This can't go on

speech

Frostbite responded to his question and Torin nodded quietly; listening for a hint of the strain he was sure was plaguing the older man, though he respected Frost's strength. The man was holding face and Torin had to respect that too; if he had been in the man's place he couldn't say he wouldn't do the same.

Finally Frostbite turned the question on him and Torin sighed, moving his gaze to sweep over the horizon as he thought of how to put speech to the many many thoughts he had swirling in his mind. "I've been thinking a lot lately." He rumbled, holding his gaze out towards the packlands. "Most of it about Rory..." He trailed off, not sure how to articulate what he was hoping to get out of this.

Torin took a few deep breaths and when he spoke again there was an unusual vulnerability to it. "He's been gone... a while now." Torin sighed and finally swung his gaze back towards Frostbite; wanting to meet the man's eyes. "I've been thinking it might be time to try and fill his absence... at least for the pack."

He wanted nothing more than to know he was making the right step; he wanted his mother there to help guide him... that had been his desire the whole time; to work and learn under her until she felt ready to pass on her legacy to him. And now? Well there was little enough legacy to inherit from her to begin with... He wasn't her heir; he had only gotten this far by trying to eek out what little space he felt he could fit in. Now here he was again, following after his brother and trying desperately to fit in the hole he'd left behind. But he wasn't Rory... he never had been; and all he wanted now was to know that was okay, that he was still worthy. But the one wolf he wanted to hear that from... well she'd been gone even longer than his brother.