Time for a New Day

She was so afraid of turning to look at the male face to face. She hadn't yet come to terms with the deformity that the fire had caused her, but as she pressed herself to the ground and shut her eyes, she felt contact from the other. It made her flinch and shudder with the unexpected contact, but she didn't pull away. "No, you aren't." She kept her eyes closed for a long moment as he spoke, only opening a bit when he paused. She listened to every word he said, and as much as she wanted to believe him, her insecurities now seemed to weigh her down like a heavy blanket that she couldn't shake off. She didn't even want to take the bandages off when it was fully healed...which...by now, it likely was. She had already seen for herself what her face looked like now, and the sight of it had scared her so much that she was afraid others would treat her like a monster. See her like one. Avoid her like she was some diseased creature. She hadn't interacted with anyone in Abaven since she joined with the exception of her brothers, and asides from the boy in her company now, she felt like they would further go out of their way to avoid her.

He touched her again, and once more she flinched but...not as much as she had before. Swallowing, she stared at her forepaws...not yet ready to look at him. "Y-you really...believe that?" She asked softly. She wasn't bashing his belief in any way. She was just doubtful that others would see it the way he did. Of course, nobody had proven that she'd be called a monster and everything else in her head...but..."I...I deserve this...and if they call me a monster...I deserve it..." She whispered. She turned a little to look at him, eyes heavy with sadness. "I did a terrible thing..."