More recently Relm had been less present in any social setting. Maybe not odd for her, but she had at least seen Kichi often in passing during patrol changes or just in everyday travels before all of this happened. Nearly two seasons ago she moved out to Firefly lake, spent a lot of time with Alastor specifically out there, and then moved back onto the island with the second loss of her pups. All things Kichi may not have known. Relm at least didn't flaunt these things. She wasn't exactly proud of the relationship her and Alastor had as much as she loved him. Again, maybe under terms Kichi would never know.

Every day that passed she was becoming more separated from herself. Moving through the motions, but aching deep inside her where everything had been destroyed. She blamed herself. Easy.

She made the effort to find Kichi, he was running a patrol around The Rock Garden. Simple enough to join him even though she wasn't in for work. She wouldn't say anything as she approached him, finding honestly a tense step beside him. Maybe being here beside him really opened up her own mind to how she was feeling. She felt like she stopped breathing. She could feel the tension all the way down into her soul, clenching her jaw in the process. And what she wouldn't notice was a tear or two that seemed to fall down her face as she walked beside her friend without looking at him. Maybe not so oblivious to herself.

"Relm"
F2U base by AshKatu

Kichi would never be labeled the most sensitive fellow or an empathetic fellow.  Relm coming up was unexpected but with a glance at her he continued on patrol.  The silver wolf was comfortable around her in a way he was around very few others.  Neither he nor Relm had ever been one much for words so something as trivial as a ‘hello’ didn’t need to be bothered with.  There was more companionship in the quiet presence than blabbing of nothing.

Kichi wasn’t completely blind or ignorant of his senses.  His step slowed after a few moments to look at Relm.  Her body was tense and there was a scent of a pain that didn’t come from a physical injury about her.  Kichi knew pain, and he knew Relm knew it but from where did her pain come now?  Things had been peaceful in the pack, safe, and in his day-to-day everything seemed peaceful.  What had she been up to?

“Relm? What’s wrong?” A mixture of concern and confusion spoke softly in his voice. He remembered another time she had been upset and what her answer had been.  Physical pain to stop her from feeling nothing.  This time she appeared to feel something so a bloody battle might not be what she hoped for this time.  Well, she’d tell him if she wanted, and if he could help then he would.

"Kichi"

It was like she couldn't help but acknowledge the emotional state she was in when Kichi pointed it out. As much as she wanted to, and she could in the past just let it slip by, regain herself and act like everything was fine, she couldn't. Kichi may have known her as a strong girl, a strong wolf. In this moment she was completely broken into pieces.

She stood still from the patrol he was on thinking that maybe she should have waited for a better time to approach him. But how much time would be left? That must have been why she was so impulsive to find him at this hour. She took a deeper breath while looking away from him, trying to calm herself to some extent. Her paw wiped over one of her cheeks before she would look back at him standing there. "Thank you for being my friend Kichi. I know I haven't been the best... but thank you for being there for me." And it was true. Relm and Kichi were the same in many ways. And being there for a fight for each other was one of those things they had in common. They understood each other on some level. There were not even few wolves Relm could say that about. Without thinking much more Relm rose up her front paws to hug around Kichi, maybe so unlike her and maybe for him as well. But she wasn't quite herself clearly.

She still didn't waiver at the core of her emotional outbreak, most of her didn't want to talk about it or let him know. Really Kichi may have been completely in the dark about it all. But she supposed he still accepted her for who she was.

"Relm"
F2U base by AshKatu

This was Relm in front of him.  His eyes, nose, and ears all agreed that was Relm but her demeanor was nothing like her.  Kichi’s nose scented the air as if expecting to find some mysterious scent that could explain what would cause such a change in her.  What had happened?  She wasn’t saying which meant she didn’t want to say.  Kichi generally didn’t give a damn about what was going on with others but for this rare instance, he wanted to know.

Before he responded to her words Kichi was surprised to find himself being hugged!  It was enough to make him imagine the notion some spirit had invaded her body.  Why not?  Talking statues and haunting voices were things so why not that?  Still, it wasn’t.  As much as it didn’t seem like Relm it was her just in a strange state of mind.

The silver wolf bopped his nose against the bottom of Relm’s jaw gently.  She knew she was coming to the worst wolf in the world to be reassured, right?  He’d try but it's not like he had much practice at it. “It’s fine Relm.  Look, the list of those I care for includes you, Al, and Torch so you’re just the right sort of friend for me.” He could have added that he didn’t care for the clingy emotional sort but this was the wrong time to mention that.  This was a special rare moment so he’d try to be there for whatever.

“I’m not one to butt into others' affairs but, Relm what's wrong?  Is there something I can help with?” If Relm was this upset accepting a hug was not going to be enough to make it alright.  Just tell him someone to go kill and that would be a solution he could fix.  Relm was no weakling though so if that had been the problem she could have handled things.  “Torch likes you also.”  Probably wasn’t worth much but it was true.

"Kichi"