Peace Offering Round Two

He gave a noncommittal grunt at that, falling silent for a time. Listening to the sound of the pop and crackle of the firepit and the echo of her words in his ear. As the silence dragged out, she might believe he has deemed not to reply but after a time he stirred. His voice soft, with no hint of a growl. "That's the essence of its isn't it? Forced to keep going because to do any less would shame them. But yearning to break the ties that keep us from them. My Wife knew me well. She made me swear to be there for our children. I was not allowed to leave them. Not mentally, not physically, not by my soul, which craves to find her." He whispered. He had kept his promise, and it had hurt him bitterly many days since.

She had shared her heartbreak with him, and now he spoke of his own his voice growing softer, as if to place any more presence in it would break him. "She was suffering from something I will not speak of, but she knew her death was unavoidable. She believed in something. That there was a force out there, and so her dying wish was to give herself over to them. So that her sacrifice might mean something. That this higher power wohls honour her for it and protect our children. She did not forward me how she intended to brace that. She slit herself, more then once. Her life blood touched my paws, and she suffered before the light dimmed in her eyes."