Days would past, he could feel it in his head. Hajime didn't have enough time to mourn because of the pups, but a bit of his heart had been restored since they were safe thanks to Raisa. She was a queen he would serve till the very end with his life. With some sense of responsibility because of his past royal blood Hajime was only slightly getting better. His pups were mainly what kept him going through this horrible nightmare that he called his reality. Ebony would always be his home though, and he could not deny that fact. He sat upon one of the rocks, imagining himself and Elsa, how they would walk this path on good days. On others they would hang around near the den on firefly lake. His black tail flicked as the man stood and took in a deep breath and sighed. Hajime knew it was a large burden, and one he would bear for a long time. But at least his bloodshot red eyes were already returning to normal. Speech,

Walk | Talk | Think

She was making her rounds, gathering what little stock she could for her stores though already it seemed as if the cold reach of winter had beat her to it. The usual sprigs of green and color had gone dull and dry with the approaching season, leaving behind nothing of use save the fragile reminders of where the plant had grown. Damn. Her brows knit, frustration evident though it quickly dissipated with a rushed sigh. She should have begun gathering earlier than this. It was her own fault.

Hoping against hope that there might be at least a little something worth salvaging - maybe even a new plant that was suited for the cold? Or was that too wishful? - the grey-legged creature wound quietly through the maze of rocks and stone, silvery blue gaze cast at each of their bases, expectantly searching for that hint of useful green or promising color. Nothing so far, but the Garden was wide. Maybe she would have better luck elsewhere.

Following the curved path lined by stone, Callisto lifted her head as she rounded another bend, an attempt at getting her bearings again for which areas she had already scouted and where she ought to go next. She spotted instead the still, pensive, heartbroken Hajime, looking something like a brooding brown statue where he sat atop one of the boulders. She had only met him once, had labeled him one of the Ebon Knights and therefore not an acquaintance she needed to keep, but despite her typical indifference a little piece of her went out to him. She knew nothing of love or all that it entailed - it still seemed like nonsense to her - but she knew of loss. Was she not the last of her family?

Instinct urged her to tuck her head and choose another path that would bring her clear of him, so that he could keep the privacy he had created for a while longer, have his thoughts his own. But she hesitated. What was normal for a situation like this? Apologies? Consolation? A quiet, understanding presence? If she had been in his steps - that is, if she thought herself capable of feeling strongly enough to mourn and grieve and feel loss - then she was sure she would have wanted her solitude. It was always how she preferred it. But this wolf was not her, and honestly no one else was. Maybe he would welcome unanticipated company, even if only for a few seconds.

Quietly, tentatively, her gaze alternating between staring demurely at the ground and then assessingly upward into his face, Calli approached. Her steps were slow as they carried her mostly black frame over to the rock he sat on, but even by the time she stopped there next to him she was no closer to knowing what was proper to say. She was quiet for a time, staring at the side of the stone as she pondered, and then softly, perhaps even a little awkwardly, asked, "How are you feeling?"

Hajime wasn't expecting a stranger to just waltz up to him like she had. After spending time in Tortuga, he assumed the same as everything else, that no one would care. And he doubted she did care, but at least she had the pure audacity to ask how he was doing rather than leaving him on the side of the road just because their alpha was in trouble. His tail would flick, maybe even wag slightly, though his childish reigns had long since been removed. A small smile would form from his maw. It wasn't much of a smile, but it was his best effort at one after all. "Horrible maybe, but I'm healing." he said to her. She didn't need to worry, and she probably didn't judging by just the way she looked. Hajime was observant of nearly everyone he came across, to try and avoid being deceived as he had been with his brother and others before and after him. "Ebony never ceases to amaze me with it's members. May I ask your name?" Besides that, he had five healthy bundles of joy to take care of. And a hell of a lot of debt to pay to Raisa for nursing those kids. Hajime didn't know how he liked the thought of them thinking Raisa was their mother, but he guessed as long as they understood their birth mother was gone than it was alright. It avoided assumptions being pulled up within he and Raisa. Because he was certain Raisa had a love life of her own. Speech,

Walk | Talk | Think

He seemed a little surprised at her decision to come and speak to him, and for a second Callisto wondered if it would have been better for her to leave him be after all. Maybe he had been more like her than she thought, maybe he wanted his space. But even as she shifted her weight from one foreleg to the other a bit awkwardly he managed a slightly weak smile. Oh. Well, that was...encouraging? Did he appreciate her coming and speaking to him then? It seemed he did, answering her as she supposed would have been natural for what he had been through. He was healing. Feeling a bit better, the black and grey youth nodded her head understandingly. That was to be expected. And it was progress in her experience.

She realized quite suddenly she had nothing to say to him, nothing that she could think of that was normal or helpful or...proper. Feeling incredibly unprepared and more like she needed to leave before she said or did something that was unnecessary and potentially hurtful - the last thing she needed to do was upset this wolf more than he had already been upset - Callisto was glad when offered up another phrase, even though it confused her. What did he mean by that, his remark about Ebony's members? But he asked for her name - too much time had passed since their last meeting for her to remember whether she had offered him her name before - and so she answered readily, grateful not to have to think of something else to say. "Callisto," she stated, and added after a pause, "and you're Hajime." There was only the hint of a question in her voice, feeling sure that she had the male's name correct.