Falls

Old enough to have a kid. Nephilim gave a wry grin and though his face did not betray it, his mind brushed something dark. Old enough to have more, if they hadn’t died. His gut turned, but shoving away self-destructive thoughts had been second nature for longer than he could imagine and so it was little time at all before Nephilim was completely refocused on Shamwari. There had been little time to react to Shamwari’s question regarding his half-brother, as the conversation took a turn and left no room for further discussion.

The tone held to Shamwari’s words caused Nephilim’s gut to turn again, his ears splaying out uncertainly and his head – normally held a notch high but lately held down – lowered submissively even more. A sulking creature who felt the wrong he’d done to his very core, he didn’t require Shamwari’s assertiveness to make him feel any worse than he already did. Nephilim didn’t blame him, which was why he didn’t fight him on it. As much as it hurt to have one of his only friends look at him as Shamwari was looking at him now, Nephilim took the brunt of it without complaint. Anything Shamwari wanted to do – even if he decided to attack Nephilim – would be well deserved for having left Vita Nova behind.

“No, I don’t.” Nephilim answered shortly, head still down, gold gaze averted from Shamwari’s otherwise domineering stature.

He only relaxed once the chestnut had left, lifting his head and pointing his ears in the direction his friend (former friend?) disappeared to. A hefty sigh fell hot from his mouth as he turned and headed further through the clearing which butted up to the falls. Having lived on Crossing Isle alone during his foalhood, Nephilim knew places which were lesser traveled by those who otherwise spent little time here. He reminded himself he’d come to find Mariael and Maziel, but even the reminder left little comfort. Instead he moved off to sulk in his own company and work hard and remembering how to push away any berating, self-destructive thoughts.