There was disappointment in the cream pelted dame's eyes as she heard Aideen's answer. The fox like girl wised she could have given a clearer response, but she had none. Ashanti spoke again, and moist, molten-copper eyes returned to her face, noting every small tremble of emotion; I still can't... She's back, but she's not. It was a bizarre statement, yet it was the truth; the healer of Secret Woodlands lay before her, but her friend was not there. The confused words falling from her maw confirmed as much, she remembered none of what had happened that day, when she went insane and ran off, and apparently only small parts of what was before.
The white wolf looked up, and Aideen met her eyes, kindness, care and pain all mixed together in her gaze. She listened as Ashanti tried to get her thoughts together, to understand what had happened, and a resolve build within the young wolfess; I will help you, I will tell you everything! And maybe, maybe one day her friend would truly return.
She stopped speaking, releasing a regretting sigh as she lay her head down. Aideen swallowed, sitting down and closing her eyes for a moment, collecting her own thoughts. When she looked back down at the other woman, her eyes were love and determined steel; I'll get you back! She parted her dark lips, and when she spoke her voice was as determined as her gaze; "Yes, you lost your mind. I don't know why or what exactly pushed you, but you were incoherent. You..." The reddish girl had to pause for a moment and swallow hard, the memories were still painful; "You refused your name, didn't recognize any of us..." She shook her head remorsefully, turning her eyes to the ground between their paws; "It was like you'd shut us all out, and then just... Become someone else." As much as she wanted to tell Ashanti everything about her episode, it was still hard to memorize; and even harder to put into words.
Another pause stretched silence between them. Aideen scratched at the ground, trying to figure out what else to say; I wish a knew more about the whole thing... But after their clash, she had tried to forget the episode. When it became clear that Ashanti wasn't coming back, she had done everything to forget her departure, only remembering their good times before. The slender lassie looked up from their paws, seeking to meet her friends eyes once more. If it hadn't been for the pale woman, Aideen would never have come to Secret Woodlands; she considered the older healer her best friend. And yet they had never spoken much about their pasts with each other; Maybe if I had learned more... But it was too late now, all she could do was tell what she did know; "I tried to stop you from running away, but you wouldn't... I think you thought I was trying to hurt you." She forced herself to keep looking at the other, to not shy away or close her eyes; "I know you went through many rough things in your past, before I knew you, but as far as I know, your life here, in Secret Woodlands, has only been good." She didn't know what else to say, so she stopped, looking kindly at the other, hoping she had been of some help.
Word count: 567
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