Zelda had happily accepted the embrace of her uncle. She never saw him as a failure in any light or meaning of the word. Unlucky maybe, but not a failure. Her success was not supposed to be hers, she never wanted to be the Guardian of Taviora. Her Uncles Sons were called Princes by their mother and then Amoxtli got poisoned, taken away from his throne before his time, before their time could come to take the mantle of their father. She was the only one willing to step up, but even then she had the prod and help of Hyrule back then. Else, she might have just stood back, watching as anyone else from Taviora took up her father’s place. She didn’t believe it was necessarily her birthright or anything to do it, it just… happened. Perhaps she was unlucky for having such a thing thrust onto her. Tepiltzin had complained, he had been upset, mostly for his brother who, together, were supposed to protect Taviora, when they became of age. Teza refused to take what was supposed to go to him in time and Tepi did too, if only because his twin did. She never really felt like she had robbed them, none of them expected to be this role, none of them exceptionally really wanted it. Maybe that was what made Taviora’s Guardians so different from the rest of Moladions Leaders. They were protectors, not rulers. They did what they could to protect their home, and that was the end of it.

Still no everyone could have it easy, they didn’t and Halcyon in particular had a hard life. Each moment he thought he had his paws in place the world shook around him. Life had been so unfair to her uncle. Even in his childhood, but look where he was now. Strong, still pushing forward regardless of everything tossed in his way. He was filled to the brim with determination to persevere. She always felt so much dimmer when compared to his bright flame that brimmed to fight for life. It seemed though life still blew strongly against him though, a wind to try and snuff out his flame. A frown creased her maw and she pulled away to look at him more thoroughly. He looked rougher than he even had the last time she had seen him. Loner life, she thought, didn’t suit him well. He had new missing fur patches on his face and body as if he had gotten in a fight, but they appeared healed. However, he was still alive, and for that she was thankful.

”What has happened?” She asked before he launched into his story. Her heart sank and hurt for him, it showed on her features how badly she felt. Aster gone, the kids gone, Aspis’ betrayal when he had come to try and rescue him. That in particular had stung. Why? Why did he not believe her? Why did he not listen? Why take Blackthorne’s words over her own? She blamed herself… being too slow to rescue Aspis from Blackthorne’s clutches, that Halcyon had gotten hurt for no reason. She embraced him again, her own eyes shimmering slightly with tears that threatened to fall, but she wouldn’t let him. There was something he ought to hear, but not before he asked if he could stay here and saying he had no place to go. Yami voiced her own thoughts, saying that she would never turn him away. A smile touched her maw at her young cousin before she nodded.

”Yami is right Uncle Halcyon. I have always told you that you are welcome to live here, forever and always, and you can of course call the forest your home. Lazarus still lives here too… perhaps Aster will come back for him someday, but you have me, and you Yami still have family here that loves you on both sides. More importantly you may not have heard but I may have information that may make you change your mind to staying here, but ultimately is up to you, I wouldn’t begrudge you either way.” She paused pondering how best to say it, but really there is only one way.

”Blackthorne has fallen.” She let the words hang on the air for several moments, wondering what his reaction might be. ”Something has happened, the land grew quiet and now a new wolfess reigns. I do not know who she is, or what alignment she has, but one thing I gathered for sure was she was not a sympathizer. The call came from outside of the pack.” He might choose to go back, she hoped not, she would love for him to stay here of course, but perhaps if nothing else it would give him peace of mind that something had happened and maybe Aspis was out there free from his clutches now by brute force if nothing else. Maybe. Hopefully.