Pain shot through the fae's body like lightning. Blood still seeped from a bite wound in her hind leg, a gift given to her by her keeper for defying him. How she'd managed to escape, Valtiel still didn't know, but here she was and here he wasn't. With a wince and a hiss, the young wolf seated herself upon a sandy patch of the cove. Curling her neck, the girl's tongue ran over the wound. She'd lost a lot of blood. A lot of blood. The path that she'd taken to get this far was evident and she could see the dark patches and droplets in a trail on the ground. If he wanted to find her, she was making it very easy.

Needing to keep as much distance between herself and her keeper as possible, the gold marked girl rose and began limping off once more. As she moved she caught scent of border markings. It seemed that this land butted up against that of a pack. Good or evil, she didn't know. At the moment, she didn't care. The bloody fae's vision began to get spotty and she staggered a bit as she moved towards the border. How much blood had she lost?

Val raised her muzzle to howl for help, but her throat squeezed off the sound. Breathing heavily, the gilded lass tripped and fell hard upon the ground, a grunt pulling from her. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was seeing a form approach her. Whether it was her keeper or someone else, she didn't know. She supposed she'd find out when she woke up. If she woke up.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus had gone out of the pack lands as of recently to patrol the lands surrounding them. Since Dalila's attack he couldn't be too careful even if the perpetrator had been dealt with. Dalila was a strong woman, but Fenmyre was full of women and growing kids so Cerberus was more on edge now knowing of the dangers outside even if they weren't very likely. So he kept his eyes on the lands just outside Fenmyre, as if he could stop something from happening. Maybe he could, but he couldn't be everywhere at once.

As he walked along the cove, the scurries of crabs disturbed by his paws were just about the only thing in his ears. It was... noisy in a way. Irritating. Still his eyes scanned over the waving texture from the ground and the heat of the dry season. It was getting into late evening but that didn't seem to hinder the heat on the beach. He hadn't even noticed the young woman up ahead at first glance. She just looked like a black puddle under the sun. It was a good thing he didn't turn around to head back home otherwise she would have been left there.

It seemed he was far enough to not even make out that she was a wolf and still standing until she let out a call. It caught his attention a little more. He picked up the pace just a bit and beelined straight for the girl who made the call and by the time he got there she seemed nearly unconscious. Cerberus let out a low rumble as he approached her, but she was unresponsive. He stepped over her, a paw carefully pulling over her stomach as he checked for wounds but it was just the one on her hind leg or at least that's all he could tell from this state. He could tell she had lost a lot of blood from the condition she was in but it seemed to be under control enough for him to take her back to Fenmyre to get her taken care of.

Honestly, he really considered doing so. The pack had seemed to take in a lot of lost souls recently and it did pay it's toll with the number of growing boys they had to keep fed. Cerberus himself was rather large so keeping his own stomach full was something he really did on his own these days. In the end though his kind heart took over and he was sure they could at least manage getting her healed up before sending her on her way. Without another thought he was picking her up to put over his back before he head straight back to Fenmyre.

"Cerberus"

Had she lost consciousness? It was difficult to tell. What she did know was that she was jarred awake by movement, as though she was being lifted. At first the girl struggled, though weakly. Fiery eyes opened wide and she gasped, trying to focus on the creature that had her in its grasp. Her first thought was that her keeper had found her, but as she looked, she noted that the fur beneath her was black and red rather than pale white and grey. It calmed the girl, but only a bit. She didn't know anything about this wolf, but as long as he wasn't the master, she would deal with it when she could.

Aside from the loss of blood, Valtiel was running a raging fever. The wound in her leg was a bit infected from her long journey. She knew nothing of healing and so she'd done nothing about the wound in her leg aside from lick it to try and staunch the bleeding. "Please," she tried to speak, but her mouth was so dry and gritty that her voice was choppy and rough. The young wolf coughed, gasping a bit for air before she tried again. "Please don't let him catch me."

Valtiel had been a product of the union between a personal slave and her master. As such, the girl had also been considered a slave, though she'd been taken better care of than most. When her father died unexpectedly, she and her mother were given to someone else, being the property that they were. Their new master had ravaged her mother, resulting in the woman's death. Valtiel had seen it all. He'd made her watch. She had escaped that night while he slept, but he'd caught up to her. These were his teeth marks in her leg, his saber fangs sinking down into muscle and tissue. She'd fallen victim to his lust after but had once again escaped while he slept. The obsidian girl had made it quite some distance before he woke, but she had heard his howl, telling her that he was coming for her. That had been before she passed out. Now here they were.

"Please," she said again before unconsciousness claimed her once more. It was all too much for one so young. She could only hope that whoever had her in their grasp was a kinder sort than the on that hunted her. Valtiel was at their mercy.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus didn't say anything, but he did hear the girl begging nearly for her life. It wasn't exactly that, but he knew. And honestly it hurt him to think. With Dalila and Aliana both previous slaves he did have a soft spot for the girl. Though she could have been a slave or an abused child or anything of the sort. In any way it didn't seem right with her being just around the same age as him. He knew from himself but he could see in her that she still had time to mature. It made him sick and cringe from the thought of it.

He took her back to the island but didn't feel the need to call anyone. He could talk to his father later, otherwise he could see to her himself. The only ones he'd call were for his dogs. He took her to one of the empty bungalows along the beach, having Moccasin and his counter to guard the door to make sure she didn't leave but also to make sure that no one could sneak in either, that being the guy looking for her if he even managed across the borders. He carefully laid her down on the bed with her injured leg facing towards him but before he would leave to get supplies he did a better look her over to be sure he'd get everything he needed. His large paws gently roamed over her body as he inspected her and honestly for the first time he had felt this little hint of an urge as he looked at her. It was easy to ignore, being the first time a thought like that had ever crossed his mind. It was immediately killed though as the scent from under her filled his nose and he was growing angry from the thought of thinking this girl could have been Ruse and Scylla.

He left the bungalow, instructing the dogs to stay there by the door before heading back to the stores and grabbing the things he needed. Luckily most everything was already premade into ointments or tonics so he wouldn't waste time messing with herbs. When he made it back to the bungalow he asked his newer mastiff to grab some fresh water into a bowl to bring back to him while Moc stayed outside. He entered back into the bungalow, wondering if the girl was still unconscious or came to. He started to lay out the medications and bandages and waited for his dog to bring back the water to clean out her wound. He did stand as everything was laid out on the floor and she was laid down on the pelts, lifting his paw to rub over her shoulder to try and get her a little more awake. "Can you hear me?" He spoke quietly in his deeper maturing tones, "You're safe now."

"Cerberus"

The gilded girl was unconscious throughout the entire journey. She stirred a bit here and there, but she never had full control of her faculties. Her mind and body had gone through too much and had had enough. It needed the blissful darkness and rest so that she could try to heal. The fever tearing through her from the wound and the other trauma made the girl's body hot to the touch. She would need to be cooled down when she woke.

Valtiel had no idea that she was being cared for. Not until she was jostled out of unconsciousness by a touch and a voice. Her eyes opened wide, one pure gold, the other gold rimmed in orange, and blinked several times, trying to focus on the wolf that stood beside her. Safe, he said. She was safe. Dark brows drew together as she stared harder at her savior. He was just a boy! Valtiel's breathing increased and she shook her head vehemently. "No, he'll come for me. We aren't safe." Shaking her head made her feel nauseous and a groan pulled from her, the former objection completely forgotten.

The black and gold fae curled tightly into a ball, bringing her paws up to hold her throbbing head. "He killed my mother right in front of me," she told him in a whisper that he might not have even been able to hear, speaking more to herself than anything. "He's going to find me and hurt me again." A soft sob broke past the girl's obsidian lips and she cried softly. She couldn't go through that again. She just couldn't.

"Valtiel"

As the girl started thrashing her head, Cerberus put his paw down on her shoulder without really thinking of it. The movement seemed to make her stop though, so he wouldn't restrain her any more. He didn't need her hurting herself more or making herself sick.

He didn't really hear all of what she said, something about her mother. But in the state she was in he wouldn't question her further. She was still convinced that the man was coming for her, and Cerberus tried his best to but a smile on his face though she probably wasn't paying that much attention. She did have good reason not to. "I promise you he won't hurt you." His paw went to gently rub at her shoulder and back, "You're inside Fenmyre now, we have plenty of warriors and dogs to keep you safe." For now at least, but as the moments went on Cerberus was starting to believe that she would never be safe outside.

"Come on," He went to pick her back up over his back again, "We need to get you cooled down, I'll take you to the falls." He would fight her if she struggled more so because it was for her own health. If she wasn't in such a traumatic state then he wouldn't have been so physical. But she needed to be taken care of. Getting her cooled down and washing out her infected wound were the first things on his mind."Take some of this tonic for the pain."

"Cerberus"

It was difficult for Val to focus with all of the panic filling her body with adrenaline. It wasn't a good thing as pumping adrenaline would pull the infection more quickly through her body. It wasn't until the boy told her that he promised she wouldn't be hurt that she calmed enough to fix gold and orange eyes on his face, getting a good look at him this time. His bisected face was russet and black. There was a white marking on his face and horns curled off of his head in either direction. He was handsome and his face was kind, the kind of face that instilled trust. So trust, she would.

The boy told her that they were in Fenmyre, whatever that was and that there were warriors and dogs for protection. That served to calm her a little more and she nodded along with his words, though there was still panic in her eyes. That panic surged to life again as he lifted her. A gasp pulled from Val as he settled her upon his back like she was light as a feather, which she was not. She had a fever? He then handed her a container and said it was a tonic. Valtiel didn't know what a tonic was, but she wouldn't argue. Perhaps it was the slave in her. Tipping the contents to her lips, she drank the herby liquid without even making a face.

As the boy carried her through the green, leafy forest, the obsidian girl became quiet and still. She kept her eyes on the ground as they moved along towards whatever falls he was talking about. Before they arrived she spoke softly, "Do I belong to you now?" Her words were laced with confusion. She didn't know her place in the world now. "My first master died, so my mother and I were given to a new master. Now you've taken me from him, so I belong to you, right?" Perhaps there was a bit of hope in her tones. The boy was proving to be very kind. A kind master would be a drastic change from the last and she so desperately needed that kindness.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus waited for her to take the tonic before leaving the bungalow, asking the dogs to follow him and then walking through the scarce forest. He almost laughed as she asked, but it was no laughing matter. It was just an extremely odd situation really. But he wasn't really anxious about anything so talking to her wasn't all too awkward. "Oh no, I just found you. I couldn't leave you there like that." The thought of being a master was a little... nerving. Oddly so given the fact of his own father's history. But he would have never just picked this girl up off the ground and made her his slave. That didn't sound right to him.

He took her to the falls more inland before taking a couple steps in himself, "Can you stand?" He would put her in a lower part of the pool for her to lay down, but he was hoping she could make it out enough herself before doing so. She'd at least be more comfortable that way. The dogs stayed back at the bank taking a seat facing away from them. Cerberus paid no mind to their surroundings. He knew they were safe here. He'd help lower her into the water depending on how far she could make it, and once they were in he'd start to pull the cool water up over her shoulders hoping to get her to relax a little more.

"Cerberus"

The boy laughed and said that he wasn't her new master. It made her heart jump up into her throat and she panicked anew. If she didn't belong to him, then she still belonged to the one that had done this to her. Valtiel curled her body more tightly atop the horned boy, a frown of concern on her gilded features. She was young, but servitude was all that she'd known. Maybe... maybe she could serve him without him saying that he was her master?

They arrived at the falls and he asked if she could stand. Valtiel slid into the water and her legs were shaking a bit, but she stood. With his help she moved out into slightly deeper water, then lay curled on her hip in the pool of cool liquid. It felt amazing against her heated skin and she could instantly feel her temperature lowering. Perhaps it was the mixture of the tonic and the cold water. She didn't know. The boy shocked her with further kindness by gentle scooping water up onto her shoulders and neck, working to cool her faster.

Valtiel opened her mouth as though to speak, but closed it again. She looked at the boy for a moment, then her lids dropped and she looked at the ripples forming in the water around them. "I can't go back to him," she spoke softly, midnight ears tipping backwards. "If I don't belong to you, then I still belong to him. Please... don't let him take me again." The young fae's voice never raised above a whisper as she spoke, yet her tones were pleading all the same. "I'm a good servant, I swear. You wouldn't be sorry. I can do whatever you need me to do." The girl's slender ribcage rose and fell as she fought to maintain control of her emotions. If she wanted to convince this boy to take her as a slave, then she needed to conduct herself accordingly. No one wanted a servant that couldn't control herself.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus kept pulling the water over her again without any thought in his actions. It would have been drastically different had this been any of his brothers or sisters, but even then she was getting a little more special treatment because of the glimpse of what had happened to her. Otherwise Cerberus didn’t care much for strangers and they really only had one chance to get on his good side. First impressions were very important to him, and he couldn’t help but feel so sorry for this young girl.

Cerberus was attentive to her as she spoke and pleaded, but his gaze stayed more down on her soaking form. He sighed carefully after she had insisted she was a good slave but didn’t harass her much about it. "You can start by not being so hard on yourself." He spoke seriously but raised up a smile smile as he glanced at her. That was his attempt at command at least, but no he wouldn’t sit here and call the girl his slave or ask her to bend over for him. "I promise nothing bad will happen to you again." He was already conjuring up a conversation for his father.

Cerberus carefully moved behind her before going to stretch out her back leg that had been injured and infected just under the surface of the water. "The medicine should help but this might hurt." He waited a couple seconds before using his paw pads to start scrubbing away the dirt and scabs, and eventually the fresher puss that would be seeping from the opened wounds. He knew it wouldn’t be pleasant but it would be over with soon and after a little more cool soaking he could take her back to the bungalow to finish her treatment.

"Cerberus"

The boy continued getting her wet, water sluicing down her now slick, silken frame. He spoke and a spark of hope flared within her. It was an order. Was he acknowledging that she now belonged to him? Val blinked, searching the red and black boy's face for a moment before nodding. "As you wish," she responded, and put on a brave face. He didn't want her to be hard on herself, so she wouldn't. Valtiel would do everything that this boy wished of her without complaint. As long as he continued to keep her safe from her former master, she would be exemplary.

As the larger wolf rose and walked behind her, Val visibly tensed, remembering what happened the last time a male walked up on her from behind. She had promised to be good, but her heart was hammering against her ribs. The gold marked girl sat still and quiet as the boy stretched out her injured leg. He warned her of the impending pain and she cut a glance towards her outstretched leg, but nodded. Moments later, he began to work. She could tell that he was trying to be careful with her, but it hurt all the same. She didn't cry out, but little gasps and whimpers pulled from her throat.

By the time he was finished, the pool was a little murkier where they sat. Dirt, blood and puss had made the water cloudy and a little pink. She hoped that this wasn't a pool that others drank from, but doubted that he'd take her to such a place. He seemed like a smart boy. He surely knew exactly what he was doing and already he was earning Valtiel's trust. Once he released her hind leg from his grasp, she reflexively pulled it back against her body, her exceptionally long tail curling around her body protectively below the water. She didn't want to question what came next, so she would simply wait. She wouldn't speak until spoken to, though she did wonder what his name was.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus let her soak there for a few more moments in silence while he was sat down in the water beside her. The silence didn't bother him as it could have to most others. He didn't feel awkward or like anything needed to said between them. Small talk was rather dumb at least, it would be different if they were learning something or if she wanted to talk to him. Otherwise he'd stay mostly quiet.

After some time he stood, offering his paw to her to help her up. "I'll help you to shore so you can shake off a bit, then I'll take you back to the bungalow to finish your care and get you situated." Her curled frame did make him feel uneasy or sad or something, but it was easy for him to act like she wasn't so withdrawn and, well, slave-like. He'd wait to pull her out of the water before offering his shoulder for her inured side to lean on while they made it up and out of the bank. Cerberus helped her every step of the way.

He gave his own shake and made sure she was okay to make her own before going to pick her back up onto his back and then heading back to the bungalow. The told the dogs to grab more pelts and then meet him back there. Cerberus showed really a lot of care as he put her down on the pelts back in the bungalow and curled a couple over her to dry her off. He pushed the fresh bowl of water his mastiff left there to offer her a drink since they wouldn't need to clean her wound again. And then he stretched out her back paw again to start applying the ointment. "What's your name? I'm Cerberus." His gaze stayed down at her leg and the ointment as he put it on her.

"Cerberus"

The pair sat in the water for some time, silent and contemplative but it wasn't uncomfortable. She would sit here for as long as he wanted. The cool water was a vast difference from the heat of the Austerian summer. The gentle bubbling of the little waterfall was soothing to the girls frayed nerves. Sitting in the water made her realize just how sore other parts of her body were, however. She would never forgive that bastard for hurting her.

After a while, the boy rose and offered her his paw. Valtiel took it without hesitation and stood, careful to not put too much weight on her injured leg. The brute had really done a number on it. As she curled her neck to look, she noted the big, jagged holes from the brute's saber fangs. There were scratches and tears from his other teeth and he'd definitely pulled a muscle or two in her hip and thigh. The pain beneath her tail was much more bearable, though she still wished that it wasn't there.

Perhaps Valtiel was withdrawn and slave-like, but that only lasted so long as she didn't know who her master was. The horned boy had confirmed that she belonged to him and it did wonders to sooth her nerves. With his help, she limped from the pool. Once on the bank, she gave her body a shake, but her overly long, obsidian coat was still dripping wet. It would take a long time to dry. Again he lifted her onto his back and again she was impressed by his strength. The girl wrapped long forelegs around his neck, a hind leg on either side of his well muscled hips.

The dogs came and went, melding into the shadows to carry out their masters wishes. They arrived back at the... whatever the strange den was called, and he placed her down upon some furs. Another fur was given and she worked to dry herself just a bit. As the boy gently pulled her wounded leg out to work on it some more, he gave his name as Cerberus, then asked her own. Dark ears shifted forward as she mulled over his name. It was... fitting. She quite liked it. "Valtiel," she spoke the three syllables in response, then reached out one slender paw to settle it upon his, stopping Cerberus from his task. Once their eyes met, she gave him the first confident smile that she'd been able to muster this entire time. "Thank you, Cerberus. You saved my life." And as such, that life belonged to him.

"Valtiel"

As her paw reached over to his and she thanked him, Cerberus only took a long glance down at their connected paws. He could only offer her a smile, really whatever she needed not to be so nervous and flighty. At least he wouldn't deny her that she wasn't his. He was actually hoping that maybe tomorrow would be a different story. Maybe she would be more clear minded.

Cerberus reached forward through her touch to grab the bandages before gently wrapping them around her leg. For such a large boy he was rather gentle, and that didn't change for this girl who was mostly a stranger. He gave her back her leg and the remnants of his memories reminded him of the smell that maybe even still lingered under her without a proper bath. "When did he do this to you?" His eyes had stayed lower on her frame but they did wander too, looking anywhere but her face really. As much as her emotions didn't really get to him he still had that connection to this happening to his own sisters. He didn't want to be too mentally strapped to her if she did get emotional again. "I've brought contraceptives, it's not likely but I've heard it's possible."

"Cerberus"

Cerberus wrapped her injured leg with a delicate touch that she wasn't used to other than the care that she'd received from her mother. Val watched him the entire time, her dual-toned gaze following each turn of the bandage as he wrapped her injury. When he was finished, he released her limb and she reflexively pulled it back against her body for comfort.

When the boy asked about the time that she'd obtained her injuries, Valtiel simply said, "Yesterday." She thought it was yesterday unless she'd been passed out on that beach even longer than she thought. Then he mentioned contraceptives and the girl's midnight ears pulled back. Her head turned to hide the shame on her gold flecked features. In the end, she just nodded. Val didn't think she was old enough to make pups just yet, but there was no way that she wanted to risk that. She would take whatever Cerberus gave her.

"Valtiel"

He wouldn't question her any further than that, he didn't need to. But the sooner she had the drugs the better. He would have offered them to her whether it happened yesterday or days ago. And honestly he'd be there for her if they hadn't worked either... as strange as that might have sounded too. She may have been growing trust in him as the time went on, and he too was starting to like her more in that same frame. It was a lot for him who didn't bother much with others than his family. She'd grow more important to him the longer she stayed here. He did notice if just out of the corer of his eye when she turned away shamed by what the man had done to her. "Hey, it's okay." He reached out his own paw to lay down on hers just as she had done to him.

He stood then after his warming smile now turning into a flatter expression, "This is the contraceptives, I also have antibiotics here to help fight the infection and fever for a few days. I'll personally bring your medications to you when they are needed." He assured her, turning just slightly but didn't go to step out just yet. His eyes looked down at the pelts that his new mastiff had brought, "You can use these once you are dry enough. I can leave my mastiffs on the porch to keep you safe overnight."

"Cerberus"

Though she was embarrassed at what happened to her, the kind words and gentle touch of Cerberus' paw upon her own did wonders to assuage that dirty sense of guilt. The girl was so very appreciative of him. Anyone could have found her on that beach. Her old master could have found her. Would he have killed her for running from him? She would never know now that she was in the care of the horned boy before her.

Cerberus went back to talking business, letting her know about anti..bu.. about medicine that would help her to get better. Okay, so Valtiel wasn't exactly a scholar, but she had an eager mind and would love to learn. Later, when they had more time and their meeting wasn't so fresh, she'd ask him what the antiby... what they did.

As Cerberus turned as though he was going to leave, Val's heart jumped into her throat. "W-wait!" She stood, despite her injuries and took a step towards the larger wolf. "Could I come with you? Or could you stay with me?" Again, dark ears tucked in embarrassment. "It's all so sudden. I'm... afraid." The girl raised big, gold and orange eyes up to meet the minty eyes of her savior. She pleaded with him with just a look.

"Valtiel"

Cerberus was actually midstep turning out when the girl pleaded with him. It stopped him in his tracks before he looked back at her. He didn't want to stay here with her, but in a way he actually did. Looking at her the way she looked at him, at least having that glimpse of what she had gone through, he was finding that he wanted to be there for her. Nights on his own since his first birthday were a little different and difficult. He had always had someone there to lay against. This would be the first since then...

"You need to stay here." He started with, but more so she wouldn't try leaving on her own to do, well, anything. She needed to heal first before thinking she could go pay off some debt or anything of the sort not that Cerberus was putting that on her. He did have to pause for a moment, because he was going to talk to his father about her. But it seemed he could wait until the morning. Because looking at her sad scared eyes was pulling him in her direction. And that's where he would go.

"I will stay with you though." He took a few tentative steps forward before making his way around her and pulling out the soaked pelts that she had laid on before. He walked to the door and put them outside for now before coming back in and using a couple more of the pelts that had already been laid down for the bed to put under her. She'd at least need these ones to dry off enough, and they could switch them out one more time before she slept. Cerberus stood at the back of the bungalow beside the furs waiting for her to get comfortable before laying down beside her.

"Cerberus"

The look on his face... she thought he was going to deny her and the girl was ready to drop to her knees and beg. He told her that she needed to stay in the strange den and a soft whine pulled from the girl's throat. If she was left alone, he would find her. He would find her and he would hurt her. Cerberus hadn't seen what the saber toothed brute had done to her mother. How could he understand the fear in her heart when he had no idea what she'd been through?

Then he said the sweetest words. He would stay with her. Valtiel smiled and nodded. Perhaps tomorrow she would feel better, but she'd been through a lot today. Being alone... it would have been horrible. She would most likely have nightmares anyway, but having someone here with her would make all the difference.

With Cerberus having agreed to stay, he went to remove the soaking wet furs that she'd been laying on before. Val looked down at herself. She was still damp, but she was no longer dripping wet. Having such long fur, it took quite a while to fully dry. With the summer heat though, she would be dry in no time. After the new furs were in place, Valtiel pulled herself onto the bed once more, pulling her long tail up against the front of her body as she did so.

Cerberus joined her on the pile of furs, getting comfortable behind her. This was how she used to sleep beside her mother. The little spoon. With a sigh, the black and gold wolf lowered her muzzle to rest upon one bent paw. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Sorry to be such a burden, I'm just..." the girl gave her head a shake, not sure what words to choose. "Two days ago I watched him rape and murder my mother. Then he raped me and I just... I've never been alone before. Cerberus," she raised her gaze to meet his once more by merely tilting her head to the side. "I'm terrified."

"Valtiel"

Cerberus didn't go to wrap himself around her or anything... honestly he had been the one to be cradled even after he outgrew Siren. He did feel really bad for the girl which is why he stayed but being the young and maybe just a little naive man he was he wouldn't jump on her. He laid down beside her and if she leaned back into him he wouldn't have moved but for now he wouldn't cuddle her first.

Instead when she started to talk, to apologize, he spoke out, "It's okay." And that's when his paw lifted to rub the pelts over her back as if he was helping her dry off. He wouldn't say so himself but it was more for her comfort. He was quiet though as she went on, opening up to him without him asking. That was okay. It didn't help that bit of protectiveness he was feeling related to his own sisters but looking at her.

It took him another moment to say anything, his paws going still on the pelts behind her while she looked up at him. But he started rubbing her back again, "My mother died too." Nothing like her own story. It was harsh in itself, but not something he was just going to openly share. Not right now with the girl being scared. "But I've never been alone." His gaze moved to look back at her face if it was still there to look back at him. Either way he'd still find his eyes wandering there. "You don't have to be. Scared or alone. As long as you stay on the island you will be safe." He assured her in truth. For a few days while she healed he would keep Moc with her while he did his own duties. And he supposed he could stay here with her every night until then.

"Cerberus"