Show me how to be whole again

With the steady flicker of fireflies dancing through the air ahead of her and the soft lapping of the lake along the shore Darika had nearly managed to lull herself into something that resembled sleep. However, the shift and crunch of pebbles under paw quickly snapped her back to consciousness and she lifted her head to turn and look toward the noise. As much as she liked to believe she was safe within the pack's borders, the murder of her parents had put that in question so hearing an unexpected visitor had her paw shifting to the hilt of her blade. Her unique eyes landed on Daemon's familiar figure and she immediately relaxed once more with a soft huff of an unamused response to his half-hearted teasing. "Princess? There's no princess here," she muttered with a flick of her tapered ears, her attention shifting back to the lake in front of her. Under normal circumstances he could easily get a rise out of her with his comments, but in the same way his heart wasn't really in his usual bullying she didn't have it in her to combat his remarks.

For most of their childhood their relationship had been a combination of mutual irritation and teasing so she couldn't exactly say she was thrilled to see him approaching at first. There was the crushing grief of losing her parents, of course, but there was also a shame and a disappointment in herself that she didn't feel prepared yet to take her father's place so suddenly. She had let her family down and the last thing she needed was Daemon digging at that wound. Instead, he offered her company and the little teasing he greeted her with was light poking at best. At his offer of company she glanced up at him again with a slightly skeptical look. They had both grown and matured quite a bit in the last season or two. He wasn't the rowdy pup pushing her into the mud any more and she wasn't the headstrong girl trying to get revenge where it didn't need to be taken just because her pride was bruised. Not only that, but he had physically filled out and toned in much the same way she had become more slender and curved. They weren't pups any more, that was for certain.

After a moment of consideration she sighed softly and nodded. Even she couldn't deny that being alone only made things feel that much more immense and heavy. She naturally wanted to withdraw away from everything to avoid things that would remind her of what she lost, but Daemon's presence was a reminder of how much the loneliness made her grief echo back at her like a scream in a cave. "Company would be nice," she agreed as she motioned to the cushions that were laid out beside her. Her silken tail curled around her hip as she settled into the pillows once more, waiting for him to get settled before she added, "What has you out at this hour anyway?"

"Darika Kintsugi Mendacium"