Just a little breather

The purple wolf sighs and turns toward Ricin and the boy suddenly realizes she may have wanted to be alone. Oops. When Chade had encouraged his lighter brother to meet others, he had neglected to mention that not all of the wolves would want to meet him. Still, as the pretty purple wolf eyes him, the light blue pup gives her a warm smile. Something in her gaze softens ever so slightly and Ricin tilts his head when she speaks, her cryptic response opening a lot of questions in the boy’s mind. Giving a simple dip of his head in understanding, the smile he wears grows when she offers her name and relation. Is there a slight hint of distaste that colors Desponia’s voice? That seems odd. Still, his smile grows even more as he says, “Hi Desponia! My name’s Ricin. I didn’t know that Manea has a sister. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Light tail wags gently as he speaks, his words genuine and joyful.

When she asks if he is family, the smile falters slightly and he shakes his head, saying, “No, um not by blood. My brother and I came to join Manea and her band because we lost… everything.” The smile vanishes as he thinks of the first six months of his life and the tragedy he and Chade had endured. But, she probably doesn’t want to hear about that. Instead, Ricin says, “Have you met my brother? He’s like me but darker.” Paw gestures at his chest, indicting his coat. Quickly, he adds, “His name is Chade and he is great fighter.” The smile is back, his chest even puffing out slightly in pride of everything Chade has accomplished. After a moment, Ricin tilts his head and says, “What did you mean by sort of? Do you not want to be here?” The worlds tumble out, the boy’s curiosity finally getting the better of him.



"Ricin Dauner"

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