"Aslatiel" Aslatiel was empty. She held it together for the kids, sliding her mask back on when they were in her presence, but as soon as they weren't, the mask came off. She didn't want to see anyone or speak to anyone. The fawn and grey fae wanted absolutely nothing to do with anything other than her children. She kept it together just enough for their sake. Without Satira and Arcturus grounding her, there would have been a very real risk of total self destruction. Sometimes it was hard to see just how much someone meant to you until they were gone. She'd had a taste of it with Indigo, but he wasn't really gone. Naiche was irretrievably gone. She would never see him roll his eyes at her again. She would never hear his huff of annoyance. She would never hear him chastise her for being reckless. Arcturus would grow up without a father, but she had promised Naiche on his deathbed that the boy would forever have a protective mother. With a sigh, Aslatiel settled her chin down upon one bent paw. The children were inside asleep and the night was dark. Clouds obscured the moon and only the small fire beside her kept total darkness at bay. The fawn colored fae rested on a thick fur, the flickering flames dancing across her striped pelt, casting her in a golden light. Gold... just like the one that she'd lost. "Oh Naiche..." she whispered into nothingness before burying her face in her crossed paws. The tears that she hid from her children flowed down her cheeks, finally able to be loose after being held back for so long.

Mojito had to tell Asla about his discussion with their daughter. Even if Satira had told her mother he felt it only right to try and give what advice he could to the woman to help her help their daughter navigate a subject the woman herself had no personal history with. And if Asla did not know, well then she ought to. It wasn't something they could protect their child from anymore, and maybe he'd been naive to assume it was something they ever could but being in the Armada had been a relief, he had found a place where he did not need to be aware of every movement he made or how his actions might color what others thought of him. Here he was Mojito, Trauma Specialist and he'd earned that same as anyone else earned their spots in the pack. If anyone doubted his merits that was something they could take up with Sirius but he had other things to worry about.

It wasn't really something Mojito wanted to have to talk to Asla about, things right now were more sensitive than usual, Naiche's passing was still fresh and with the strange going-ons at night wolves were also more on edge. But things were somehow worse than he'd imagined... Mojito had arrived, ready to gently call out to the woman and hope she was still awake but the children asleep, it wasn't a discussion they needed to be privy to but instead he'd found her laying outside her den, silently sobbing into her limbs.

The old Mojito would have moved without thinking, would have curled himself around her and held her in his arms and let her cry, wouldn't have said anything, just let her get out whatever emotion she needed to get out before she was ready to talk. But now? Now there was a wall between them, he'd laid the foundation and she'd stacked it high and though his legs ached to hold her he stood rooted to the ground. He cleared his throat and looked away, wanting to give her a moment to compose herself and save her the embarrassment of the situation.

"Speech!"

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"Aslatiel" The clearing of a throat brought the sorrowful fae's head raising from its place between her forelegs. Asla's eyes were red rimmed and still filled with tears but she made a show of forcing a smile. One paw raised to wipe the tracks of liquid from her cheeks and she brought her galactic gaze to rest on Mojito's face. "Mojito, what can I do for you? The children are asleep." What could he possibly want at this hour and with her? He'd made it clear that he didn't need her anymore, so what did he want? She was fine with being civil in passing, but she didn't seek him out, nor did she expect house calls from him, so what did he want? Aslatiel didn't need to hide her emotion from Mojito, no matter how upset she was with him. Though her smile was in place, the tears continued to fill her eyes. The woman's heart hurt. No one knew what she had done. The burden that rested heavily upon her shoulders. No one knew how broken she currently was because she refused to let anyone help her. She'd even stopped going to see Chrystelle and Ocean. Nothing could wash away the guilt and pain that stabbed into her chest like a dagger. Keeping her gaze on Mojito, she waited for him to tell her what he wanted. Hopefully it would be over with quickly and she could go back to having her night of sorrow before she had to play happy for the sake of the children.

It broke his heart to see her slip on a mask, he was being shut out in a way he'd never felt before and it struck him just how alone he was. The only friend ever really had... And he'd fucked that up. Mojito took a deep breath keeping his gaze off to the side, Inhale... One, two, three. Exhale... One, two, three.

Then he swung his gaze towards the woman he once... still loved. He hated the way he could physically feel the distance between them. It felt like a lifetime ago he'd told her he didn't want to lose her, had just had to finally draw the line in the sand... But he had lost her... "Did um... Did Satira tell you about what happened? The other wolf she met and the talk she and I had afterward?" It was easier to make sure they were on the same page here. If their daughter had shared with her mother then it would be easier to broach the subject... No matter how much it hurt to feel like he was being pushed away he was determined to still try and co-parent with Asla... And that was one thing he wasn't going to budge on. Mojito settled onto his haunches, a bit closer though he still had to fight down the urge to put a paw on her own.

"Speech!"

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"Aslatiel" It was evident just how uncomfortable Mojito was, but Asla really couldn't care at the moment. There was no room within her for anything other than sorrow. Not until daybreak when the pups woke. Sleep hadn't been coming easily, if at all. Tonight would likely be the same as the last. Night would fade into day and she would still be awake. Still ravaged with the internal battle of what she'd done and who she lost. Mojito's question brought Aslatiels brow to furrowing and she gave a curt nod. "She and I had a long talk about it. If that little loner bastard shows his face around here again, I'll rip it off." The pain in her sweet girl's eyes had shattered Asla, but more than that, it brought anger. She had never treated Mojito as different and woe be to anyone that treated her daughter as such. Only recent events kept the fawn colored fae from seeking vengeance. "She knows that she's no less than any other wolf, just like you." The words had hurt the girl and it had taken a long talk to remind her of who she was, but eventually she had Satira smiling again. "She's strong." Was that all that he'd come here for?