After her previous encounter with Alastor, Relm had kept spiraling downwards emotionally. Outside she may not have seemed much different. It was easy to assume she'd keep her distance after everything that happened and she had kept to herself before hand anyway. Maybe it was nothing out of the norm. But she was severely wrecked inside. Emotions in general weren't very easy for her. So everything would just stay in a placeholder somewhere around her heart. Almost waiting to burst out.

She didn't know of Ikigai being pregnant, and therefor didn't know of the loss she had herself. How ironic. She had noticed a little bit more scarcity from her friend, or as much as a friend as Iki may have seen her. She believed Ikigai to be hers. But she didn't really label it as scarce on her part. Relm just believed it was time escaping her, or her own fault for insolating herself. So she wouldn't find anything amiss.

She found Iki's scent towards her den, Deimos wasn't here at the moment luckily. Relm didn't really dislike him but being anything more than civil with anyone would be a little odd for her. Unless they showed her the sense of kindness that Iki had given her, they were pushed into some far space in the back of her mind. She lifted her claws to make a quiet tap on the stone outside before taking careful steps in, "Iki?" She carried with her a pelt of a grizzly bear that she had intended to gift Iki from when she had brought her gifts in her recovery. The pelt faded into different browns and greys and had been washed well before she brought it here, not that her friend could see all of that right now. She would just wait until Ikigai would actually allow her in, or turn her away.

"Relm"

A day had passed since the accident on the mountain. A day since Ikigai had lost the children that she had been growing inside of her. Their children. Grief overwhelmed the injured fae and she hadn't been able to make herself leave the den. Deimos didn't know how to help her but had been supportive. No doubt he felt guilty that she'd been attacked and struck by the bear, but it hadn't been his fault. Even if it had... their children were gone. Nothing else mattered.

Sore and scraped up, Iki lay curled up on a mound of thick furs. Deimos spoiled her, making the bed so plush that the lithe woman sank down into it. The fire in the hearth was so low that there was naught but the red light of embers reflecting on nearby objects. No doubt Ikigai could barely be seen. That was fine with her.

A sound from the doorway brought the woman's head turning, pale eye directed towards the mouth of the cave. The light from behind illuminated the form of Relm and the woman's voice followed soon after. It took Ikigai a moment to find her voice and she had to clear her throat before she could manage. "Yes," she swallowed hard, "Come in, Relm. You can add some wood to the fire if you'd like light." Despite her condition, it was easy to fall back into hostess mode.

"Ikigai"

Relm wouldn't necessarily notice as Iki had felt a little off and cleared her throat, or if she did she didn't say anything. Maybe saying something is what Iki needed, to speak up, to feel better. Relm always wanted to keep her emotions inside, so she wouldn't even consider asking.

Relm did put some extra wood on the fire inside, but not because she wanted light. The warmth from the winter outside was nice and it made her more comfortable even while she liked Ikigai a large amount. Better than most at least.

As she grew closer, Relm placed the large, fluffy grizzly pelt between them. Washed, conditioned, it was softer than it would have been fresh off the bear. She took the effort to make it into a gift. The pelt rolled up and tied by a thin twine, Relm placed a paw on top for the gesture, "I just uh, wanted to give this to you." Iki may have been used to that awkward jitter and way Relm spoke usually. Alastor got the most out of her, it wasn't much the same for everyone else. "I just wanted to thank you... for all the things you had done for me."

"Relm"

With a little more light in the room, Iki blinked tired eyes, watching as Relm came close with a bundle in tow. The rolled fur was placed between them and the pink woman gave it a pat before telling Iki that it was a gift of thanks. The pale fae was touched by the gesture, reaching out to stroke the soft, brown fur with one paw. Her gaze remained locked on the fur and she tried to form words, but was waiting until the wave of emotion within her began to ebb.

It didn't ebb. Tears began to fall down alabaster cheek and Iki raised a paw to wipe them away. "Thank you," she spoke softly. "You didn't need to do this, but I appreciate it." Ikigai had done what any good wolf would do. She had helped someone in need. Yes, she'd gone a bit beyond the line of duty, but Iki genuinely liked Relm. She didn't have any friends here, and she saw potential in the pink fae. The woman was quiet, but kind.

The tears didn't stop. Iki hadn't told anyone about losing her children. Having someone suddenly stop in to show her an ounce of kindness had opened the floodgates. "I'm sorry," Ikigai sniffled and shook her head. "I just..." Again she wiped the tears from her cheeks. They showed no sign of slowing. "Relm, I lost my children." A sob pulled from her as she spoke the words aloud, her paw moving to cover her mouth as she did so, trying to hold back the sorrow.

"Ikigai"

Relm wasn't great at finding emotions just as well as she was at showing them. Reading the room wasn't her forte, so as Iki's eyes welded and tears dropped she wouldn't notice. Not until she was patting them away.

She wasn't quite sure how to react at first. She liked to be left alone in her darker times. Though she knew at heart that's not what she needed. Though it was more wanting the ones she cared about most being there for her. Kichi, Alastor. Iki would have been a good vent of emotion to get out at least. She just stood there silent for a moment, clearly noticing the change in her friend.

It took a few long seconds before what Ikigai told her really sunk into her head. It was then that she laid down, just a little closer to Iki than she had been standing. "Iki... I, I'm sorry." She paused, maybe at a loss of what to say. But that really wasn't it. Iki was really important to her even if she had a difficult time saying so. And she did want her to know that she was here for her just like she had been. "Is there anything you want me to do?" For her, because even in this shut down state she had found herself in, she would have done anything in her power for Iki.

"Relm"