𝑷𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑹 𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 • 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧. 𝐦 (wolfblood)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

"What are we looking for again?" Rhydian asked his wild friend, but it sounded like more of a complaint than a question. Lia, who sat beside him on the log, jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, "Quit your whining, Morris." she told him sternly, but gave him a soft smile of understanding when he met her eye.

Jana sighed loudly as she moved between the trees, "Sage... for the rite." she told him, clearly annoyed with the boy. Lia guessed that he had complained a lot before she arrived. Classically Morris, she thought to herself. The blonde boy let out a small sigh, tipping his head back slightly before asking, "Are we burying him or making a casserole?"

In all honesty, Lia nearly burst into fits of laughter at that comment. Knowing that she was trying to keep it together, Rhydian looked at the girl, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. He was clearly pleased with himself after seeing her face redden in an attempt to not laugh at his wit.

"It's not a joke, Rhydian!" Jana scolded him, "A wolfblood's soul must be set at peace."

He lifted one shoulder, shrugging as he leaned against the tree beside him, "Just a bit over the top, isn't it?"

Jana stared at him blankly for a couple of seconds, "It's what every wolfblood believes... or should believe. If you don't want to help, then stay out of my way, because I'm going to do this properly." she stated, storming past the two and examining the leaf-covered ground as she walked down the small hill and along the river bank. 

Lia gave the boy beside her a look. He looked to the side for a moment, clearly not knowing why she was looking at him so disappointed, "What?"

The redhead scoffed, shaking her head a little before looking back up at him, "Right. As fantastic as the casserole comment was-"

"Thank you." He cut her off, beaming proudly. Lia shoved a makeshift 'quiet coyote' in his face, causing him to shut up instantly. She took a breath before continuing, "I think it's important that we help Jana, at least try to understand her beliefs. They're clearly important to her, and your little comments aren't helping."

He sighed quietly, ducking his head forward slightly in such a way that Lia took it for a reluctant nod of agreement. She let out a short breath, "Thank you."

Rhydian watched as she took in their surroundings, her gaze drifting from the ground, to the river, to Jana who was almost completely out of sight, to the trees around them. He wet his lips before finally speaking up, "Why do you care so much?"

Lia turned to face him, evidently confused. She let out a broken laugh, "What? What do you mean?"

"Why do you care so much?" He repeated, "Okay, I get that you're trying to be respectful and all that, and I also get that you're trying to make an effort with Jana, which I appreciate. But it's more than that, isn't it?"

Her lips parted slightly at his confrontation, her eyes flickering between his steel-blue ones. She went to speak up, but her breath caught in her throat before she could utter a single syllable. It always shocked her how well he could read her, she sometimes thought he knew more about her than she did. She let out a small sigh, knowing that he wasn't going to let this go. She shrugged, "I don't know. I guess... I like to think that there is an afterlife. Maybe it's just because it's better than thinking that all of the other wolfbloods who were shot and killed in the past didn't just die a horrible death and that was it, but that they had somewhere to go, somewhere they could reminisce about their life and reunite with their loved ones," she chuckled awkwardly, slipping two fingers under her beanie to push back her hair a little, "Besides, I have no idea what happened to my parents, and if they-" she cut herself off, swallowing the lump in her throat before continuing, "If they did die, I like to think that they're somewhere safe now."