Feeling her pressed against him, no matter how rugged he felt, was the single greatest moment of his day. Just her presence made him feel better and his heart thundered in his chest, showing that it wanted to live. Not just for the sake of living, but for her. Together, the alpha pair lay as the sunset in the distance and the chilly night grew colder still. As she begins to speak, Halcyon remains silent. However, as she mentions cutting out Glorall, his ears stand up straight. Never before had they had an entire pack as an enemy, but as she continued to speak about the crimes the wolves of the ocean had committed, he nodded his head slowly in understanding. She mentioned his brother and again, his head is nodding. Mugen was one of the fiercest wolves inhabiting the plains. Had he caught the interloper rather than just chased them away, he knew they would have had a body to deliver to Eden. Aster went quiet for a moment and Halcyon was about to speak of his approval, but she continued and he listened.

The pain in her voice is clear and he leans close to her, offering her comfort in his touch as she spoke. Her aunt was dead, another piece of her dwindling family gone forever. The pure sorrow and anger in her voice sank deeply into her mate and caused his stomach to twist in anxiety and pain. The questions she asked hung in the air above them for a while as she stopped talking. Before answering them, Halcyon leaned forward and licked her fuzzy cheek gently. "I'm so sorry, Aster. I know there are no words that can make the pain of loss any less. You have suffered so much and I wish I could take even a fraction of your pain so you did not have to feel it. But… I know such things are impossible and don't truly help," he said, taking a moment to catch his breath. This had been the most he had spoken in a long time.

"It makes you a caring niece who loved her aunt very much," he said, pausing a moment to let it sink in. "You can't have known what was going to happen to her. That is for Fate to decide. You found her. You, Aster. You mourned her death and even buried her, allowed her to rest when no one else did. Her name will be honored within Asteraia, just like all the others we have lost, and our wolves will howl her song." Panting now, he took a moment to rest his voice and lungs. The cool air made it difficult to speak, but he did not wish to retreat into the den just yet. The stars above had begun to shine brightly as the darkness grew. It had been so long since he had seen them and he wished to bath in their light for just a moment longer.

Returning his attention back to his mate, he nuzzled her fondly. "You have become a wise leader, Aster. Your mother would be proud. I agree that we should not allow any wolves of Glorall to enter our lands. They have shown their true colors and we will not let our guard down again. I think it's time that we start strengthening our bonds with our allies. Perhaps I should travel to Taviora and speak with Zelda." Even as he said it, he knew it was a foolish endeavor. His legs weren't even strong enough to carry him to the entrance of the den, let alone miles away to the forest pack. But he needed to help his mate. To help her carry the burden of the pack. It angered him so that he could not be by her side.