The Fear of Falling Apart

Shaye said that she didn't know of anyone Sparrow may have been with. Ashmedai clicked his tongue by reaction, his eyes casting to the ground. Shaye assured him that many had come asking about her and it did comfort him a little. He couldn't help but feel like it should have been him checking in on her, however.

Sure he had his band and all. They didn't really need him here or there- they were pretty self sufficient after he roped them all into living around each other. But he should have been able to do more, shouldn't he have? His gang could have gone bear hunting, after all.

Ashmedai was having trouble controlling his emotions and the waves of anger that rolled over him. Shaye explained that she didn't trust the Abraxas. That was good, at least.

She invited him in the pack to mourn. Ashmedai's stomach rolled and twisted. He fought off the sudden urge to puke with a wrinkle-nosed smile.

"Nah. Hard pass," he said, sticking his tongue out between his canines. "My involvement with Abaven has always been for Sparrow's sake, anyway. Without-"

His voice cracked. Why was his voice cracking again?

"Without her here, I don't have any reason to be here either."

Actually, more than anything, he wanted to leave. To pretend he had a nice talk with Sparrow where she told him that he couldn't keep disappearing like he always did. She could tell him about this wonderfully boring and stoic man she had fallen in love with. Reveal she had some pups- and no, he couldn't pretend to be their uncle because he's a bad influence.

She could tell him to stop visiting. To let her live her life with her vanilla little family of earth colored wolves in a pack that never seemed to change.

That was a nicer alternative.

Ashmedai turned away from Shaye.

"Tell Rhyme I said hey," he said coolly, attempting to disconnect himself from the whole ordeal. "And... because you're Sparrow's cousin. Just call if you need something. I've been around. I'll probably still be around if you need me."