Time was growing short and her mind was running thin. Resin felt as though she didn't have much longer to live. Not as herself, anyway. Today was one of her good days, but the bad was quickly outnumbering the good. Even now, she knew who she was and where she was, but she felt fuzzy. She would never be her full self again and it was a difficult pill to swallow. Luta had been supplying her with a mixture to keep her sedated. The concoction rendered her wobbly and lethargic. Since there was no way that she could possibly harm someone in this state, the one-eyed woman had agreed to allow visitors down into the dungeons. The fireplace was filled with wood and the dark, stone room was illuminated with flickering firelight. Though it was still cold outside, the room was warm and comfortable. Resin lay upon a pile of furs outside of her prison cell, head on one bent leg. For now she was content, but she didn't know how long it would last. "Speech"

"Speech" | Urasa | Kaira Dunkan wasn't alien to what was going on, what was going with Resin. A wolf that now years ago took care of him, as a pup. His first mentor, the mother he never had, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. But there was a flaw, one he had and until now was just discovering. Grief, grief, and pain were two things he didn't know about, he could feel them as any other wolf, he just didn't know how to handle it. He knew Resin was dying, but he just didn't know how to handle this, he wasn't one to show how he felt openly, always hiding those feelings under an ice-cold mask. But at the end making sure no one else was around, he walked into the dungeon where Resin has been staying for the past weeks. His face was blank as usual of him but for how long would it stand? As he adventured himself into the dark place he saw her, there with a fireplace. "Resin..." He tasted her name in his throat. Taking a seat, but giving her the respectful distance he sought to give her. There is when he started to feel his shield, a shield he built for years now started to shatter. Knowing the only wolf that ever took her of him when his mother abandoned him was dying. The words couldn't come out as simple as he wished them to. "I hope you don't mind me giving you some company."

ART BY FOX

Dark ears perked as claws scraped against stone. Lifting her head, Resin watched as Dunkan approached. She was a little surprised. Though they'd known one another for quite some time, the young man had always been distant and generally apart from the rest of the pack. She didn't think that he would be the sentimental type. As he drew near, he seemed a little hesitant. With one paw, the former Aegis motioned for him to come forward. The polar bear fur was large enough for both of them to rest upon comfortably while maintaining whatever distance he preferred. He asked if she minded the company and the old woman shook her head. "I don't mind at all." It could be the last chance that he got to spend time in her presence. Perhaps he had something to say? Something that he needed to talk about? "How are you, Dunkan?" She would start off with some light conversation. Maybe he needed to warm up a bit before he spoke what was on his mind. "Speech"

"Speech" | Urasa | Kaira He didn't know how to feel, how to proceed at the doors of having someone of his loved ones dying, death was something he wasn't used to, or at least not with another wolf. He had killed a lion and almost a few bears, but never someone of his close circle which was narrow ever happened. His biological mother left, dead or not but he didn't get enough time to attach to her, and at this age, he cared little if none with that wolf. But Resin was a different case, she was actually someone he loved as a mother, someone who he was ready to lay his life for, and yet here she was, waiting for her death. He moved closer noticing her gesture. Sitting now in the polar bear fur near his former leader, but even if she wasn't an alpha of name, for him she was still in that position. "I.." His throat was dry, but not due to any thirst, he was just starting to feel the world crashing down. "I have been good, working as always." He didn't feel like asking back as an answer wasn't needed to know how she was. "I built a cabin for pups with Sota, I just thought they could need one to play with..." He started to feel a knot in his throat. "I helped Ulric kill a mammoth...and yet...I cant deal with my emotions. You have always been a mother for me, you saw value in me when my own mother turned her back on me, you raised me and taught me everything I am now. And yet, I was never able to return what you have given me...I don't know how to feel, I am useless against these feelings that being honest is new to me. I will miss you..." He did his best to keep a cold expression but it didn't stop his eyes to feel wet.

ART BY FOX

Dunkan's words were slightly shocking. She had seen value in him. She still saw value in him. He was different in that he didn't speak much and held his emotions back to the point that others couldn't relate to him, but he worked hard and he was a good wolf, overall. To see that he still held so much doubt and insecurity in himself... it saddened the grey woman. "To deal with your emotions, you have to feel them," she advised. "Holding them back just makes everything build up. A dam that's holding too much water will eventually break." Resin could see the pain in the boy's eyes. Sighing lightly, the former Aegis stood and crossed the distance between them. With one thick foreleg, she scooped Dunkan against her in an embrace, holding him to her chest. "I will miss you as well," she spoke softly. "Life will go on. When I'm gone, don't push away your packmates. Learn to rely on them and let them rely on you." Dunkan needed to be more open with others or else he would never be happy. He needed to learn to process his emotions so that they didn't backfire and harm him in the long run. "Speech"