Round 2.

Oath didn’t flinch at the sharpness in the pup’s tone. He had heard words like those before- spoken by others, and perhaps, by himself once. His cyan eyes remained calm, reflecting a patience that only experience could bring.

“Proving yourself, huh?” he murmured, tilting his head slightly as he watched Xairo pace. “And what happens when you do? When you win?”

He let the question hang in the air for a moment, his voice low and even, as if he were speaking to the restless wind. "Are you sure winning is what you truly need to prove your strength?"

Oath stood and stepped a bit closer, though still keeping enough distance to give the pup space to breathe. “I’ve been where you are, you know. Trying to claw my way out of my own doubts. Thinking that if I could just beat one more wolf, I’d finally feel strong. But it doesn’t always work that way.”

He sat back down, his red horns gleaming faintly as he added, “Strength isn’t just in your muscles or how many fights you win. It’s in how you handle what’s inside- like the fire I can see burning within you right now. That fire can consume you, or.. with mindfulness, it can light your way.”

Oath’s tone softened, not pushing, but inviting. “I’ll still listen if you change your mind. Talking doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wise enough to know when you can use a little help.”