that thieving bastard

Vanta's crystalline eyes widened, a flicker of shock and deep empathy passing through them as Lia recounted her harrowing past. The stories of her enslavement, the painful details of her abuse... it struck Vanta to the core. Her heart ached for the suffering Lia had endured, and her respect for the wolf before her grew the longer she spoke. It was one thing to hear of such atrocities, but quite another to see their impact in the eyes of someone who had lived them.

"Oh, Lia," Vanta whispered, her voice barely above the crackling of the fire. "I'm so sorry. No one should ever endure such pain, such... degradation." Her eyes, reflecting the flames, shimmered with unshed tears.

As Lia moved closer, her intentions clear, Vanta's shock deepened. The offer, so plainly stated, was unexpected. There was a very large misunderstanding here somewhere. "Lia, no." Vanta said firmly, her gaze one of profound concern. She withdrew her paw, not in rejection, but to emphasize her words. "That's not what I meant. Not at all. You don't owe me anything, especially not... that."

Vanta's head shook, the motion slow and sad. "You're safe here, with me. I want nothing from you but your company, and only if it's freely given." She reached out once more, this time to gently guide Lia's gliding paw back to her own side. "You're a survivor, a warrior in your own right. What you've been through... it's unimaginable. But here, now, you are free. Free to just be Lia. Not a possession, not a prize, but an individual; worthy of respect and kindness and..." She sighed.

The revelation had shifted something in Vanta, a new layer of determination and care wrapping around her like a cloak. "I vow to you, as a friend, that you'll never have to endure such darkness again. Not while I'm here." It was a fierce declaration, a promise.