We face it together

He stopped a good distance from her, still afraid, his stuttering, uncertain tones rolling between them. She expected her anger now, and bit it down before it had any chance to rise up in her heart. He was here now, he was a part of Abaven, and he was safe. Whatever he had suffered, was behind him. She looked after her own.

“Yes, thank you for your time, Spider” she murmured gently as he sunk into himself. Did he seem… even more afraid of her now then he had at the beginning? She swallowed gently. Perhaps he had seen her anger, and mistook it for rage against him. “I’ve placed you as an apprentice healer in Abaven at this stage, with plenty of room to move up in the ranks if you attend meetings and prove your willingness to heal wolves. But I called you here to talk about more than just your rank.”

She sank slowly onto her hunches, the motion almost idle, as she attempted to make herself look less threatening. Not easy with a large wolf such as herself. “I want you to know that your safe here, in Abaven, and to consider me more than just your Alpha - but also as your friend. If… if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.” What happened to you?’ she wanted to ask him, blunt and outright. But she knew, she knew she would only scare him more terribly if she pushed him.