The pack has been through a lot of losses, and the negativeness was almost tactile, she could feel it in her gut, in her heart. And even though she did her best to keep her spirit and those from her family up, as time passed she could feel those emotions starting to affect her as well. But not wishing to throw salt into her family's wounds she pretended to be fine, she faked smiles when she was about to break inside. She took care of the greenhouse, she brought small creatures she had hunted as presents for everyone. But she was dying inside, not physically but that optimistic nature she always carried was at risk of shattering to shreds. Today as the sun started to go down, she was on the greenhouse a place that as days passed seemed to be her second home. She was found there every day and for the majority of the day. She was watering the plants when a tear, a tiny yet heavy tear slipped down her right cheek. Quickly she brushed it away with her paw but as soon as she did, more and more dared to escape her pale blue eyes. She was tired, her body and mind felt tired even if she hasn't done any exercise nor like if she had run a marathon. But still, she felt like if her chest weighed, her ears pinned as she looked aimlessly to the plants under her care. "speak"

He felt like he was constantly scrambling to meet all of his obligations and yet somehow he felt like some things still fell through the cracks. He never wanted his children to be the thing that fell to the way side, but even he had to admit that with everything that had been going on he hadn't gotten to spend the time he wanted to with all of them. The trip to the other packs, the Ashen festival, Aranea's death and the death of their pups, finding Serenity, trying to navigate the relationship he wanted with Eska, all on top of just trying to keep the pack going... It was more than one man could handle, but he couldn't let any of it fall on anyone else.

As he was making his way though the castle grounds on his way back from a patrol, he spotted his daughter in the greenhouse, watering the plants that were growing inside. He hadn't gotten the chance to speak with Jane in a while besides the brief interactions during their days so that drew him to her, a soft smile on his lips as he watched her work through the panes of glass. However, as he got closer, he caught a glimpse of her wiping away a tear and his smile disappeared. Jane was always the ray of sunshine among his children so he knew that if she was this upset then something was truly wrong.

He slipped into the greenhouse, careful to step over the plants as he made his way over to her, worry creasing his brow when he saw the tears gathered in her blue gaze. "Jane? What's wrong?" he asked as he took the watering can from her and sat it off to the side so that he could wrap his forelegs around her and pull her into an embrace. Jane was the tallest of his daughters, but she was still noticeably smaller than he was so it was easy to completely wrap her up against him. He looked down at her with concern, his ears flicking back against his head.

Ulric Adravendi

Jane had a hard time calming herself down, withhold herself together, but he felt heavier and heavier as if something aimed to compress her into a deadly hold. And deep inside she hoped no one would come in and find her on such stage, the last thing she wanted was to worry someone and cause more trouble to the pack. But as she held the can in her jaws, she heard steps approaching, and soon she felt a presence in the room. A knot formed in her throat as the time for once stopped for her, feeling a dread sensation in her insides. 'Ignore me, please ignore me..' She begged in her mind, but as she felt the wolf approaching he didn't know what to do. And for her deepest pain, she soon noticed who it was. The wolf that from anyone else she didn't wish to bother, to worry. She was aware of how much her father has been going through, how much pain she could always sense in him. And now as the wood can left her lips and his big form embraced her, she felt how her body went rigid. She felt as if time around them had stopped, feeling heavy in her soul. Ears pinned as she felt her father's concerned gaze over her. Looking up she didn't have the strength to talk at all. "Dad...I. I am okay! Is fine!" She said once again trying to force in a smile, but soon it faded even against her will. "Is okay daddy, I am okay for you. Don't worry, please is fine...everything is alright..." And there is when she finally broke, when she allowed her face to bury on her father's chest. "I am so sorry...I didn't want to worry you...you had been through a lot for me giving you even more burden.." "speak"

Ulric's heart broke as he watched Jane struggle to maintain a smile as she tried to keep it together as he embraced her, but within just moments she crumbled and pressed into him, saying over and over how everything was fine and everything was alright, apologizing for worrying him. "My sweet girl..." he said softly as he squeezed her tighter, dipping his head to nuzzle her. "You're never a burden. And you never need to apologize... It's okay to feel whatever you're feeling, that doesn't make you a burden." He kissed the top of her head, keeping her held tight to his chest as he hugged her. "It doesn't matter what I'm doing or what I'm going through... You and your siblings are the most important thing to me. You always will be."

He shifted to hold her a little more comfortably, gently scratching between her shoulders to comfort her as he gave her a gentle smile. Sometimes he hated that he had the responsibility of the pack to think of. He hated that his attention was torn in so many directions. If he did nothing else but be their father for the rest of his days he could die happy, but this responsibility had fallen on him far more quickly than he had anticipated and now he just tried to do his best to balance it all. Keeping Eska in his life was helping him balance now that he had someone else he felt like he could rely on, but it was still difficult and it felt like his children were getting the short end of the deal at times. "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind, my little cloud? Tell me what's bothering you."

Ulric Adravendi