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"I do... " she smiled, genuinely smiled for the first time...ever she thought. She was able to uplift someone, to do some good in this hell family. That had to mean something, right? Maybe there could be more to her than what her family demanded, more than violence ─ maybe strength wasn't what they said it was.

"Not like this..." soft brown eyes flickered back to him, ears falling. "We were separated before but... This is different... Before was out of our control... This time she just... Left..." ❝ Well... ❞ she began. ❝ I'm here ─ I could be here more...if you want ❞ here. With him. This was way better than her dad, her brothers.

"Forget my troubles Oniria... What causes you to come to the riverside alone...?" she sighs heavily, eyes falling to the water. ❝ I told you... ❞ she would mutter. ❝ My family sucks, ❞ she said. ❝ They're stupid ─ they don't love each other they just...fight. It's fun sometimes, playing...but every once in a while it would be nice to have this... ❞ she laid down then, curling her small body into his ivory fur, burying her face.

She would soak up the warmth and the love like she was starving and this was the first and last time she would get it.

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❝ ❞