It had actually been a bit of time since Alfred last spoke to Heather. He saw her at the meeting, sure, but the young male felt badly about their last conversation and didn’t want to trigger her or anything. Was what he said out of line? Alfie didn’t know. He let out a soft sigh, feeling a stroke of laziness hit him today. He just wanted to lay in his den and sleep. A yawn escaped the young brute as he shifted around on the floor of his den. He hadn’t slept well for the past night or so. His anxiety felt a bit higher… Perhaps it was because he hadn’t been interacting with the rest of his family like he should? Alfred closed his blue eyes again, curling his tail around his body. Perhaps after a small nap he’d feel a bit better.

"Speech"

It was Lionel who had kept her here in all honesty. Heather was all the more ready to leave Fiori at the time, however seeing her father and determined to make her worth probably had changed that. She wanted to do Fiori good, that being said she wanted to be the one at the forefront and she was in competition with her brother Lionel. It made her happy, put adrenaline in her veins to know that she was going to be working towards something. She was going to learn how to fight, and she would make sure she could grab hold of the dreams she held dear. Though the grayish female stopped when her blue eyes fell upon one of her brothers.... one she had been trying to avoid for some time. If that wasn't obvious enough when she avoided eye contact, most of the time shying away from him and not saying a word.

To be honest she blamed herself. What reason did she have to treat him like that? Then again, she didn't know how she felt. Her eyebrows furrowed, it was returning again. That anxiety and feeling she didn't understand so well. Heather for a moment, debated swinging her paws around and leaving once more. However as she went to do so, she stopped herself and took in a deep breath. Maybe she could demand him to explain what was happening to her? Maybe he knew why and it was his fault. She could never tell her daddy what was happening with her. She was always happy, there was nothing ever wrong with her. Heather didn't understand.

She turned around and smiled walking over to Alfred, she sat by his side. "Napping in the middle of the day?" she asked. Unable to actually confront him outright about the things he had said. What he had triggered. Why? Why had momma left them, why had she not said a word. Was there something wrong with them. Heather didn't want to lose Lionel, so if it meant interacting with Alfred that was probably something she would do.

It was Heather who stirred him from his light sleep. With a frown Alfred uncoiled, looking upon his sister with a bit of a sad look before looking away. “I’m not feeling that well today...” Alfie confessed before letting out a sigh. That anxiety was rising within him, nervousness eating away at his very being as he looked back to his littermate. His ears lowered... He had noticed that Heather hadn’t been around him since the last time they spoke, and he shifted uneasily, focusing his gaze on his sister. “You’re mad at me... Aren’t you...?” He asked, his voice a quiet whimper. He didn’t want any of his siblings to be mad at him but... Had it been because he’d disappeared for so long? Went looking for their mother? The young male lowered his head, not wanting to look his sister in the eyes in case she started to yell at him or something.

So Alfie was feeling sick, Heather found herself again filled with emotions she didn't understand. Defaulting herself to be neutral as she watched him. Did he really do this to her? Was it his fault? No, it wasn't Alfred's fault their mom had left. Who knows maybe all of them just weren't good enough for her. Sadness overwhelmed her heart and she swallowed her words unable to cough them up as Alfred asked if she was mad at him. Her fur stood on end then. She wanted to tell someone, so desperately but herself was tongue tied. Too tongue tied to give out her confusion with her own body and how uncomfortable she felt. "No." Heather responded simply, she smiled and it just sank in. She was going to be like this forever so that no one would leave. She would keep her family here and she would take Fiori under her wing, run it like dad would. "Alfie if you need someone to talk to I'm here." that was the right thing to say right? If he needed her she'd be here for him. Though she didn't know if he could do the same and instantly that terrified her a bit. However she tried to grasp her thoughts and keep it simple. "Talk" "You" Think

The young man felt a little better when Heather said she wasn't mad at him. His ears lifted some though a whine still hung within his throat. "I'm glad..." He shifted a bit closer to Heather then. "I'm sorry... I've been feeling a bit weird since I went looking for mom. Especially in groups... I can feel my heart racing more than usual." He shook his head. "I... got that feeling again... thinking you, Lionel or Roza might be mad at me. I hate this feeling, Heather..." He lifted his gaze to her own. They had to stick together. They just had to.

"You... you can talk to me too, okay? I'm not going to let this fear overwhelm me anymore... not with you guys. We have to stick together." Alfie managed a small smile. Could this be the first step to repairing the rift that had formed between Heather and himself? What about Lionel and Roza? Maybe... maybe they should all have their own private meeting? Maybe if they did that then he could shake this negative feeling for good! He sniffed slightly. "...and... no matter what I'm going to support you, okay? I don't know what you, Lionel, or Roza wanna do but... I want to be here to help everyone in our family... like a big guardian or something."

Was it something she did that made Alfie upset. She certainly hoped not, maybe she had a habit of fucking things up. However she kept a smile on her face as her tail tilted to one side and Alfie started to talk. "So anxiety?" she knew what that was at least. Even in her short time of life it was something she felt often. That with her fluctuating mood swings made it so hard to concentrate on herself. Who she was anyway? Heather was a name, but she had no clue who she was as a whole. Oh she could talk to him could she? Could she really? He wasn't going to freak out and leave was he? These thoughts swarmed her head in an instant but she kept her cool on the outside. Trying to let it leave as he said something about all of them. Oh great then! "I already told daddy and Lionel. I want to be the princess. I'm not going to let anyone stand in my way but I want everyone to support me as well." Lionel had been the whole reason she stayed. Otherwise she would have left to fill some empty hole in her she knew would never be filled. "Talk" "You" Think

Anxiety? Alfie wasn't familiar with the word. He breathed in slowly, brow furrowed as he answered his sister. "I don't know... if that's what it is then I guess?" He felt slightly better having a name for it... the thing that plagued him. Alfred tilted his head to the side as Heather spoke again. She wanted to be the princess? It was something Alfie hadn't considered for himself. He didn't view himself capable of that thanks to his anxiety. He could never hold a meeting like his father could.

"I wouldn't mind if you were the princess." The boy smiled a bit more warmly. "I'd support you Heather. I... I'm not really good with others in groups but I'll do what I can." The boy promised. He shifted, giving a warm smile. "We'll all support you I'm sure of it! Did you already talk to Lionel and Roza? What did they say about it?"