they can haunt me all they want

Asla had noted Ophie's flinch, but said nothing of it. The girl recovered and soon they were drinking from the stream together. After wetting her tongue, Asla lay on the soft grass of the bank. She kept her front paws in the water, enjoying the feeling of the liquid as the gentle current drifted between her toes. She waited for her sister to finish drinking as well and noted just how much the girl had needed some water. Asla felt bad for her. Truly.

Once Ophie began to speak and the pieces of the puzzle began to come together, Aslatiel understood Ophie's predicament a little better. She had been out running to try and take off some of the weight at the behest of one of the other siblings. That was good. Ophie was showing initiative. She was trying to better herself. Anyone who faulted the girl for that in Asla's presence would meet her teeth. What was that? Asla was feeling protective now? Go figure...

"It's good that you're trying to make yourself healthier," she began, eyes directed towards the water where she watched her toes flex below the surface. "You need to build stamina though. Can't expect to run for miles on your very first go, you know?" That was Asla's way of suggesting that Ophie be careful and cautious.

Another thought popped into Asla's mind as she looked towards her portly sister. The cream and grey woman opened and closed her mouth a few times before gritting her teeth for a moment. She needed to just say it. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. If I had been, maybe you wouldn't need to work so hard now." The fur at the back of Asla's neck bristled slightly. She didn't like admitting that she was at fault for anything, but pushing her siblings away was slowly becoming a real regret. "I was able to reconnect with Briar. Maybe you and I could do the same." If Ophie didn't loathe her, that was.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"