Round Stone Crest There was a time when men were kind

In a perfect world. Gent's gaze faltered for a split second as he the fact came to the forefront of his mind that he was an active agent in ensuring that her world was far from ideal. As intransigent as his goals were, there was still guilt present within him, poisoning his chest as he looked back up to witness the changes moving across her features as she continued to speak. If only he could make it all work, keep them both happy. It seemed they were just too different to make that possible.

Then suddenly she moved, turning to face him once more and confessing words he did not quite expect. His ears leaned back to seal against his skull and make his surprise clear. It wasn't just the sentiment alone; they were friends, close ones, so of course she would prefer he stay. Yet the structure of it, the emotion behind her voice... as much as they had been through and bonded over, it was still a significant thing to hear, and it urged him to respond quickly, without thinking about the words that tumbled from his jaws.

"Then come with me," he offered, a kind of power behind his voice. It was what he wanted, what he thought might be best for them both. That she would disagree heartily was a very real possibility however, and so he marched forward with his reasoning, hoping to convince her now that the idea had been declared. "If we build Kova up to stand on his own four legs, leave him with a pack that is loyal and strong, then you've met your obligation to Minka. We would be their allies, it's not like we'd be abandoning them. Then, you could focus on yourself, what you want."

And he would focus on what he wanted, and hopefully the two would not conflict. His pale eyes wavered subtly as they watched her, and a sigh left him a beat later.

"I wouldn't be abandoning you, either, if you didn't want to come. I won't be here, but I won't just be gone, either. You're not getting rid of me that easily, okay?"

(This post was last modified: Mar 31, 2016, 10:56 PM by Gent.)

She watched the surprise take over his face, and for a moment a new dread formed in her. Sunshine eyes widened with concern, but she'd only a moment to worry, before her friend pushed forward a new proposition. Go with him? Raela was speechless, her orange ears still flattened into her neck. Not a word fled from her gently parted lips as he went on to elaborate. It made sense, she supposed. If it'd work. Maybe... maybe if the boy would agree to it... wouldn't this be the best possible compromise? What did she want anyway? The Queen of the Crest was far simpler at heart than her swarthy companion. 

Happiness. She just wanted to be happy.

Her sullen eyes turned up to watch him more closely as he continued. Instead of showing any real relief, the woman directed her gaze to the ground; dipping her muzzle and padding toward him without another word. Abandonment was all she ever feared; and Raela was suddenly as fragile and small as she had been that day he'd brought tears to her eyes with a simple vow. Gent had promised he would never, ever hurt her. She moved right up to him, pressing shoulder-to shoulder and staring at the dirt. "If Kova was alright with that, then it'd work," she confessed, beginning to work the idea over in her head.

She might have owed Minka, and she might have had attachments to Draven and the others; how many of them would try to leave if they did? Would she loose them? Her heart pulled toward the towering man at her side, and despite all the speculation she knew what her choice would be. If Gent was going to go, how could she not? If everything turned out like he'd said, then it would be fine, wouldn't it? "If you're... sure, that the pack would be strong enough for us to leave it then..." She looked up to find his curious glacial eyes. "I would go with you."  

            

He didn't expect her proximity, but he didn't shy away from it either. Gent simply gazed down upon her, mild and curious surprise within his eyes. His ears pressed forward, desperate for each word as from the start it seemed she was actually leaning toward taking up the offer. When at last she confirmed his suspicions, his tail thumped several times behind him with happiness he could not keep in.

"I wouldn't leave before then," he promised her swiftly. "I don't half-ass anything. I'll do what's needed to give Kova the best start possible, make sure that he's ready and capable before I go. I swear it."

That left Kova himself to be the only thing that could stand in the way. Would the youth rely deny this opportunity of carrying on his father's legacy and ensuring that the sanctuary his mother gave everything to build thrived? Gent would have words for him if he did. He had to convince the boy that this was what he wanted; now his own future relied on it.

"I've got a plan," he informed her with a nod of his muzzle, indicating that he wanted to walk and talk. They would lay out the details together, and then they would go to Kova. They would make the best of this.