then something changed drastically in the other boy. His ears fell flat and a grim line replaced the small smile. He told Halcyon of how bad things had become in Diveen after the fall of the Angels but things were slowly starting to pick back up. But things were not going so well for Ame and his family. The wag in Hal’s tail stopped and he felt his own ears droop at the bad news. Meryl was a good wolf and had nurse the ex-prince back to health when he had been on the verge of death.

He reached forward and touched his nose to Ame’s neck in a gesture of friendship and comfort. He knew all too well what it was like to lose family but he didn’t hold it against the boy. Hal let him speak, hoping it would help ease the pain slightly. Once he had finished, Ame apologized and asked how his friend had been doing and even commented on how strange he smelled.

”Hey, don’t apologize. I know how hard it can be but keep your chin up. I’m sure your dad will come home again soon and things will look up. As for the plants… yeah you’re on your own there. I haven’t got a clue what plant goes in what hole.” he said with a cunning smile, hoping it would help lighten the mood a bit. Then he dramatically sniffed himself and actually caught the scent of Iromar on his fur. It did smell weird now that he was out of the swamps. ”I’ve been doing alright, finally got some meat on my bones after Aithne took me in. She kidnapped me to help me, go figure. The wolves of the swamp aren’t all bad and they have given me a home for the winter. I even have a teacher helping me learn to survive on my own.”

Then, Halcyon became quiet and his eyes grew distant. A new demeanor came over him and he gazed at Ame with a strange, determined look. ”I finally know the wolf who murdered my parents. She is called Jaidah. I am going to find her, Ame. And when I do I am going to make her pay for taking them from me. I just have to get stronger.”