Can a frayed rope be mended?

It wasn't all that often that Manea found something that she was so utterly at a loss with or unconfident in addressing, but the conflict between Irilyth and Alastor truly was one of these situations. Between Alastor's stubbornness and unpredictability and Irilyth's fragile confidence and stalwart defense of her own actions it left Manea caught between them and feeling as if she had failed in supporting either of them. Part of her knew that she shouldn't be surprised that her torn loyalty to the both of them had landed her in this position, but given the fact that they had all lived together for so long in relative peace it did feel a bit like she had been blind sided by it. Logically she knew that this wasn't her fault, that this all stemmed from Relm and Alastor and that this was simply Alastor's violent behavior and reaction to things at work, but she couldn't help but feel as if she had failed Irilyth in this and the guilt kept her on edge.

It had been several days since she had helped Irilyth wash off in the lake and her lover had moved out of the family den to retreat for a while to let things simmer down. As expected, her anger at Alastor had gotten her no where and she only felt more lost on how to handle it. She didn't want to push him on the subject when she was at the same time trying to support him as he grieved the pups that had never been and the loss of the relationship he used to have with Relm, but then where did that leave her and Irilyth? In the end she decided the only one that could tell her how she wanted it to be handled was Irilyth herself. As the day crept toward evening, Manea gathered up a few things and then began to make her way down the mountain path to where Irilyth had been staying. She approached the den with a bit of hesitation, peeking in until her aqua gaze finally landed on Irilyth. She stepped inside, just past the entry way, before she stopped again and sat down the bundle she had been carrying in front of her. "How're you feeling?" she questioned gently, waiting to see Irilyth's reaction before she moved any further into the space.

"Manea" & "Irilyth"