How is it possible to have a combination of pride, joy, and... shame? Although, perhaps shame was the wrong word. Embarrassment, that was definitely more accurate. IT was hard to imagine, but Lillie was all of those, all while stuffed full of deer. Still... she did not realize how her words came across. Did he notice? Did he not notice? Did he care? Not care? She should be focused on her joy, but she was fearful, quite fearful.

Nothing could be done of it now, though. Whether he knew or not, it did not matter, for it would not be reciprocated, that much she knew. She knew both appearance and personality had something to do attraction, but she was... scarred. She was... more immature. She was really a disgrace; how would one love her? She knew others cared for her, but they did not see the broken side of her that Starling had glimpsed. If they did glimpse that side, would they run? It was her fear that they would. Starling hadn't yet, but...

Even still, there was a glimmer of hope, not that he would reciprocate her growing feelings, but that he would not turn away. He defended her at the hunt to the rude man - who was put in his proper place by Bass - but did that truly mean anything? He did get in trouble with his father for it.

A sigh left her, and her lowered to rest on her paws. Green eyes closed, and she just laid there, quietly, silently.

"Speech" "Language"

Starling was...something. He didn't quite know what, and that was entirely the problem. It wasn't like him to speak up, in any sort of formal group setting, and it certainly wasn't like him to be so insulting. Was this his clue that he was maturing? Was he really a spiteful wolf? No, that didn't make sense. But in that moment....in that moment he had felt nothing but bravery and odd sort of anger. How dare that man insult Lillianna! How dare he make a connection between skill level and appearance! He was...protective of her, that was a good word. He knew how sensitive some wolves could be, infact Starling was one of them. He often had doubts about himself and if anyone made any comment that sounded anything remotely like his thoughts...well, that often sent him spirralling even more into self doubt. But luckily for him, Starling seemed to be surrounded by so much support and love and knowledge. But there was something about Lillianna that really reminded him of Finch, which meant that there was only one way to deal with what he thought might be happening. Flowers. Yes...Flowers were the key and solution to everything. He trotted along Abaven territory, a certain delicate off-pink flower gently but securely held between his jaws, his bright sky blue eyes searching for a certain girl that, while annoying sometimes, seemed to have become something like a friend to him. A good friend, at least. He was happy to have her around, to have someone to teach, and someone that wanted to learn and wouldn't get bored when he gushed about flowers or went herb hunting. He had needed a friend like that. So he trotted towards her den, a small smile upon his lips as he walked up to it, seeing her laying there. He would drop the flower (delicately) at his paws then, a tender grin on his lips. "How'd I k-know I'd find you h-here?" He said with a small laugh before carefully laying down as well, nudging the flower gently towards her. "I-I w-wanted to s-say sorry. If I sp-spoke out of t-turn at the hunt..." He said softly, embarrasment coloring his tones. "Talk""Italian"

Her mind, despite her want for it to be clear, returned to the hunt. It was so unlike the other yearling; why had it been done? Her own fury had threatened to drown out her reasoning, but that... was normal. It had taken an extreme amount of self-control to stop herself from responding. But then.. Starling did respond? It was bewildering, especially to the red female. Starling was normally so kind and sweet; he still was, the red man just tried his temper... and managed to break it with a few words. It actually made her wonder if Starling was okay, she knew he was sensitive; did his outburst have a negative affect on him? She really didn't know.

Thoughts faded as she sighed again, shifting completely on her side. She was left with conflicting emotions, and she wasn't quite sure how to deal with them, either. It was a depressive situation, and it weighed on Lillie as if bricks on her fur. What to do, what to say? What to think?

A scent would drift towards her, one she knew well... she would not move, however, as the healer approached, though her flicking ears was a clear sign she knew he was there. It wasn't until he spoke, her own small smile on her lips, that she pushed herself back to her belly. He'd lay down, and that was when her attention was drawn to the singular flower between his paws, that was now in between them. Amusement, soft an delicate, rolled through her - but also appreciation, and that much was shown quite clearly through her eyes. A soft smile touched her lips, and she'd murmur, "Thank you." She wasn't quite like Finch - it would not turn the day around for her, but it was a nice gesture, and she appreciated it for what it meant wholeheartedly. She'd strain her head forward to grasp it gently in her jaws, before dropping it  at the edge of her own paws; it was not quite completely in her area; it was still in the middle, though a lot more towards her than him.

She'd stretch her paws out far, her toes and claws just barely brushing his. Her eyes would widen at his words, and she was already shaking her head by the time he finished. "No no no," she responded immediately, voicing exactly what those head movements would mean - not that he'd think otherwise. "Don't apologize, you didn't. I thank you," she chastised. "You weren't out of place at all. And I really appreciate what you did." Her tone would soften on these words, eyes glittering and that sad-ish smile returning. He couldn't think that he was in the wrong; he wasn't! Not at all! Not for her, anyways.

"Speech" "Language"

An easy smile would spread across his lips, his bright blue eyes shining gently in her direction as he settled on his belly. She would reach for the flower, and he’s just smile softly before slowly laying his head between his paws, glancing off behind her and not noticing her awkwardness. His ears were pulled back just slightly as he thought of the hunt, a gentle sigh slipping from his nose. Something was wrong, she wasn’t necessarily as…normal as she normally was, was she? He was so in-depth in his thoughts that she was affected by the man’s words that he didn’t even begin to think that perhaps she might be thinking the same thing but for him.

But was he?

Well, now that he was thinking about it, it was a strange thing for him. Sparrow had called him on his insult, and the more he thought about it, the more the young Destruction realized he had begun to be quite…spiteful, wasn’t it? No, that wasn’t entirely the right word…he loved everyone, and his amount of respect for everyone was always so high. It was more that…his skin seemed to be getting thicker. He wasn’t so panicky, wasn’t so awkward.

Now, that…was weird.

With another sigh he’d lift his eyes to her, smiling gently as she spoke and he was grateful for her words. He couldn’t help but smile as he felt her paws touch his, and with a laugh he’d push his against hers, lifting his head. ”Th-thank you…” He said softly, smiling up at her before suddenly he grew serious, his eyes getting that light, his lips falling just slightly. ”If anyone insults or says anything about y-your scars again, just ignore them. You aren't your scars." He said softly before a small grin touched his lips and he's shift forward, pushing on his hind legs to push the flower even closer to her.

It wasn't until her chastising of Starling did she realize another thing about what happened: Starling, when confronting Zell, had not stuttered. Once. She was so used to it, it was so normal... she didn't even think of it, usually. She had wondered about it at first, but never approached the topic; it just didn't seem right to bring it up. Now, though.. it was... it was almost gone, wasn't it? It was... odd. But, she could not stop the grin that formed on her face at the thought, nor the twinkling in her eyes. It must have had something to do with his reservations, the stuttering, perhaps nervousness around people? He was certainly losing that. She was okay with it, too.

Her eyes would snap to the brown boy, and she'd laugh softly as he pressed against her paws. She'd return the pressure, grinning at him joyfully, tail thumping in the grass and dirt behind her. The laughter would fade as his eyes found hers, but his words would make her laugh again, oh so lightly. "Thank me? Silly..." she'd trail off, but her smile would remain. It'd remain even as his eyes met hers, but when his expression sobered, hers would fall just a little. Her ears would move forward instictively; she knew he was about to speak, and she was not wrong. She'd nod to his words. "I know, and I won't," she murmured. "But my scars are my mistakes, and those I cannot forget. If I forget those, then I might make them again, or someone I care about will make them." Her voice was steady as she spoke, eyes completely focused on him. "If someone insults me... I'll just remind them we all make mistakes. Because we do." Another smile, a small one, determined, sincere.

She'd smile as he pushed the flower closer, and she'd scoot forward herself so it was not far from her chest. It'd not remain there for long as she stood, grasping it carefully in her jaws - she'd place it in the entrance of her den then step back out; she'd then step out and go next to Starling; she slid down beside him, far enough away it wasn't snuggling but close enough their fur touched, if barely. Since the cuddling done with Shaye, she had craved nothing more than cuddling, and it just appealed to her in a way it hadn't before. Shaye, Starling. she wished she could cuddle with both of them. Blinking, she shook herself mentally off of those thoughts. Cuddling had nothing to do with what she wanted to say. Absolutely nothing at all. But... cuddling, so it automatically popped in her mind.

She touched Starling's ear with her nose. "Don't let it affect you, either. And don't think you were mean there, you weren't," she'd murmur, before drawing her head backk. She kinda wanted to mention the lack of stuttering; she kinda didn't. What if he took it the wrong way? She took a deep breath, before just getting on with it; she oh so hoped she wouldn't mess up. "You didn't stutter, when you spoke to the red guy," she whispered, voice barely audible and for his ears only. Her ears flicked back as she spoke; she did feel odd saying so, when it had never been mentioned before.



"Speech" "Language"