Homeward Bound

His father... sounded disbelieving that he'd think anything but what he said. Never turn away from home? Well... he could, if Starling had hurt him enough. It was like his mother, right? There was a distinct possibility she'd not be welcomed again, and he understood that. Though he wasn't certain if she'd be welcomed or not again, after yet another disappearance. He'd have to ask that, eventually, though he wasn't certain he wanted to know the answer. He missed her, dearly, and just wished she'd come home... but he was afraid she'd abandoned them all.

His father began speaking again, and Starling listened quietly - until the end of the first sentence. Something - perhaps determination - flashed in his eyes, and he interrupted his father. "No." The word came strong and hard, with no stuttering or hesitation. "No, lo so." And he did know. He could think back, and see the pain on everyone's faces. Still, Bass' words came, and Starling resisted the urge to fold his ers back. He did not realize about Qualm - no. And the others... he felt almost something akin to anger - was his father blaming him  for Finch's absence? For Sparrow, and for Lark, and for Merlin and Sandpiper? No. None of that was his fault. He knew he had hurt many, but he was not responsible for every wolf in his family that did something.. he was not responsible for their family falling apart.

That's why he didn't want to come back. He didn't want his wrongdoings held over him. He didn't want to be blamed for things that were not his doing. It was foolish, he knew, for them to simply forget what has happened, for them to simply trust unconditionally again, but... nor would he want to be around, if his past failures were all that was brought up. Hopefully, that wouldn't happen.

Those worries and thoughts and even anger was immediately released when Bass took off the hard shell he'd been keeping up prior. The posture - it was one of defeat, not blame. Bass was just stating what was happening, not actually blaming him. That made him relieved, but also worried, and he studied his father quietly. "Sembri stanco." Not just tired, but exhausted. It was concerning.

Regardless, Bass started speaking again. He asked the question that Starling knew was incoming, aand the boy bowed his head. "Sì. Io ho," he answered softly, raising his head back up to meet his father's eyes. He more than realized what they had been telling him; he also realized what his actions have done.

"Speech"