The Lion & The Mouse

"How'd you get all those scars?"

The young voice brought his ears forward and his single eye to open upon a pup, a girl of vibrant pink and white who looked about as clueless as they came. She craned her neck at him, and Mikko peered down at her from where he stood, still partially paralyzed by the soothing warmth of the mist intertwining with his fur. How long had it been since he'd last spoken to a child? Even he and Acciona had exchanged few words until she was older, which left...well, his own children from before, who by now were likely long gone.

An invisible struggle took place in his head as he fought against the part of him that told him he didn't deserve the opportunity. Ultimately, he was able to convince himself that it would be worse to walk away from an inquiring pup. He ended up flicking his ear, gaze narrowing and chin tipping ever so slightly upward in thought and skepticism. "Too much time spent with the wrong wolves," he huffed. There was a gruffness to his voice, but there was patience there as well as he decided to feel out this encounter. That probably wasn't the answer you were looking for, was it? He anticipated that being the case, easing into a sit in case he needed to get comfortable--and to alert any potential nearby parents to his innocence.

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