accidental additions to the orphan club

Theory was hesitant to offer up that the best cure for the mysterious plague was sunlight and fresh air- both of which Raure had been decidedly lacking in, having been secreted away to an underground den and kept there during the daylight hours. A lump built in his throat, one that he couldn't fully swallow down. There you go again, making things worse for this poor kid. He could have been getting better if you would have dealt with this sooner. that snide voice at the back of his head pointed out oh so helpfully. His leader was quick to swerve back onto the right course, explaining that they wouldn't press for details right away, but ask a few questions just to get the basics. Theory was also keen to check up on the young boy, and ensure that he was healing alright. The pallid Destruction male bobbed his head mutely in agreement, still struggling to get words past the tightness in his throat. It was only once he was asked a direct question, one without a simple 'yes or no' answer, that he found himself able to utter a few words.

"Six months? Maybe a bit older? Definitely less than a year, and small like Psalm. Not like Azzurra though, he looks like he's meant to be small, not stunted-" and then he realized he was rambling. The words came out in a torrent that was fuelled mostly by panic, but partly by the simple fact that he hadn't talked to anyone in a while. Raure wasn't especially keen to chat with the giant who was fidgety and anxious whenever the concept of going outside was broached. Psalm wasn't around as much as he'd like. And his other siblings.. they were gone. The important things were gone, and he hadn't seen them since before the long night. They'd left like Allegro had.

The rapid, unexpected spiral into more dour thoughts was interrupted by his leader assuring him that she had time in her busy schedule to see this through. Asking to be brought to the boy. Without thinking, he jolted to his paws and blinked at his surroundings. It took a few moments for him to recalibrate, remember where he was, and abandon the fatalistic train of thought that had stolen most of his attention. Glancing over at the tall dame beside him, he offered a small dip of his head and a tip of his chin in the direction of his family's den. "This way." he murmured, and quickly set off at a steady trot. Making idle conversation felt... wrong somehow. Like he wasn't in good enough standing, or worthy enough, to try and ask Theory about the new rank system, or the changes in the weather. So he kept his head demurely low between his shoulders, ebon tipped tail loosely tucked against his rump, and kept moving. The ground beneath his feet slipped past so quickly, he almost couldn't believe it when he was standing just a few strides from the entrance to his den.

Glancing nervously to Theory, he couldn't help but wonder if this was all going to take a horrible turn. Maybe Raure would reveal to an authority figure that his parents were, in fact, alive. That he'd been lying, and Solo had brought war to their door. Too late now... Clearing his throat of the growing tightness, he took a few paces closer and called out into the mouth of the subterranean den. "Hey Raure? It's Solo, can you come out please? Someone here wants to see you," he announced in the least tense voice he possibly could, feigning ease in the interest of not terrifying the small boy any more than he probably already was.