"And they should have told you that, or at least, assumed you didn't know. It isn't your fault you didn't know."

Softly those words poured out gently hoping to continue to keep the boy steady and calm. Already his outburst earlier had caused the girl to see him in a very disturbing light. The she-wolf was well aware with his antics, his easy anger prone state, and it did not pass her that she knew he could be violent. Yet she hadn't thought he would simply toss her presence aside. It was in her very nature to please someone and out of all the people she knew he was the singular most important one â€" other than his charge. Even though her charge hardly requested her presence she still had a deep need to make her favored companion happy. Always when she was around the Leopard she pushed aside her wants or needs and solely focused on his. Whether he demanded it from her or not. It was easy for her to put aside what she wanted from him, because she hardly wanted anything at all. His presence was enough, his attention good or bad was an appreciating thing to experience for the girl that hardly got any before. She met every childish, whimsical, odd demand with nothing but her best effort in getting it done for him. But being shoved aside when she came up to him, as she showed the boy she was lesser than he, being calm when he spat at her was extremely nerve-wracking. The one person she had approval from, the one that mattered the most to her, being ignored caused her nothing but fear and an aching loss slowly creeping back. With the boy slowly breaking down, admitting to his fault was a major step forward for him and she was doing what he simply never vocally requested for- help in understanding. Nodding her head, pleased that he was at least starting to comprehend the errors she spoke softly, her hand never leaving his as she continued the repetitive rhythm of each stroke.

"Yes, that is correct...but because you had sex with her....you broke his ability to trust you."

It was ever so pressing that he understood he had broken some sort of trust between himself and Tetradore. Having sex was just the problem, but it was the bond between the two that had shattered that her distraught companion needed to understand. Trust was everything, but it held a much more importance to individuals that were damaged. She did not know much about his past, but she understood that he had been searching for his panther friend. The photo he had shown her provided her a small glimpse of the boy's childhood. Still barefooted and his long hair in his way, she had seen two little boys â€" cubs. Whatever happened that night, whenever he mentioned it briefly, it always caused him to mumble, to repeat and get highly upset. Calming him down and changing the subject was the only way for the boy to simply...forget. Every now and then she would try and speak about her own past, but he rarely listened and she thought it best if she never tried. But she would kindly listen to him as he brought up something from his own past during the time he lost Tetradore, but she made sure to steer him away from the pain when he was sputtering out of control. As he shook his head protesting that his leader was not hurt she simply shook her head slowly. Soft words were spoken slowly, blue-grey eyes meeting those troubled dark ones, as she attempted to help the boy understand something new.

"He isn't physically hurt...he is hurt...in here."

The young woman would lean towards the boy setting her hand over his heart. For a moment she would leave it there, feeling the soothing pulse of his heartbeat, matching its rhythm to her other hand as it continued to stroke one of his hands. Sadden eyes locked on his own keeping his gaze, trying so hard to come up with the right words to explain such an odd concept to the boy. Unlike others in the boy's life she was trying to help pick up the jagged pieces he had slammed together, pulling them a part and putting them together again...wanting him to see what was always there, but never understood. Putting slight pressure on his hand over her heart, as if to put emphasis on just where the emerald-eyed boy was hurting.

"This is not a hurt that cannot be seen by a wound, but it can be seen by someone's actions. He is hurt by you, when he ignores you that is how he numbs the pain...only you can make him not hurt again...but right now he needs some space and when he allows you back in...you can try and fix it."

Taking her hand off his chest she would move it back to one of his hands, gently restarting the soothing pressure to his hands with each stroke. The young woman was content simply sitting on his floor with the broken debris all around, willing to stay near him. The young woman pleased to be back in his good graces. His blunt statement made the girl tilt her head to the side. Although she had seen him act, apathetic to certain moments, she had seen him react with intense emotions. Food always being something that made him grin, that caused him to be delighted from whatever sort of meal was given to him. She was a witness to his jealously, watching his actions when he dealt with the vampire that had been eyeing her on her nightly stroll. These emotional moments were fleeting, his face going blank, but she knew deep down he was capable...he just needed to be shown.

"You can feel things Tobi, you can feel emotions...but you do not know what names they are. Earlier...when you were breaking everything in your bedroom....you were feeling angry....that is an emotion. You were probably feeling scared too...but I could help you learn...whatever emotion you are feeling I could explain...you just have to tell me."

That she was willing to help the boy learn how to emotionally function around others and understand his own at the same time surely sounded like a lost cause. Time and time again she answered his questions and showed him a way that allowed the boy to function like everyone else and not be so lost. Abused and tormented by others it was hard for anyone to understand why she didn't act as cold and apathetic to others as well. She had every right to be just as selfish as he was when it came to and yet she never showed that to anyone. For some reason the battered curly-hair woman seemed to still obtain empathy. His reason as to why he had sex with Nadya was ignored, a helpless shrug given to him, unable to have a response for such a thing. Leaning into him, providing him comfort by keeping her calm form close to his did she start to mention a solution to his broken demeanor. The poor woman wanted to make sure he was okay tonight unwilling to let him continue to stir in his self-hate and anguish. His mood changing quite suddenly perplexed the woman, unable to understand how easily he was able to switch on and off his...mood. The warmth she had felt while leaning into him was extinguished the moment he got up and left her behind. Unfolding her legs as he stood in one of his corners, claiming the spot to be where he wanted his hammock she clasped her hands noticing then the shakes. The young woman had not been able to adjust to these news and accept them, whatever fears that were lingering in the back of her head hadn't yet been handled which caused the girls hands to shake as an affect. It was that smooth, deeper baritone voice that made the girl's head lift and turn to his. Her real name being uttered from him was....astounding. Blue-grey eyes widen as the girl silently moved over the broken and splintered wood and shards of glass, standing right behind him uncertain as to why he had seemed to change entirely. His stance was still, her shoulders back, absolutely zero fidgeting was going on. Blue-grey eyes noticed how brighter his eyes looked, that deep mahogany carrying golden flecks the boy revealing a part of himself tightly locked away, but not forgotten. She had seen this side of him before, a part of himself that seemed undamaged by the cruelty of life and the hardships he had to endure. While his baritone voice came back it was not difficult to catch the hitch of pain and heavy guilt that seemed to tear the boy from the inside and out. Seeing him mimic the promise cross she had shown him caused her eyes to widen slightly in recognition, delighted and shocked that he would know it and use it correctly, that crooked grin tugging at his lips completely tugging on her heart strings. This was a rare moment, a rare opportunity that Raven did not want to pass up, so still seeing the golden flecks in his eyes...knowing he was still there, her soft voice held a firmer tone sounding far more serious than ever before.

"Tobias"

One hand would reach for his, gingerly squeezing it, a desperate attempt to keep the man around, for just a bit longer. She needed to hear this. Truly it should come from Tetradore, but in this moment she was hoping this could be a small fix, a way to try and heal such a long and festering wound.

"That isn't your fault...you were a cub. Cubs cannot defend themselves or others very well, what happened to him was awful, but it was awful for you too. It is good you want to provide him the best things in his life, but don't you dare, not for one more second blame yourself...because it is not your fault.."

Raven did not know if Tobi would understand. If either of him would understand. She was not around when it all happened all she had to rely on were the small snippets he would tell her before he would consume to his own anger and torment. She had tried and did her best, but she knew her words probably held little meaning or any importance. She wished Tetradore would have witnessed this instead of herself. Her companion needed to hear his best friend's words because they carried far too much weight than hers ever could. As he pivoted in place she watched with sadness and regret as those golden flecks disappeared. Those rich mahogany eyes quickly replaced by those depthless obsidian pools. Her head lowered as her shoulders slid down in defeat, her fingers clutching and twirling around one another, as doubt seemed to fill her mind. She hoped a part of him heard her and believed what she had said. Hearing her familiar moniker and the chipper tone in his voice she looked up nodding her head, finding that soft tone in her voice, attempting to return both of them back towards the hammock subject.

"This is a good spot, but I need nets...and tarps...similar to what we had at the warehouse. Is there anything like that here in the Ark?"

Perhaps there was a reason why she deeply cared for the boy and attached herself to him without tearing away. There was a sort of silver of similarity that she had seen in him and not in others. Both seemed strong on the outside, both taking care of the situation without hesitation. They had, for other people, been the force that kept those they were with out of harm's way, not minding or carrying if they got hurt in the process. Yet the she-wolf and tom cat were extremely sensitive even though they played out they were strong. Although Tobias was a bit difficult when it came to it, he still showed kindness to others as much as Raven even though it wasn't so exuberant. However, both of them were always the first ones to get mistreated by others that meant to and others that didn't mean to. Yet somehow they still had the capability of showing kindness to others thinking perhaps they wouldn't be mistreated again. It was without a question that the lupine and feline were capable of carrying for others far more than they cared for themselves. The boy countlessly trying to protect those he cares for just as she had done everything possible to take care of him, forgoing her sleep, giving up some of her food, even personal time, all to ensure the boy was okay and happy. Selflessness a thing the two did together, whether it was amongst each other or towards others. However, both were in dire need to be taken care of by others yet they would be the last ones to ask for it. The bright smiles they gave carried the pain behind him that seemed to be completely unnoticed by others. Raven had always assumed she was alone and each time she saw Tobi she saw a part of herself in him and the thought of loneliness was washed away. The tether between the two seemed to continue to grow stronger every day and perhaps that is another thing that kept the two from completely breaking away.

I'd Rather Feel Pain Then Nothing At All

Raven